Thank you parents for reading this!
Our desire is to be a “parent equipping” youth ministry. What does that mean? It means
that we want to honor the God-given role of parents in the lives of their students. It
means we know that these times are precious and you will never have the opportunity
you have sitting in front of you every day. The bottom line is that we desire the parents to
be involved in our meetings, our events, and of course the personal lives of their own
students.
In a time when many parents feel the need to “retreat” or let their youth be “on their
own,” we’re asking that you get all the more involved.
“Parent equipping youth ministry” means that you, the parent, take the lead in discipling
your youth. It means that you are at our corporate meetings not just because we’ve
invited you but to listen, apply and ask your youth about it and to be actively involved in
these meetings. We want you to get to know your youth and those they are hanging out
with.
Our calling is to come along side you
We are not going to be the primary ones who lead your youth – you are.
We are not gong to take any responsibility that belongs to you way from you.
Rather, we as a church want to better equip you.
Finding and providing resources, seminars, care groups, corporate meetings like
re:generation or a:lumination, prayer meetings, and pastoral availability for you and your
youth is a very important goal of ours.
We want the youth to know they have pastoral care.
We want them to feel like they can email us or talk to us about things but we will always
direct them back to you.
If you’re a single parent, then life looks a lot different for you at home. We understand
that. Help us to see the areas that we can specifically serve you.
We desire to keep you informed.
Are you on our email list? Are you aware of the up coming schedule of meetings and
events?
Do you have any suggestions of how we can serve you, your youth or your family?
Special Events
We don’t want our special events to be a burden – we want them to be a joy - we want to
have fun! We are not into “activity for activities sake” and we desire to protect the church
by being as strategic as possible with our events.
Here you are!
You are in the middle of an amazing opportunity! And what you do with the seemingly
mundane opportunities of life will have an eternal significance. Here you will make a
contribution that is worth infinitely more than any career or financial accomplishment.
You have been given the privilege of being the primary agent of change in your youth’s
life. You have been given the opportunity to disciple, to model, lead and to encourage.
And we want to come along side you in the process! How exciting is that?!
Consider us a partner in the advance of the Gospel.
Opportunity: disciple
Here are some practical thoughts and questions for the discipleship of
your youth.
1. Learn with your student
Interact with them about the messages they hear. Take advantage of the
corporate meetings and other meetings to the fullest! Refer back to them.
Ask them questions like, “What do you think this passage means for my
relationship with God?”
“Here’s how that impacted me – here’s what I need to change and desire to
change…what about you?”
Don’t expect them to pour themselves out to you. Some of them might do
this…but for the most part, it has to be invited and modeled.
Remember - You are teaching them by the way you pursue them, by the way you
learn from those around you; by the way you interact with your peers, etc.
Are you providing uninterrupted time together? Are you eating together? Do you
have a scheduled time each week to get together with them? (Meet for coffee or
a donut once a week.)
2. Learn from your student
They have a lot of insight. Listen to what they say about the Bible. Instead of
correcting them - first encourage them and find a nugget of truth to highlight.
They are growing in their understanding of the world around them. They will see
things in a unique and often quirky way. Enjoy it!
3. Learn about your student
What is God doing? What are they reading? Why? What’s their favorite band?
Movie? Do you know their friends very well? Share a crazy story from your youth
with them.
• Look for opportunities to point your youth to God.
• Use the Scriptures in a way that deposit hope and faith in their hearts.
• Be a model of prayer
Pray with and for your youth. Pray that you would see the opportunities that
God places in your life to care for and minister to your youth. Pray with and
for your youth when their world feels like it’s falling apart or when they simply
have a big test the next day. Never underestimate the beauty and wonder and
power of prayer. Let them see and hear you pray.
• Be willing to humble yourself and ask for forgiveness, accountability and
prayer.
• Be willing to use your life as an example of God’s grace at work.
• Be an example of someone who is hungry for God!
