Overall SM Program Strategy

Strategy
I believe solid youth ministry is often underwhelming and not overwhelming. Simple is good: (1) youth group, (2) small groups and (3) student discipleship/leadership are the basics. While some youth ministries try to offer everything, I feel it is most important to offer the main thing first. My current strategy reflects a combination of similar paradigms:

1. Funnel (Duffy Robbins, Doug Fields) – commitment increases as the number of students decrease moving down the funnel; multipliers go back out to get others into the top of funnel to reach and disciple.
2. Deep & Wide Youth Ministry (Greg Stier, Dare 2 Share) – students grow deeper in discipleship and go wider in evangelism.
3. Home-like, deeper intimacy environments (Andy Stanley). Reflects the importance of relational ministry where we build bridges between hearts so Jesus can cross over. –Jeanne Mayo

Meet (Come) Level

Primary program: Youth Group

Secondary: outreach events, family game or movie nights, house or block parties,

partner with Young Life, school lunch visits, "Traveling Fan Club," etc.

Move apathetic students to interest – foyer-like environments

Know (Grow/Develop) Levels

Primary program: L.I.F.E. Groups

Secondary: Sunday School, Confirmation Classes, Summer

Bible Study, developing spiritual H.A.B.I.T.S.

Move interested students to excitement –

living room and some kitchen-like

environments

Serve (Multiplier) Level

Primary programs: Students iN Leadership

(SNL), Frontline – sharing Christ and

creating SM exposure, SM

teams at ever level

Passionate students

kitchen-like

environments

Youth Group

This is often the front door of the student ministry. While it is good to do periodic outreach events, it is critical to do solid week-to-week programming. I think about youth group through the Young Life club model with a bit more depth. In other words, it is attractive to students: fun, games, laughs, free food, great music, use of media, etc. Our youth groups need to be THE happening place to be in town on a Sunday or Wednesday night.

But more important than any bells or whistles are the relationships developed. Our youth groups also need to be one of the leading environments in a student's life where they know they belong, are accepted, loved and cared for. Better than school and thier other activities, for some our youth goups are a more nurtuting environment than even their homes. The end result, of course, being a relationship with Jesus Christ. I love how Jeanne Mayo puts this in "Thriving Youth Groups." Relationships are all about building bridges between hearts Jesus can cross over.

Providing for an encounter with Jesus Christ, we also need powerful teaching or powerful experiences and great worship. As Greg Stier of Dare 2 Share talks about, we also present the GOSPEL and give them a chance to respond whenever students meet within our context. This is (1) God-honoring, (2) gives students a chance to cross the line, and (3) creates a psychological agreement with students that if they bring their friends, the Good News of Jesus Christ WILL be preached. Sharing Christ is made a little easier: students can begin a conversation with "what did you think about what you heard tonight?"

L.I.F.E. Groups

The next level program is a small group ministry striving to help students Live In Faith Everyday. This is where the beginnings of discipleship but mainly deeper fellowship and faith nurturing occur. Students are part of a smaller and therefore closer-knit community. The link between Youth Group and L.I.F.E. Groups is going deeper with the topic or Bible message from Youth Group. L.I.F.E. Groups are teased at Youth Group: "if you want to talk more about tonight's message, check out our L.I.F.E. Groups!"

Some Bible study and discussion occurs here, but Biblical fellowship--doing life together--is the key focus. This is also where students begin to develop the spiritual H.A.B.I.T.S. Doug Fields talks about and we can help to resource them to learn to Hang out with God, be Accountable to another Christian, do personal Bible Study, get Involved in the church or youth ministry, begin a Tithing or giving commitment, and work on Scripture memory. Again, it's all about learning to Live In Faith Everyday.

Students iN Leadership (SNL)

Students iN Leadership are the students I and other leaders work most closely with to disciple. They are helping to lead ministry team of other students at every level. These are servant leaders and not students looking to be seen as someone in charge or as some sort of spiritual superior to others. They are the ones who really are "getting it" and are reaching out to their friends and better yet taking a risk and making new friends in order to bring them into the top of the funnel. More than anything, this is where discipleship and the ministry of multiplication is modeled.

Philosophies of Student Ministry

According to Tentmakers Training & Development, philosophies are principles guiding what we do as a student ministry and the way we do it, and they can include core values, beliefs, concepts and so on. While this particular blog may be dry to the casual reader, ministry search teams may like to see how I think about student ministry. Enjoy!

Possible Core Values for a Student Ministry:

1. Godly Vision – We dare to dream God-sized dreams and believe that with God all things are possible.
2. Unshakeable Integrity – We always do the right thing even when no one is looking or it is not popular.
3. Passionate Commitment – We settle for no less than giving our all in pursuit of Christ and His Kingdom.
4. Real Community – We go to heroic lengths to build deep, authentic, encouraging, and hospitable relationships.
5. Powerful Prayer – We continually ask for God’s direction, seek to please Him, and knock on behalf of our needs and the needs of others.

Family-Based Student Ministry – student ministry IS family ministry, an extension of the family’s ministry.

• Family is the primary discipleship unit – the church family and student ministry is extension and helps. Deuteronomy 6:4-8
• Partner with families to understand this principle, avoid “outsourcing” spiritual growth or “drop-off discipleship” mentality.
• At the same time, we are family to those who have no family or are missing Godly father figures, mother figures, etc.
• Encourage, even desire, parents to serve as adult leaders even if it’s to chagrin of their children!
• Students desire more independence but when and where this happens is up to the parents who must disciple their children. Of all areas parents COULD let their kids be exclusively independent, their spiritual growth and discipleship should be LAST.
• Students get both independent (small groups) and together time in large group settings; the with or without parents question has a both/and instead of either/or answer.
• Students seldom use parent involvement as deal breaker to their own involvement; this would be unreasonable of the student and even more unreasonable for the parent to give in to it.
• Exceptions are overbearing or overprotective parents, i.e. keeping an eye on their kids or student ministry because of a lack of trust.
• Parents will grow spiritually as result of serving in student ministry and the family will grow closer together.
• Strive to turn the hearts of the children (back, in some cases,) to their parents. Exodus 20:12 – the only commandment with a promise attached!
• Avoid telling parents how to parent if not yet the parent of teenager; instead teach Biblical principles on parenting, share resources, network, host parent small groups, etc.

Student Discipleship & Leadership Development – Servants’ Hearts and Missional Focus

• Philosophies to live by
• Discipleship involves developing spiritually or growing in the faith, serving and often leadership.
• We are never more like Jesus than when we serve—the goal of discipleship. Mark 9:35
• Discipleship is multiplication—discipling or leading others closer to Jesus. Matthew 28:18-20
• Students Serving/On a Mission
• Create a movement by (1) walking out their faith in their schools and (2) raising awareness of their church and youth ministry.
• Create a friendship culture and environment. Build bridges between hearts that Jesus can cross over. –Jeanne Mayo
• Taking ownership of their student ministry and church and serving at all levels of the ministry or strategy…
• E-Team, follow-up team, games team, hospitality team, snack team, worship team, etc.
• Greeters, ushers, communion, worship team, food pantry, other church missions, etc.
• All Student Leaders serve but not all who serve are necessarily Student Leaders – encourage ALL to serve.
• Student Leaders
• Qualifications – servant’s heart, humble (not seeking special attention or position), not perfect but striving to lead on and off "stage" and to be same the person inside and out of church and student ministry.
• Serve as primary leadership with an adult leader who is the coordinator of one of the various teams above.
• Serve at large as youth members on various committees – Church Council, Trustees, Missions, etc.
• Serve as “district captains” for missional projects/accountability in schools.

Adult Leadership Development – Team Approach to Student Ministry

• Philosophies to live by – see similar section under Student Discipleship & Leadership Development
• Develop Culture Where Leaders Emerge
• Culture of students and adults passionate for and obeying God and following Jesus.
• Culture of excellence, creativity, and advanced planning.
• Culture of great attitudes and positivity, where people are excited to serve.
• Team Approach – Youth Director role: pastor students and equip others to pastor students. Ephesians 4:12
• Delegation mindset – we always need more laborers (Luke 10:1-2; Matthew 9:36-37); more effective (Exodus 18:13-26) – Two leaders who are 80% as effective as me is much more than 100%! I need to equip in such a way that I eventually do the things only I can do.
• Effective ministry ratio is one full-time staff to about 50 students – Youth Ministry Architects.
• Use team leaders – raise up capable people to oversee areas; this provides recruitment context.
• Ongoing leadership training and development – recruit, cast vision, instruct, strengthen, imprint my heart and DNA.
• One-to-one training model – I do it, you watch. We do it together. You do it, I watch.
• Follow Child Protection Policy; have adults apply and interview.
• Leaders benefit spiritually when serving – strive to care more about their character and who they are in Christ than what leaders do.