I’ve been trying to shift my priorities in youth ministry for a while now with little to no success. I’ve had the tendency for the year and a half that I’ve been in ministry to spend more of my “work hours” sitting behind a desk than actually spending time with youth (yikes!). This week, however, I’ve taken the leap – and I love it! Why didn’t I change my priorities sooner?
Because of the size of the church I’m in now (relatively small, and much smaller than Grace was), it’s pretty manageable for me to get to know all the kids in our ministry fairly well. So, for the time being (until we start to experience some growth), I’m taking advantage of that and making it a top priority to do exactly that. I want to know the kids that I’m ministering to and with.
In Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus says these words when asked about the “Greatest Commandment”: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” So, if Jesus said that these are the two greatest commandments, I’m realizing that I should be doing ministry in that way. So, the new priorities for youth ministry:
- Relationship with God: Deepening my own relationship with God and helping our youth to deepen their relationships with God by supporting and walking alongside them in this journey of faith.
- Relationship with Others: Seeking to develop relationships with youth both in and outside of our congregation by meeting them in “neutral” territory (such as coffee shops, fast food restaurants, etc.) and on “their turf” (i.e. school programs, athletic events, concerts, etc.).
That’s it. Everything beyond those two things is gravy. These two things will be the meat of my youth ministry, and I’m excited to say that my schedule this week has already begun to reflect the shift in priorities!
How does your schedule (ministry or otherwise) reflect your priorities?
