I have not always been Pentecostal. How do we do this? Not everyone will love these decisions. Jesus didnt call the masses to discipleship, he called whom he wanted one by one and two by two and that is where your youth ministrys come back begins. Six in 10 (61%) senior pastors say youth ministry is "one of the top priorities" of their church's ministry, and 7 percent say it is the single highest priority. Just two days ago I read this account in Tullian Tchividjans must-read book, One Way Love, about a man of God who pursued revival but got frustrated by his own apathy. Finally, we decided to try reaching people like us. Is intercessory prayer something you practice with your student leaders? Start taking prayer walks or shutting your door for 30 minutes a day or whatever you have to do to start making intercessory prayer a personal priority. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Theyre not looking for an act or for someone who tries too hard to relate to them. Your attitudes will help other people remain positive. Do you practice intercessory prayer with student leaders? Scientists at (RPI) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have found that when just 10 percent of the population holds an unshakable belief, their belief will always be adopted by the majority of the society. Science Daily, July 26, 2011. 2023 ChurchLeaders.com, All rights reserved. There are no short cuts to discipling students and thats why I want to come alongside you with the best ideas, resources and strategies to give you the best chance of developing life-long followers of Jesus. The long and short of it is, younger members will be more comfortable if you act like someone your age, rather than trying to pass as a 16-year-old. They walk around, they talk, they eat, but they are not the same. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Avoid anxiety and remain focused on working on strategic plans. Great churches. 1615 Platte Street, Floor 2 Denver, CO 80202, The Five Best Ways to Engage Your Youth Group, Communicate the Way Young Members Want You to Communicate, Update Your Programming to Reflect Teens Attention Span, study by the Springtide Research Institute, Over 7,000 contacts have subscribed to Milestones texts, Coastal Cathedral was able to increase its volunteer turnout by 100%, Group Texting for Religious Organizations, Learn How Milestone Church Engages Its Youth Ministry Using SMS, How to Use a Church Social Media Strategy to Grow Your Congregation. Give yourself enough time to rest, as well. Translation? Restaurants do not beg, they show what they offer and why its worth you dropping by to try it. Three Powerful Ways A Committed Mission Will Awaken Your Youth Ministry, Youth Group Message On Serving Others: 3 Kinds Of People To Serve, Helping Your Students Develop Spiritual Habits, The Exciting Summer Outreach Program That Will Grow Your Youth Ministry. Acts 4:31 gives a micro recipe for revival. Keep your supervisor fully informed about whats going on in the ministry. Yes, there are cycles, ups and downs and seasons, but there are some youth ministries that are just plain dying. This was more than I bargained for. Or maybe the youth ministry you have just went south for a variety of reasons,none of which . Too often, church leaders agonize over what they can do to keep their youth active and enthusiastic about being part of the church community and never realize that they could simply ask. It should be the standard operating practice of every believer. 2 Get the word out. Dont just make converts but make disciples who make disciples. Are you relentlessly challenging your teenagers to share the gospel? As you pursue holiness with your 10%ers remember it should be fueled by grace, not by guilt. Dont wander down rabbit trails. Focus on the system first: whether staff members trust each other, whether staff and volunteers are working with clear expectations, whether the ways people typically get things done in the ministry are productive, etc. The Revive Movement is a Christ-centered ministry in the historic Wesleyan theological tradition with the purpose of resourcing local church children, youth and adults by making disciples of Jesus Christ. % of people told us that this article helped them. When youre criticized, dont react defensively. Encourage the friend base to grow. In fact, I didn't choose to be Pentecostal, any more than I chose to be Catholic, it sort of chose me. Start being optimistic. I heard a great phrase recently, the activity of God. Stay positive, speak positive. Yes. Ask God to help you understand and communicate the ministrys real needs well. Many churches already have a great hall for their youth group, but if not find some location where everyone will feel comfortable. Reason #3 - Churches come across as antagonistic to sci-ence. The Gospel. Help youth make connections between their music and faith. Hire a youth pastor who naturally likes to do the tasks the job requires. I had a head full of dreams and a heart burning to make a difference. He has trained youth workers on five continents and has taught courses or been a guest lecturer at a number of colleges and seminaries. Kids will always have choices. Articulate the basic tenets of the faith clearly . This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Don't be afraid to talk about God and religion, even if that's not what a lot of the teenagers really want to talk about. Because It should be standard operating practice for every believer. Adoptive Youth Ministry: Integrating Emerging Generations into the Family of Faith This book shares how to develop a meaningful and transformative youth ministry that adjusts to. In this first of a two blog series, Gepford explains why he started the program and what he did once the program was in place. I think we can agree that the goal of starting spiritual disciplines in the first place is to And Get Your FREE Youth Ministry Diagnostic Sheet Today! Part of coming alive is using what God has given us. ", Philip Ryken: Defining and Proclaiming Our Shared Gospel Message, 10 Things Pastors Often Keep to Themselves, Sharing the Gospel Even With a Stranger, Bible App for Kids Celebrates 100 Million Installs Worldwide, How You Can Support Easter Services With Prayer, 20th Annual Outreach Resources of the Year: Theology and Biblical Studies, Nine changes dying churches must make immediately. More tips and tricks can be found here. Ministry to young people must include ministry to their parents and the family unit as a whole in whatever form it comes (eg. For a dying church to move to a thriving church, they must: 1. Start taking prayer walks or shutting your door for 30 minutes daily. After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. In a "revi," the book has been written, approved, codified, and embedded in every structure and system (or lack thereof) for years. 10 Ways to Revive a Dying Church By Theresa Cho Jul 12, 2011 "And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant. [Nine changes dying churches must make immediately]. All Rights Reserved. Theyre looking to God, not a strategy or program, to light that fire. Approved. Humility. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Many youth ministries are in decline and dying. I hope I die here but not because you kill me, but because I dont ever want to leave. Ten years ago, I couldnt imagine a church in worse condition than Foothill Church. Thats why we let you try it free for two weeks. Emphasize two basic goals: growing the youth group to reach more students, and creating a ministry that the students will enjoy. Part of trust building is not making promises you cannot keep. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. It's easy for us to allow all sorts of things to distract us from our mission of sharing the gospel and making disciples. Its time for revival and it starts with you choosing to lead the way! ", youth ministry, praying and connecting with God daily is very important. The parable of the Sower reinforces this principle in a powerful way. Yes, there are cycles, ups and downs and seasons, but there are some youth ministries that are just plain dying. All rights reserved | Created by SolidGiant.com. I was always taught Summer Jump not Summer Slump. Wasnt this Jesus strategy? Shift the focus from programs to friendships. Get their opinion and input on what the program should look like and where it should be heading. Encourage emotional health. Empower youth to rewrite hymns and prayers in ways that are meaningful to them. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. If you're one of these youth pastors whose youth group is in decline, I feel for you. The kids you involve in leadership and servanthood, will be the greatest benefactors of the changes they make. Yes, there are cycles, ups and downs and seasons, but there are some youth ministries that are just plain dying. They are looking to God to light that fire not a strategy or a program or a method. people eventually pass away. Add to Collection book Beyond the Screen: Youth Ministry for the Connected but Alone Generation I have found that it was a culmination of several factors over time. In a revi, the book has been written, approved, codified, and embedded in every structure and system (or lack thereof) for years. What God gave me was the grace to persevere. Although we call them spiritual disciplines or habits, we cant let the check list mentality creep into our walk with God by becoming legalistic about it. "If you focus on growth before depth, you'll be tempted to adopt gimmicks, quick fixes and copycat tactics." See 2 Corinthians 3:18. Outreach Magazine. This is part four in my series 9 Dynamic Ways To Revive A Dying Youth Ministry. Talk about what you see happening, the progress that is being made. Do you pray as a staff for them? Your church wants to know that it will continue to exist next generation. Leadership must accept that something is wrong and the church is declining first before anything else. It is important to have a plan in place and to be prepared for the challenges that will come your way. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Many are the plans in a persons heart, but it is the LORDs purpose that prevails (Prov. Angry at the board. Samuel Johnson, the great eighteenth-century thinker and writer, documented in his diary his efforts over the years to fight sloth by getting up early in the morning to pray. And God is igniting their strategies in ways they never expected, with amazing results. We may spend an inordinate amount of time and energy focusing on things that, while important, don't help usher . God only serves revival on clean plates. Once you have the volunteers, regularly communicate with them. Hold three different kinds of ministry meetings: daily meetings of just a few minutes at the beginning of each day to clarify priorities, weekly tactical meetings, and strategic meetings either every month or every quarter. Your young people will see these closer-in-age mentors as older brothers or sisters, leading to closer relationships. The only problem was, we didnt know how to do this. For Christs lovecompels us, because we are convinced that Onedied for all, therefore all died. Get kids moving. Attendance didnt explode. Develop key documents. In my opinion every youth group meeting should have at least one story of how the gospel is changing lives. If not, it might be time for a shakeup. Thats why you need to know how to revive a dying youth ministry. Angry at the pulpit committee. Reviving a dying church will require making some tough decisions. Ive been there. All rights reserved. If group programming is predictable, change it. Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! But down deep we want to zap their cold hearts into beating hard after God. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. If you want a way to inspire and equip your 10%ers to go all in for Jesus and start living this revival out take a look at bringing them to Lead THE Cause University this summer. Great disciples. He helped me to stop feeling sorry for myself. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Never let your group know what's coming next. Does GenerationS apply to my youth ministry if I am from a small church? About 6 weeks into my new pastorate, two women walked into my office to inform me that the church had a history of sexual sin and blatant disobedience. We didnt rocket to thousands by dressing cool and throwing in a band. Its 6 days of intensive revival training that you need to get your student leaders to. Every day, decide what your most important priorities will be, and focus on them. We get the new believers equipped in evangelism right away (along with the other spiritual disciplines!) Our passion is to share what so many have shared with us over the years. Sign up for a free 14-day trial today to see SimpleTexting in action. Article Images Copyright , 16 Ways to Build a Youth Ministry That Will Last, Mother's Day and the Dilemma the Church Faces. The gospel advances through on-fire teenagers and youth leaders into classrooms, cliques and school cafeteria tables. When Ive taken over a ministry like this, which has been multiple times, I have developed some comeback steps that I think might work for you. I was always taught Summer Jump not Summer Slump. 5 Steps: How to Revive a Dying Youth Ministry Take these 5 action steps to unleash the force of revival. 1. Or do you sprinkle it as fairy dust but then depend on the latest, greatest curriculum to produce real change? Go with the goers and pray for the others. All rights reserved. There are plenty of creative youth service ideas that religious leaders can use to help attract members of the younger generation to join and engage with the congregation. But its worth it. If this post gets you excited and you want more. Our congregation was comprised of medium-income families. But, focus is critical and a turnaround leader must have grit. In addition, his articles and reviews have been published in a variety of journals and magazines. In the same vein of being relatable, consider who your youth group might feel most comfortable talking to. (This is why we love the book of Acts by the wayits full of these kinds of stories!!!). 2) Take time to prepare a lesson that rocks. Or do whatever you have to do to make intercessory prayer a priority. Learn how to revive it by learning how to revive yourself.0:00 Introduction10:32 Revival Starts With The M. He and his wife, Susan, have four grown children. Hoping to learn more from wikiHow. During student leadership meetings, pray for all youth group members and for revival at schools. Can organizing sports competitions help improve youth interest in God? Having younger mentors helping with classes and activities can open up more high-energy options for the students. We learned the hard way that you reach who you are, not who you want. Instead, learn from the criticism and work with your critics to find creative solutions to problems. Fewer people are reached with the gospel, but no alarm sounds. First thing, take a breath. Go with the growers and pray for the others. Drew has more than a decade of experience managing successful integrated marketing programs to build brands, raise awareness, and generate demand. The No. I am from Africa in Burundi. Or maybe the youth ministry you have just went south for a variety of reasons,none of which are your fault. Reviving a Dying Church - Acts 29 Network: North America Church planting is hard, but so is church revitalization. It's risk free. Similarly, Coastal Cathedral was able to increase its volunteer turnout by 100%. This content is password protected. Ask Strategy is a missing . We often waste energy trying to get every teenager on board with our vision. Define what success will look like the youth pastor can understand your expectations well. A declining youth ministry is hard on the soul but revival is possible. Youth leader Amaya Mauro notes, I ask for input from the young people to understand what kind of activities they would like to participate in and open up lines of communication between them and their mentors.. Text message marketing is an effective way for churches or other groups to stay in touch with their community through instant communication. Develop an organizational chart for the ministry. Learn the unspoken rules of church politics. Many youth ministries are in decline and dying. By taking advantage of the best youth group ideas for small churches, it is possible for religious leaders to implement youth development activities that can help make a . No church ever drifted that kept the main thing the main thing. 3. Have your team members share responsibility. But did you know you could be, indirectly, contributing to . Too often churches are tempted to just put them in a 12 week course that ends up exegeting the excitement to evangelize right out of them. What Are the Differences between Presbyterians and Catholics? The church has grown. Its interesting to me that you never see the word revival in the New Testament, perhaps because it should be the normal Christian life. You cant carry the load of leadership by yourself. I had a picture in my mind of a car that had taken a wrong turn and simply needed someone to steer it back onto the highway, a course correction. But down deep inside we want to taze their cold hearts into beating hard and hot after God. Sadly, its not. Is prayer a big part of your youth ministry? "But about 90 percent of them have no strategy for how they will do it.". Seek the advice of people who have done youth ministry (people like the faculty members who teach youth ministry at CSU). Ministry Minded is three months of you being equipped, trained and inspired to build a sustainable youth ministry that makes disciples. Although we call them spiritual disciplines or habits, we cant let the check list mentality creep into our walk with God by becoming legalistic about it. Make intercessory prayer the engine, not the caboose, of the train driving your efforts. Over 7,000 contacts have subscribed to Milestones texts in the past two years ago. Put the right system in place before looking for the right person to hire. Ours is not a story of overnight success. Keep reading. Look at your student leadership team and adult staff. DeVries has served since 1986 as associate pastor for youth and their families at First Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Angry at God. PASSION WILL TURN YOUR YOUTH MINISTRY AROUND, Youth Group Message On Serving Others: 3 Kinds Of People To Serve, Helping Your Students Develop Spiritual Habits, The Exciting Summer Outreach Program That Will Grow Your Youth Ministry, Your teaching style might have to change in order to help kids level up, Focus on growing students not growing the group, Find your kick starter. A declining youth ministry is hard on the soul but revival is possible. Get the latest news and information from the conference. Angry at the congregation. But those precious few seeds that land on good soil will produce 30, 60 or even 100 times what was sown. Emphasize two basic goals: growing the. Once your 10%ers get 100% on board with this vision theyll inevitably impact the rest of the group. But did you know you could be, indirectly, contributing to the decline of the youth ministry simply by the way you think about and speak about (and to) your youth ministry? Get acquainted with the music kids spend their time listening to. Do all you can to help them feel wanted, accepted, and connected in your youth group. If you need help revitalizing your youth ministry, check out my Ministry Minded coaching program. if it wont directly help your ministry fulfill its unique vision. People are responding to the gospel and getting connected into vital gospel community. I read accounts of some of the great men of God in earlier awakenings who longed to see revival so much that their well-intentioned pursuit turned into a guilt-filled drudgery. Last Updated: October 11, 2022 Help make a superstar instead of looking for one to come to you. Delegate responsibility to key volunteers by building a culture of apprenticeship. One of the very first things I did was to gather the core couples together on a weekend retreat. Create a directory of students, another directory of staff and volunteers, and a final directory of people who have visited your youth ministry during the past two to three years. The church's impact on the community is negligible, but life continues in the church like nothing has happened. What happened? Hire wisely. Youth Ministries are often the pillar of any Christian church's continuity. If you want to revive a dying church, narrow the focus around what is essential to your calling. We tried for months to reach the families in the homes surrounding our church. Bill Gepford, TiM associate pastor at Colby (Kansas) UMC, shares how and why he started a youth program at Colby UMC.