Ask the Youth Director – “Creating Zeal in our Students”

Youth Leader Question: What are some things you did besides prayer that gave the youth you worked with that zeal / passion for christ?

XYM Answer: Well, honestly as long as I have worked with youth, only a handful have shown zeal while they were young.  The majority of the time, the fruit of the Word did not show up until they were adults.  I don’t believe this to have to be the case, (I am sure there are youth groups around full of students excited about serving God) but I unfortunately have not experienced a youth group where the majority of the youth are living totally sold out for God and displaying that zeal outwardly.

 I have also found that just because they are not showing a zeal does not mean the Word is not impacting and changing them.  Many youth just don’t “show it.”  Part of this is the nature of a teen.  Sometimes they may just kinda sit there and act like they are bored or not listening.  This many times is not the case.  Many times as adult leaders we want them to respond to the Word and worship as we do.  Most of them don’t in my experience, but that does not take away from our responsibility in teaching them, modeling before them, and encouraging them.  It also does not take away from them experiencing God at their level.

 On a different note, what do they respond to?  Attention and consistent care.  Almost every time.  You want to reach them, you get involved personally.  Don’t be so concerned about their outward “spritual” display per say, but we as leaders showing them Jesus by being Jesus in their lives…man, talk about impact…

 Now, I will say, when you have a smaller group, probably about 25 kids or so, the opportunity to invest the Word into them is much greater.  I would suggest doing small group activities (groups of about 5 or 6 youth) on a regular basis that allow open discussion between the youth and the leaders of the group.  Keeping the youth leader and the youth in the group consistent is a plus – meaning the same youth meet in the same group with the same leaders each time if possible.  The development of the relationships between the leader and the youth, and ultimately the leader and the parents/guardians, goes a very long way.  I have some of my “adult” youth now that contact me on a regular basis based on the relationship that  we developed when they were teens.  Small groups are powerful, powerful ways to invest your heart and the Word.  They get to know you as a leader and through you, get to know God.

 These are just my suggestions from my limited life experience and research.  Every church has their own set of circumstances that make things work or not work as well as their own vision for their youth ministry, so feel free to try things and see what is working for your group – the kids will definitely let you know!  LOL.

Examples Family – Strengthening Families and the Ministries that Serve Them!

Visit us at www.ExamplesFamily.org.

Examples Family Ministries is the arm of Examples Ministries, Inc. that exists to serve one purpose, to strengthen the entire family – Mothers, Fathers, Husbands, Wives, Children and Youth. By offering a variety of equipping resources and biblical insight, we strive to provide individuals and families, from all walks of life, with tools that will assist them in growing personally and investing their faith in God in others.

Vision and Mission of Examples Family Ministries

Titus 2:1 – 8 (MSG)

Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don’t want anyone looking down on God’s Message because of their behavior. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives. But mostly, show them all this by doing it yourself, incorruptible in your teaching, your words solid and sane. Then anyone who is dead set against us, when he finds nothing weird or misguided, might eventually come around.

Our mission is to provide Families, Parents, Children’s Ministry Leaders, Youth Ministry Leaders, Ministries and Organizations with resources, information, teaching, and training that empower them to:

1. Grow in faith.
2. Strengthen families.
3. Impart their faith in God and His Word to their children and others.
4. Develop and strengthen programming within their ministries, organizations and communities in order to do all of the above.

Examples Family currently has the following areas of ministry focus:

• Children’s Ministry Resources – provides information and resources to support churches in their Children’s Ministry efforts and in their connection to the families that they serve.
   
• XYM (Examples Youth Ministries) – provides information and resources to support churches and youth organizations in their efforts to reach youth grades 6th – 12th and their parents.
   
• Mother’s Ministry – provides information, resources, assistance, and encouragement to mothers from all walks of life. Provides resources for churches and organizations to develop and maintain mom’s groups that desire to provide encouragement, equipping, information, natural and spiritual support for mothers; ultimately equipping mothers to impart their faith to their children and serve their families in motherhood. We also provide information and workshops designed to further equip leaders of mothers groups as well workshops for mothers and families.
   
• Parenting Ministry – provides information and resources for equipping parents in their role of “parenting” and imparting their faith to their children.
   
• Marriage Ministry – provides natural and Biblical information and resources to help strengthen marriages.
   
• Outreach – Works to provide resources, training, time, skills, or whatever is needed to assist individuals or families in need; either nationally or internationally. This can take on many forms; either partnering with existing organizations or creating our own outreach opportunity.

celebrity head game

Materials:

Three headbands or headpieces that you can stick paper into

10-15 index cards

Marker

 Instructions:

1.)    Get three headbands or headpieces onto which you can slot or stick a piece of paper or card into it. 

2.)    Make sure you have 10-15 cards, and write the name of a celebrity in big letters on each card. 

3.)    Then choose three volunteers to sit in front of the group. Place a headpiece with a card on each volunteer. 

4.)    Be careful not to let them see the name of the person on their headpiece. It’s their job to guess which name is on their head, but the catch is the answer can only ask “yes” or
“no” questions. (For example, “Am I a male?”  “Am I on TV?”)

5.)    Each person can ask as many questions as they want until they get a “No” answer, then it goes to the next person and so-on until eventually someone guesses and they are declared the winner!

6.)    This works well if you throw in a ‘local’ celebrity (such as the Youth Pastor, etc)