Table of contents
Introduction
Biblical Principles Of Youth Ministry
Models
of Ministry:
Special
Needs of Young People
Psycho-social needs:
Youth
ministry options
The
volunteer youth minister
Advantages
of using volunteers:
Disadvantages
of using volunteers:
The
summer youth minister
Advantages
of a summer youth worker:
Disadvantages
of using a summer youth minister:
The
permanent part-time work
Advantages
of a permanent part-time worker:
Disadvantages
of having a permanent part-time youth minister:
The
full-time youth worker
Advantages
of having a full-time youth minister:
Disadvantages
of a full-time youth ministry program:
Conclusion
Introduction
What
do you think of when someone mentions the word “ministry”? Ministry is most
often related to that which a pastor does week in and week out among the adults
of the congregation. We think of preaching, visitation to the sick and home bound,
and a visit from time to time to a lost person.
Detailed
and growing youth ministry is largely lacking in many congregations, because
they are not follow the biblical principles in youth ministry and there is no full-time worker able to
concentrate on the needs and concerns of teenagers. Volunteers do their best to
provide some activities to young people and see that there is a place for them
at church, but few churches are prepared to launch into a full-fledged youth
program that reaches out to community teenagers with everlasting results.
So
what happens to teenagers if there is no formal or professional youth minister
on staff? Is it possible to have a real ministry to teenagers if the church
doesn’t have a youth minister? There is a great need all around us for focused
ministry directed towards young people, and even without a paid youth worker, a
church can have a thriving and growing youth ministry, if they so choose.
Biblical Principles Of Youth Ministry
when
we think or talk about establishing a youth group, it is important to begin by
asking the question, “What is it that the Lord desires of us in this ministry?”
We must ask the question, “Has He perhaps already given us a model for ministry
and a structure that we can, by His grace, reproduce in our church? Our goal is
not to grow a youth group, but to see the first century church ideals and
convictions reproduced in the context of twenty-first century teens. Our God
has already given us everything pertaining to life and godliness including the
principles and models of ministry in the scriptures.[1]
Models
of Ministry:
These
models are mainly about the overall scope and structure of the local church,
but they also contain sound principles for ministries within the church. All we
need is to look to the Scriptures[2].
For example, Ephesians 4:11-12 says,
“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some
prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of
the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
(NASB) Eph. 4:11-12
In
your question, you stated that you already had administration people and Bible
teachers. The first question then that you want to ask is, “Will they fit into
a structure of equipping students for the work of the ministry?” Are they
equipping these young saints to do the work of the ministry? The second
question is whether there are some missing pieces in your overall ministry
leadership structure. Let us take a closer look at each one of these questions[3].
Special Needs of Young People
Psycho-social
needs:
Children
are very short-sighted. Their world revolves around their parents and other
family members who have met all of their needs. The world at large is almost
invisible to the small child who depends upon those in the home to bring into
focus everything around him. The parents make all decisions for the child and
from within this environment he learns moral values and life skills. The
teenager is different. She is no longer a child but is not yet a mature adult.
In this new world many emotional and physical changes take place and hormones
add an uncertainty to the mix. The young person hasn't yet developed his true
identity, and as a rule insecurity and timidity will cause him to follow the
path of his peers. True individuality is scarce among the teenage community,
and as a result we see them share much in common such as music, clothing
styles, language, and pastimes. This shared experience helps them develop their
adult identities. The young person needs friends. This is part of the innate
need to be loved and accepted. His friends will, for the most part, accept him
as he is and offer a form of support. Unfortunately, many teenagers fall in
with the wrong crowd. Instead of his peers helping to develop healthy life
habits they often influence in ways that lead to dangerous choices that bring
damage and hurt[4].
Youth ministry options
There
are four basic types of youth ministry; voluntary, summer employed, year-round
part time, and year-round full-time.
The
volunteer youth minister
For
lack of adequate funds, many churches will decide to use volunteers to work
with the youth in their community. This type of volunteer is more than a youth
counsellor or chaperone, because we are looking for those people particularly
suited to work on a regular and constant basis with the teenagers. This
volunteer will most likely come from within the congregation, but part of the
long range plan is to call a paid individual to the position sometime down the
road. Volunteers have their and sometimes these can create hindrances that can
hurt the ministry. Usually churches choose to use one or two married couples of
the church to carry on the ministry, and often these folks have teenage
children themselves. Whatever the case, it is of the utmost importance that
these leaders meet on a regular basis to plan and evaluate the ministry. If
planning sessions are not carefully calendared, it is likely that little
lasting fruit will come of the efforts, and young people will not receive the
attention they require[5].
Advantages of using
volunteers:
•
Volunteer ministers do not cost much money, and the local youth ministry can be
started without as much formal preparation.
•
The young people and members of the church already know the individuals who
will be working. The transition to a new ministry and its workers is relatively
easy[6].
Disadvantages of using
volunteers:
•
Sometimes volunteers do not fulfil their stated ministry responsibilities. It
is possible to lose 3 sight of the original interest and vision.
•
When problems do arise, it must be kept in mind that you will be dealing with
church members rather than employees.
•
In many instances, the volunteers are not well equipped for youth ministry, and
the quality of the ministry can suffer[7].
The
summer youth ministry
This
method or option of ministry is ideal for initiating a youth ministry. Instead
of using local church member volunteers, an outsider is selected to serve as
youth pastor. This outsider is paid an honourable salary and, if needed, the
church agrees to provide housing for the youth worker while he is on the field[8].
Advantages of a summer
youth worker:
•
There is no division of the worker's time and interests (no conflicts of
interest). The exclusive purpose of the summer youth worker is to work with
teenagers to develop a plan that reaches uncharted community youth.
•
Cost is minimal. The summer worker will be on the field during the summer
months when regular school classes are in recess. Most churches can easily
afford to pay a worker and provide housing for two a three months.
•
The church has opportunity to get to know a prospective minister in the event
that they decide to call him to later full-time ministry.
•
A short term ministry provides the summer worker with valuable ministry
experience.
•
Some of the best available summer ministers are university and seminary
students. Many of these folks will have few summer class conflicts and, in
fact, are looking for summer employment[9].
Disadvantages of using
a summer youth minister:
•
Unless there is careful local planning to incorporate the summer ministry into
the overall ministry effort, the successes and benefits of the summer ministry
could evaporate as soon as the worker leaves the field.
•
If a different summer minister is used each year the ministry could lack.
•
If the local pastor doesn't possess good administrative skills or is insecure
regarding his own abilities and responsibilities, personality or program
conflicts could develop. More personnel demand better supervision and guidance[10].
The
permanent part-time worker
This
individual works year round with the teenagers and receives regular
compensation for his efforts. Occasionally it is possible to find a
bi-vocational worker who can dedicate his free time to the local church youth
ministry. This paid worker is more than a volunteer with a more formal relationship
with the church and the young people[11].
Advantages of a
permanent part-time worker:
•
The worker is committed to youth work year round. He doesn’t have to return to
classes or leave the field after a few months of ministry. The youth ministry
is a permanent part of the overall church program and can be developed as such.
•
Even though the church offers a year round salary, it is part-time. The
minister has other work outside of the
local church and doesn’t have to completely depend upon the church for financial
support. It is a minimal financial investment as far as the church is
concerned.
•
As a general rule of thumb it can be said that the paid worker is more
committed to the work than a volunteer would be, because the paid worker is
accountable to the local church for the financial support he receives.
•
The young people will have a long-term familiar face with whom to develop a
relationship.
The
teenagers needn’t have to build new trust each year with a different minister.
This will promote ministry stability.
•
The paid youth minister can plan with the pastor and other leaders for the long
haul. Youth ministry becomes as much an important aspect of the local church as
any other ministry emphasis[12].
Disadvantages of having
a permanent part-time youth minister:
•
If this individual is a member of the local church, conflicts may arise if he
doesn’t get along well with other staff or church members. Even though a
troublesome worker can be fired it could be ill advised as long as the worker
is a long-term member of the local church. Without very careful planning and
coordination dismissal could precipitate major internal problems.
•
Unless the church invests time to develop a comprehensive job description,
difficulties and confusion could arise concerning the direction of ministry.
Even though the youth worker is a member of the church, great care must be
taken to clearly define expected responsibilities.
•
Church decisions could offend church members who are relatives of the youth
worke[13]r.
The
full-time youth worker
The
preferred youth ministry worker will be a called outsider who can work on a
full-time basis. This individual is selected because of his preparation and
comes expecting to dedicate his full attention to the local ministry. His call
to ministry is not unlike that of the pastor, only he is called to work specifically
with teenagers. The church will be responsible for his full financial support[14].
Advantages of having a full-time
youth minister:
•
Like any other full-time worker, this individual can give his undivided
attention to the ministry to which he was called.
•
It is easier to elaborate a stable ministry that will grow and develop. Every
new ministry and minister require a certain period of time whereby everyone
gets to know one another which will contribute to a successful program.
•
During the pastor’s absence the youth minister can help with preaching,
visitation, and overall adult ministries.
•
There is a positive influence on church growth as prospective members become
aware of the full-time youth ministry offered by the local church.
•
A full-time additional staff person might be used to build up other ministries
like Christian education, outreach, or music. In this sense the church gets
double for its financial investment[15].
Disadvantages of a
full-time youth ministry program:
•
A pastor insecure of his abilities or unsure of his call might feel threatened
by the presence of another full-time staff person.
•
When problems or divisions arise in the church the youth pastor may
unexpectedly find himself on the opposite pole from the senior pastor.
•
The added cost can strain the church budget and create new pressures.
•
If the church hasn't prepared a detailed job description, confusion may follow
as to where the youth ministry is headed. Expectations and responsibilities
need to be carefully mapped out and understood before the search begins for
additional staff.
•
Without coordinated and continuous planning the church might find itself
involved in two or more distinct and fragmented ministries. As we said before,
a solid job description is indispensable before considering a minister of
youth. The description should clearly list the expectations of the church along
with the proposed responsibilities of the new minister. Part of the description
should detail ministry objectives and the resources available to accomplish the
task. The church must also put in black and white how the congregation will
support the minister and his family. Included in the description will be
information pertinent to whom the youth worker will be accountable. Generally
the youth minister is directly accountable to the senior pastor and personnel
committee. When decisions must be made touching financial support or
interpersonal conflicts, the personnel committee is best suited to the task.
The senior pastor is the manager or general administrator, but when tensions or
great differences arise, an objective point of view and counsel is suggested to
best mediate the situation.
Any
job description should also outline what the church expects in regards to an
unmarried youth minister's relationship with young women who may be part of the
youth group. It is best if the youth minister not become involved with member
young women, because this can open a Pandora's box of problems among the
teenagers and their families. The church should set aside sufficient funds and time
for the youth worker to improve his ministry skills. When he is able, he will
participate in workshops and conferences related to his ministry objectives[16].
Conclusion
Through this reach paper I’m
confident that if you spend your time in prayer, in the Scriptures, evaluating
your current ministry team players and begin to mentor them beginning with
character, that the outcome will be a ministry that truly pleases the Lord and
rocks the world for the cause of Christ. Let your programs be flexible. They
are not of primary importance. What are important are the glory of God and the
souls of men and women. It could take two to five years to get to where you
want to be with this ministry so relax and enjoy the process. Build on biblical
principles instead of fads, hype, and shallow youth culture. Study the life of
Christ in the gospels and watch how He did ministry and mentored His disciples.
Pour over the Pastoral Epistles, I Timothy, II Timothy, and Titus. Watch what
Timothy mentor is taught him about leadership, character, and ministry. It is
not a quick fix or easy at the outset, but you will be refreshed and confident
in the end. “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in
these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself
and for those who hear you.”
[4] Warren S
Benson and Mark H.Senter,III The complete
book of youth ministry(Chicago: Mood PRESS,1987),Pp313-324.
[5] Warren S
Benson and Mark H.Senter, III The
complete book of youth ministry (Chicago: Mood PRESS, 1987), Pp313-324.
[11]Warren
S Benson and Mark H.Senter,III The
complete book of youth ministry,Pp313-324.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for visit us. May our Good GOD bless you