"HOW DO YOU GROW A YOUTH MINISTRY?"

I sat across the table from a quiet, thoughtful servant from Stonebridge FWB Church on the last day of our recent mission trip. We had spent the week working alongside the men, women & youth of his church - working on invalid’s homes, cleaning up the grounds of their newly completed facility, and holding a Vacation Bible School.


We had watched the enthusiasm and faith of this small mission church as they reached out to their community and loved their neighbor as themself. I had watched their anticipation of God doing great things with humbling awe. And as this quiet, faithful man asked me this question, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of answer he was looking for.

Was it big youth facilities and a full time youth guy that would draw the kids they are hoping for?

Is it a kickin’ band and stage lights and smoke machines and lots of LOUD music?

Is it trendy promotions and hip t-shirts?

As I considered how to answer this earnest question, I thought about our youth ministry. I realized how easy it is when God has blessed your ministry to become prideful

or complacent

or something worse.

It is also tempting to think that it is all the “stuff” that we have or do that reaches young people. But I have found that to be so far from the truth. Recently I asked a group of our young people what caused them to connect to our ministry. They all (100%) said it was a significant adult making them feel welcome and special.

Wow! Who would have thought?

So I shared some of those thoughts with this humble servant from this neat church. That they already have everything they need to let God use them to reach young people, if they will just be available for those opportunities. But I want to hear your thoughts. What connects you to the ministry you're involved in? Or what has caused you not to connect? I can't wait to hear your thoughts!

It is so good to be back from our trip and with a renewed passion to be available for God to use us to reach people. Let's anticipate together that God will do great things in our ministry, the the ministry of Stonebridge FWB church and whatever other ministries you may be involved in! God bless...