The Missing Links in Student Ministry

For the past 5 or so years I've had the privilege to be in student ministry. I have learned a lot since I jumped into ministry.

I thought I'd share a few missing links that I wish I knew when I started in ministry.

- Expectations - I am learning to not have expectations. I know it sounds bad. I have learned to appreciate each staff I have worked with and appreciate their differences and personality. God has worked in my life to pray for and encourage those I serve alongside with in ministry. Life is too short to hold grudges or be critical of fellow ministers!

- Relationship-driven ministry BEATS Event-driven ministry every time - My tendency is to plan my calendar to be packed full of events. I have learned that having a packed calendar does not mean that I'm filling students spiritually. The "American Dream" of student ministry is to keep the students "motivated" from one event to another. My prayer is that students will learn that God's Word is ENOUGH for them to grow spiritually. Events help in this process but are not the goal. Events can not build relationships and keep students strengthened through the "roller coaster" school years.

- Focus on the students who want to become leaders. I spent a lot of time trying to convince/motivate/almost beg students (and parents) who did now want to surrender and follow Christ. I'm not talking about students who are un-churched, but the ones who are members. I find that the hardest people to lead are the ones who have been in church their entire lives and have become "numb" to the movement of God. Jesus set an example of investing in 12 disciples (only 11 graduated) and spent a majority of his time with Peter, James, and John. I've learned that I can speak and pray for students to follow Jesus, but at the end of the day they are going to have to make the decision! Disciple and train students to reach their friends and families for Christ and then SET THEM LOOSE!

- Encourage and Equip Parents - Parents are one of the missing links in student ministries in the past 10 years. At first I thought parents needed to "get with it!" Now I realize more and more that they are the main spiritual influences in their student's lives. An ongoing issue that I deal with are parents who allow their 12-16 year old student  date whomever their student decides is "cute." Parents need to set boundaries when it comes to relationships, media, and friends! If they do not set biblical convictions in the home, most of the time what message series we are talking about will not sink into their hearts.

- Mentoring - Relationships are the key component for students to learn how to live for Christ. I am changing up my plans to fit more students into my schedule. I plan on taking students with me when I go places. Simple steps to build relationships make an impact. Mentors in my life always spent time listening to my problems, needs, prayer requests and more. I pray that I can do a better job at this in the future.

- Quality time with Cassidy - Ministry can be draining. Setting times to unwind and just talk to one another is a priority in our marriage. I have learned through experience that I must plan to make time for my wife or ministry will plan it for me. It is easy to "spiritualize" and spend all my time working and talking about ministry. The problem is that my main calling is to lead my family spiritually! If that fails, then it is a domino effect on ministry. My prayer is that I will do a better job of loving my wife (like Christ loves the church) and serving God together!

Strategic Planning

Leadership is a continual focus upon growing from one point into the next. God has called leaders to be ahead of the people in order to help them get closer to God and each other. Without a strategic plan to accomplish vision, it becomes just an idea. Leadership is being able to see the future that God has laid out and then explain the processes for people to understand how to achieve success. The key to handling the ideas and plans of any leader is to begin at the foundation, God’s Word.

It is important to note that God’s vision comes from Him and the people of God are to fulfill it. Planning is the process of seeking God’s Will and clear ways to fulfill it. A foundational scripture on planning says, "Where there is no vision, the people will perish (Proverbs 29:1). God’s Word explains many commands, precepts, and principles to follow. The church is in dire need of strategic planning in order to clear the cobwebs of man-made plans and truly seek God’s plans. Jesus came for a specific purpose of bringing sinful mankind into a right relationship with God the Father through the cross. The church has to become rifle focused upon achieving the restoration of people’s lives into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Strategic planning clears the uncertainty and helps churches make decisions based upon the gospel over what is man-made.

God desires us to rethink our methods but keep the mission the same because it is irreplaceable and timeless. The need for the church to be intentional about their plans is to be transparent and humble about changing in order for people to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Strategic planning helps frame the picture for all those that are part of the process. Leadership is to help people become sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in their lives. God can accomplish just as much in the planning process as He can in the completion of the plans. Planning is to be focused upon clear steps that lead to the overall mission of the church. Not only does it help the overall mission but also it builds ownership into the lives of those in the church. In order to make wise decisions in planning the organization must be able clarify opportunities and weaknesses. The goals that are in place help shape the daily and long-range processes to reach success.

Leaders must help explain the need for change in the midst of planning and making decisions for the overall purpose. Clear steps need to be outlined by the leader to aid in communicating to people’s skepticism to change. Leaders are to help people see the vision of making changes for the glory of God. Leadership must be ahead of the change before it occurs. It is wise to think through the pros and cons of any situation, especially when it comes to making changes. Leadership must be able to explain the need for change so that people can understand the motivation. If a leader does not see their personal need for change, the overall mission of the organization will become stagnant. Leadership is a process of helping unlikely people accomplish amazing tasks.

I have found in my life that when I am thinking creatively about the plans that God would have in the future, He begins to show His will. A goal of leadership is to enable people to act upon the vision. Leaders are to motivate and encourage people to see themselves embracing the vision and being able to own it for themselves. My desire as a leader is to do all that I can to shape the plans of the future as close to God’s heart and Word.

As I lead in student ministry, my desire is to help make plans to draw the family into a closer walk with God. The activities, events, message series are all planned with a clear vision to help people into a growing relationship with God. This quote explains further, “When people come together and set aside their individual needs for the good of the whole, they can accomplish what might have looked impossible on paper” (Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team). Leadership is to make plans as far out as possible to give people space to jump onboard the vision. Strategic planning is not only biblical but is needed in today’s church. Time is short and the people of God need to stay focused upon loving God, loving each other and serving the world.

The heart of serving

God has shown me through going on a mission trip to Puerto Rico that serving begins with a surrendered heart to God. Many times my struggle is to "do" ministry and to work hard at it but miss the time to focus and prepare my heart. Listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit is the only way to truly please God in ministry. My goal lately has been to keep it simple and listen to God.

I want to remind you today to stop and listen to God. Are you in tune with God's heart and the needs of those around you?

It has been a blessing to watch students grow and mature in their relationship with God. Mission trips are one of the best ways to help students and parents see the true need for missions. Seeing the growth in many of their lives during this past year has been awesome. My prayer is that the students will catch a vision in their heart to think "big" with their lives to serve God.

My prayer is that I will think "outside the box" and be willing to do whatever it takes in my personal life, my marriage, ministry, and beyond to make disciples of Jesus Christ.