Their answers:
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Student #1: Chase
I imagine as a youth pastor it is hard to figure out what works and what doesn’t. What to incorporate into your youth group and what to leave out. Mainly because students often don’t offer a lot of feedback. Below are a couple of things I (Chase) wish I could tell every youth pastor:
(1) Communication—Those random text messages throughout the week make a huge impact. From following up with a prayer request or just checking in to see how the week was going, Facebook or text messages are always a highlight.
(2) Game Nights—Sometimes it’s fun to come to youth group and just play games all night. It helps us become better friends with everyone in the group because a strong community is so important in a youth group. The games don’t have to be complex; games like Mafia, Catchphrase and Telephone can be used whether you have a large or small youth group.
(3) Guest Speakers—Guest speakers are quite possibly the greatest thing ever. Sure, I really like the youth pastor teaching every week, but it’s fun to have someone from outside the group teach every once in awhile. Maybe you and a fellow youth pastor in your community agree to guest speak at each other’s youth group. Another idea is to ask one of your volunteers to speak one night.
(4) Studying a Book of the Bible—Remember that time we spent three to four months studying a single book of the Bible? I sure do, and I learned the most during those few months. The trick—using examples around your community to illustrate what’s happening in the book. Studying a single book of the Bible is something that is often overlooked, but is beneficial in so many ways. From gaining insight about a specific book to teaching students how to study the Bible, it’s not something you want to skip.
(5) Books and Resources—Materials that are available each week would make a huge difference. From how to study the Bible to handouts that allow students to dive deeper on the message from that past week, it’s always nice to have resources available.
(6) Theology and Deep Topics—If you want to create a youth group that is engaging, then start teaching topics that will force us to start asking questions. Some ideas would be the trinity, free will versus predestination, and heaven and hell. These might be tough topics to teach, but students will be engaged and start to ask questions that will help them grow in their faith. I remember the first time I learned about the trinity and my mind was spinning with so many questions—it was awesome.
These are just a few things that I wish I could tell every youth pastor. I think that each element plays an important role in creating a learning atmosphere that will allow your youth group to thrive and make a difference in both your community and around the world.
Chase is a student from Orange County, Calif. He loves to surf, tweets occasionally and is addicted to photography.
