A new appreciation of youth ministry
Some say that we only truly appreciate something when we lose it. You might have been feeling a little like that about your youth ministry recently - as if someone came like a thief in March and took away something precious you thought would always be there. The truth is, it hasn’t really gone away, it just looks different now. And though it may never be quite the same, maybe it is precisely those changes which help us understand and appreciate what it is we do with young people. Perhaps, as we try to work out what youth ministry looks like for today, we understand its true worth and it will be much better in the long run.
Back to basics
What is youth ministry? We might do well to ask this key question as we find ourselves with limited opportunities and regular changes in circumstances and restrictions. What did we want to see happen when we used to run our programmes before? And what are our priorities now those programmes are not really possible in the same way? Some key things might be:
Relationships and community: always fundamental to youth ministry and the gospel, we seek to help young people understand what it means to have a relationship with a loving God in the context of community with other Christians. Identity and belonging are all wrapped up in this.
Speaking God’s truth for today: we want young people to hear and understand what God wants to say to them, to make sense of an increasingly uncertain world so they will not just survive, but thrive.
Pastoral care: young people need adults and peers who will walk with them and show empathy and genuine care for the challenges they are facing in the name of Jesus.
New priorities
Though these remain among our critical objectives, we must achieve them differently now. Instead of focussing on running familiar programmes, people are asking how they can now best achieve the aims those programmes normally would. Our priorities have become answering questions like:
How can we stay in touch as much as possible with every young person and develop relationships best as we can, helping them still feel part of our church community?
What different ways can we keep God’s Word before young people and help them live it out?
How can we give supportive messages to show young people they genuinely matter and have someone to talk to?
Can we just have fun with them?
Tailored
More than ever, churches are seeking different ways to engage young people which are right for them – for their young people, for their capacity and resources, for their particular circumstances. So, we may learn from what others are doing, but shouldn’t try to be exactly like them. We shouldn’t feel guilty about what we cannot do, or have not done, but focus instead on what we can do with God’s help. Take small steps, directed by our priorities, unafraid to try something and to dust ourselves down and have a go at something else if it doesn’t work. Use all the resources available to us, including the prayers and support of the wider congregation, but rest content with what we can do, not attempting to do too much.
The result will not look the same for any two congregations, but the point is this, God is still at work. In these days none of us can pretend this is our own ministry, but rather we seek what God is doing and ask what part we can play alongside him. So, how is this working out practically as we see God refine what youth ministry looks like in these times?
Getting off on the right foot
Firstly, it is important to ensure that whatever we do is built on the right foundation and there are a few fundamentals to tick off before we can confidently step forward:
Kirk session has the responsibility to approve any activity before it goes ahead;
Parental consent must be sought as before, though this can be done through an online from as described in this Taking Care social media leaflet;
Ensure there are proper safeguarding procedures for online and ‘in person’ activities and risk assessments are carried out for activities, within these guidelines;
Communicate well with parents first - and with young people and the congregation - so that they can provide support and pray.
These basics will help ensure whatever you do is safe and has the best chance of achieving your intended purpose.
Small steps
Your youth ministry is not gone, it is just going to be different to how it was before and different to anyone else’s. Some simple things you might consider include:
- Plan an online games night, perhaps using some of the ideas in this video;
- For young people who attend, or watch, church, make a short online video of your reflections on the sermon with questions to invite response and help them apply it to their lives;
- Develop regular small groups in person or online - most likely, a bit of both. Small groups of about six tend to work better on video platforms than larger groups, especially when young people are weary with online meetings, as this video explains;
- Recommend a suitable Christian book or, if possible, ask the church to buy them for the young people to enable discussion together, in person or online;
- Text your young people a Bible verse every day, every week or as often as you can;
- Use some of the extra time you have now to meet as leaders to plan, pray and learn together.
Those are just a few possibilities. Check out the PCI dedicated section Refined and follow on social media to receive more ideas, hear about resources you might use and see stories from around the denomination to fire your imagination in the weeks ahead. You know your situation best however. Your youth ministry is still there, just in a different way. Seek to understand how God is at work refining your youth ministry in new and fruitful ways.
Graeme Thompson is the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s Youth Development Officer.
This blog is part of the digital programme series, Refined, to help move our denominational conversation on from what was needed to initially respond to the Coronavirus pandemic, to seeking God’s leading and guiding for this next season of church life together.
Visit the Refined hub here.