SIGNIFICANT YOUTH MINISTRY TRENDS TO CONSIDER AS WE BEGIN A NEW YEAR

More shoppers spent money this year for Christmas. The stock market is volatile and unpredictable; and gas prices are the highest ever for the holidays. Some trends are relatively easy to notice and other trends require more astute observation.

Undoubtedly, you’ve heard the legend of the Native American scout who could predict an approaching army by putting his ear to the ground to listen for the increasing vibration caused by the galloping hoof beats of their horses. This article is somewhat of a reflection of my “ear to the ground” so to speak. In my travel to various size churches and youth groups and in my reading of some of the most recent books and articles pertaining to student ministry I have noticed the following significant trends that may be changing the landscape of local church youth ministry.

1. Growing emphasis on collaboration with parents.

More and more youth workers seem to understand and appreciate the importance of working alongside of parents in their ministries with today’s teenagers. Certainly, a parent ministry has always been a major aspect of youth ministry. However, there seems to be a growing emphasis today on the importance of youth workers working strategically and intentionally with parents for the long-term spiritual health of students.

2. Greater focus on inter-generational connections.

Another very positive characteristic of youth ministry today is the developing tendency to build healthy and growing inter-generational relationships within the overall church’s ministry. Most youth workers have historically built strong adult-to-student relationships between youth workers and students – and many, many voices within the discipline of youth ministry have spoken about the need for relational youth ministry. But, just recently there seems to be a new and encouraging push toward developing other connections between adults and young people.

3. Less reliance on music in worship.

I admit that my observation of this particular trend maybe a result of my non-musician’s outlook, yet I am noticing less and less of a dependence upon music as a keystone of student ministry. Just a few short years ago, most large youth events and local church youth groups featured a heavy reliance on music in worship. As a speaker at various youth events around the country I noticed a great deal of programming time devoted to music. Perhaps that trend is waning some. The iPod, iPhone, iPad revolution has taken musical tastes to a whole new level of personal consumerism. Very few people download a whole CD (formerly called an “album” in my day) in this age of iTunes. Now we buy the song we like and download the digital file into our various technological devices. The current notion toward a rampant individualization of musical taste may ultimately yield less and less of a reliance upon music as a public demonstration of worship.

4. Increasing attention on contemplative liturgy.

I have also noticed an increasing interest upon the idea of a liturgical and contemplative attitude toward local church ministry. We’ve lived through several decades of entertainment and fun-based ministry. Perhaps the days of an attractional philosophy (provide exciting events that attract people) are over. Many churches seemed to utilize a “fun and games” approach toward youth ministry in particular. I see that emphasis changing some recently. We’re trying to reach a generation that is craving something serious – something important. They can get their entertainment elsewhere. The church must be a place where eternity is at the center of what we teach and what we do.

5. Renewed devotion toward Gospel-centered ministry.

The healthiest trend I’ve noticed is the recent return to a Gospel-centered message and a Gospel-focused ministry! Frankly, it’s about time. We must get back to the life-changing, good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m thankful for the recent Gospel-centered movements within Christianity (e.g. Together for the Gospel and The Gospel Coalition) that are seeking to restore our attention back to what really matter – The Gospel.

As we end 2011, those are some of the trends I’m seeing that are impacting local church student ministry. I’m interested in hearing your thoughts as well. Maybe one of our New Year’s resolutions should be to keep our “ears to the ground.”

Christmas: "Business as Usual"?

Have you noticed that Christmas came early this year? It seemed to me that Christmas came to the malls sometime before Thanksgiving – maybe even before Halloween. Sears and Penny’s, American Eagle and Foot Locker may have even had their Christmas sales going somewhere around Labor Day. I’m being facetious, of course; but it did seem as if the rampant consumerism began very, very early this year.

My wife and I went out for our requisite Christmas shopping the other day and we bought gifts for our kids, our daughters-in-law, and most certainly, for our granddaughters. We just finished decorating our living room and the front deck – and even as I write this, my wife is in the kitchen baking this year’s batch of Christmas cookies. Our church has scheduled the usual Christmas concert and children’s Christmas program – and we’re trying to figure out how to juggle our family Christmas time with church services since this year’s holiday is on a Sunday.

In other words – this year’s Christmas seems to be “business as usual.” Retailers need “Black Friday” to end the year in the black financially. Families have long-standing traditions; and churches, with pure motives certainly, are trying to fit the traditional programs into overly busy schedules surrounding the Christmas season.

I don’t know about you, but Christmas seems normal, typical, and traditional.

The problem with that, however, is that it is the exact opposite of what Christmas should be! The story of the birth of Christ, if anything, is the account of how normal human traditions were shattered and obliterated by the direct intervention of God into the affairs of human existence. This truth is exemplified

in the familiar Christmas story in Luke 2. I have been especially challenged by the response of the shepherds to the angelic pronouncement in verse 14. The next two verses explain how these nomadic herdsmen left everything and left immediately to see the Christ-child.

The birth of Christ changed everything – and the world would never be the same.

So, let’s think about our “business as usual” approach to Christmas this year. Maybe it’s time to do something different – something that is actually special and unique – maybe even radical. You can come up with the practical ideas. Talk to your family, mention the concept to your youth group and see what you come up with to make this year’s Christmas truly something extraordinary.

Maybe it’s fitting somehow that we will celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on a Sunday!

(This article originally appeard in the VFY Resource Newsletter.)

MY REACTION TO THE PENN STATE TRAGEDY

This is a very personal post for me. I almost always write about my thoughts and my personal perspective on topics relating to local church youth ministry – and this article too is a reflection of that heartbeat. However, this particular post is also somewhat of a departure from the norm; and perhaps that is the way it should be.

I remain quite grieved about the continuing saga surrounding the child abuse scandal at nearby Penn State University. My heart cries out for the seemingly forgotten victims of sadistic predators and my anger boils when I think about the lasting ramifications from these heinous actions. No one should prey on children – especially those who are in positions of respect and authority! The news is filled (not just this story, but hundreds of other accounts) with the graphic descriptions of how some distort the human admiration from young people and turn that esteem into a weapon of sinful, selfish transgressions.

There is no adequate way to fully communicate one’s feelings and reactions to fallout from the media’s reports following the atrocities of what actually happened at Penn State, so I’ll leave that alone for now – and instead take this article in a different direction.

We must build our mentoring strategy from Scripture and not from the news media!

This past Sunday I was reminded of this point when I met with a young man I have been mentoring following our church service. I hate to admit this, but I began to wonder if others around me were questioning my motives as I briefly chatted with this young man in our church foyer. I wondered if some would question what I was doing in trying to build a relationship with this student. I hate the fact that my mind even went there; and I’m disgusted by the actions of evil predators that make us all feel this way. I can say with 100% certainly that my motives were pure, wholesome, and God-honoring; but I must acknowledge the media attention on this Penn State story may be a game changer for legitimate, wholesome mentoring relationships.

So, where do we go from here? Again, let me emphasize that we must build our ministry strategies from the Word of God and not from the latest journalism story.

The Bible provides an apt description of true mentoring in passages such as 1 Thessalonians 2:8 “Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” This strategy must be the basis for our mentoring ministries. It’s important to note that Paul here was writing within the framework of a local church – and that very institution (the church) provides the accountability and structure for effective and God-honoring mentoring. It’s also imperative that we implement the real focus of this verse – self-sacrificial love and a Gospel-driven ministry.

These two elements must never be separated and they must constitute the foundation for mentoring. Only as we genuinely demonstrate the self-sacrificing, agape love of Christ and base our ministries on the Gospel of Jesus Christ can we truly minister to others.

The world cannot duplicate this life-changing combination! It’s the blending of truth and love into one powerful and truly life-changing strategy.

If our methods for ministry are Scripturally-based we have noting to fear from the media.