Wondering why youth ministry matters these days? Read Greg Stier’s thoughts on this vital field. Discover 10 reasons why youth ministry remains more vital than ever.
I love youth leaders and teenagers. I love youth ministry. And I believe Jesus loves youth ministry too.
But in a handful of cranky quarters, youth ministry is under fire. “UnBiblical!” they charge. “Ineffective!” they shout. These usually-angry-about-something-anyway haters wail and flail but ultimately will fail. Why? Because youth ministry is needed now more than ever.
If we lived in a perfect “Leave It to Beaver” world, where churches were filled with intact families, dads who were spiritual leaders, and moms on fire for Christ? Then perhaps teen ministry wouldn’t be as necessary as it is today.
But we don’t, and it is. Of course, some broken parts of youth ministry need fixed. Systemic challenges keep many youth ministries from being all God wants them to be. But God has a penchant for the weak, the broken, and the foolish (1 Corinthians 1:26-29). And nothing describes this more than a group of hormone-filled, Red Bull-fueled teenagers.
So with that as a backdrop, here are 10 reasons why youth ministry matters.
10 Reasons Why Youth Ministry Matters
- God loves to use the unlikely to accomplish the unbelievable. Think teen David killing Goliath, and teen Esther saving a nation.
- God calls the older men in the church to pour into the younger ones. And he calls the older women in the church to pour into the younger ones. That is also known as youth ministry! (See Titus 2:2-8.)
- There’s something about a youth group that gets gospelized.
- Most disciples were teenagers when they began following Jesus. So in a very real sense, Jesus was a youth leader (Matthew 17:24-27)! Another interesting note… According to Exodus 30:14, the temple tax was only for those age 20 and older. All the disciples were there, but only Peter and Jesus paid it.
- The average teen has 425 online and face-to-face friends. Through social media, their outreach capacity is huge, both across the street and across the world. (See Acts 1:8.) According to an NPR study, the average teen has 100x more influence on their friends than a stranger has. If kids are inspired, equipped and unleashed for the gospel, their potential is off the charts!
