Healthy Networks, Healthy Communities

Our communities need help! School shootings, rampant drug use, racial tensions, sex trafficking in schools, and dysfunctional families are issues that are unraveling the fabric of our society. At the same time, some of our networks are inconsistent, members are unmotivated, and groups don't address the problems in their community. I hear from youth workers saying, "Why should I network? How can it be helpful to me?" I believe the reason they ask the question is because they haven't seen any fruit out of the networks around them.

When networks are healthy, youth leaders implement God's vision and incredible things happen in their communities. Let me share with you about how the Harrison Community Youth Group encouraged their community to be healthier.

Widen the Net

Three years ago in Harrison, Ohio a youth leader, Emily Richardson, had a vision to make her city into "His (Christ's) city." She reached out to churches, school employees and community members to come together to reach students for Christ through the Harrison Community Youth Group. Amazingly, Emily was able to bring together ALL the churches, the district superintendent, business leaders, community leaders and the high school principal!

Catching the Bigger Vision

They didn't stop there. The network started a movement called THIS CITY HIS CITY. They worked together to bring resources into the community of Harrison. One of the pastors said, "There are enough lost and broken people to fill every church in this city. This can truly become something more like the 'Church of Harrison' rather than individual groups doing their own thing."

You may be asking, "What is the outcome of this vision?"

Greater Influence

With the encouragement of the school administration, THIS CITY HIS CITY members came on the school campus for lunches, helped bus students to after-school programs, and served in any way asked. As a result, students started to thrive in school. Observers from across the whole state noticed. The superintendent of the Southwest School District, Chris Brown, was asked by the state of Ohio to share the reason for the positive changes in the students' performances. He shared that this would not have happened without the help of THIS CITY HIS CITY. Ohio state representatives were so impressed that they asked Chris to share his story at the Ohio superintendents' conference!

Hope over Heroin

The influence of the local network overflowed into the whole community. Harrison wrestles with a major issue: heroin trafficking across state lines. The network saw the need to confront the drug issue because of how greatly it affected teenagers. They founded a ministry called Hope Over Heroin, a collaborative effort by Ohio churches to reach those suffering from drug-related issues.  The churches pooled their resources to host a two-day concert where real stories of deliverance were shared. More than 1,000 people attended, 40 people were baptized, and numerous people took advantage of rehab options so that they could be set free from addictions.

Healthy Networks Can Transform Communities

God never intended any individual or church to work alone. I like what the president emeritus of NNYM, Paul Fleischmann, said: "We need to check our logos and egos at the door."  Yes, individuals or single ministries can have a limited impact on the community.  However, a healthy network rallies the body of Christ to help churches be more attentive, more powerful, and have a better, united vison for the community.

We need to ask ourselves, "How can our youth ministry network encourage health in our community?"  If you want your network be more engaging and healthier, then connect with a network coach on www.nnym.org/training.