How to Have an Effective Christian Youth Group
Families and teens look for effective Christian youth groups at their church and may even base church attendance on the vitality of the youth group. A vibrant church youth group will help current attendees grow in their faith, while also attracting new students. You can have an effective Christian youth group by following several basic steps.
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Instructions
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Pray about the group, the vision and the leadership. Prayer will provide focus and direction as you go forward. At the beginning of the youth group ministry, one or two people can pray together. The group can expand, and you can even have a prayer team who supports the youth group with intercession.
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Write a vision, plan and goals for the youth group. This will keep you on track and keep you from being derailed or distracted as you go forward with the group. Goals can include specific numbers and strategies for growth. Communicate the vision to everyone involved - teens, pastors and leaders alike.
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Hire a youth pastor, either from within or outside the church. Someone within the church will understand the organization and heart of the congregation while a candidate from outside your church will bring a fresh perspective. In any case, the youth pastor should enjoy spending time with young people and their families, possess strong communication and teaching skills, be a team player and work on development of both counseling and pastoral skills.
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Organize a team. This group can consist of volunteers, parents and student leaders. Everyone should fill a vital role from administration, greeting, worship and prayer support. When team members feel their gifts are being used effectively, they will tend to take more ownership for the group.
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Mentor and disciple teens. The young person will spend one-on-one time with a leader in the group, learning more about God. This can be done in a group setting or on an individual basis, but the focus should be fellowship, worship, prayer and time spent in Bible study.
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Use technology when possible to engage students and keep families updated of events. Even something as simple as a mass texting of a Bible verse can encourage youth. The youth group can also use social media accounts so interested youth can join.
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Include fun activities such as game nights, bowling and movie nights as well.
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Tips & Warnings
While you need to be friendly to the students, you are a leader, not just a friend. Fingerprint youth workers for legal purposes.
References
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