Continuing from my article “Becoming a Passé Pastor – 10 Hot Tips,” I have been dissecting the ten different elements that I contended were very important to continued relevance in kid’s ministry.
I have encountered a strange phenomenon occurring in some churches around the place when it comes to using young people in kid’s ministry, particularly youth (high school) aged kids. A strange kind of discrimination that labels “Gen Y” as all kinds of things, and generally none of these things are positive. These labels create an attitude in older leaders that stops or limits the involvement of youth in ministry activities. Of course there is the deliberate and wise limiting of responsibility so that a person can rise in maturity and skill, but to treat them as if they are inept because they are young will result in neither of these things developing. Youth are capable members of your team, who may need guidance at times, but are like precious diamonds in your kid’s church team – USE THEM! Here’s why:
- Young people have new ideas. Youth won’t have attended the many how to conference sessions that we may have, leaving their imaginations free to roam in the “how to” department. Of course they may come up with things we have tried and that have failed, or come up with ideas so spectacular that they are unachievable at that point of time. But quite often with good discipleship, especially in the area of presentation, they will leave you thinking – why didn’t I think of that?
- Young people are enthusiastic. If you give them the room to grow, giving them adequate amounts of encouragement, they will thrive in enthusiasm. If you are passionate about them being a part of your ministry, they will be passionate about what you are trying to achieve. With the right attitude on your shoulders, they will take a hold of the vision and run like mad with it. With the wrong attitude they will mimic your cynicisms.
- Young people are media savvy. While you still think that Milton the Monster is awesome and the kids are listening to Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch – youth will have no qualms telling you that you’re old school. This is a great resource that helps you keep you finger on the pulse technologically, musically and so on. If you are really lucky, then they will even start to try and use new media that is available to them to make your ministry even better.
- Young people are resilient. Youth are still at a formative age, where they can be directed and taught much easier than an adult. If we correct an adult it often needs to be very tactful to avoid any repercussions, with youth we can be blunter (not mean) and they might be disappointed for a minute, but they will take it on board and get on with it.
- Young people are time rich. Where many of our peers may be financially well off, they are generally time poor due to work. Youth may not have much money, but they are time rich. If you need people to do things for kid’s church, youth will usually be available – as long as it isn’t homework. In this way, youth become a resource that allows you to get more done, by shouldering some of your workload.
In 1 Timothy 4:12 the Apostle Paul says to one of his young protégés, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” We as leaders must not be the ones who look down on youth – but also be an example to them, raising them up to be exemplar like Timothy was. I can’t understand why many people raise up children in kids church only to look down on them when they become junior leaders. They are the fruit of your ministry, not its bane! Don’t look down on the youth in your team, USE THEM!
