Originally published in the Midwestern Magazine, Issue 36
The weekly gathering of teens waned over the last decade. The church tried to figure out why their student ministry didn’t seem to be reaching the same number of students. Lay leaders floated ideas from their experiences in the 90s – “More fun!” “More games!” “More events!” “More music!” – but the pastor already knew the fruit the attractional model bore. Plenty of evidence existed to put those ideas away. It would be easy to point to the greater challenges of a culture that no longer prioritized church or youth group. Students in sports barely have time to study, much less show up at a weekly youth meeting.
So how do we overcome these and a host of other issues? How do we help young adults own their faith during their high school years so that they stand firm in college? Instead of focusing solely on the metrics, perhaps we should reclaim a gospel-centered student ministry. These five primary components to a gospel-centered student ministry can help:
1. Gospel-centered student ministry focuses on the essential message of the faith – the good news of Jesus Christ.
This statement should go without saying, but let’s be clear: It’s easy to bypass this mark altogether by assuming all of our students have some level of familiarity with the message of the gospel. This is a horrible trap that misses the missiological moment we find ourselves in where fewer young adults have ever heard the basic message of hope found in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. For students growing up in the faith, there is nothing more essential for their continued growth in understanding of the claims that the gospel continues to place on their life. As a byproduct, gospel-centered students radiate joy and present a captivating picture of what Jesus does in the hearts of his people!
2. Gospel-centered student ministry is word-driven.
It’s the word of God that provides solutions for the lives of our students. No amount of tweetables, kitschy-ness, or activity that may draw crowds can fulfill the spiritual thirst of teens. Give them the word. Your large gatherings and small groups should all connect students to the timeless truths of Scripture. Allow the Spirit of God to engage the hearts of students through the word of God. Choose camps and conferences that have speakers prioritizing the Bible above fads, humor, or entertainment.
3. Gospel-centered student ministry grounds students in theology.
Gospel-centered student ministry grounds students in theology. “This we believe” is part of small-group discipleship that builds upon the regular teaching of the word of God. Students should be very familiar with the confessions of the congregation so that, when asked, they are able to give an answer from the Bible about what they believe. This requires some level of intentional catechetical instruction within the structures of the ministry, but every bit of intention in this area reaps rewards.
4. Gospel-centered student ministry sends students on mission.
For all of their learning, give them opportunity after opportunity to share Jesus with others. Take them locally to serve others in food kitchens and homeless shelters, but make sure they are given the chance to verbally share Jesus with those they serve. Prepare them and send them overseas to share Christ with people who have never heard the gospel. Help them fall in love with missions and a God who sends his children to the ends of the earth.
5. Gospel-centered student ministry maintains integration with the church as a whole.
One of the greatest traps coming out of the student ministry movements at the end of the last century was the thought that youth didn’t have a place in the broader community of faith. We should not be building hard silos between student ministry and the rest of the church. Make sure your students are worshipping with senior adults and younger children. Help them see the beauty of inter-generational worship. Connect them with the concept of the ministry of presence – how their personal vitality and passion invigorates the faith of older and wiser members. Set expectations for students to serve in the broader context of the community of faith.
Your church can reach the students God brings to your congregation! By God’s grace, a gospel-centered student ministry will demonstrate near-term fruit in the form of new followers of Jesus and long-term fruit in the numbers of students who head out from your congregation equipped to face the challenges of the age anchored in the beauty of the gospel.
