More from Andy’s blog (both posted with his permission)
Chapter 4 is one of the key parts of this book. Its focus is on how to being the transition to a biblical centered, parent partnership, student development ministry. The authors write, “The goal for many of our ministries has become to get students to attend, when the scripture clearly show Christ’s goal is to create disciples who reach others with the good news of the gospel. If our ministries adopt a healthier goal, then we also must adopt different criteria for evaluating success.”
Such a transition is not easy. The authors suggest four key components to be considered in this process: prayer, principles, prerequisites and practices.
1. Prayer is the center of this process and I loved the way they speak about prayer. Prayer will fuel your change, they say. We must not just be praying, but we must be seeking God, his will and his direction. An insightful piece of wisdom is “Pray for change in your own life and family before you plan to bring change about in the family of your teens”. AMEN!
“What would our students say that you and I are praying for? Is it our next
event or is it to see God work? Is it success for our minisry or for the hearts
and souls of our students.”
2. Principles. Change cannot be solely about the externals – the programs. Change must start with the inside – the passion which is guided by biblical principles. “You must be convinced that it is God’s will for you to make a fundamental shift in how you think about how you do ministry.” This is so key. Change comes FROM the theological and Biblical principles – from the place where you are learning and growing and following God’s call upon you. Only then will change be effective and powerful and fruitful.
3. Prerequisites. The authors list 6 prerequisites that we should follow. (1) Continue in prayer. (2) Lead with biblical conviction. (3) Secure the support of leadership. I loved this point. We as youth ministers lead from the middle of the pack – we need our pastors / rectors support as well as the parents. (4) Be realistic. Change takes time. Are we in for the long haul. (5) Another biggie is ‘understand your church culture.’ We must understand our church if we are to bring in change properly, securely and faithfully. (6) Finally start slowly and lead intentionally. The authors suggest a year by year change, starting with middle schoolers.
4. Practices. Finally, this is the dreaming stage. But here is the key. The authors write, “This isn’t about adding new activities to an already over crowded calendar but rather a streamlined approach that enables you to clear the calendar so that you are not competing with family or church. Bigger isn’t better.
I found the authors approach wise and helpful. They end this section by saying:
“It starts on your knees as you pray for clear direction from God. It starts in your heart, as you become passionate about a different set of values. It starts in your family, as you work toward a lasting spiritual legacy. This kind of transition starts with you, as you rethink and reshape your ministry to reflect a biblical model for student ministry.”
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