Could a Youth Group Actively Participate in Planting a Church?

So could a youth group actively participate in planting a church?  Yes! Of course! Does it happen very often?  Not that I’m aware of. But I can't think of any reasons why that's the case.

There is a healthy trend that continues to expand in which congregations realize the urgency of parenting church plants.  I suspect that many who read this blog know this first-hand, based on the parenting efforts of their own congregation.  What I don’t hear often is a strategic inclusion of youth in the parenting/planting process.

There certainly are examples of youth group involvement in church plants. Young Church (Now Grace Church) in Mt. Pleasant was basically started by a youth group.  Willow Creek was started by a youth singing group.

I’d like to suggest some opportunities for youth groups to actively participate in your congregation’s church plant (or in a church plant that’s not parented by your congregation):

• Include the youth group in informational updates on the plant.
• Offer youth the opportunity to get involved in the planning process for the new church and the worship services.
• Ask youth to assist with outreach to unchurched youth in the area around the church plant.
• Let the youth group help with any physical projects to ready a facility for the new church.
• Use any gifts within the youth group at some of the plant worship services (singing, praise band, sound, set-up).
• Urge regular and constant prayer from the youth group
• Ask them how they would like to help.

Our youth are more dialed in to our community than most of us are. I really can’t imagine better colleagues in ministry as we look to plant churches. What do you think about a youth group helping to plant a church?