The Importance Of Youth Ministry

The foundation to the Christian faith is the belief that God is actively involved with His creation. God has always been actively involved with His creation since the beginning of man’s first appearance on planet earth. God has used prophets and judges to express and communicate his message to His people who extended from the promise He made with Abraham. God saved his creation of humanity eternally from their sins when He sent His son Jesus as the messiah to earth. God has extended his doctrines of grace, love, mercy and forgiveness to all believers of His son and gospel. Jesus left behind the Holy Spirit as a guide to humanity to do the work of the Lord God. The doctrine of God will affect my vocation in ministry to the youth

God calls us to serve and to do everything with love (1 Peter 4:10, 1 Corinthians 16:14). As a Student Affairs (SA) professional, my main goal is to help students discover their calling and equip them to better serve the world while integrating their faith. Smith (2004), states why it is important to serve as a mentor during a critical adult faith development stage. In The Council for the Advancement of Standards and Higher Education (CAS), CAS has incorporated faith, spirituality and religion into the standards and competencies that they advocate for individuals working as educators in the student affairs field ( Smith, 2004). In the CAS masters-level graduate program for student affairs standards (2004) the authors spoke to the essential need to incorporate spirituality.

In chapter one, Cannister claims that when teenagers matter, student ministries will thrive. Cannister begins by showing what most churches are doing by outlining the “good enough” principle, a mentality and form of organization that states that 80% of youth/parents will be satisfied with only 20% of the effort, much like a consumer. Cannister, however, advocates for a comprehensive youth ministry or a ministry that does not just focus on safety, what the parents want, or only

As a Christian what I have observed in my school and in my generation is that youth do not understand what it is to be a Christian and disciple of Christ. There are those who do not have a personal relationship with Christ nor understand what being a true Christian. Then there are those who claim to be Christians but continue to live their lives with the rest of the world. And at last those who have truly dedicated their lives to Christ and have a personal relationship with Him. In 2008 I started my own organization to encourage teens to have a daily prayer life and personal relationship with Christ. I saw this need in my school and I decided to do something about it. The scripture that I use for my organization

Information from chapter one comprised of a summary of my assignments reports from the various ministries served and class discussions post. Moving forward to chapter two talks more of the vast amount of lessons learned through the five goals and the effectiveness of actual hands-on application: the practice of communication, pastoral-spiritual care, the practice of leadership, engaging diversity, and handling conflict. There were target events in each goal setting subject. For example, in communication, my target events were in small groups, classes, writings of creative activities curriculum, and counseling. In this process, my practice skills supported an audience of women, youth both boys and girls, and children. The area of pastoral-spiritual care involved Bible studies, home visits, hospital and nursing homes visits, grieving family visits, and prison ministry visits with the Children of Inmates Program. The practice of leadership comprises of attending events, training, and assisting in various ministries in need. Engaging diversity involved observing other ministry leaders engaging in a large church congregation, speaking at women's breakfast or functions, speaking at funeral services, and assisting in the planning of funeral with family members. Handling conflict dealt with counseling of premarital sessions, marriage counseling sessions, counseling child abuse sessions, counseling drug addiction session, counseling depression with childhood sexual abuse sessions and assisting with crisis individuals seeking assistance through the resources at our church Peacemakers office. Consequently, chapter three describes the most life changing events causing major setbacks in this journey of my calling and the solutions involved. Chapter four detailed some specifics on the results of my self-analysis test. Some of the shared data comprised of personal

Relational. The ministry of Jesus was focused on people and meeting their needs. Spending time with others, both individually and through corporate gatherings, is modeled throughout the Bible. Fellowship with other believers in small groups allows individuals to forge relationships and develop accountability at some level. These deeper bonds demonstrate to others their love for God and others by loving God’s Law, obeying it by God’s grace, and allowing it to lead to Jesus Christ for transformation into His image.

The Paul-Elder critical thinking model illustrates “Critical thinking is that mode of thinking about any subject, content, or problem in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon them”("Paul & Elder critical thinking model", 2010, p. 1). So, now, if the purpose of critical thinking is to improve my thinking then I cannot think of a better teacher than Jesus Christ. But first, I have to get over this negative attitude that I have about critical thinking and Christianity in order to see some value in it. Pray with me and for me. My focus then should be on what Christ focused on and that is people. Jesus was a good listener. He listened to people and understood their dilemma in life. He gave them an attentive audience. Then, He used language, stories,

According to Duke Divinity School professor Craig Dykstra, “Christian practices are not activities we do to make something spiritual happen in our lives. Nor are they duties we undertake to be obedient to God. Rather, they are patterns of communal action that create openings in our lives where the grace, mercy, and presence of God may be made known to us. They are places where the power of God is experienced. In the end, these are not ultimately our practices but forms of participation in the practices of God.”1 Christian practices offer powerful opportunities for transformation.

As Christian educators, we are called to promote and support learning in those areas. True teaching is a sharing of realities, likening the teaching process and weaving connections between their teachings and understandings themselves and the world around them. If we do not make connections for the students to the world around them, many times these precious gifts graced upon them will be overlooked or passed by because the young minds may not be able to recognize them. Some areas of observation might be seen as open doors to see or perceive and understand something of God and His motion as reflected through the created world and the Bible. Other areas might be seen as open doors to respond, apply, express and practice in ways that are consistent with biblical values. When these areas are discovered and embraced, many times they can address the major developmental needs in the spiritual, intellectual, physical, social, and emotional realms of the student’s life. Identifying these areas is helping the students begin their walk with the Lord and their own calling.

Christian education is an intentional process in developing relationship with God for the purpose of fulfilling the mandate to “go and make disciples of all nations, to “preach and teach” the good news of the gospel of Christ, and to build the Kingdom of God. In developing and incorporating evangelism and discipleship into a current Christian education program I believe that involvement of the entire membership of the congregation should be employed (all age

This study conducts an examination of several models of youth ministry programs including the Inclusive Congregational Approach, the Preparatory Approach, The Missional Approach, the Strategic Approach, Practical Theology as Youth Ministry, and the Incarnational Approach.

The main task of the Church and of the Christian minister is the true preaching of the Word of God. Additionally, Paul in Colossians 1:25 makes the point the central purpose of ministry is the preaching of the Word. Preaching the Word of God also includes protecting the sheep from false doctrines.

The Ministry of Catholic Educations says that youth ministry is a “response to the mission entrusted by Christ.” God told his disciples in Matthew chapter twenty eight verse nineteen ‘Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit.’ And youth ministry is one of the many ways the Catholic Church is doing this.

In this paper, the student-writer will discuss the methods that are taught in In Effective biblical counseling: A model for helping caring Christians become capable counselors by Crabb (1977). The student-writer will also use what is taught in this book with the skills that are expressed in Creating a Healthier Church; Family Systems Theory, Leadership, and congregational life by Richardson (1996) and Blessed Connections: Relationships that sustain vital ministry, by Schwanz (2008). The student-writer will compare and contrast the skills that are mentioned in these books to establish a well maintained way in which to ministry to clients, and meet their needs as a counselor.

First of all, any missional mental model should be derived from missio Dei itself, which is "the mission of God to bring about redemption of the world" (Sunquist 2013, 7). When we carry this mission out in suffering for God’s eternal glory, we need to imagine how in the future his goodness, his beauty, and his harmony will cover the entire creation. I think it’s necessary for us to have this vision of his glory and be aware that whatever we do is not our own ministry. The idea of us joining the ministry of Jesus Christ is