Growing A Youth Group

If you believe youth ministry is just about opening your church building on a Sunday evening, then your reading of this book may be a bit of a surprise to you. After reading this book, if you still believe youth ministry is just opening up your church on a Sunday evening, well, perhaps youth ministry is not for you. I want to tell you that to Grow a Youth Group, there is so much more than opening doors. If you pay attention to the knowledge, thoughts and experiences that are shared in these pages, you will have a much better perspective and appreciation of how growing a youth group really is a ministry. I am writing on this topic so that anyone can understand how it all intersects to form a vital, well-thought-out ministry for, with, and to youth we are privileged to serve in our local churches. I also hope that this book is not just read by professional people on church staffs. I know for a fact that much of what is shared in this book is not taught in seminary! This book is for everyone and anyone interested in making a difference in their youth ministry in their church. After a whole lot of decades of testing out, working through, massaging programs and ideas, what I am sharing here can be a valuable asset along with being a testimony of what youth ministry may be able to accomplish in your church. I do want you to understand that if you do not have a paid professional staff person in your church, a lot of what I share here does require someone who would be willing to oversee the entire effort - especially if you pursue matching what I did over the years. It does require a small cadre of committed people willing to put their heart and soul into youth ministry for a period of time. I only ask that you read it in its entirety so that you will discover how all of what is shared hangs together to form an interesting model for ministry with youth. In the end, you will also discover that what you are doing will affect adults in your church as well. And that’s not a bad thing. Please understand even though I have spent decades involved in youth ministry, I do not have all the answers. I would also say that this model is just one of many ways of doing youth ministry. I do know that what I did in my career was finding what worked, what clicked, what motivated young people and the church such that youth ministry blossomed and flourished. I also hope you can catch the undertones of what I have written. I am asking all of us to become real advocates for youth ministry in our churches. Are we able to demonstrate through youth ministry how to live our lives as Christians? When we gather these young people to help them grow in their faith and to be moved by the Spirit, are we helping them to become the people God wants them to be? How about ushering them into the world to do the things God is calling us all to do? Suppose this is part of the rhythm in the Christian life? I believe as youth leaders, it is the personal and social gospel of our time, and we need to be understanding and following God’s plan. So let’s get about doing it