Grow Youth Ministry by Adding More of These 10 Key Components

communicating with the unchurched

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8. Practical Theology

Because I said in the last post we could probably do with fewer youth ministers, what role do we have in the meantime? I think one of the most important roles is that of the ministry’s practical theologian. These people make sure the way we do things is congruent with our theological convictions. After all, we need to grow youth ministry faithfully.

9. Originality

If all of the above things are happening—adults who intimately know students, prayer, integration, practical theology—then your youth ministry should look unique and be a fluid organism. Simply look around and figure out what to do given who is there.

Don’t try to conform who is there to what you do. To grow, not every student needs a game/icebreaker, two upbeat songs, a serious song, a 15- to 20-minute sermon, and breakout groups.

10. Parents

You already knew this, though, right?

What other suggestions do you have to grow youth ministry programs? Please share your insights in the comments below!

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mattcleaver@churchleaders.com'
Matt Cleaverhttp://mattcleaver.com
In 2005 Matt was on his internship as a youth ministry major at John Brown University when he read Soul Searching. That book, combined with some serious theological grappling that had been going on the previous 2 years, convicted him to do anything I could to buck the status quo of youth ministry. Matt believes our teens are too important to us to keep letting them down. So, he graduated from JBU in 2006 and have been in full-time ministry at Hope Lutheran Church. In 2008 he started working (slowly) on a M.A. in Children, Youth, and Family Ministry from Luther Seminary.

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