Guidelines Ministries with Young People: Empower Youth and Young Adults in Ministry

by Cokesbury, Cokesbury (Contribution by)

Overview

You have been called to ministry with young people—those journeying through adolescence and those emerging from their teenage years to find themselves navigating the unpredictable and full-of-firsts years of their twenties and thirties. This sacred and exciting leadership role comes with dozens of challenges to be addressed, countless opportunities to touch lives, and a myriad of blessings that you might never anticipate. Your position as a leader with young people is the basis for building relationships and leading by example. This Guideline, formerly called Young Peoples Ministries, covers an introduction to the ministry of a youth or young adult coordinator and is designed to help implement and guide the work of the ministry area.

This is one of the twenty-six Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation 2017-2020 that cover church leadership areas including Church Council and Small Membership Church; the administrative areas of Finance and Trustees; and ministry areas focused on nurture, outreach, and witness including Worship, Evangelism, Stewardship, Christian Education, age-level ministries, Communications, and more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781501830099
Publisher:	Cokesbury
Publication date:	11/15/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	160 KB

Read an Excerpt

Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation 2017-2020 Ministries with Young People

Empower Youth and Young Adults in Ministry

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By Cindy Klick

Cokesbury

Copyright © 2016 Cokesbury
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5018-3009-9

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CHAPTER 1

Called to Ministry with Young People

You have been called to ministry with young people: those journeying through adolescence and those emerging from their teenage years to find themselves navigating the unpredictable and full-of-firsts years of their 20s and 30s. This sacred and exciting leadership role comes with dozens of challenges to be addressed, countless opportunities to touch lives, and myriad blessings that you might never anticipate. Get ready for the journey of a lifetime!

Your ministry may be well established or newly formed, flourishing or struggling, transforming lives or currently just marking time. Wherever you find yourself, you are in a position to work with others to offer vital and life-changing ministry. Your work may begin with young people already in your church and will certainly expand beyond the walls to their friends, the community, and an unlimited realm of possibility.

One of the key ways we develop new leaders is through the core process for carrying out our mission as stated in 122 of The Book of Discipline:

We make disciples as we:

• proclaim the gospel, seek, welcome and gather persons into the body of Christ;

• lead persons to commit their lives to God through baptism by water and the spirit and profession of faith in Jesus Christ;

• nurture persons in Christian living through worship, the sacraments, spiritual disciplines, and other means of grace, such as Wesley's Christian conferencing;

• send persons into the world to live lovingly and justly as servants of Christ by healing the sick, feeding the hungry, caring for the stranger, freeing the oppressed, being and becoming a compassionate, caring presence, and working to develop social structures that are consistent with the gospel; and

• continue the mission of seeking, welcoming and gathering persons into the community of the body of Christ.

To better remember and understand the core process as written in 122, think in terms of H.O.P.E. — Hospitality, Opportunity, Purpose, and Engagement. Through these discipleship paths of H.O.P.E., new disciples are made and sent out to reach even more persons to bring into the body of Christ. We go into the world through outreach and mission, offering hope through proclamation of the gospel, seeking, welcoming, and gathering as we offer hospitality to those not yet in the body. We offer them Christ by providing opportunities for people to commit their lives to God through baptism by water and Spirit and profession of faith. We nurture people in Christian living to help them find a true sense of purpose in life, learning what it means to live out their beliefs through acts of piety and acts of mercy, Christian conferencing, regular participation in the sacrament of Holy Communion, and other means of grace. Through engagement, we send out these grace-filled followers of Jesus Christ who are putting their faith into action, helping to transform the surrounding community and offering hospitality in the name of Jesus Christ. Thus H.O.P.E. cycles back around.

Ask yourselves and the leaders of your congregation how your church might become a place of hope. Whether your church is small, medium, or large, it is essential to have an intentional discipleship system like H.O.P.E. in place. No matter which system you decide to use, the components of this core process should be established in every local church as we make disciples and develop leaders to accomplish the church's mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. After all, it's all about hope.

Your own experience, or perhaps the experience you wish had been yours, of growing up in a church has likely influenced your call to be involved in this ministry. Perhaps you were nourished in a church home and mentored by adults who helped shape you, and that stirs you to feel the importance of providing a similar environment for today's young people. Or, if you count yourself among many whose early religious experiences were infrequent, unpleasant, or nonexistent, you feel called to facilitate a journey for others that is different from your own.

Your position as a leader with young people is the basis for building relationships and leading by example. The most vital way people of any age experience the love of Christ is through their relationships with others. A primary focus of your role should be creating opportunities to build solid relationships — between youth or young adults and their leaders, among one another, and with Christ.

This Guideline covers an introduction to the ministry of a youth or young-adult coordinator. Your church may describe this volunteer position differently, and each church will require duties according to the number of young people in the congregation, the size of the church, or other unique factors.

If you are a staff person, new to professional youth or young-adult ministry, you will find this Guideline helpful as well. As you look at the many possible duties and opportunities, you will work with your volunteers to share these responsibilities and to support one another.

CHAPTER 2

A Biblical/Theological Foundation

The mission of the church, as the institution representing the collective people of God, is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Each individual who is reached through this mission joins others to continue this transformational work. As United Methodist Christians, our theological roots are planted firmly in the Bible and the work of John Wesley as the founder of Methodism.

The United Methodist Church was born from the teachings of Wesley, including what we call the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. The Quadrilateral, based on the tools Wesley used for theological consideration, was so-named by theologian Albert Outler in the 1960s as four key components for study and decision-making in our daily lives. The Quadrilateral includes reason, experience, and tradition as important considerations, but Wesley upheld Scripture as the primary source of wisdom and inspiration. For those in positions of leadership in young people's ministries, Scripture should be the foundation on which relationships, activities, and faith communities are built.

The need for vital ministry with those who are young is evident throughout Scripture. The need for mentorship is illustrated by Old Testament teams such as Moses and Joshua or Eli and Samuel. In the New Testament, Paul and Timothy's relationship is a model for ministry. "Command these things. Teach them. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young. Instead, set an example for the believers through your speech, behavior, love, faith, and by being sexually pure" (1 Timothy 4:11-12).

Every aspect of ministry with youth and young adults should be rooted in Scripture. Regular, intentional exposure to the Bible will help provide a developing knowledge of God's people, a new perspective on the past, and a compass for the future. Those who are leading and training young believers to become leaders will continue to learn themselves.

Relationships built on common study of God's word, covenant discipleship, and Christian friendship are the ultimate results of intentional ministry with youth and young adults. It allows those in relationship with one another to ask, as John Wesley did in some fashion, "How is it with your soul?"

CHAPTER 3

Young People's Ministry

Your role and the age range of people you will serve should be defined by your church and its leadership, with guidance from The Book of Discipline. If you have paid youth/young-adult staff, the church's staff/pastor-parish relations committee will also be involved. The church's dedication to ministry with young people is outlined in 256.3 of the Discipline:

The term young people is inclusive of all persons from approximately twelve through thirty years of age in the United States and thirty-five in the Central Conferences. The term encompasses both youth and young-adult ministries and allows for age flexibility ... in various cultures around the world. The term youth ministry is an inclusive title, encompassing all the concerns of the Church and all activities by, with, and for youth ... [and] shall include all persons from approximately twelve through eighteen years of age ... who are currently or potentially associated with the church or any of its activities. The term young-adult ministry is an inclusive title, encompassing all the concerns of the Church and all activities by, with, and for young adults ... [and] shall include all persons from approximately eighteen through thirty in the United States and twenty-four through thirty-five in the Central Conferences who are currently or potentially associated with the church or any of its activities.

Youth ministry may also involve persons from age twelve through eighteen, depending on the school configuration in the local school system or the local church's Christian education structure. Young-adult ministry encompasses an even broader spectrum — from post-high school through college-age and beyond, single or married, with or without children.

Your ministry ideally will include families as well. In youth ministry, you will need to communicate effectively with parents and guardians and help your youth navigate relationship issues with parents, siblings, and other family members. Consider parents your partners in ministry, even if they are not "official" leaders. Their support will make a difference in their youths' spiritual journeys. Consider ways to meet family needs, such as parent classes, support groups, and seminars, and connect with your church's children's ministry to provide care for younger siblings during events and to plan transitional activities.

In young-adult ministry, your umbrella of care may extend to the spouses of those in your group who are married; children of those who are parents; and perhaps the parents of young adults recently off to college, the service, or the world of work. Get to know the people who love the young adults you are called to serve.

First Things First: Establish Priorities

Your ministry with young people should include as a foundation the same components as the membership promises that United Methodists make when they join the church: prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Who you are, how you relate, what you do, and how youth and young adults experience you as a person and as a leader make all the difference.

Prayer

You will need, desire, and benefit from God's guidance in your life and in your new role. Pray for an open heart and mind; opportunities to learn and to love; and specifically for the youth or young adults, their families and their issues; your church, your community, and beyond. You will be seen as a spiritual leader within your ministry and your congregation.

Presence

Be there. For your ministry to be effective, young people must know that they can count on those called to be in ministry with them. Be prompt, dependable, and present. Spend at least as much time listening as you do talking, and make sure you offer your complete attention. Avoid allowing electronics and other distractions to take priority over the person and the conversation in front of you.

Gifts

Be an example. It's hard to model generosity for others if you aren't on a journey that includes sharing your gifts with your church. Talk about the biblical concept of the tithe, and give young people opportunities to give to a worship offering to those in need and to other worthwhile causes.

Service

Serving others is one of the key ways people born in the last three decades are attracted to today's church. Offer short- and long-term, local and traveling mission trips, ways to serve that require some kind of sacrifice from you and your participants. Be open to new possibilities and to experiences and activities about which your group members are passionate.

Witness

You are a role model. As a spiritual leader, the way you live, as much or more than the words you speak, becomes an example of your Christian integrity to those you serve. Be authentic and be the same person in every setting with young people.

CHAPTER 4

Getting Started — Youth Ministry

Youth ministry in The United Methodist Church provides a framework for youth to grow spiritually and relationally while they are developing physically, mentally, and socially. Strong, developmentally appropriate ministry activities and experiences provided by trained, caring adults is essential for a vital youth ministry. The Book of Discipline stresses its importance.

There shall be a comprehe[right arrow]nsive approach to development and implementation of youth and young adult ministry programming at all levels of the Church. The comprehensive approach is based on the understanding of the primary task of young people's ministry: to love young people where they are, to encourage them in developing their relationship to God, to provide them with opportunities for nurture and growth, and to challenge them to respond to God's call to serve in their communities. Four parts undergird this comprehensive ministry. (1119.2)

The Discipline goes on to describe those four parts: the production of curriculum resources; other resources for effective young people's ministries in the local church and at all levels of The United Methodist Church; leadership development; and local, district, conference, jurisdictional, and general church structures that promote and support young people's ministry.

Youth ministry should be broad-based and encompass a wide range of activities. In establishing your youth ministry, consider the resources of your church and the community, current and local trends in youth recreation and music, and input from your advisory and leadership teams. Always include youth in decision making and planning for their ministry.

Learn with Partners and Teams

Start by gathering as much information as possible about the history, expectations, and plans (past, present, and future) of your church's youth ministry. Schedule time each week to talk with and get to know current and former adult volunteers with youth, parents of youth, the youth themselves, and pastor/church staff. Ask questions and seek answers, but even more important, listen to the experiences, successes, failures, hopes, and dreams of those involved with past activities. Find out what has been happening, what is missing, what is working and what is not. Your conversations will help you learn about the schools your youth attend; the activities that interest them; and their areas of temptation, struggle, joy, and triumph.

In addition to the history, there are key partners and potential helpers to consider. Do not limit yourself to the adults and youth who have experience in your youth ministry. Seek out people who align themselves with your church but are not currently actively involved.

Sources of Critical Information

Not everyone with whom you speak will be a ministry partner. As you seek the insights of others — parents, adults working with youth, pastors, staff, lay leaders, the congregation as a whole, the youth — you will identify potential partners in ministry. Together, they are sources of critical information.

• Relationships with youth. As you get to know the teens who are involved in your church, your willingness to listen can facilitate a level of trust that will make deeper conversations possible. Visit with youth who are not presently participating in your youth ministry to cultivate that same level of trust, and you may identify what might engage them.

• Conversations with youth workers in other churches or community organizations. Share ideas, successes, and challenges.

• Resources within your church staff. Talk with your clergy, Christian education, worship, and music staff members about their experiences with youth, ideas for resources, and ways you can collaborate in ministry. They can be important advocates and effective mentors for youth.

• Resource persons within the United Methodist connectional system, including district, conference, jurisdictional, and general church staffing. Young People's Ministries at Discipleship Ministries can help facilitate these connections.

Partners and Teams

From your contacts, consider forming an advisory team of people who can help you navigate the first year or two in your position. They can offer advice and guidance, help review resources, and screen volunteers. No matter the size of your church, a team-based youth ministry will better serve you and your youth.

Other possible partners or teams within the local church include a leadership team of youth and adults that sets the vision for youth ministry, plans activities and experiences, engages in outreach, makes fundraising and financial decisions, and evaluates effectiveness. As you seek adults and youth for these roles, think about building a gifts-based ministry rather than filling slots with names. Help volunteers realize the blessing of melding their passions and their energy. This group may be the youth leadership team, described later in this Guideline.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation 2017-2020 Ministries with Young People by Cindy Klick. Copyright © 2016 Cokesbury. Excerpted by permission of Cokesbury.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Blessed to Be a Blessing,
Called to Ministry with Young People,
A Biblical/Theological Foundation,
Young People's Ministry,
First Things First: Establish Priorities,
Getting Started — Youth Ministry,
Learn with Partners and Teams,
Coordinator/Staff of Youth Ministry,
Ministry Ideas and Strategies,
The Youth Leadership Team,
Getting Started — Young-Adult Ministry,
The Importance of Young-Adult Ministry,
Partners and Sources of Critical Information,
Coordinator/Staff of Young-Adult Ministry,
The Young-Adult Ministry Leadership Team,
Where Youth and Young-Adult Ministry Happens,
Your Setting,
Connectional System: You Are Not Alone,
Vital Leadership for Your Ministry,
Well-Trained Leadership,
Youth and Young-Adult Leaders,
Realistic Job Descriptions,
Pastor/Church-Staff Support,
Tool Box for Leaders in Your Ministry,
Relational Skills,
Safety Issues,
Organization and Planning,
Evaluate Your Efforts,
An Evaluation Process,
Go Beyond the Numbers,
Resources,
Youth Ministry,
Young-Adult Ministry,
The United Methodist Church,
UMC Agencies & Helpful Links,