What are some weekend youth group benefits? Why does our teen ministry meet on Sundays? Keep reading to learn about one approach to youth group gatherings.
I often get asked why we have youth group on the weekend. It’s a good question! In every context I’d experienced, both as a teenager and as a youth pastor before Saddleback, youth group met midweek.
So why don’t we? And what are some weekend youth group benefits? Let me explain here…
4 Weekend Youth Group Benefits
Here are 4 top reasons our youth ministry holds a weekend service rather than meeting midweek.
1. To make space for adult services.
From what I understand, Pastor Rick Warren asked the high school ministry to free up seats in the worship center for adults. Then teens could meet for youth group simultaneously. The main reason we shifted? It was to help the church accommodate significant growth and give it room to keep moving forward.
2. To attract visitors.
Sunday is when most visitors attend. So if you don’t have youth services or a presence of some sort on the weekend, you’re missing out on a potential audience. If a family is going to visit, it’s during Sunday services, so having youth group then gives us the chance to meet/connect them right from their first time through the doors.…
3. To offer youth group at a convenient time for parents.
Without a doubt the best time for students to attend youth group is while their parents are already doing something at the church, too. I talked to a youth worker this week who was struggling with youth group meeting on Wednesday nights for this very reason. As students get older and can drive this becomes less of a big deal. But it’s at least a factor in our decision when to have services, too.
