On Mt. Everest, 28,000 feet above sea level, humans are not designed to survive. The brain is oxygen-starved, and the body is only seconds from being freeze dried. In these conditions, good intentions or happy thoughts don't matter. All that matters is how well you have been trained and what you have brought with you.
Thankfully, youth ministry is not that brutal; but some days it may feel like it! In order to survive and thrive as we disciple students to be disciple makers, we need to be properly equipped ourselves. There are several important factors.
Youth need equipped leaders
We live in a global culture that in many ways is driven by the youth culture. We may see this youth culture as more challenging than others in the past. Maybe so. However, throughout history, nurturing youth has been a challenge! Consider this quote attributed to Socrates:
"Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers."
In other words, some things haven't changed! In all generations, youth have needed guidance and direction from those who understand their culture and are able to attain the skills necessary to lead them. Certainly, this is even more true if our end goal is to help them mature in their identity in Christ.
For some people, connecting with teenagers and loving them unconditionally comes more naturally. But to be most effective, we all need training in how to understand their world and how to disciple them. We are seeking to build a faith community among our students. So we will not only need to be trained ourselves, but we need to develop a training program for volunteers who can also learn how to love and disciple teenagers.
Let's not overlook this core principle: the multiplying power of students leading other students! When we learn how to train students to DO ministry, not just watch adults do it, we will equipped a whole other generation of leadership to become equippers (2 Timothy 2:2).
Leaders need mentors to train them
To build a leader, you need a leader to effectively train them. There are those that may have innate leader-like qualities, but true leaders are made, not born. Godly attitudes, skills, knowledge and relationships all need to be developed in a leader through intentional encouragement. Each of us has strengths: both our spiritual gifts and natural abilities. However, through the process of life-on-life modeling, an effective leader becomes well-balanced in their character, competence and connections.
Jesus models leadership training
Throughout His ministry, Jesus actively sought out individuals to equip - so they could equip others. He spent a night in prayer and then chose His first disciples. He taught them and then sent them out in His name to share with others. The command He gave at the end of his earthly life still holds true for His disciples today: to "make disciples" (Matt. 28:18-20).
In creating a thriving ministry to students, our primary focus needs to be equipping saints for the work of service (Ephesians 4:12). By following Jesus' example, we will develop mature, multiplying disciples. As we focus our ministry on this process, not only will the students grow, but our leaders will grow as well.
Equipped leaders equip students
When we are properly equipped, multiplication happens. Keith Krueger, a long-time NNYM regional coordinators, was invited to meet at to a middle school one morning. He was at a table with several youth workers, Young Life leaders, youth pastors, high school students and middle school students. The high school students who were present had started the club four years before and were there to empower the middle school students to carry on the legacy. That is what happens when we are faithfully equipping others!
How can your network with other youth workers encourage the equipping of adults and students in your community? Consider the following questions in the Interactive exercise below.
Equipping Students
Equipping students is vital in the strategy of ministry networks in order to reach teenagers in your community. Take a look at these questions to help spur your thinking on in developing a network that equips youth.
- How did one or more of your mentors help equip you for youth ministry?
- How are you equipping youth workers to equip students in your ministry?
- Read Mark 1:16-39. How does Jesus start the process of equipping His disciples?
- Read Mark 6:7-13. How does Jesus continue the process of equipping His disciples?
- What are ways that your network can equip students and youth workers to be disciple makers?