Video Transcript: Work Out your Vision for Youth Ministry

All right, lecture nine: Work Out Your Vision for Your Youth Ministry.

All right, so I know we talked a little bit about vision earlier on. You know, to even get started at all, you have to think about What is it that I want to do?

But I thought it would be good to come back to this subject now that you've learned a lot more. Now, you have more of the possible pieces—pieces of what you could do, or what you might do.

And now, how do you combine that with your sense of calling? The situation you’re in?

Maybe you're just helping a youth group that already exists. Maybe you want to start one. Maybe you're starting a church, and you think youth ministry is something you want to do. Or maybe—who knows?—I have no idea what your circumstances are.

So, I’ve presented all of this background material in a way that hopefully helps you start putting the things you've learned into some kind of order—some kind of vision that will empower you to move forward.

A vision that will help you recruit other leaders.

Because if you're starting a youth group, you can’t do it alone. It's good to have some people with you.

So, I’m going to be asking a bunch of questions. That’s what we’re going to be doing—asking why questions.

Why Questions

1. Why did you take this course?

I think it’s good to get in touch with what’s motivating you.

Why did you take this course?

Are you just curious? Are you in the middle of something right now and don't know what to do? Maybe you already have a youth group, but you’re feeling lost—it’s not going well.

Are you thinking about starting something? Are you wondering if youth ministry is for you?

Maybe you’re thinking, I don’t know if I could become a pastor, but maybe I could become a youth leader.

What is motivating you?

And one thing you might do with this lecture—just write things down. Pause this, give yourself time, and write your answer.

If you do that with all these questions, you'll have a pool of information to draw your vision from.

2. Why might you consider starting a youth ministry?

If you’re thinking about starting a youth ministry, why do you want to do that?

Again, it gets back to motivation.

Do you remember what it was like to be a youth? Are there specific young people you’re thinking about who have a great need?

Did you read a book that inspired you?

Where is this desire coming from?

3. Why do you think God might be calling you to youth ministry?

If God is calling you, why do you think that?

What has happened? What has pushed you in this direction?

Why do you think you can do this?

Maybe you don’t know if you can. Maybe that’s why you’re taking this class.

But by now, you must have at least a sense of whether you think you can or can’t—otherwise, you would have quit this course.

So, what are the positive reasons?

Maybe list both:

• Why do you think you can?
• Why do you think you can’t?

Maybe you think, I have this gift. I’ve had this experience.

Who Questions

1. Who inspired you to want to do ministry, and how did he or she do it?

You're taking this class because you want to learn. You're at Christian Leaders because you think of yourself as a leader—or at least as someone who could become a leader.

But who inspired you in this?

When was it in your life? Was it recently? Was it in your past?

Was it a teacher? A youth pastor? A friend? A neighbor?

Did you read a book that made an impact?

2. Who is your mentor, and how has he or she helped you grow as a follower of Jesus?

Who has mentored you?

Maybe it’s not an official mentor, but when you look back, is there someone who really helped you grow in Christ?

Think about that person. Maybe write their name down. Maybe it’s a couple of people.

3. Who have you helped, and how did you do it?

This is no time to be modest.

Maybe you think, I haven’t helped anybody.

But really—who have you helped?

Who do you think you’ve influenced in a positive way?

For example, I remember when I was younger, I went on a mission trip to Ogden, Utah. For some reason, I was put in charge of a group of seven youth for seven weeks.

One night at 2:00 AM, someone knocked on my door. One of our team members had received bad news from home and had walked away. We had no idea where she was in the city.

So, I got in the car and drove around to find her. When I did, I talked with her, and then I brought her back to the team the next morning—because I knew that getting her past this moment and back to the team was important.

I had no experience in handling something like this before that night.

But because of that experience, I saw something: Maybe I can do this. Maybe I can help people.

What Questions

1. What successes have you had in helping a youth deal with something in their life?

What’s your experience?

Think of a time when you helped a young person through something tough.

It doesn’t have to be something dramatic. Maybe it was just sitting with someone who was struggling. Maybe it was offering encouragement.

2. What specific brokenness have you overcome in your life, and how did it happen?

This is an important question.

If you were able to face your own brokenness and let Jesus—or the body of Christ—bring healing, then you know how that process works.

That means you have the knowledge, the passion, and the enthusiasm to help someone else facing something similar.

Not because you read about it.

Because you experienced it.

3. What brokenness are you dealing with right now that makes you want to support youth who are dealing with their own?

A lot of testimonies go like this: I once was lost, but now I’m found.

Oh, really?

Well, where are you still lost?

What are you struggling with right now?

Where do you still need Jesus to bring healing?

Because if you can’t face your own struggles, how can you expect young people to face theirs?

When, Where, and How Questions

When will you start putting your vision together?

You can take courses, read books, go to seminars—but at some point, you need to do something.

Do you have a date?

• A month from now?
• Six months?
• A year?

Or is it someday, maybe?

Where will you start?

Where will you meet?

• A church?
• A community center?
• A house?

How will you make this happen?

How will you recruit leader partners?

How will you invite potential members?

• Letter?
• Email?
• Face-to-face?
• A special meeting?

Final Thought

Some people love studying. They love learning. They take class after class.

But sometimes, we do that to avoid making a decision.

Are you ready to take action?

Because ministry is on-the-job training.

If you’re ever going to do anything, you have to start.

So—get going.

We’ll see you next time.