If you are like me, it gets overwhelming to try to keep the student ministry fresh in the minds of the students. I am constantly afraid of students getting bored with our student ministry, because it is the same ole thing. Wow, I just proved that I am from the south with that phrase usage. Well, how can we keep our ministry looking fresh in the sight of our students? How can we keep our students desiring to come back every week to our student ministry?
- Incorporate small changes regularly – We hardly ever use the exact same order of service! I print off an order of service for our leaders and anyone involved in the order, and it is never the same. It is always similar, but we try to change small things up a bit to keep things fresh. We live in a world where everything is changing, and students are used too this. This is the reason they do not want student ministry to be the exact same every week.
- Fill the room with Energy – You should be passionate about what God has you there for. If our leadership is not passionate and energetic about being there, the students will not want to be there either! You must fill the room with energy and passion so the students pick up on it right when they enter the room.
- Come as you are – I try to drive this home weekly. We have a come as you are mentality in our student ministry, but my philosophy is that we love these students too much to let them leave that way. I pray that the life changing power of the Gospel would reach them and they would be forever changed. Students need to know that they can dress and come the way that they want too.
- Make every student feel welcome – This is the heartbeat of what we do. I want every student from 7th grade through a senior in high school to feel welcome and a part of the Grove student ministry. I want them to have a relationship with me. I do not want to be known for picking and choosing favorites. I want to be known as a leader who sees everyone as level. After all, this is the way that Jesus sees us. Status means nothing to Jesus, and it should not to us either.
- Challenge them weekly – Never allow your students to leave youth group without being challenged from the Word. I know we discuss all of the time if our students even care about the Word being taught to them every week, but deep down, they enjoy being challenged! They may not admit it, but statistics show that this generation does not like to be treated immaturely, but they enjoy being challenged as adults. Make sure that they leave with a practical lesson of how to apply the Word to their life.
