It is evident at Colonial that the congregation wants a healthy youth ministry. The evidence of this is in the countless conversations, words of support, lunch meetings, staff involvement, and the willingness of parents and others to offer hands-on service. It’s exciting when it’s known that a church places such a high value on youth and desires that a healthy youth ministry be in place.
But a potential issue can arise out of this. What if there are several different ideas on how to define a healthy youth ministry? Some define a healthy youth ministry in terms of numbers, making the primary identifier of health be a head count. Others may define success by the volume of programming. With that a healthy youth ministry is identified by the number of activities offered or variety of programs offered. Others have their own unique expectations in identifying a healthy youth ministry.
Not that any of the above definitions are bad, but I feel it is important to define clearly what we see as a healthy youth ministry because it’s this definition that undergirds many of the decisions made for the ministry at Colonial.
A healthy youth ministry is one where students who are broken receive healing through Jesus Christ and invite their friends to share in the experience.
When I was a youth pastor in Georgia I met weekly with a small group of local youth pastors for fellowship and to talk through the issues of youth ministry. It was during these hours of talking through youth ministry that we discussed the above definition of a healthy youth ministry.
I like it for several reasons. First, it keeps Jesus Christ central in defining what a healthy youth ministry should be. Lives being changed through a relationship with Jesus is what the gospel is about.
Second, I don’t know or have ever met a teenager who isn’t hurting. From the school’s most popular kid struggling with expectations and pressure to put on a “face” to the kid with unrelenting feelings of isolation and loneliness. From peer pressure, to temptation, to a changing body, to identity struggles, all teenagers are hurting in some form and need the healing, redemptive power of Jesus Christ.
Finally, I like this definition of a healthy youth ministry because it infers that numerical growth is a natural by-product in a healthy youth ministry. Friendships are core to the teenage experience and if a teenager is enjoying themselves and finding meaning through Jesus Christ they will naturally want their friends involved as well, which lead to growth.
Admittedly, it is much more difficult to measure success using this as a definition. A simple head count is much more quantifiable! But we have seen success. We have stories of Sr. High students who have called their youth leaders first in crisis and made great strides on their faith journey. We also have Jr. High students who are bringing more and more of their friends to our Wednesday evening program. Signs of health!