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.”
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