Until that time comes, I'm going to stumble on pretending like I know what I'm doing. The last two years we've been doing this youth service on Saturday nights that nearly got me beat up by many of our youth when we changed to it. The first year it flowed very naturally out of our leaders and I think it worked quite well. Last year it felt like we were pulling teeth to make it happen every week.
So here we are, a new year is upon us and all my prayer and planning has left me with very few ideas. We're going to go back to Fridays again this year. I read a book in which the author was cautioned to not begin a Saturday night service because he and his leaders needed time with their families. So I started to think about how that encouragement could be important in our youth ministry as well. My kids are both in school this year from Monday to Friday and most of our leaders are either in school or work Monday to Friday with Saturday being their one day off in the week. And then we were taking that one day away from them with another youth meeting. So we're doing youth on Fridays again.
Plus, I understand anew every summer that we need to do more events so that we can attract new kids to hear the good news of Christ. The last couple of years I've really bought into the 'not a babysitter' mentality - which I still agree with, but there does need to be some attractional component to our ministry in order to encourage kids to come and bring their friends.
I'm really getting excited about a new year of ministry and I'm very hopeful that this could be a good year. But It's going to take a lot more preparation to be able to do attractional events and not be a babysitting service - or be a VERY expensive ministry.
1 comment:
I feel ya man. How to be missional but not a party. Someone once told me What you win them with, you win them to. Trying to find a healthy balance is very hard. Thought... how can you use what they are already involved in? Instead of adding MORE how can the ministry come alongside what is already going on? The outreach might not be another event but getting REALLy involved in the sporting events, plays, and other school related activities. Hope your new year is full of growth. Blessings.
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