I read this article when it came out in 2003 by Mike Yaconelli and I liked it. Somehow it weaved its way back on to my radar screen this week as I am dreaming about a different kind of youth ministry here in Littleton, CO.
Several things caught my attention, but I’ll just share a few. After you’ve read the article let me know what stood out to you.
The most important function of youth ministry is longevity. Long-term discipleship.
The success of youth ministry in this country is an illusion.
Discipleship requires a huge investment of time. Most of us don't have the time. Or we chose not to take the time. Or our current models of ministry don't allow us the time.
I am wrestling with whether or not our “youth ministry program” is allowing for the time, a huge investment of time for long-term discipleship. The hardest part about this investment in youth ministry is that it will wear you out spiritually. You give and give and give and see two steps forward and then four steps back. To press on you must be committed to planting seeds of truth at every moment that God opens the door for you to breathe the Words of the Living God into student’s lives.
One of the things I’ve seen about this huge investment of time is that it usually happens outside the context of the walls of our building.
Effective ministry can be measured by numbers and the numbers don’t have to be an illusion that success is taking place…the number of students who are getting discipled as a result of what we are doing in our youth ministry can be the reality that we start measuring our effectiveness by.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
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2 comments:
It is a great article! I remember how my attitude with ministry changed after I read it in 2003. I think you could pick up where Mike left. :)
Great to hear from you Alice! I hope your week has been great! I'd be interested in Dan Hash's description of youth ministry as a failure in Poland.
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