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Youth Ministry Part 2

Part 2: Youth Ministry- Is there a need for it?
Right now I am privileged to have 90% of my teens with parents not only attending but involved in our church. Praise the Lord. The youth ministry I am doing now with them is quite different from the ministry I was doing at the beginning. I now have parent support- they give of their time and resources, they ask what I am teaching and want to come along side and discuss, they pray for me and talk with me about their teens- we share with each other the spiritual growth we are seeing in their teens. They are involved in their kids’ lives right up to the spiritual level and I am in awe of the type of youth ministry I have because of this active involvement from home! Parents and I work together to reinforce the learning between home and youth group. Plus I am learning and creating a family-based youth ministry.
Sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it? Family-based Youth Ministry. This is where it is at, ladies and gentlemen. I now believe that if your children are involved in a youth group or if your church has a youth group it should be family-based. Just what is a family-based youth ministry? It means that parents and the youth ministry work together.
Stay tuned for Part 3.

Comments on Voddy

9:51 AM, 2006-Nov-11 .. Posted by Lynne

I don't know who Voddy is, nor have I heard his talk. However, I have strong opinions on this subject. I grew up in a totally disfunctional family. My mother was married 4 different times. The reason I think I have a good marriage and family life is because I had friends who had good parents, and their parents set a good example for me to follow. I learned there was a different lifestyle than what I saw at home.
Growing up, my family never attended church. The only church I attended was when I was invited to go with a friend. At my children's youth group, Keven, the leader, always tells them to invite their friends to attend. This includes weekly meetings, weekend trips, and mission trips.
Voddy must live in a perfect world where every kid has active, involved church attending parents. I think what you are saying is more realistic. You will have your core group of parents who will help with all the youth, some parents who aren't involved at all, and some kids whose parents don't attend church at all. I think your job as youth minister is to minister to ALL youth, not just those with perfect families.

AMEN!!

1:11 PM, 2006-Nov-11 .. Posted by teambettendorf

FAMILIES ministering to FAMILIES is scriptural and effective!!

I think people would be hard pressed to find scripture that supports segregating our youth from their familesand the congregation as a whole. Based on the retention rate of keeping our youth in church it is clear that "youth groups" don't work.