We have founded and observed that two basic elements are necessary, yet
often missed, strengthen or create a successful youth ministry in the
Church. The first is a unified vision and plan for the
youth ministry.
This plan becomes a tool to
judge as to whether potential staff “fit” with the vision of the Church for
youth ministry. The second element is committed volunteers to make that plan
a reality! A sure- fire way to burn out a youth minister is to expect them
to be all and do all. Successful ministries have a team of people committed
to hands- on involvement.
Youth Ministry
is a church-wide
ministry which strives to provide a variety of opportunities and experiences
to draw teens into active, responsible participation in the life, mission,
and work of the faith Community and
the greater
church.
It
is designed to help
spiritually train and equip teens in a fun and Godly atmosphere to the Glory
of God. It is an umbrella term that describes the systematic attention the
faith community gives to young people which enables them to reach their full
God created potential. That is, everything the faith community is involved
in that promotes both healthy development and faith growth in adolescents.
Youth Ministry works to foster
the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person and seeks
to draw young people
into responsible participation in the life, mission and work of the faith
community. It seeks to help youth share their gifts, grow in life skills,
develop a positive self-image, overcome prejudices, develop respect for
differences, serve those in need, and foster social change, participate in
the sacraments, develop a personal spirituality and prayer life, apply
Gospel faith to daily life, integrate true Christian values, participate in
the Church, and develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
It
is a series of programs
and activities to give young people a chance to participate in Church life,
develop their own faith and spirituality, and discover new friendships.
It is simply
put,
Youth Ministry
is the Church’s efforts to
help each and every young person grow personally and spiritually. The
purpose of the
Youth Ministry
program is to prepare
the youth for effective ministry of13th years up to 20th years
either they are students, workers, laborers and their families within the
context of a local church or a Para-church organization.
Youth ministry
is more than programs
and events. It
is every effort by the
Christian community to reach out to the youth with the love of God as
revealed to us in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.
It
is the Church in its pastoral
concern, reaching out to young people to embrace their gifts and to walk
with them in their process of becoming all they can be. It is defined as the
response of the Church to the needs of young people, fostering their faith
in Jesus Christ and their communion with the Blessed Trinity, and drawing
them into responsible participation in the life, mission and ministry of the
Church.
 “Let
no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in
word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity”
(Timothy 4:12). Many youth in our societies are deflected and lived in
depraved situation because of un-employment, lack of spiritual guidance
and degraded social values. In result of this, they are increasingly
taking to the bottle, drugs and other vices; they do not have any vision
or motto in their lives. They always doubt their situation. To bring our
youths to the source of life so that
they
may have life, and have it to the
full
in our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ.
The vision of the
“Youth
Council of Gospel Messengers Ministries”
is to reach the Un-reached and preach the gospel to bring people to
Christ, restore backsliders and strengthen them to walk in the foot
prints of the Saviour Jesus Christ.
1.
Discipleship:
In order for Christian
youth to maintain a solid and enduring walk of faith,
they need discipleship and ongoing biblical instruction. As a pupil of
God's word, it is imperative to have the right resources to supplement
and provide the discipleship. Simply Youth Ministry provides the tools
for every young man and woman who is seeking to develop solid daily
habits and faith in God.
2.
Training:
Just about everything you need to know to become a youth
ministry leader and raise up student leaders is available at Simply
Youth Ministry. A comprehensive list of topics is covered in these
highly effective leader training resources. In order to successfully
lead, one must be a student himself first. These resources are ideal for
developing strong ministry skills and teaching others how to invest in
and influence others.
3. To introduce
Youth to the Christian Faith:
We know obviously that youth are too young to be disciples. Becoming a
disciple of Christ is more than taking an oath, this would be
("salvation by syllables"). Becoming a disciple takes a journey. It
takes a willingness to sacrifice, walk through some fire, and struggle.
Many youth have yet to give themselves over to this sort of commitment
to faith. But one goal of youth ministry can be to introduce them to
what it means to follow Christ--to introduce them to Christ's radical,
boundary-breaking way of peace and justice. To help them be, in a sense,
interns for Christ. In this way, we are perhaps
preparing teens to become the disciple they will be later in life.
4.
To
help Youth Build Community:
The Christian faith is built upon community. It is built upon
compassionate relationships that recognize all as beloved of God. One
goal of youth ministry should be to help youth learn what it means to
live in radically open and loving community. Youth ministry should offer
opportunities for youth to experiment with what this sort of community
might look like. It should provide youth a glimpse of what it means to
be loved unconditionally. It should help youth struggle with loving
others even when it is difficult.
5. To
Help Youth Uncover Their Spiritual Gifts:
Teens are bombarded with messages that tell them that their self-worth
will ultimately be tied to the size of their paycheck and their ability
to consume within our capitalist economy. Youth ministry can help youth
see that they have God-given
gifts that cannot be measured in dollars and cents. These gifts
could include, among others, mission, prayer, teaching, healing, and
hospitality.
6. To Be
Spiritual Companions to Youth:
Let's face it. Being a teenager is tough. Not many of us would relive
those days even if we could. Teens struggle with issues of self-worth,
confusion about identity, and worries about fitting in. Youth ministry
programs can offer youth the mentorship of faithful adults who will love
them just as they are, walk with
them on their spiritual journey, and help them navigate the challenges
of adolescence.
7. To
Awaken Youth to God's Presence:
Many teens have lived so long with the idea that God lives "up
there" or "out there" that they find it difficult to figure out where
God is in their lives. Youth ministry can help attune youth to the
God-saturated world we live in by introducing them to a variety of
Christian spiritual practices that can help to awaken our sensitivity to
God's presence.
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Purpose of Youth
Ministry:
In
the word of God our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ prayed to the heavenly
Father, “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and
said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may
glorify thee: as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he
should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
"And this is life
eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom thou hast sent".
(John 17:1-3)
If
we simply would have questioned to ourselves that what is Christianity?
According to the above mentioned verses we will come to know that the
person has eternal life through Christ Jesus he is a true Christian. And
it is a great reality that most of our Christians youth through out the
world are only so called Christians or nominal Christians. They do not
have certainty in their hearts of knowing the only true God and Christ
Jesus personally.
Again it is written
about true Christians in the word of God, “For this is the covenant that
I will make with the house of Israel. After those days, saith the Lord;
I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: And
I will be to them a God, And they shall be to me a people: and they
shall not teach every man his neighbor, And every man his brother,
saying, know the Lord:
For all shall know me,
from the least to the greatest.
Pastor
G. M. Tebassum
berachah125@yahoo.com
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