The ministry has a worship service, teaching, discipleship, missions, leaders, new members, full time staff, volunteers, and a vision. For many youth ministries, if the rest of the church fell in a sinkhole, the only thing they would miss is the budget money.
For many, the problem appears irritatingly simple. Do you create a dynamic, engaging, teen-friendly environment? Or do you push students to get involved with the rest of the congregation? Many youth pastors know the second option is probably more Biblical, but the first one is far more popular with both teens and parents.
So what’s a parent, volunteer, youth director/pastor to do? We know in our gut that our youth ministry should not replace the church, but it seems that if we are to lead the next generation to Jesus we must create a place for them to learn in their own way. The question of the day is: how should a youth ministry connect with the rest of the church? I’m looking for thoughts, ideas, dreams, and things you’ve seen actually work in the real world.
