NEW: Download the Commune-ity Meeting 2008 Worship iMix

 

Maybe the best thing about student ministry today is relevance; however it also may be the worst thing.  Don't get me wrong, I'm trying as much as the next guy to keep things fresh, but I have been re-thinking a few things.  September marked my tenth anniversary of being in full time youth ministry.  As I approached and passed the milestone, I asked myself some hard questions.  It was kinda like turning 30 (yes…  I did that too, yuk).  The questions concerned the time in which the students of my church have been under my watch.  What kind of students have come out of our program?  What have we taught them?  What have we not taught them?  Did they actually do it?  Why or why not?  Then finally maybe the most important and challenging question, are they currently living a life committed to God?  Wow…  weighty words huh?

 

It may be a good idea for you to look in your youth ministry lesson folder and see what you have taught your students in the last twelve months.  Ask yourself some questions: Am I light on substance?  Heavy on fluff?  Dangerously close to boredom by repetition?  What am I am teaching them that will give them to best chance to live an overcoming life for Jesus Christ 10 years from when they leave the group?

 

I asked myself questions similar to this and realized I had succeeded in some areas and kinda sorta failed in others.  OK, OK, I straight up blew it in some areas.  After recovering from the blow to my ego, I tried to come up with some things that I needed to focus in the next year.  My objective in this article is to suggest four things, not necessarily THE FOUR, but just four things you should be teaching your students in 2008.

 

The first is prayer.  We must teach, show, and encourage our students to pray.  One of the greatest attributes of the information age is the accessibility communication.  I talked to a student the other day who sent nine thousand text messages last month.  That's about 300 a day.  Now that is a lot of communication!  (It is also a lot of overage costs!)  The parallel is easy: Communication = Relationship.  The more and the better you communicate with someone, the closer relationship you have with them.  If our students are going to have a relationship with God they will have to know how to communicate with Him.  So we Big Mac better well be teaching them to do it.

 

The second is Bible reading.  To lead an overcoming life for Jesus Christ you must practice regular Bible reading.  I hate making mistakes.  Like when I dip a fat Friday's fry in ketchup and take it toward my mouth only for the ketchup to fall from the fry and RUIN my brand knew neck tie!  Obviously, worse than that is making mistakes with God.  I say or do something stupid and sin, then feel guilt, then shame.  I hate it.  However, here is secret to a guilt free life.  David, the lunch carrying, rock throwing, giant killing, head chopping, Pslam writing shepherd and king said: "Your word have I hid in my heart so I would not sin against you…" (Ps 119).  Students cannot spend 8 hrs\day playing Halo 3 and never read Bible and expect to not make mistakes.  They have to read the Bible.  So teach about it, talk about it, and most importantly, you do it.   

 

Are we on number three already? Ok…  The third is commitment.  Students have to learn to commit to God, their family, and the local church.  Don't tell me students today can't commit.  Anyone who can play World of Warcraft 14 hours straight perfectly understands the concept of commitment.  As people in student ministry we have to be teaching about commitment.  Students must be committed to their relationship with God, their family, and their church. 

 

Part two will be posted next . . .