All Access 2010: Next Generation App Live Notes

Next Generation App

This post was supposed to be ‘live-blogged’, but there’s no WiFi in the building it’s being held at (lol). So I am posting a few minutes after the session is over.

This session is more of a panel of Next Gen Pastors sharing ideas and references.  I literally cannot see them from the side that I am sitting at so I am not sure who is speaking but I will write down whaat I am gleaning from this App.

Story of a Youth Ministry in New York:

Youth ministry was non- existent in NY City in 1986 and he (?) started one with 18 kids and within a year there were hundreds of students attending the youth services. Students began to drop off their knives, guns, and gang colors in a box because they were getting saved and the box grew to 400 lbs. Hundreds of kids later, students were lining up around the block to get into a church. Moody once said that you don’t have advertized a fire.

Students Need the Holy Spirit’s Power in Their Youth Ministry:

Students want to and need to experience the presence of God- more than a great message and even more than relationships.

Students live with everything, but have nothing to live for. We can’t fire with fire when it comes to youth ministry. We need to fight it with major power (the Holy Spirit).

In next gen ministry, we are not expecting kids’ heart to change; we are expecting a heart transplant from the Holy Spirit.

The Humiliation of Youth Ministry:

In youth ministry, we won’t get famous, have our name in lights, or have an international ministry- we’re doing it for young people.

Internships:

Churches should be more interested in what people can actually do, rather than the piece of paper behind their desk.

The more students that leaders lead, the more students they will lead.

Determining topics to teach young people in Next Gen ministry:

There is a trend to combine HS and MS ministry because the students are dealing with the same things (media-wise).

When a student is done with youth ministry what do you want them to know?

-Healthy relationships

-Wise decisions

-Biblical foundations

-Etc…

You should have your series planned for out in advance, but be willing to pause it for a while if something comes up (suicide, crisis natural disaster, etc…). If the Spirit of God is moving, you go with that.

Counseling:

Kids are dealing with BIG issues! Meet with them but refer them to Christ-based counseling. Find counselors in your community that you can work with. Possibly offer to subsidize the cost for those you refer.

How to keep the youth ministry and the overall church ministry unified and not separated:

Follow the vision of your local pastor

The Pastor must have a passion for the next generation

The Sunday service should be similar to the youth service so that the youth are not shocked and don’t leave the church when they graduate.

Youth Pastors should sell the vision of the pastor and Sunday Church to the youth group.

Pastors should keep the next generation in front of the congregation.

Tell the adults in the church that the old have always sacrificed

Transfuse the DNA of Christ into the next generation but also the DNA of the Church and its pastor.

Have the youth ministry speak on the same topics as big church.

How to reach different cultures:

Authenticity transcends culture.

What you see on the stage, that’s what you get in the pew. Put multicultural representation on your stage. (Genesis, Jacob and Laban’s flocks- Wow!)

How do you get the Senior Pastor to recognize the needs of the Student Ministry?

Have the youth ministry show respect, recognize, and serve the needs of the church and the senior pastor and they will see your needs.

Media Ideas for Student Ministry:

Youth Bytes