We were a very traditional congregation that longed to see God come to life in our church. Clearly communicate the direction in which the ministry is heading so your next youth pastor will help take it there instead of in another direction. Take the issue head-on, pray, sing, set a mood where the teenagers will be prodded toward falling in love with God. Work to stay emotionally healthy yourself and help others who work with you in the youth ministry to do the same. This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. Humility leads you to a place of asking questions instead of blaming others for your predicament. Build a constellation of people. Once your 10%ers get 100% on board with this vision, theyll inevitably impact the others. Market your youth ministry internally by constantly getting the word out about what youre accomplishing there so church leaders and parents will understand the ministrys importance. All rights reserved. Do you pray as a staff for them? But its worth it. The revival Im witnessing unfold in power-packed pockets across the country are happening where the youth leaders are committed to intercessory prayer. Raising A Dead Youth Ministry One By One - The Disciple Project Reviving a Dying Church - Acts 29 If you focus on growth before depth, youll be tempted to adopt gimmicks, quick fixes and copycat tactics. Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness. In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. if it wont directly help your ministry fulfill its unique vision. Or do you sprinkle it as fairy dust but then depend on the latest, greatest curriculum to produce real change? But did you know you could be, indirectly, contributing to . Scientists at (RPI) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have found that when just 10 percent of the population holds an unshakable belief, their belief will always be adopted by the majority of the society. Science Daily July 26, 2011. To create this article, 28 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. There are no short cuts to discipling students and thats why I want to come alongside you with the best ideas, resources and strategies to give you the best chance of developing life-long followers of Jesus. If this post gets you excited and you want more. We must be fighting the good fight of holiness together. 6 Principles for Building a Youth Ministry - The Gospel Coalition While the content of your youth ministry is important, it cant be delivered properly if your ministrys system is flawed. Intercession isn't just the domain of old ladies and "crazy" intercessors we sometimes meet. Be sure to update these directories annually. How Do You Pastor A Dying Church? | Ministry Answers A positive attitude alone will not change your group, but it will change your perspective and thats a big step towards changing things around you. 1615 Platte Street, Floor 2 Denver, CO 80202, The Five Best Ways to Engage Your Youth Group, Communicate the Way Young Members Want You to Communicate, Update Your Programming to Reflect Teens Attention Span, study by the Springtide Research Institute, Over 7,000 contacts have subscribed to Milestones texts, Coastal Cathedral was able to increase its volunteer turnout by 100%, Group Texting for Religious Organizations, Learn How Milestone Church Engages Its Youth Ministry Using SMS, How to Use a Church Social Media Strategy to Grow Your Congregation. I was a resistant, skeptical, former Catholic who found himself at a protestant Bible College seeking God. Get the latest news and information from the conference. Have your team members share responsibility. Never let your group know what's coming next. One characteristic of every revival is that it explodes externally into the community around it. In order to get your church moving in the right direction, you need to figure out which direction to go! This website uses cookies to improve your experience. I was always taught Summer Jump not Summer Slump. Sustainable Youth Ministry: Why Most Youth Ministry Doesn't Last and What Your Church Can Do About It, Sustainable Youth Ministry: Why Most Youth Ministry Doesnt Last and What Your Church Can Do About It, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Ministry is God-given responsibility. 9 Dynamic Ways To Revive A Dying Youth Ministry Updated 11/23/2022 Many youth ministries are in decline and dying. I read accounts of some of the great men of God in earlier awakenings who longed to see revival so much that their well-intentioned pursuit turned into a guilt-filled drudgery. The Christian life is all about change, i.e., growth. Brian Moss is the senior pastor of Oak Ridge Baptist Church in Salisbury, Maryland. Looking for ways to get young adults involved in church? Acts 4:31 gives a micro recipe for revival. Are you interceding on behalf of your teenagers? Is intercessory prayer something you practice with your student leaders? We got some things right, a lot of things wrong, and learned a bunch of valuable lessons along the way. (This is why we love the book of Acts by the wayits full of these kinds of stories!!!). and speak to their responsibilities as believers. Shift the focus from programs to friendships. Strategy is a missing . People are responding to the gospel and getting connected into vital gospel community. The previous youth pastor did their best or maybe not. Identify pressing social issue(s) to redirect attention away from internal focus (i.e. Identify and recruit the 10%ers to join you. Before I came to my current church, they had been on a 15-year plateau followed by a near-death experience due to a leadership conflict. If a youth ministry is not interesting in growing, by default, it is interested in dying. Go back to the basics. Now their events bring in thousands of return and first-time guests. Make sure that the adults are connected to each other as well as to the students, with everyone working together to shine as brightly as possible. Get their opinion and input on what the program should look like and where it should be heading. In fact, Invite your friends! is one of three phrases I suggest youth pastors eliminate from their vocabulary. Imagine a restaurant begging people to eat at it? Change the setting. It is important to have a plan in place and to be prepared for the challenges that will come your way. If youre one of these youth pastors whose youth group is in decline, I feel for you. Are you interceding on behalf of teenagers? Approved. What happened? Here's how you can build a youth ministry that's strong enough to last: Don't push the "easy button." There were no visions promising, Arise Chris, go forth and lead ye the throngs!. Write job descriptions that clearly outline the scope of staff and volunteer position responsibilities. 2. Every five years or so, bring key stakeholders together to cast a fresh vision for the ministry. "I've never known a pastor who didn't understand this," Moss says. And God is igniting their strategies in ways they never expected with results they could have never dreamed of. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. All Rights Reserved. Clearly communicate the direction in which the ministry is heading so your next youth pastor will help take it there instead of in another direction. Being the youngest sibling in our family helps me. A declining youth ministry is hard on the soul but revival is possible. Everywhere I go, I meet brothers and sisters in Christ who are trusting that Jesus love is better than any human love, leaving same-sex sexual relationships to follow Jesus. Students need to know youre not just a good person, but someone who can do what they say they can do. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. When youre criticized, dont react defensively. Have you equipped them to do just that? In 2006, I accepted the role of senior pastor at Foothill Christian Center, a nominal Pentecostal church running about 140 people. No church ever drifted that kept the main thing the main thing. 10 Most Encouraging Bible Verses That Will Uplift Your Heart and Soul, 5 Things That Hurt Relationships with Grandkids, 30 Morning Prayers to Start Each Day with God, 10 Books of the Bible You Should Read Again and Again, 10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Wife, Christian American Idol Contestant in Top 12 Performs Lauren Daigle's 'Thank God I Do', What it Means for Us as Christians That God Is Available, How to Have Joy in Your Golden Years Despite These 10 Life Losses, 4 Things You Should Know about Big George Foreman, 8 Ways You Are Belittling Your Husband and What God Says about It, Maybe Money Can Buy Happiness, but Not Joy. He ministered to the crowds but poured 3 1/2 years of his life into the high will/raw skill disciples. Anyone who does not like change is going to have trouble with Jesus. Craft a mission statement for the ministry. When Ive taken over a ministry like this, which has been multiple times, I have developed some comeback steps that I think might work for you. It should be the standard operating practice of every believer. Build a master recruiting list by deciding how many volunteers the ministry needs for the coming year and who the most likely prospects are to call. But do this in a grace-filled way. It worked out pretty well. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and went out and spoke the Word of God boldly. The building shook with the power of intercessory prayer. In fact, a 2020 study by the Springtide Research Institute found that only 8% of participants between the ages of 13 and 25 who are part of a religious group say they have a trusted religious leader they could turn to if needed. Develop a pool of potential recruits including a name of a potential volunteer beside each open position and diligently make phone calls until you find the people you need. Jesus didnt call the masses to discipleship, he called whom he wanted one by one and two by two and that is where your youth ministrys come back begins. 4. There are no short cuts to discipling students and thats why I want to come alongside you with the best ideas, resources and strategies to give you the best chance of developing life-long followers of Jesus. Sharing stories of outreach, helping Christian leadership discover the ideas, innovations and resources that will equip them to advance the kingdom of God through the outreach efforts of the local church. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. The long and short of it is, younger members will be more comfortable if you act like someone your age, rather than trying to pass as a 16-year-old. Yes, there are cycles, ups and downs and seasons, but there are some youth ministries that are just plain dying. Youth leader Amaya Mauro notes, I ask for input from the young people to understand what kind of activities they would like to participate in and open up lines of communication between them and their mentors.. 1. Look for the teenagers, adult leaders and fellow youth leaders who are excited about revival to join you. 10 Steps to Building an Effective Youth Ministry Intercessory is not just the domain of little old ladies and those " crazy " intercessors we sometimes meet. Wasnt this Jesus strategy? Scientists at (RPI) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have found that when just 10 percent of the population holds an unshakable belief, their belief will always be adopted by the majority of the society. Science Daily, July 26, 2011. Put the right system in place before looking for the right person to hire. But those precious few seeds that land on good soil will produce 30, 60 or even 100xs what was sown. And it isnt for the faint of heart. Ive been there. But dont wait for LTCU. Hire a youth pastor who naturally likes to do the tasks the job requires. Take a deep into coaching where I focus strictly on helping you level up so you can level up your youth ministry, Part 2 in this series: PASSION WILL TURN YOUR YOUTH MINISTRY AROUND, Other articles that will help you revitalize your youth ministry, YOUTH MINISTRY REVIVAL REQUIRES RELENTLESSLY POKING THE FIRE, MY 7 SECRETS TO A SUCCESSFUL YOUTH MINISTRY. Whats most important is the ministrys impact on students lives, which will continue into the future whether or not the people who are currently working in your ministry are still there. Do you pray for them as a staff? I remember that Saturday morning as we talked about reaching new people, with tears in my eyes, saying, Guys, I have no idea how we will reach them, but if we will focus on the what, God will show us the how.. So, I got angry. Start taking prayer walks or shutting your door for 30 minutes daily. If group programming is predictable, change it. We must get them going to their friends, family, classmates, teammates and co-workers with the good news. Whos with me? They unanimously agreed to do whatever it takes to become a healthy, outreach-oriented church. Theyre looking to God, not a strategy or program, to light that fire. No, in fact it's the opposite. Ask The parable of the Sower reinforces this principle in a powerful way. Mission Viejo, CA 92692. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. There are plenty of creative youth service ideas that religious leaders can use to help attract members of the younger generation to join and engage with the congregation. The first thing that happened to those who were baptized with the Holy Spirit in the upper room in Acts 2 is that their tongues were set on fire with the gospel message. But down deep inside we want to taze their cold hearts into beating hard and hot after God. 2 Get the word out. If the culture of your youth ministry isnt healthy, change it before it changes the people working within it. Pare down the buzzwords Teenagers have a Spider-Sense when it comes to authenticity; they can spot lingo being deployed as a method of "reaching out" a mile away. Powered by Soulheart. Others are choked out by worldliness. Its hard. Your attitudes will help other people remain positive. ", youth ministry, praying and connecting with God daily is very important. 1 reason teens stay away from youth groups is because meetings are boring. Yes, I understand, you want the youth ministry to be be bigger, but berating your kids to do it will not get it done. The Priorities, Challenges, and Trends in Youth Ministry Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Here are six principles to start the student ministry ball rolling. If your church is struggling to form lasting relationships with its younger members, then its time to consider better ways to engage the next generation of churchgoers. The result was that 11 out of 12 of them changed the world. They keep showing up, so we keep juggling flaming poodles (so to speak) to keep their attention. Giving youth pastors the tools they need to make and shape disciples. Is prayer a big part of your youth ministry program or do you use it as fairy dust to sprinkle on your meetings but then depend on the latest, greatest curriculum to produce the real change? Attendance didnt explode. Be accessible without being too indulging. DeVries has served since 1986 as associate pastor for youth and their families at First Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee. 3. Its frustrating. How will you get it back on track? Once you have the volunteers, regularly communicate with them. 9 Interpretations, How to Use Angel Numbers for Manifestation, to maintain that young mind and always have that love for children, to understand how they feel by being able to go down to their level. 4. Sometimes, as a youth pastor, you will inherit a hot mess or a dumpster fire. We tried for months to reach the families in the homes surrounding our church. Go with the growers and pray for the others. Meet this need by keeping services and classes short, engaging, and broken up with plenty of opportunities for interaction and activities (think games and problem-solving). Make prayer the first thing you do as a staff for your teenagers. We assume you're ok with this, but you can. Our church was hidden in the woods at the end of a dead-end road completely surrounded by an upper-income housing development. Some people need to leave, and you need to help them. Learn the unspoken rules of church politics. Yes they need sound doctrine. If youre not willing to lose some kids, youre not giving yourself a chance to gain any. Set expectations for problems to be solved gradually over the course of years instead of pursuing futile quick fixes. He said, "Who said that?" I said, "I did," with a smile. We must equip our 10%ers how to lead other teenagers to Jesus and then equip the ones who do to grow and go as well. Help volunteers build friendships with each other, and encourage them to remain committed to volunteering with the youth ministry for at least several years so they can see growth occur in students lives. Connecting with the young ones in your church might seem intimidating, but its simpler than you think. Give yourself enough time to rest, as well. Revive Texas 2.0 - Movement Ministries % of people told us that this article helped them. This article, as well as graduation formsgraduation gift ideasgraduation service sample andgraduation song 2022, The Disciple Project. Copyright 2023 SimpleTexting, LLC. Before making any significant change, listen to peoples concerns and adjust your plans as necessary. How Can I Recognize and Understand the Holy Spirit Better? The application for how to revive a dying youth ministry? I've been there. I love Foothill Church and I tell the people all the time, Im not going anywhere. Social time is excellent, and necessary, but don't overdo it to the point where the meetings may as well have taken place at the mall down the street. 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Some seeds we sow land on hard hearts. Reason #3 - Churches come across as antagonistic to sci-ence. There is nothing wrong with fun at youth group. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Go all in on those. Of course they need to learn key components of the Christian life. To revitalize a church, the older congregation must want to change. Too often, plateaued churches focus on growing the church numerically before they correct the drift philosophically. He led me to do some very practical things that yielded some very real results. In our newfound reason to unite, the instinct to separate falls away, social media is transformed from platforms that are destructive into opportunities for gospel witness, and we begin to love people well enough to tell them the good news of Jesus, even as our own fears are cast out (1 John 4:18). Angry at God. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. This discipleship multiplication starts with evangelism but culminates in new believers multiplying more new believers. Is prayer a big part of your youth ministry? ", "The things that I have gotten here will help me in my new department in my church. 3. While this makes for an attention-grabbing headline, the underlying research shows that people arent bored in eight seconds they simply want to be shown something they care about within eight seconds. Similarly, Coastal Cathedral was able to increase its volunteer turnout by 100%. Sound familiar? "Scanning what other churches are doing can be helpful, but it can also derail you from your calling. Ideas for Youth Ministry: Tips to Promote and Sustain - Capterra Reason #2 - Teens' and twenty-somethings' experience of Christianity is shallow. Over 7,000 contacts have subscribed to Milestones texts in the past two years ago. Get them involve in the planning and execution. The key here? Youth bring hope. 10 Ways to Revive a Dying Church | Sojourners Adapted from Sustainable Youth Ministry: Why Most Youth Ministry Doesnt Last and What Your Church Can Do About It, copyright 2008 by Mark DeVries. 1. Thank you.". In part, thanks to text messages. How to Lead a Successful Youth Ministry: 8 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow GenerationS Conference and Strong Church Summit FAQ We finally put a stake in the ground and declared that we would focus on reaching middle-income young families with children. Keep your supervisor fully informed about whats going on in the ministry. When that failed to produce anything, I did the next most spiritual thing I could think of: I decided to go on an extended fast. We are called to a happy holiness not a sour sanctification. Dont make your decisions on the basis of your feelings, which depend on changing circumstances and are unreliable. But by focusing on creating an involved, inviting culture that communicates the way your young people want you to, you can make leaps and bounds in engaging the students in your church community. Dont change anything until your core leaders are thoroughly committed to the biblical purposes of the church. But they can learn these on the way as they are sharing the good news of Jesus with those they know. Dont just make converts but make disciples who make disciples. Too often, church leaders agonize over what they can do to keep their youth active and enthusiastic about being part of the church community and never realize that they could simply ask. A declining youth ministry is hard on the soul but revival is possible. Nothing less than Gods supernatural intervention was going to revitalize this church. 9 Dynamic Ways To Revive A Dying Youth Ministry Avoid pursuing activities that distract you from focusing properly on the ministrys core vision. Like Jesus speaking to Lazarus inside that grace, we must speak life over those kids. Avoid anxiety and remain focused on working on strategic plans. Can we do anything about it? Yes, there are cycles, ups and downs and seasons, but there are some youth ministries that are just plain dying.