Have you ever struggled with getting students involved in your ministry?
I have. I think many of us who work with students have been frustrated, hurt, and confused by the lack of engagement in our ministries at one time or another.
We put our heart and soul into planning, promoting, and putting on programs and events we believe will change lives. We have big dreams of seeing students transformed into authentic, passionate, and life-long followers of Jesus. But it doesn’t always work out the way we’d hope.
Over my 16+ years of working with children and teenagers I’ve learned two big lessons in getting (and keeping) students involved in the life of the church and growing in their relationship with Christ:
1. Change things up.
Sometimes kids check out because we keep doing the same thing week after week, month after month, year after year. To put it simply, they’re bored.
Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If the students in your ministry aren’t as involved as you’d like, it may be time to do something different.
Change things up by having different speakers rotate in, have some students you trust plan and give the next talk, revamp the order of service, add a time of silent meditation, do a service project during service, have them text in questions live to you during your teaching, etc.
Get rid of the sacred cows. Try something new. If it doesn’t work out, try something else. The key is to be open to keep things fresh and to be open to new ideas.
Changing things up in your ministry will get students more involved with your ministry. (Click to Tweet)
2. Challenge them to step up.
Reggie Joiner says, “Kids won’t have a significant faith until we give them something significant to do with their faith.” I didn’t really get involved in my youth ministry growing up until my youth pastor challenged me to start reading my Bible on my own and serve in a ministry.
The kids and teenagers in your ministries are looking for something significant to do with their lives. Find the kids who are bored or checked out and give them a piece of the ministry to own.
Ask them to help you plan your services and talks. Let them run and manage your ministry’s website and social media accounts. Have them put together and run worship and tech at your programs. Challenge them to serve on a ministry team or go on a missions trip.
Giving students something significant to do in your ministry will keep them connected to your ministry. (Click to Tweet)
Getting kids more involved in our ministries today is harder than ever. There is so much competing for their attention. Changing things up and challenging them to set up are two of the best ways I know to get students more involved.
Imagine what would happen if you started changing things up in your ministry? Think of what could change in the lives of the kids and teenagers you minister to if you began to do something new and fresh in your ministry.
Imagine if even a few of the students you challenged to set up this week actually did. Picture how your church and community would be transformed if your students discovered the joys of giving and committed themselves to serving God and others in love.
Isn’t that why we got into ministry in the first place?
Get students more involved in your ministry by changing things up and challenging them to step up. (Click to Tweet)
Jeff McClung 