I have been speaking with the leader of a large para-church ministry, who is considering starting a youth department. (Forgive me for not saying the ministry name, I think they’d prefer it not mentioned at this point.) The thought they have been hearing is that their ministry to adults is so great that they don’t need one specifically for the youth. Their adult ministry will attract and reach the youth. It reminds me of a church saying they don’t need a youth ministry to reach the teens; the senior pastor on Sunday mornings will do it.

The Bible says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” I thought you guys might have some helpful input. I haven’t gotten back with them yet; I wanted to give a really thought provoking reply to hopefully make them rethink doing more to reach teens!

   1) Why is it important for a church to have a youth ministry?

    2) What are your most powerful arguments for why Youth Ministry is a necessity?

Thank you so much for your help!!!

- Terry

I am certain that you will hear from experienced and seasoned Youth Ministry leaders who will give you some very meaningful reasons of why Youth Ministry is a must in any church. Although I have worked with children all my life, I have also ministered to teenagers and I am a father to one! One of the many reasons why there should be a ministry geared specifically to youth is because they need w hole lot more encouragement, support and guidance than the adults. They have left childish things behind and are embracing a life of adulthood that is not quite that simple to understand. Besides the enormous amount of pressure our young people are subject to today they are attack severely by the enemy of our souls. This is because he knows how powerful and effective a young person is in impacting the world for Christ. He also knows that they are the leaders of tomorrow's church. With that said, our youth need to be ministered by someone who understands the challenges they face. Most of us who are in our 40's and up have no idea how difficult these challenges can be. Granted that sin is sin and temptation is temptation, but I will argue until Christ returns with anyone who tells me that today's youth face the same problems as we did. The Word of God never changes, but times do! Young people need a leader/pastor who is open about every issue in life, especially sex and substance abuse. They need someone who will not judge them, but be compassionate and willing to listen to their concerns. They need someone who will be a parent (to those who lack one or both), a mentor and most importantly a friend. Of course this someone must also be uncompromising with the Word of God and admonish them with love when needed. In short, they need a Youth Leader who identifies with their struggles and at the same time provide them with fun activities that are engaging and up to date (technology wise). Again, not many adults can handle both. I remember a lady (youth leader substitute) who came in with a flannel board! Hey, I am sure God can use those, but if he has given us Power Point, Videos, Computers and electric guitars why not use those!? The world uses them and seem to be very successful in capturing our young people's hearts!

Pray that the Lord would reveal to your leaders the vital need for a Youth Ministry. One that is empowered by the Spirit and by a leader who have a heart for young people.

Good luck and keep praying that is where you will find all your answers is in prayer. 

Blessings,

Melissa - NY

Check out my web page that deals with the disaster that results when the wrong motivation is in play:

http://coconutmtn.com/10waysyouthgroup.html

Let us know how it turn out.

Kevin

www.coconutmtn.com

It takes a village to raise a child.   The more people who are reaching out to a child, the better.  The more Christ focus activies we can keep our kids in the better. 

A strong adult ministry may reach a few youth, but not enough.  You need to offer something that all youth feel comfortable in attending on their own.  Not many are wiling to walk alone into an adult event no matter how open and friendly those adults are.  The subject of adult bible studies are not of interest to the youth.  They need bible studies to address the challenges they are facing.  Adults may not come to a study geared to youth.

My vote would be YES, a youth ministry is needed!  If youth have Christ centered activities to attend every night of the week, our children will grow up safer.  If there is currently a youth program set up, research it and make sure that this new one is an addition not a competition.  That can be done by setting this one up with a different format and focus.

Adrianne

Oh I know you do Melissa, and I agree with you wholeheartedly. I am one who teaches and preaches that children are the church of today. In fact, I have spoken at various seminars and workshops teaching this unrefuted truth. In my response to Terry I said that the devil knows that our youth are the LEADERS of tomorrow's church. They are indeed part of the body of Christ, but are in training to become those who will be the next pastors, ministry leaders, SS teachers, etc. That is why we are at high risk of loosing them to the world if we do not provide for them spiritually.

Thanks and Blessings!

Melissa - NY

- Terry

- Terry

While the message never changes, the methods must or you simply won’t get the message out. And I fear that’s where many ministries let teens slip through the net.

Teens and adults are on different wavelengths. No one speaks to a 4-year-old the same way they would to a 40-year-old. Just like children, teens think very differently than adults. They’re not drooling on their toys anymore (I hope), but they’re also not full fledged adults yet. The teen years are the transitional years. Their age needs something age appropriate, something that speaks to them, on their level. Even the government realizes they’re not mature enough to drive until half-way through their teen years, and they can’t vote or fight for their country until they’re nearly out of their teen years. Teens simply don’t fit in with the rug rats and they don’t quite fit in with the suits and ties either. They are a unique age group, with unique mindsets and struggles that require a unique ministry.

      As you know, between the ages of 13 to 19:

§         Puberty comes on the scene, which translates to: growth spurts, zits, and increased attraction to the opposite sex. Guys get muscles and girls get... more attention from the guys.

§         Peer influence increases, desires to fit in and be popular grow stronger, and self-esteem struggles arrive in force.

§         They experience increased emotional “ups and downs.” They want to understand the “whys.” They begin spending more time with their peers and less with their parents as they grow more independent.

       I can’t think of any healthy church that doesn’t have strong children and youth ministries. It’s just a basic necessity. Few saved 13-year-olds will read a 350 page adult Christian book (no matter how amazing it is), just like no 6-year-old is going to do the family’s taxes. They need a ministry and resources just for them. To pretend teens are the same as adults only deceives the adults.

       CNN and MTV are both popular, professional and have tremendous followings, but each pulls in a very different audience. The Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards and the Oscars both fill up a huge hall, but they attract very different crowds. To reach m of teens you have to have something fully targeted for teens, a youth ministry.

Youth ministry isn’t worldliness, its age appropriateness. I realize the word “relevant” in some circles conjures up the idea of a thuged up, cursing pastor covered in tattoos, with a Bible sticking out of the front waistband of his boxers (where a gun would otherwise be). That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m simply suggesting a relatable ministry, but tailored for the transitional years from childhood to adulthood. We’re not talking about watering down the gospel, God forbid such heresy, we’re just talking about presenting the gospel on their level. Teens think differently than adults do. They have different attention spans, desires, goals, and passions; it’s just a different world. I’ve lost count of the amount of teens who’ve told me, “My parents just don’t understand me.” And honestly, they’re right! Many adults have forgotten what it’s like to have raging hormones thrust into a child’s mind. They don’t recall the power of peer-pressure, sudden desires for popularity, depressive loneliness, and a thirst to find a true love. To reach teens God forces us to stop and remember how to relate to them again.

       Paul said, “To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews . . . to [the Gentiles], as without law . . . to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” If a ministry doesn’t become as a teen to the teens, most youth simply won’t stop to listen.

There is such a tremendous urgency to reach teens. I just read that when Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize, she was asked by an interviewer, “Why is it that you’ve committed your life to the sick and dying in the streets of Calcutta?” Her reply was staggering: “I haven’t committed my life to the sick and dying of Calcutta. I’ve committed my life to Jesus, and it just so happens that I see His face on the sick and dying of Calcutta.” That’s how I wish more felt about teens. They’re going to Hell by the busload and practically no one, no one, is doing much to stop it!!! It drives me to tears to think about! An outreach specifically geared toward them makes such a difference. Your ministry could make such a dramatic impact on our world’s youth. There is such a desperate urgency for student targeted outreaches.

       Simply put, without a Student Ministry you won’t reach nearly as many teens as you could with only an adult service. The difference a Student Ministry could make is, instead of reaching a handful of teens you’d be reaching dozens (if not hundreds).

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I can you give two perspectives, from both the pastor and parent point of view.     As a parent who attends a church with kids that attend youth, my son just turned 13 so now I feel old, I want my church to minister to my entire family.    And from that point of view, I would suffer through bad preaching in the adult service (not the case for me in case you are wondering) if the youth department was ministering effectively to my teen-age children.     When looking for a church, that would be my top priority.

As a pastor, we get hit with stats all the time.   I read someplace that 88% of Christian youth fall away when go away to college.    That % might have changed since I read that, but you get the point.   We need someone who is focusing on building and equipping the youth of today to stand strong in this world, especially when they leave a caring, nurturing church environment for a hostile college campus.   For me, nothing is more compelling than that.    We have these young people for 4 years, if we are lucky and we need to work while it is light out.     Because after graduation, they will have to stand on their own.

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Wow this is a thought provoking topic! As a 21 year old senior in college, starting in youth ministry and going through youth programs myself I cannot even imagine church with out youth ministry. For me there are a million and one reasons churches need youth ministries but I'll try to just give you what I think are the most important ones. Relevance. Yes I do agree that the Bible is relevant to everyone every place in life. I think it is essential for teenagers to attend church service but I acknowledge the teaching style is not always going to be relevant to teenagers. They need someone to speak their language, to take concepts in scripture and show them the plain jane application to their lives.

Also another huge important reason for youth ministry is to give teenagers a place to be comfortable and safe in this world. It provides them a place to feel safe to ask real life questions, to be challenged and inspired by older Godly people. They live in a time where sometimes teenagers have NO safe place, not school, friends, not even their homes anymore. Its essential they get together with other teenagers to be able to relate and encourage one another. To be uplifted and just loved on for who they are not for the things they are going through.

I don't know if this helps but I'm a living example of the importance of youth ministry as God took me from a 15 year old party kid to a youth director serving the Lord. Really because of the influence of our youth leaders and youth ministry program. Hope this helps and good luck!

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Essentially the need for a youth ministry is the same need for having parents. There need to be people raising up the next generation to love, know and serve Christ. Ministering to adults is perfectly valid, but why wait until they are adults, why not reach them as soon as possible. And are the adults who are being reached being equipped and trained to reach their children? Who will take on that duty.

And what about those kids whose adult in their life is not reached, who touches their life? and what influence will they receive?  There are many valid reasons for having a youth ministry. To sum it up you could say:

All ministries that are connected with the local church should have a youth ministry venue because:

1. Parents need to be instructed how to raise godly children who come to saving faith in Christ
2. Parents need assistance in affirming those teachings to their children from other adults who are like minded
3. There are many youth who do not have Christian parents or parents who are properly equipped to reach them for the Gospel.
4. It is getting harder and harder to reach adults for the Gospel and the longer you wait, the harder it becomes.

Hope this gives you some good logic for your conversation,