Students in the Church.
...each church has the responsibility to make students a valued part of ministry. An array of responsibilities always need to be filled within the church-sound and lighting technicians, ushers, greeters, nursery workers and parking attendants. Ask students to pray during services. Train those who are more spiritually mature to teach elementary school children.
The essential church utilizes all capable believers in the body for service, including students. Want to keep your students? Put them to the task and then watch them grow.
I think we're doing a great job at this at our Church... but could we be doing better?For example, Sue our Children's Director did a great job incorporating High Schoolers this summer in our "Summer Sizzler's Program." And we're using kids on the Sunday Morning Worship Team almost every weekend, but what about other areas? Could we be training kids to run lighting and sound? What about Ushering, Welcoming and even preaching?
I usually think of Youth Ministry as kind of a Church within a Church, but
does it have to be that way? Why can't they be the church? Are there any legal issues to worry about? Hmmm...
I can see High Schoolers doing this as well. Thanks Alex.
Just thinking out loud I guess...
What are your thoughts?
5 comments:
I grew up in a church that always taught us there was no Holy Spirit Junior - and because we believed it, we were ready for whatever came around.
I started leading worship when I was 16, we rolled out a full youth praise team/vocalists, two teen audio engineers, two or three who could run lyrics, two who could run lighting, etc. One month after I graduated from high school, I started leading weekend worship services off-and-on.
We could easily transition into filling spots for weekend services because of our training.
I'm leading greeting teams at the church we're at now, and we're trying to get some teenagers involved in the ministry as well!
I'd LOVE to see our youth ministry leading our children in worship - what a concept!
I think the future see no more high school programs on Sunday. Jr. high is debatable
We shouldn't make a big deal about youth that get plugged in to serve, we need to contribute to the fact that we wan that to be the norm.
when we label stuff 'youth' we just go back to segregation.
Agreed. Great post! It's a whole lot easier to teach a high-schooler how to worship and serve than a 40-year-old. Nothing against 40-year-old, but they're usually a little more set in how they like to do things. Nothing wrong with that if the way they like to do things is the right way; but if it's the wrong way, it makes things difficult.
And what, you may ask, is the right way? Why, my way, of course. ;)
Our instruction from Jesus is to make disciples and teaching the young people to lead and serve is one of the most important jobs of the church today.
I love the idea of the youth being ushers, greeters, and other lay ministry positions. The best leaders can recognize the gifts in the people they are leading and draw those gifts out of them. I know several people who are in ministry or church leadership simply because a good youth pastor or leader encouraged them in their gifts.
Peace
Tony
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