TEEN MINISTRY #1: Why Teen Ministry?

TEEN MINISTRY #1: Why Teen Ministry?

Youth ministry is crucial for shaping the future of God’s kingdom, as it provides a safe space for young people to grow and find their identity in God. Speakers shared personal experiences of feeling jaded and depressed during their teenage years, highlighting the importance of youth ministry in providing a supportive community and fostering strong relationships. They also discussed the challenges of navigating cultural identity and belonging in youth ministry, emphasizing the need for guidance, support, and spiritual nourishment to help young people fulfill their God-given potential.

Action Items

• [ ] Continue mentoring and discipling the next generation of youth leaders
• [ ] Own your role as a youth and allow the youth ministry to help guide you
• [ ] Consider youth ministry as a calling in the future if God leads you there

Outline

The value and purpose of youth ministry.

• Speaker reflects on why God calls people to youth ministry, sharing personal experience and biblical insights.
• Speaker encourages listeners to trust in God’s plan and have faith in their role in the kingdom.
• Disciple’s desire to serve Christ led to youth ministry involvement despite lack of experience.

The importance of youth ministry in churches, based on personal experiences and biblical references.

• Speaker reflects on their youth ministry experience, feeling a sense of loss and nostalgia for their former faith and innocence.
• Speaker highlights the importance of owning one’s role in youth ministry and finding direction in their faith.
• Speaker 2 shares personal story of struggles in teen years, including suicidal thoughts and depression, and how youth ministry helped them.
• Speaker 1 emphasizes importance of youth ministry in churches, citing God’s soft spot for young people in scripture.

The importance of youth ministry in a messy world.

• God values young people and encourages them to lead and serve in the church.
• Speaker 1 emphasizes the importance of teen ministry in setting the stage for the future and gaining credibility through Christ-like characteristics.
• Speaker 2 highlights the challenges faced by youth today, including dysfunction in schools and the influence of culture, leading to issues like drug abuse and medication.

The importance of youth ministry to prevent spiritual damage and help young people find their purpose.

• Speaker 2 believes Satan targets young people through social media to prevent them from reaching their full potential.
• Speaker 2 thinks Satan’s tactics are not new, citing examples from the Bible and historical figures.
• Speaker 2 emphasizes the importance of youth ministry, citing examples from the Bible and personal experience.
• Speaker 2 encourages adults to remember their Creator in the days of their youth and seek help before problems escalate.

Importance of youth ministry for building godly relationships and surviving in faith.

• Youth ministry creates community and friendship for young people in a messy world.
• The speaker emphasizes the importance of having positive, godly relationships in youth to maintain faith and avoid destructive behaviors.

The importance of youth ministry and its impact on the future of the kingdom of God.

• The speaker reflects on their own struggles with peer pressure and drug use in their youth, and encourages young people in the church to build strong, wise friendships.
• Speaker 2 reflects on their experience in youth ministry, mentioning the positive impact of friendships and mentors like Marcy Conville.
• Speaker 2 acknowledges the hurt and pain they experienced in youth ministry, recognizing the importance of processing and healing from those experiences.
• Speaker 2 highlights the importance of investing in the next generation (100% of the future) for the kingdom of God and the world’s problems.
• Speaker 1 emphasizes the role of youth ministry in building community and friendships, and teaching young people to live out their faith boldly.

Challenges of being a teenager in current culture.

• Speaker reflects on aging parents and the need for young people to step up in discipleship roles.
• Speaker urges young people to take on leadership roles in the church, citing the importance of discipleship and passing on faith to future generations.
• Speaker 2 shares about the hardest parts of being a teenager, including feeling like they don’t belong and struggling with identity.
• Speaker 1 asks current teens and young adults to share their experiences and insights on the same topic.

Personal struggles with identity, trauma, and faith.

• Speaker 3 shares experiences of being pushed to conform to societal expectations.
• Speaker 4 felt isolated and alone despite being surrounded by people, due to lack of genuine connections.
• Speaker 6 struggled with identity issues due to growing up in an abusive home without proper parental support.

Challenges of being a teenager in a Korean church.

• Speaker 5 shares struggles with being a teenager in Korean culture, feeling lonely and isolated.
• Speaker 2 asks how the team mystery has helped in difficult times, seeking specific examples of its benefit.
• Speaker 5 shares how the team ministry has helped them find solid friendships (13 words)
• Speaker 5 appreciates the steadfast relationships they’ve formed in the ministry (14 words)

Mental health, relationships, and faith in a youth ministry setting.

• Speaker 3 shared their experience of feeling crazy and broken during a dark time in high school, but found hope through a friend who showed empathy and God’s word.
• Speaker 4 described going through a hard time after a breakup in high school, which led them to turn to drugs and alcohol but ultimately found support from a friend.
• Speaker 4 finds acceptance and purpose through youth ministry.
• Speaker 6 shares personal struggles and feelings of worthlessness, highlighting the importance of youth ministry in providing support and guidance.
• Speaker 2 emphasizes the value of youth ministry in bringing joy, truth, and balance to the lives of young people.

This content was featured at the 2024 Antioch Collective Annual Assembly at The Crossings Church St. Charles County in O’Fallon, MO. For more like this, visit https://antiochcollective.org/