Write your own blog post to share your ministry experience with others.
At one of my previous churches where I was a youth pastor, the lead pastor did not want us to pull students out of church for our own youth service. I now attend a church that has a church plant right on the same campus and some students prefer to go to this service, rather than the regular church service. We are getting pushback from parents
I don’t think any ministry jobs can be molded into 40-hour a week, five-day schedules. I know that youth ministry positions certainly can’t fit that corporate model. I think that causes friction in some churches where parishioners believe that they should find a youth pastor in the office when they visit church.
In all of my years of youth ministry, I rarely brought our youth groups into interaction with those outside the Reformed tradition. Honestly, many of the parents of our youth members were probably glad I didn’t. I’ve been blessed by my relationships and work with a variety of Christians. So why haven’t I brought that same blessing to our youth group?
We had a youth group that was comprised of mostly one high school. No matter how hard we tried to help those from other schools feel welcome, I don’t think they ever really felt they were part of the group. Of all the challenges I experienced as a youth leader, realizing that some youth did not feel as if they were a part of the group frustrated me the most.
If you’re asking this question, you probably know the answer. COULD your congregation ever invest enough in youth? I don’t think so. I know I’m preaching to the choir here. But having more money and investing in youth are not the same thing. Do you even know what you would do with more money?
On May 5-6, there’s an excellent youth ministry conference taking place at Western Seminary in Holland, Michigan. It’s called “Sustainable Youth Ministry” and it’s designed to help youth pastors get to the thriving Promised Land.
I’m thankful I studied the Catechism as a youth. It forever changes who I am and how I worship. But what about my children? They don’t know the Catechism like I do. Does that matter? I think it does.
Hi. My name is Paul Boice and I’m the new guide for the Youth Ministry Network. What makes me qualified to be the guide? Well, I used to be a youth and now I have two teenage sons...
Welcome Equip Readers!