Programme
6pm - Supper
7pm - Input Session: Jesus' Example: Servant Leadership
If Jesus led our team how would he lead? How would we function?
8:30pm - Input Session: Ministry Expectations: Leadership Roles (8:30pm)
9pm - Refreshments
8am - Breakfast
9am - Team Building Session
10am - Input Session: Jesus' Commission: Make Disciples
What does Jesus want us to accomplish among youth in Windsor?
10:30 - Refreshments
11am - CONTACT MINISTRY
Making contact with unchurched youth in Windsor.
12 - CONNECT MINISTRY
Programming to evangelise youth who come to the group.
1:30 - Lunch
2pm - Free Time (Sport)
3pm - Refreshments
4pm - FOLLOW-UP MINISTRY
Following up youth who make a commitment to receive Christ.
5pm - GROWTH MINISTRY
Developing Christian youth to maturity in Christ.
6pm - Supper
7pm - IMPACT MINISTRY
Helping youth to impact their community for Christ.
8pm - LEADER MINISTRY
Developing youth for leadership within the group.
9pm - Refreshments and Marshmallow Braai
8am - Breakfast
9am - Spiritual Input: Worship and Teaching
10:30 - Refreshments
11am - Ministry Matters
1pm - Lunch
2pm - Final Wrap Up - Summary
3pm - Return Home
Input Session: Jesus' Example: Incarnational Leadership (7pm)
Begin by having leaders list three sermons that have profoundly changed their lives. Then have them list three people who have changed their lives for the better. Ask: How hard was it to think of three sermons? Why was it easier to think of three people? Say: I want us to think of how we, as leaders, impact people in the youth group. What kind of people do we need to be ensure that if they did this exercise they would write our names on their list? Have the group explore what kind of leaders the Pharisees (Matthew 23:1-12) and the disciples (Mark 10:35-45) were. Explore what kind of leader Jesus was by having leaders answer the following questions: (a) What was Jesus like as a leader? (b) What did Jesus a say as a leader? (c) What did Jesus do as a leader? Give input on Jesus as an incarnational leader: Jesus did more than just teach his disciples. He invested his life in them. Drawing on the incarnation model of ministry from the life of Christ present during the Youth 1 course discuss the following aspects of Jesus' ministry and have leaders consider the implications of each aspect and reflect on the question provided. (a) Involvement: Jesus was totally involved in his ministry. In what specific ways can we be like him? (b) Appreciation: How can we affirm and encourage our youth? (c) Secret: Is it ever appropriate to draw attention to ourselves in ministry? Why or why not? (d) Healing: How can we be agents of God's healing power in a broken world? (e) Strategy: What was Jesus' strategy for reaching big numbers? Could we use a '12 disciple' approach? (f) Support: What can we do to make sure we stay grounded in our own faith and maturity? (g) Motive: Why are we in youth ministry? (h) Cost: What will working with youth cost us? How much is too much?
Input Session: Ministry Expectations: Leadership Roles (8:30pm)
Share the material on general leadership roles in the article: Role of Leaders.
Team Building Session (9am)
Present a session designed to help the leadership team get to know one another, to develop trust in each other and learn how to communicate more effectively. (1) Get to Know You Activities: (a) Strength; Weakness; Joy and Pain - divide into small groups of two to four leaders and have each person share one personal insight from each of these areas. Do not allow any counselling to take place. (b) Events in my Life - each person thinks of five events that happened to them in the past ten years. Get them to share two of them with the group. Ask: What was the benefit or drawback of the experience? Did it draw you closer to God or lead you further from him? (c) The Wall - Paint a scenario: "Visualise yourself walking along a tranquil path. The pathway leads to God. Suddenly your progress is blocked entirely by a wall. The wall is inhibiting you from getting closer to God." Have youth answer the following questions on paper and then share with the group: What does the wall represents in your life? How did it get there? How hard have you tried to tear it down? How best could it be overcome? What is one thing you will commit to do this week to eliminate it? How can the group help you accomplish it? (2) Trust Building Activity: Trust Fall - Divide into two groups and form two lines facing each other. Have youth stretch their arms out in front of them, palms upwards to catch a falling person. One person, not in the line climbs on a chair and falls backwards into the group. Take turns until everyone has done the activity. Ask: What did it feel like to fall in the arms? What did you learn from the experience? Was does it feel like to be responsible for another person's physical well-being? What have you learnt about trust in this experience? What do we need to do as a group to trust each other? (3) Communication Enhancing Activities: (a) Gumdrop Tower - Divide into smaller groups. Give each group a packet of gumdrops, a box of matches and some uncooked macaroni. Have them see which group can build the highest tower that can stand without help. Don't allow people to talk to each other. Ask: How well did the group work together? What was your role in the group? What frustrated you in the exercise? How could you improve your interaction as a group? (b) The Square Rope - Divide into groups of five. Blindfold them and give them a 20m long rope (for each group of five). Have them do whatever they like to make that rope into a square of 5m length sides. Give them about 10 minutes to complete the task.
Input Session: Jesus' Commission: Make Disciples (10am)
This session seeks to identify what Jesus want the group to accomplish among youth in the area. Begin with a closer look at the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. Have leaders underline the key words in this passage. Then ask: What is the main verb in this passage? What are the three participles that relate to the action of the main verb? How does evangelism and discipleship fit into the Great Commission? To who does the challenge of the Great Commission apply? What place should the Great Commission have in the youth group's ministry?
Explore with the leaders how Jesus used a commitment level model of ministry. The purpose of ministry is to reach out to people, to bring them into a relationship with Christ, to establish them in the faith and equip them to go out and reproduce the process in the lives of others - Jesus' ministry on earth shows a similar strategy. He made contact and developed relationships with people. He was constantly in relationship with people - he was incarnate, God become flesh and living among us (John 1:14). He used a combination of one-on-one activities (person-to-person) such as conversing with people individually, and large group activities (person-to-group) such as addressing the masses or feeling the crowds. He also involved himself in a ministry of nurture by spending time with a small group of people into whose lives he poured his life. He modelled his faith before them and they learnt about how to relate to God by watching him or listening to his teaching. He called them to a life of service (John 13:12-17).
Explore the youth group's present philosophy. The next six sessions are linked to each commitment level that the group is targeting ministry at. Each youth group should tailor-make this section to the levels they are running. It is rather difficult, in terms of timing, to know in advance exactly how long each section will take. It is helpful to set a rough guideline and attempt to keep to it.
1. Contact Ministry - Making contact with unchurched youth in the area (11:30am)
What is ministry at the Contact level?
Ministry at this level is designed to make contact with unchurched youth on their turf. The following events are running in the Windsor youth group at present: (1) Pool Outing - two Saturdays a term at the community swimming pool from 1-3pm; (2) Volleyball - on a week night from 7-9pm; (3) School Ministry - core youth are encouraged to make contact with unchurched youth at school; and (4) Blade Ministry - some of the youth are seeking to minister incarnationally at a park for bladers.
When did Jesus minister at the Contact level?
At his baptism he identified fully with the people he was trying to reach; healing ministry; ministry in the synagogues; outreach to the Samaritan woman at the well; supper with the tax collectors; wedding in Cana; visiting towns in Samaria.
What role do leaders play at the Contact level?
(see notes)
How well is the group doing at the Contact level?
Lead in a time of honest and constructive evaluation.
What is needed at the Contact this level in this term?
Spend some time planning ahead for the coming term.
2. Connect Ministry - Programming to evangelise youth who come to the group (12-1:30pm)
What is ministry at the Connect level?
Ministry at this level is designed to evangelise and assimilate unchurched youth. One option is a four-week rave programming strategy: (1) Mega Rave - a fun event to make contact and build relationships with unchurched youth; (2) Gospel Rave - a fun event during which the gospel is presented and a response called for; (3) Christian Rave - a fun event with input to build on the previous week's gospel message; and (4) Issue Rave - an event where a relevant issue is dealt with evangelistically.
When did Jesus minister at the Connect level?
Rich young ruler; Zacchaeus; feeding and teaching the crowds; calling of the disciples; demon possessed boy; ministry to crowds who wanted something from him; people in Nazareth who listened to him, but tried to stone him later; people who were physically healed - who also found spiritual healing: ie. lepers; woman with bleeding.
What role do leaders play at the connect level?
(see notes)
How well is the group doing at the Connect level?
Lead in a time of honest and constructive evaluation.
What is needed at the Connect level in this term?
Spend some time planning ahead for the coming term.
3. Follow-up Ministry - Following up youth who make a commitment to receive Christ (4pm)
What is ministry at the Follow-up level?
Ministry at this level is designed to follow-up youth who make a commitment to Christ. A home visitation strategy has being implemented where a leader spends an hour a week with a new convert in their home over a five-week period to establish them in the faith. They deal with issues such as assurance of salvation; prayer; Bible study; Christian living and witnessing. Should a number of youth respond to a gospel message at the same time, a small group will begin in one of the leaders' home over a five-week period, using material from the YouthBuilders Group Bible Studies series, The Word on the Basics of Christianity, by Jim Burns.
When did Jesus minister at the Follow-up level?
His ministry at Zacchaeus' home; in the Samaritan woman's village for two days after her conversion.
What role do leaders play at the Follow-up level?
(see notes)
How is the group doing at the Follow-up level?
Lead in a time of honest and constructive evaluation.
What is needed at the Follow-up level in this term?
Spend some time planning ahead for the coming term.
4. Growth Ministry - Developing Christian youth to maturity in Christ (5pm)
What is ministry at the Growth level?
Ministry at this level is designed to help youth grow spiritually. A growth group has been meeting on a Sunday Afternoon from 4-5:30. This event was held at one of the leaders' home. Curriculum material from the YouthBuilder series, by Jim Burns, was used. Cell groups have been introduced on a Monday night using the group book: Get Real. Youth are also encouraged to attend a Sunday evening coffee bar service which includes worship, a brief input answering a questions that has been submitted and small group discussion around the tables with facilitators.
When did Jesus minister at the Growth level?
Teaching the disciples by example and instruction; ministry to Nicodemus; Mary and Martha; washing the disciples' feet.
What role do leaders play at the Growth level?
(see notes)
How is the group doing at the Growth level?
Lead in a time of honest and constructive evaluation.
What is needed at the Growth level in this term?
Spend some time planning ahead for the coming term.
5. Impact Ministry - Helping youth to impact their community for Christ (7pm)
What is ministry at the Impact level?
Ministry at this level is designed to help youth impact their community for Christ. The youth group has been involved in the Firlands Salvation Army children's home for the past year. Once a month, a Saturday sports outing is held at a Dam. A guest speaker presents a devotional message near the end of the outing.
When did Jesus minister at the Impact level?
He blessed the children; healed people, raised the dead; he sent out the twelve (Luke 10) to heal people; cast out demons, etc.
What role do leaders play at the Impact level?
(see notes)
How well is the group doing at the Impact level?
Lead in a time of honest and constructive evaluation.
What is needed at the Impact level in this term?
Spend some time planning ahead for the coming term.
6. Leader Ministry - Developing youth for leadership within the group (8pm)
What is ministry at the Leader level?
Ministry at this level is designed to develop youth for leadership within the group. Once a term a leadership planning event is held. All members of the leadership team are expected to attend these events, where a portion of the time is dedicated to leadership development input. Where mid-term planing events are held, a time of leadership training will be included. The leadership team will also plan weekend training events during the year and possibly attend an annual leadership development event.
When did Jesus minister at the Leader level?
He trained the disciples for ministry; he entrusted the ministry to his disciples when he left; he commissioned them to engage in a ministry of multiplication; people that Jesus touch reached out to others: Andrew brought Simon to Jesus; woman at the well brought people from the town to Jesus; demon possessed man told others; Zacchaeus threw a party for other tax collectors to meet Jesus.
What role do leaders play at the Leader level?
(see notes)
How is the group doing at the Leader level?
Lead in a time of honest and constructive evaluation.
What is needed at the Leader level in this term?
Spend some time planning ahead for the coming term.
Spiritual Input: Worship and Teaching (9am)
This time of worship as a group is vital to the weekend. It is also important to have devotional input during this session.
Ministry Matters (11:30am)
This is a time for discussion of general areas of ministry in the life of the youth group.
Final Wrap Up - Summary (2pm)
The facilitator should allow the leaders to reflect back over the weekend and summarise what they have learnt. It may also be appropriate to lead in a time where leaders are able to make commitments (as happened in Nehemiah 9:38). They could make a fresh commitment to God, to spiritual growth, to the youth group, to serve as leaders by finding and using their spiritual gifts to serve God and others.
Return to Model of Youth Ministry