Week of What? A Peak into Youth Ministry

Youth ministry doesn't get the spotlight often. You usually have youth ministry brought to your attention just when we're promoting an event (or there are nerf fights on a Sunday morning.) The youth of our church are quietly serving behind the scenes in many capacities on Sundays and through the week (as you probably know if you've needed help moving!) I'm often asked privately how things are going in youth, but I thought it would be fun to share with you here about recent full days and adventures from Week of Fun ("WoF").

Youth is the best ministry in the church (I say without bias.) We have so much fun together! At the core of our good times, not shoehorned in or tacked on at the end, is worshipping Jesus and knowing Him through His word and prayer. Also critical and ever-present is relationship-building, trust-building, cooperation, shared experience both with peers and with as many of our adult volunteer staff as we can have. When we are together, we can count on having a good time together, transcending but including the normal markers of "fun."

Week of Fun is such a neat layout for our church. The format is modeled after something called a "D Now" (the D stands for Discipleship) which I first heard about through youth pastor forums. If you didn't know, in a typical summer/winter camp where we go out of town we can't have all of our staff, but with WoF, staff have an easier time navigating work schedules. Parents also find it easier to work with appointments. It's basically camp-in-town.

This year, aside from the trampoline park, sleepover, video project, hike and football in Lee Canyon, pool party and misc shenanigans, we focused on four themes from the Proverbs in "chapel time" with student-led worship. (By the way, these kids are seriously capable musicians! And yes, I do often accompany them on bass.)

I want to send the kids into the school year with the wisdom of the proverbs in teaching times with as many "sermonettes" as we can fit into the days, and these have proven to have surprising sticking power as kids continue to refer to content from last year. The adventures strengthen connection to their church community including friends and the adult staff who lead them in small groups (did you know the kids have small group times in youth ministry?)

In "Honor the Family Name", from Pr 22:1, we learned about the importance of your reputation -- A good name is to be chosen over great wealth; favor is better than silver and gold. Our kids represent their families, and we all represent each other as associated with Summit Ridge Church. And most importantly, we all represent the name of Christ as Christians. Let's honor one another as we represent each other outside of the church walls!

In "Teachability" I pulled from Pr 10:17 (CSB) "The one who follows instruction is on the path to life, but the one who rejects correction goes astray" and others to look at the importance of a teachable spirit. Don't arrogantly assume you can't learn from others; accept correction and grow in grace.

We talked about Pr 10:19 (CSB) "When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is prudent". Middle schoolers especially are delightfully unfiltered which makes it easier to see what's going on in their hearts. But we need to learn that our hearts are deceitful and if we get together with people with no intentionality to edify, encourage and spur each other on, we will degrade into unhelpful time-wasting and sin against each other in the things we blurt out.

We closed out the week talking about Firstfruits from Pr 3:9–10. We looked at how young people can give Him the best of their time and as they grow in finances. How many adults learned when they were young about the Old Testament tithe and where and how the New Testament modifies that old policy with giving principles? In this extended capstone Sunday night, we also debunked the modern "Prosperity Gospel."

It's an honor to shepherd the young people of this church, and I'm always blessed by the support I feel from my church family as I lead this group. Thank you brothers and sisters!
 
In Him,
Pastor Jeremy (YPJ)