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.