Student Leadership

One of the core beliefs that I have concerning Young People's Ministry is that Young People should be front and center in leadership.

This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. They can plan activities, lead Bible study lessons, organize mission opportunities, preach to the congregation, and teach other adults. If we do not put Young People into leadership roles, how else are they supposed to learn? 

Here are just a few benefits to giving Young People the opportunity to lead:

• It gives them real world experience and leadership.
• If they are the leaders of an event, they are invested and participation by other students will increase.
• It teaches them responsibility and accountability (if they don’t plan the program, then there is no program, and they have to and the responsibility.)
• Young People have various passions-Let them lead something that they are passionate about.

What other benefits would you list?

Allowing Young People to be in leadership and have mentors along to help guide them and love them unconditionally when they falter or fail is what student leadership is all about! 

YouTube Video Describing Christianity

This is a YouTube video by gentleman named Tyler Oakley. He evidently posts on a regular basis and this post has to do with his description of Christianity. Take a look and then ask yourself or a group the questions below.

1. What's your reaction to Tyler Oakley's description of Christianity? 
2. Did you find it funny? Accurate? Misleading? 
3. What would you say to Tyler about his video and his interpretation?
4. If this was someone's first intro to Christianity, what sort of picture do you think they'd have?

How To Plan a Programming/Teaching Calendar

Planning is key to any successful Young People’s Ministry program. A lot of people think that you can just throw something together and that that’s good enough, however, what I have found that the old adage is true “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Here are a few suggestions to get you started on planning a programming/teaching calendar.

Consider Working in “Thirds” - break down your calendar into categories. One example might be: 1) Christian Education; 2) Life Skills; 3) Felt Need. By doing this you will balance your programming/teaching calendar so that you do not focus on any one category too much.

Consider Series/Themes - if you’re leading a program or teaching a Bible study or Small Group choose a series that you will follow for 3 to 6 weeks. A lot of research has been done that the ideal timeframe for a series is no greater than 6 weeks. There are a few exceptions (confirmation class, disciple Bible study, etc.) but for the most part determining theme/series for a season of time is helpful. If you get really good at it you can plan a whole year in advance.

The most important thing to remember about planning is not to get lost in the plan. It is okay to get off schedule. The planning just helps you kind of like a roadmap. It helps students, parents and other leaders know where you are going so that they can plan their lives accordingly.

What do you think is the most important thing when it comes to planning ?