Archive for May, 2009

Last year, 110 pastors from small churches were asked what obstacles they face in ministry. One answer that was raised by many of them was resistance to change by their churches. Small churches can be notorious for wanting everything to stay the same . . . even if it’s not working. But is that the case in youth ministry as well?

Every church is different. Churches tend to view change differently, too. The odd thing is, some people thrive on change. Some people feel confident in the face of change. But, the majority of people hate change. Change is full of unknowns. While change may mean creating things that are better, healthier, or richer, change can also mean destroying things you hold dear without achieving much of anything.

So, when your youth ministry feels stuck and you need to make some changes, how do you do it? How do you navigate the anti-change attitudes of your church?

1. Pray. The new program you want to implement, the new curriculum you want to buy, the new structure you want to try . . . these may be good things, but are they really God’s direction for you. Don’t become the kind of leader who is always chasing something new to get things moving in your youth group.

2. Make sure you take people along with you. Far too many youth leaders have run into problems with their church because they made a decision to change and implemented the change before people knew it was going to happen. Give people time to buy into changes. Help them to see the value of what you want to do and listen carefully to their concerns. When people feel like they have been part of the decision, they are much more likely to move.

3. Realize that the way things get done officially in your church may not be the way things really get done. Years ago, I wanted to start something new in a little country church where I was youth leader. I realized one of the deacons was a big influencer. Rather than charging ahead and fighting for my viewpoint (something I usually do), I made an appointment to talk to this deacon. We discussed my plan. He raised objections and I calmly told him why I thought my idea would address those. In the end, he said, “I think this is worth trying.” When the idea was presented to the church, that deacon defended my idea and convinced the rest of the church to let me move ahead.

4. Sometimes people don’t want change because they don’t have spiritual priorities. To me, this is the hardest challenge of all. The church may not want kids of a different race or different socio-economic group to come to your church. They may not want the kids sharing Christ because they don’t value people coming to faith in Him. How do you deal with it? Pray for changed hearts. Don’t fight. Just keep talking about the mission of Christ in the world. Realize that many of their unchristian attitudes are the result of fear. Show them love and keep praying.

5. You may never have unanimous support for change. People may oppose you openly or try to sabotage you behind your back. Address them in love, but move ahead. God does not rush to accomplish his purposes, but he is always moving.

If you have thoughts about dealing with resistance to change in your small church, please add a comment to this post.

Researcher Christian Smith has said that today’s teeangers could be described as “moralistic, therapeutic deists.” They see Christianity as a set of moral principles. They believe religion is supposed to make you feel good about yourself. And they see God as distant and hard to know. We have taught kids that “True Love Waits” and to “Just Say No,” but we may have allowed them to miss the point.

Essential 2: Teach youth to see Christianity as a relationship with Jesus Christ.

I was in a Hindu temple in India once. The worshipers were banging and yelling as loudly as they could. A guide explained to me that they were trying to get the attention of their god. If only they had turned their attention to the God who is always present and ready to listen to them . . .

Teenagers desperately need to know that Christianity is a relationship.

1. Christianity is not a set of moral principles to live by. Yes, Christians are called to live holy lives. They are to reflect the holiness of their Father. However, an attempt to live a holy life without a close relationship to the Father is futile and worthless.

2. Christianity is not about getting what you want, as if God is a cosmic Santa Claus. It is about walking with the Father, learning to trust him, and knowing that he will work all things for the good of us because we love him.

3. Christianity is not about making God what we want him to be. It is about relating to him as he is. He does not wink at our sin. We don’t get to have an understanding with him on our own terms. He is the Holy God who loves us, but calls us to follow him closely.

How do we help teenagers to develop a close relationship with God? I suppose the most significant issue is how well we model Christianity as a real relationship with the Lord. Then, helping them to see that God desires for them to know him personally. He wants them to desire to spend time with them.

Why do I say these are essentials for youth ministry? The research for my doctorate asked 102 youth leaders from 27 different countries on 6 different continents what is essential for youth ministry. According to these youth leaders, seven things are essential. You will find other essentials on the SYG website.