Why Student Ministry Is STILL Important

Yes, I’ve been quiet over the last few weeks. A much needed time of recharging and DOING life instead of just writing about it.

This past year in Christian Education (don’t get me started on that term) circles there has been some debate over the need/effectiveness of student ministry in the ‘new culture.’ There is always room to critique and change HOW we’ve done student ministry. In fact, that should happen every year inside every youth ministry. We’re in the middle of doing that right now at Western Hills. That’s healthy, freeing, smart, and will force a team to keep their vision in the center versus their calendar.

However, to move to the point of saying we no longer need it but need to focus on adults instead is throwing out the baby with the bath water. I always thought that. After my experience yesterday…I’m even more convinced how important student ministry is inside a local church.

The fam and I loaded up and spent the day in Salina, KS where our high school students were spending Super Summer this year. 27 girls, 3 guys, 6 sponsors, and 2 nurses went from Western Hills. (Note to all Topeka area high school boys…do the math. That’s all I’m sayin’.)

Let me jot down my random observations of yesterday…

Brandon Gunn, our intern, is a freakin’ beast. I’m watching this guy explode in his giftedness and calling. He’s grown so much in his walk with the Lord over the last 5 months. I’m humbled and bless he’s a part of this team. Students talk…so do staff. And what they are saying about how he leads is good. Questioner, encourager, teachable, passionate, relational. All of that is good. But what is impressing me more about this young man is this – you can see him falling more in love with Jesus than student ministry or the church or students or a position. THAT is what being a great leader is really about.

Our volunteers get it. We’ve had 4 students trust Jesus as their Lord and Savior this week. I asked every one of them the same question yesterday – what turned the light on for you? What made it clear that this was the decision you needed to make? Every one of them mentioned one of our volunteer leaders. The music and the preaching and the atmosphere – helpful? Sure. But our adult volunteers made it clear. THAT is huge – another adult that isn’t mom and dad that they can unpack questions with and trust.

Shared experiences help create momentum. A couple of the students that accepted Christ wanted to be baptized immediately. I gotta be honest…I didn’t want to do it. That’s a big deal, didn’t want to steal that opportunity and moment from parents or our home church. It’s a huge celebration for us as a local church. I had my list of reasons.

Then I listened to their particular stories. I can’t/won’t get into the particulars here but it would have been more wrong and damaging of me to NOT baptize them in the lake at Webster yesterday. The whole time I’m hearing their stories, I KNOW that God is just hammering on my pride and list of reasons. HE’s telling me – shut up and obey me. Baptize these girls.

Our students are getting it. When we actually baptized them, I had the other students that were instrumental on their journey with me in the water. I told them that when they come out of the water, the journey is starting, not ending. Before we do this, I gotta know are you willing to keep walking on this journey with them AFTER they come up?

You could see the light bulbs come on. For many students, the youth group is the only context they have to walk with Jesus with other people. They may have complacent or even combative contexts when they go back home and if they don’t have others to walk with Jesus with, they’ll die on the vine. It stresses the importance of smaller groups of lifewalking than ever before.

What students really need in an adult volunteer… Spend a week at a youth camp, and you quickly feel your age. It’s exhausting – physically, emotionally, spiritually. It’s work. It’s fun, it’s awesome, it’s rewarding beyond words but there is no denying it…it’s work. And as an adult it’s easy to see what we DON’T bring to the table. We can’t run as fast or as long as we used to. We’re not as physically talented as we once thought we were. We aren’t as cool as we thought. All of these thoughts can get exposed when you spend time with students.

I honest believe that these thoughts are from the enemy. I don’t talk like that alot – maybe I should. But the reality is that teens need wiser, deeper adults around them. Someone other than mom and dad to listen, speak, and question Jesus in their life. Safe places for them to unpack their questions, to figure out their faith. They need to see it in somebody other than their parents. They don’t need an athletic trainer, a running buddy, someone who can win at sports or tug-of-war. That’s fun but not eternal.

And this is why student ministry is STILL important.