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Youth Ministry Guide: 7 Key Components & How To Build

Whether you are starting to build a youth ministry from scratch or breathing new life into an existing one, this article lays out the core components you need to implement in a successful youth ministry!

pastor waving for youth ministry

I served as a student leader in youth ministry for 3 years, went to college to study youth ministry for a 4-year degree, and then had the pleasure of serving as a Student Ministries Pastor in a youth ministry setting for 4 years. With over 10 years of youth ministry experience, I’ve been able to take note on what makes great youth ministries successful.

Likewise, youth pastors, youth workers, and youth leaders (whatever title they go by at your local church) have a heart for discipleship and students. However, that doesn’t always translate to building a thriving youth group which is equipping young adults to reach their homes, high schools, and small groups for Jesus Christ.

In this article, I am going to break down what we mean by “youth ministry,” what youth ministry leaders typically do, outline the core components of a healthy and sustainable youth ministry, and dive into how to build a youth ministry for whatever stage you are at.

What Is Youth Ministry?

youth ministry definition

According to LeaderTreks , a youth ministry resource I have used personally throughout my career, defines youth ministry as a way to create meaningful relationships between adult Christian leaders and students for the purpose of helping those students grow in their relationship with God.

At its heart, youth ministry isn’t about a Bible study or devotionals with teenagers or throwing together killer Wednesday night youth groups. The heart of youth ministry is building meaningful relationships with students and helping them become faithful followers of Jesus Christ.

How church leaders tackle the task of building these meaningful relationships in youth ministry is a different question altogether. So, let’s start by defining what a youth minister or youth leader does in order to facilitate the building of a youth group. 

What Does A Youth Minister Do?

A youth minister facilitates worship services for teenagers, organizes Sunday School curriculum, posts on social media, and occasionally creates some outreach and evangelism opportunities for students to participate in. 

However, in youth ministry, it’s difficult to know what tasks a youth minister might need to perform to make their youth ministry a success.

If you look at youth pastor job descriptions like the ones on Betterteam or Grow Curriculum , then you’ll notice that some church leaders think a youth minister is supposed to simply develop youth ministry curriculum and fun events for students. Scripture tells us that the role of pastoring is more than Sunday School lessons and mission trips, though.

According to 1 Timothy 4:12 , the youth minister’s primary role is to connect young disciples in our churches with spiritually mature adults who can mentor them into faithful followers of Jesus Christ. When a mentor relationship is established, students have the opportunity to grow into spiritually mature adults who can continue this cycle of discipleship .

Tackling this goal includes figuring what works for your denomination and your specific church. The below list covers a variety of responsibilities that a youth minister might take on in order to accomplish this task:

  • Organizing worship services for students in some form or fashion
  • Planning mission trips, volunteer opportunities, and small groups to encourage growth in discipleship for students
  • Connect congregations with the students in their midst to form mentoring relationships that will last outside of Sunday School or small groups
  • Participating in outreach and evangelism events to bring more students in the fold and build relationships with young people who might not be directly invested in their youth ministry
  • And, of course, cultivate events that are fun , engaging, and are more likely to grow friendships, relationships, and mentorships among young adults and mature, Christian church leaders

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7 Components Of Youth Ministry

This brings us to the central question: what makes a youth ministry great?

Generally speaking, there are 7 components of youth ministries that are growing, thriving, or multiplying:

  • Pastoral care
  • Discipleship
  • Prayer and worship

Making each of these components central to your youth ministry will go a long way to creating a youth group that is more than a small group, more than baby-sitting-for-teenagers, and even more than an extracurricular activity. Utilizing these core components will build a youth church, not just a youth group.

1. Advocacy

Leaders in youth ministry are in a unique place to be able to advocate for the needs of their students, bridging the gap between home, church, and extracurricular activities. 

The most successful youth ministries are the ones that take this place of honor seriously by standing up for their students, their needs, and their hopes and dreams.

2. Community

This goes without saying, but a youth ministry isn’t simply a small group. A great youth ministry is a church within a church, it is a community who belong together, live together, and work together for the Kingdom. Don’t stop at meeting on Wednesday nights, but find ways to connect intentionally and often.

3. Pastoral Care

The best youth ministries don’t stop teaching at Sunday School and midweek worship services. Pastoral care means checking in with students and making sure they are spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared for faithfully following Jesus Christ. 

As youth ministers and youth leaders, this means taking a vested interest in the lives of your students.

4. Discipleship

As discussed earlier, creating mentoring relationships between congregations and their students is one of the most core components of youth ministries that are successful. 

Training up students with spiritual role models they can bounce ideas off of, seek advice from, and that is willing to listen to them is critical for these students to be spiritually mature.

Part of being spiritually mature means seeking to serve others with the love of Christ. Youth ministers must intentionally seek out opportunities for students to learn that following Jesus means serving others joyfully. Youth leaders, find creative ways to plug students into every volunteer team at your church as well as regular service opportunities outside of your church.

6. Leadership

Part of being mentored and engaging in meaningful relationships is growing so that you can then mentor and engage with others. 

This cycle of discipleship also means training students how to duplicate what has been done in their life in the lives of others. The best youth ministries carefully consider how to help students mentor younger students, even in small, simple ways.

7. Prayer and Worship

While this is the final component, it is by no means the least important one. Making prayer and worship a core component of your youth ministry will serve your young people for the rest of their lives. Invite prayer, train students up in leading worship, and never pass up an opportunity to pray with, for, and over your leaders and students.

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Building a youth ministry with these 7 components of youth ministry in mind doesn’t have to be difficult. In general, all you have to do is gather and invest .

Gather your students, whether you are starting from scratch or already have a group of involved students, and find a way to engage with them. It’s important to remember that they have dozens of activities trying to fight for their attention and even more voices telling them what is important and what isn’t. You have to find a way to meet them where they are in the midst of the chaos.

Invest in your youth ministry by focusing on the students you currently have. Spend more time helping them discover who they are in Christ, what podcasts they like, and what they hope to do when they grow up. Then help them reach for those goals while encouraging them with the love of Jesus through the ups and downs.

If you can find ways to gather your youth ministry and meet kids where they are at in life and then invest in their lives, then the youth ministry will grow. How you accomplish those two goals are entirely up to you, your area, and your students. However, we have a great article for you if you want to know more about how to build a youth group .

Move Beyond FAQs For Youth Ministry

Youth Ministry is more than answering having youth ministry info on your website, talking at them for 20 minutes on a school night, and then posting about it on whatever social media is popular with your students at the time. It’s about building meaningful relationships to improve the lives of your congregation as well as your students.

If you want to move beyond simple FAQs for youth ministry, then make sure to sign up for The Lead Pastor newsletter and get all of your youth ministry questions answered!

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Apr 6, 2016

The Priorities, Challenges, and Trends in Youth Ministry

case study for youth ministry

Millennials are leaving the church. Nearly six in ten (59%) young people who grow up in Christian churches end up walking away, and the unchurched segment among Millennials has increased in the last decade from 44% to 52%, mirroring a larger cultural trend away from churchgoing in America. When asked what has helped their faith grow, “church” does not make even the top 10 factors.

Young Americans are attempting to learn faithfulness in a rapidly changing post-Christian culture where they are rethinking the institutions—like church—that arbitrate life. The ubiquity and onslaught of information and competing worldviews, as well as a greater resistance to the gospel among their peers make it harder for young people to find meaning in a complex culture.

But the good news is that the research we conducted for Youth Specialties and YouthWorks points to a strong correlation between good, integrated youth ministry and staying active in church. Youth Specialties  and YouthWorks , commissioned Barna Group to conduct both qualitative and quantitative research among senior pastors and youth ministry leaders to assess the state of youth ministry in America. This is the first wave of a multi-year project which will be fully released at Youth Specialties’ National Youth Workers Convention this November in Cincinnati. These organizations seek to help churches increase their ministry to teenagers through mission trips and youth worker training.

case study for youth ministry

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The Priority and Priorities of Youth Ministry The most unchurched Americans are Millennials, so it comes as no surprise that youth ministry is a priority for many churches. Six in 10 (61%) senior pastors say youth ministry is “one of the top priorities” of their church’s ministry, and 7 percent say it is the single highest priority. However, despite a clear majority, one-third of pastors (32%) say it is either somewhat, not too much, or not at all a priority.

Interestingly, the level of priority among pastors correlated very highly with the size of the youth group: churches that have not made youth ministry a priority tend to have smaller youth groups. This does not prove causation, but suggests a connection between youth group size and prioritization. Pastors at churches with a youth ministry of 50 or more students and pastors at churches with 25 to 49 students are more likely than average to say youth ministry is one of their church’s top priorities (81% and 71%, respectively). At churches where youth ministry attendance is one to 10 students, pastors are more likely than average to say youth ministry is somewhat (42%) or not too much of a priority (7%). Churches with larger youth groups are often more willing to invest in the program by increasing staffing and budgets. Churches with a smaller youth group tend to be less willing to invest resources into youth ministry.

case study for youth ministry

The sentiment is, for the most part, shared among youth ministry leaders. A majority (66%) say it is one of the top few priorities among the leadership of their church, but only 1 percent say it’s the single highest priority (6 percent less than senior pastors). Again, about one-third say youth ministry is a secondary priority among church leadership (29%), or not at all (4%). Despite youth leaders feeling less like their ministry is a top priority compared to the perception among pastors (1% compared to 7%), there is a fair amount of consistency between them. Although youth ministry is seldom the highest priority in the ministry of a church, it nonetheless appears to remain high on the list among church leadership.

case study for youth ministry

When it comes to the purpose of youth ministry, the two priorities among youth pastors of large churches are “discipleship and spiritual instruction” (75%), and “building relationships” (48%). No other priority was listed by even one-quarter of respondents. The next-highest priority, mentioned by one-fifth of youth leaders (20%) was evangelism and outreach.

case study for youth ministry

The State of Youth Ministry

How churches reach today's teens - and what parents think about it

Outside of “Youth Group:” Programs That Work Our research also looked into the value of immersive programs, outside of weekly youth activities—specifically camps, retreats and missions. Leaders say the most important of these is youth mission trips (74%), which are in a class by themselves in terms of importance. This is followed by overnight retreats (45%), weeklong camps (43%), family mission trips (35%) and large youth conferences (23%). Overall, 88% of the youth ministry leaders interviewed say they offer mission trips as part of their youth programs. These are most commonly inside the U.S., but 57% of the leaders who have taken such trips have done so outside the U.S. Also among those who offer mission trips, 42% say they offer trips specifically designed for an entire family to participate.

case study for youth ministry

These findings are backed up by senior pastors, who were asked to rank the importance of five elements of youth ministry. The top-rated element is youth mission trips (61% say this is very important) followed by week-long camps (55%). Family mission trips (46%), overnight retreats (39%) and large youth events such as conferences (34%) are less important.

case study for youth ministry

The Challenges of Youth Ministry The major challenges mentioned by youth pastors in Barna’s qualitative interviews tended to revolve around the idea of youth ministries as a consumer product that is evaluated by parents and students just like any other consumer experience. That is, leaders talk about a lack of student leadership or ownership, and a lack of involvement by the parents. Even for youth groups in which most parents attend the church, pastors still often feel they do not take sufficient ownership.

Similarly, among youth ministry leaders in the quantitative survey, the biggest challenge by far is the busyness of youth (86%). Next is lack of interest from parents (41%), breakdown of families (31%), lack of adult volunteers (22%), lack of interest among youth (20%) and lack of youth taking leadership roles (19%). Notably, lack of financial resources is only mentioned by 8% of leaders.

case study for youth ministry

What The Research Means Most senior pastors are passionate about the future possibilities of youth ministry, but this is generally connected with their belief that their church is going to grow, rather than to clear strategies and anticipation of future staffing and development.

The market for mission trips—locally, domestically and internationally—appears to be strong due to the perception among youth leaders and senior pastors that their impact is noteworthy. It will be important for youth ministry leaders and pastors to make strong connections to the outcomes they are attempting to create, such as discipleship, spiritual instruction and relationships.

While there are many aspects of youth ministry that seem to be strong and “business as usual,” the fact that Millennials continue to leave the church—in larger numbers than ever before—when they reach adulthood, suggests a need to either revise current approaches or double-down on efforts to equip and prepare today’s youth. The fact that teens lack commitment due to general busyness, and the broad scarcity of student leaders, suggests that relationships and engagement in church are not reaching sufficient depth. Youth leaders are right to prioritize discipleship and relationship building.

Continuing to promote deeper involvement and commitment may stem the losses the church is facing. For example, more one-on-one mentoring may prove an effective approach to building a firmer foundation. Or new, creative approaches may be called for, such as sponsoring teens for pre-college gap year programs. Whatever the strategy, it is clear youth leaders face great challenges as they seek to engage today’s teens in today’s culture. But it’s precisely because of these challenges that youth ministry is so critical to the church today.

Comment on this research and follow our work: Twitter:  @davidkinnaman | @roxyleestone | @barnagroup Facebook: Barna Group

About the Research

Barna is currently in a multi-year study examining the state of youth ministry on behalf of Youth Specialties and YouthWorks. This research represents an initial look at some of the findings of this larger project.

Youth Ministry Leader Study This study included 463 completed online surveys among a randomly selected sample of youth pastors nationwide. The survey was conducted from October 7 through October 25, 2013. The sampling error for the data is plus or minus 4.6 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

PastorPoll SM The data contained in this report originated through a research study conducted by Barna Group of Ventura, California. The questions were commissioned by Youth Specialties and YouthWorks. The PastorPoll SM included 601 telephone interviews conducted among a representative sample of senior pastors of Protestant churches from within the continental U.S. The telephone interviews were conducted from September 20 to October 9, 2013. The sampling error for PastorPoll SM is plus or minus 4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

Youth Specialties is a ministry that equips youth workers and youth with relevant tools and training so today’s teens can find and follow Jesus. To learn more, visit youthspecialties.com . YouthWorks exists to connect teenagers to God, each other, and communities through life-changing, Christ-centered mission trips. To learn more, visit youthworks.com .

© Barna Group, 2016.

About Barna

Since 1984, Barna Group has conducted more than two million interviews over the course of thousands of studies and has become a go-to source for insights about faith, culture, leadership, vocation and generations. Barna is a private, non-partisan, for-profit organization.

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J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline featured cold-case homicide detective, popular national speaker and best-selling author. He continues to consult on cold-case investigations while serving as a Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He is also an Adj. Professor of Christian Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, and a faculty member at Summit Ministries. He holds a BA in Design (from CSULB), an MA in Architecture (from UCLA), and an MA in Theological Studies (from Gateway Seminary).

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case study for youth ministry

leadertreks youth ministry case for student leadership

The Case for Student Leadership Development

In a recent LeaderTreks Youth Ministry survey, we asked youth pastors if they thought leadership development in youth ministry was important. An overwhelming 76% strongly agreed that leadership development is important in youth ministry. But, when we asked if they had a comprehensive leadership development program in their youth ministry, only 10% indicated that their church had such a program. The disconnection is clear. As youth workers, we want to develop student leaders, but we don’t know how.

THE BOTTOM LINE – THE BASICS OF LEADERSHIP

The first step to developing strong leadership in our youth ministries is to determine our core beliefs about leadership. Understanding these beliefs is essential to teaching leadership; otherwise, we are just having another meeting. LeaderTreks believes:

  • Leadership can be learned Anyone, at anytime, can develop this teachable skill and exercise leadership by applying specific principles.
  • Everyone can benefit from learning about leadership Learning about leadership will help students identify areas of their lives that need improvement. Better still, it motivates them to make those changes.
  • Leadership changes everything Great leadership is always the driving force behind great change. People look to leaders who stand tall and change lives in the midst of uncertainty. Leaders have a profound effect on those around them.

These leadership truths are important for us to remember. Leadership is not just for the responsible students. Leadership development will produce character, spiritual growth, purpose, and maturity in everyone. As a result, some will find themselves in leadership roles within their team. For a few, it will lead to making sacrifices that will change the world.

WHAT IS STUDENT LEADERSHIP FOR YOUTH MINISTRY?

Every youth ministry has a different definition of what a student leader is. Some youth pastors say they have a comprehensive leadership development program, but their program consists of students coming early to youth group to hang out with the youth pastor and set up the chairs. Others tell me their program focuses on character development and becoming a person of influence. Still others tell me they have strong student leaders who love the Lord and love getting together for Bible study and personal accountability; they make up the spiritual core of the group. Not all these models of ministry can be leadership development, so which model is really developing leaders?

At LeaderTreks youth ministry, we are convinced that leadership development is a combination of principles and experiences.

LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES + LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCES = TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Students must understand universal truths about leadership. They must also have the opportunity to put those principles into action, realize the consequences of their decisions, and see projects through to completion.

HOW DO WE TEACH LEADERSHIP?

We teach leadership based on how we think leaders develop. There is a lot of talk about the importance of leadership, but very few are telling you how you develop a leader. At LeaderTreks youth ministry we have created a model that effectively develops students into leaders.

  • Students must learn a set of leadership principles or universal truths about leadership.
  • Students must apply these principles to real leadership experiences where their decisions lead to success or failure; then they must live with the consequences.
  • These experiences have to be challenging; students have to move outside of their comfort zone for transformational change to take place.
  • Evaluation is the key that brings the process together. When students learn to ask tough questions, they discover how to apply those leadership lessons to their lives.

Leadership development is a process. It does not happen overnight. Students need to have multiple experiences in leadership roles so that they may understand the pressure to lead and the humility needed to follow.

All LeaderTreks ministry products are based on this model. Developing leadership is a continual process. It can be taught and it can be sharpened, but it doesn’t happen by accident.

WHAT SHOULD WE TEACH CONCERNING STUDENT LEADERSHIP?

We must teach the universal truths of leadership. For lots of youth pastors, it seems this is when leadership development gets a little scary. Most youth pastors may not feel like they know enough about how leadership works to teach it to students. They may live it out everyday personally, but it’s tough to explain it to students. I believe this is why youth pastors sometimes focus on character development and less on leadership.

The truths about leadership are well documented. Warren Bennis, John Maxwell, and many others have all have pointed us to the truths about leadership. LeaderTreks believes it is essential for youth ministries to agree on a common approach to student leadership development so we can design tools and training events to help students develop as leaders.

To help youth workers, LeaderTreks has identified seven key components of a comprehensive student leadership development program. These components constitute what students need to know and be able to do to become effective Christian leaders.

  • Students must have a definition of leadership and must understand the basic premise that leadership can be learned.
  • Students must understand that leadership is a set of principles that can be applied to any situation.
  • Students must understand who leaders are, what leaders need, and what leaders do.
  • Students must understand there are two sides to leadership: doing and being. Doing and being must be in balance for leadership to be effective.
  • Students must understand self leadership. They must have a clear understanding of their gifts, talents, and unique abilities.
  • Students must understand team leadership. They must have a clear understanding of how to lead followers.
  • Students must understand that leadership can change everything. They must have a clear understanding of the power of leadership.

By studying and learning these components students will have the tools to lead now. These seven building blocks will give students a strong foundation of knowledge and practice of leadership.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT STUDENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT?

Basic Premise:   Leadership changes everything.

This statement is hard to deny. It is easy to think of many examples in the Bible where God used leaders to make great changes. Biblical examples like David, Nehemiah, Joshua, Peter, and Paul were men who not only led but also pursued God with their whole hearts. At a young age, Joshua started following Moses around. Moses invested in Joshua with the purpose of creating a leader who could lead the people when he was gone. Joshua became the man God used to lead His people into the Promised Land. Jesus found a rough fisherman named Peter and took him under His wing for three years. Through the process of failure and mentoring, Peter was shaped for leadership. He became the backbone of the early church and his influence is still felt today.

These people didn’t just fall into leadership roles, they grew into them. Throughout their lives they were able to affect everyone around them and make a difference for eternity. God’s plan centers on faithful Christians who are willing to do what is necessary to be effective for Him. It is the job of Christians to develop themselves, with God’s help, into the most useful tools possible for the Kingdom.

Theology Statement: We believe that God’s Plan in building His Kingdom requires fully developed student leaders ready to assume real leadership roles.

The Church needs strong Christian leaders. As Christians, we all have a responsibility to God to develop ourselves as leaders in order to be of the most use in the Kingdom. We also have a responsibility to hand off the reigns of leadership to those on the path behind us. Students are ready and able to learn leadership principles. The next generation of church leaders is sitting in youth ministries right now. In light of this, student leadership development is not only a good idea, it is essential for building God’s Kingdom.

Paradigm Shift:   Youth ministry is responsible to develop the next generation of Christian leaders.

The current paradigm of youth ministry will no longer meet the needs of a growing church. For years the goal of youth ministry has been to entertain students long enough to get them in the church doors. Focusing on bringing students into a program does not equip them to lead. When we cater to students instead of investing in them, we are creating a generation of people who are not motivated to be world changers.

New Focus:   Students must see youth ministry as their outreach to the world.

Instead of focusing inward, youth workers must focus outward. They must develop students who are equipped to lead. This paradigm shift requires a dramatic change in thinking among youth workers. Students must be challenged, not made comfortable. Students must be equipped, not entertained. Students must be released to lead, not relegated to the basement. This paradigm shift calls for courageous youth workers willing to stand against the tide, willing to believe in students. It calls for sacrifice and struggle, but it will ultimately be the key for God’s Kingdom.

LeaderTreks youth ministry is calling the church to make leadership development a core of youth ministry. Much like discipleship and evangelism, we feel leadership development is the key to seeing the church grow and the culture change. It’s our belief that the church is one generation away from a leadership void and if we don’t intentionally develop leaders, the church will struggle. To that end, we developed the LeaderTreks model to serve churches as they develop student leaders. We believe in partnership. Every curriculum, training event and trip we lead is designed to accompany and strengthen youth pastors’ efforts to develop student leaders. How can we serve you?

case study for youth ministry

Case studies and scenarios of ministry situations

  • This webpage offers a collection of global case studies and scenarios for applying principles in real situations.
  • The case studies cover missionary work, cultural conflicts, religious practices, economic aid, and personal dilemmas.
  • Effective case study use jrequires an understanding of the context, identification of the central problem, consideration of multiple perspectives, and the development of viable solutions.

Looking for a case study to use with a class or group?

What would you do in this situation? What does it mean to put your faith into action?

Case studies -- examples of thorny situations -- are very effective in a problem-centered learning approach. Case studies help students practice applying principles and concepts in real situations. These real-life case studies and scenarios -- used by Howard Culbertson as classroom teaching/learning aids -- are available on this site:

Missionary case studies: The links with an asterisk (*) are situations in which a foreign missionary is directly involved.

Case studies: Aids for problem-centered learning

Seven steps to effective case study use

  • Mixed drinks: A prank backfires -- unity on a multicultural mission team
  • * "Don't tell Shari": Conflict over entertainment choices by a short- term mission group
  • * Giving Jeff a thrill: Flirting on a short-term missions team
  • Reentry from short-term mission
  • Salvage job -- short-term mission team problems during a summer mission experience
  • Battling racism in a congregation -- a church divided by prejudice
  • * Breakup of a missionary team -- Tough times
  • Bowing at the ancestors' tombs -- Korean celebration of Chuseok (or Chusok)
  • * Ancestral feast in Africa -- Should Christians participate?
  • * Communal feast -- protection from evil spirits in Java
  • Group conversion -- a village wants to become Christian
  • * You must purify this house — Demands to a missionary who killed bees
  • Sacrifice to the smallpox goddess -- What should new Christians do?
  • * Buddha pedestals in Thai church leaders' homes. Should the missionary say or do anything?
  • * Buddhist parents' objections to a young lady's baptism
  • Should I accept? Food that has been offered in worship
  • * Bible translation: Choosing a word for God
  • Can a Christian celebrate Diwali? -- a clash between Christianity and Hinduism
  • Food offered to idols: Should food offered to a Hindu shrine be eaten by Christ-followers?
  • Hindu/Christian marriage proposal
  • * Roberto de Nobili: A case study in accommodation involving a missionary in India
  • How should Bashir be buried? Islamic versus Christian funeral for the infant of new Christ-followers
  • * Neighborhood event at at a Shinto shrine -- a Japanese Christian faces ostracism in her neighborhood
  • U.S. President visits a Shinto shrine -- Japanese believers offended
  • Helping without hurting -- a U.S. congregation wants to subsidize a pastor in Mexico<>/a>
  • * Onions and wives -- becoming a successful change agent
  • Conflict during the Lord's Supper -- cultural change polarizes a church and even tears a family apart
  • * Kidnapped missionary: Should the ransom be paid?
  • Male stripper -- attempted joke at a youth group sponsori's birthday party
  • * Obi's death -- missionaries in New Guinea
  • Pastor under attack -- dealing with hidden agendas
  • * Peacemaker or patsy -- Missionaries caught in the middle of to tribal warfare in Papua New Guinea
  • Sunday school class in decline
  • They only knew my name -- An outsider tries to plug into a church
  • To drink or not to drink -- a teetotaler in France finds himself in over his head
  • Walking away: Witnessing/soul winning
  • When trust erodes -- a congregation loses faith in their pastor
  • Inappropriate touching -- Is it sexual assault or just funny improvisation during a skit?

Seven steps to case study discussion Several of the above cases also have specific study guides linked to them.

Brief scenarios or examples with less description than a typical case study

  • Cultural anthropology scenarios: Gulliver's travels and ethnography in a McDonald's restaurant
  • Theology of missions scenarios: Are the heathen really lost?
  • Witnessing scenarios: How would you respond?
  • Using case studies as a learning tool

What's the best way to use a case study?

Case study exploration guide

Case studies are effective educational tools whose use was pioneered by Harvard University's business school. The best case studies are not made-up, one-upon-a-time stories. Rather, even though names and places may have been changed, these are descriptions of real situations.

For Christian workers heading into situations where they will be cultural outsiders, discussions of case studies can stimulate and hone critical thinking skills for situations where they will be carrying "foreigner" baggage.

How to use a case study

Seven steps to transforming a case study into a learning experience.

  • Get acquainted with the cast of characters.
  • Who is involved?
  • What are their historical relationships?
  • What constituencies do they represent?
  • What might be the agenda of each character in this narrative?
  • How did the problem arise?
  • Is there a deadline for a decision?
  • Determine from whose perspective the events are described.
  • What values or interests are being challenged?
  • What should be the central or focal question?
  • List factors relevant to comprehending, facing, and resolving the issue.
  • What ingredients have compounded the problem or perhaps have even created it?
  • Which area has some negotiating room in it?
  • Can some of the negative concerns be re-framed positively?
  • In your initial reading, some facts, elements, or issues may not have seemed very important. As you reflect further on the case, are there items that have grown in importance in your mind?
  • What details need clarification? In order to effectively process the case study, will you have to make some assumptions about some unstated details?
  • What feelings did you and others have after the initial reading of the case study?
  • Consider the case study from different angles. A jewel's facets show up best as it is turned to let light hit those facets at different angles. Approach the case study in the same way. Look at it from several different angles. That is, consider it from the point of view of each person involved. What solution would each lean toward?
  • What assets are available to resolve the problem?
  • Are there opportunities to partner or network in some way?
  • What ought to be going on?
  • What needs to happen to set that in motion?
  • To implement the most viable solution, what must be done and by whom?

You might also like these

  • Cultural bingo icebreaker
  • Bwanda Fusa game
  • Christianity and culture
  • Verbal and Non-verbal Communication
  • Iceberg, concentric circles, and an onion: Understanding culture
  • Enculturation versus Acculturation
  • Light bulb illustration: What is it?
  • Christsian missions and culture
  • Contextualization
  • My own culture shock expereince
  • Christian mission and anthropology
  • Can you survive coming home?

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Home > SEM > CYE > CYE-PUBS > 69

180 Symposium Publications

Youth Ministry: It Starts Sooner Than You Think! A Youth Ministry Case Study Report

Jiwan S. Moon , Andrews University Follow

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Contribution to Book

Publication Date

When does youth ministry really begin? It is a question we all need to ask to be effective in ministering to our youth. What really is youth ministry? These two questions come from a belief that there is a specific time frame and a particular way to minister to young people that is different from where they have come and where they are going. However, I would like to introduce a different idea. The idea that youth ministry really begins before childhood ends. It is a continuous mentoring and nurturing of children, helping them mature and grow in Christ from childhood to adolescence, and eventually adulthood. The idea of youth ministry as a continuum is depicted in the growth of a seed. The care given to a seed as it grows into a mature plant is not interrupted or delayed. Continual and constant care, without any discontinuance, given to the growth of this seed is what produces a beautiful plant which bears much fruit. If the care of this seed was interrupted or delayed, it would hinder the maturation of the seed, and later, the production of its fruit. As the young plant is watered and nourished, it grows into a beautiful and mature plant. As this plant continues to mature, it needs pruning to enable it to flourish. Just as we would not stop watering a seed as it grows into a plant, we cannot minister to children now and then minister to them as youth later. We need to provide constant and continuous mentorship with a clear intent. The care begins when they are children and continues as they mature into a man or woman of God, and just as the plant may need pruning, youth will need experiences that will allow them to mold their character and build their Christian identity. Youth Ministry – It Starts Sooner than You Think!

Ministering with Millennials: A Complete Report on the 180° Symposium

Roger L. Dudley with Allan Walshe

Advent Source

Lincoln, NE

The 180° Symposium

9781577565307

Recommended Citation

Moon, Jiwan S., "Youth Ministry: It Starts Sooner Than You Think! A Youth Ministry Case Study Report" (2009). 180 Symposium Publications . 69. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cye-pubs/69

Acknowledgements

Posed with permission, Center for Youth Evangelism at Andrews University

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Since November 11, 2021

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With Youth Ministry Booster, Zac Workun created a five-figure membership to help youth pastors feel less isolated

With Youth Ministry Booster, Zac Workun created a five-figure membership to help youth pastors feel less isolated

Launched September 2017

480+ members, paid membership.

Youth Ministry Booster is a paid membership site that supports youth pastors in building their ministry while keeping their passion (and sanity) intact.

Zac’s Mighty Moment: “We wanted to offer a way to make connecting really convenient. Instead of driving two hours to the big city to meet your network of youth pastors, you can hop online, have an hour long Mastermind once a month, and go back to work.”

Tulsa, Oklahoma-based youth minister Zac Workun knew his calling as a youth minister was the right one for him. The fact that it was also isolating and, at times, lonely was something he chalked up to the price he paid for pursuing his purpose.

Until the day that he and his best friend and fellow youth minister Chad Higgins launched their Youth Ministry Booster podcast as an experiment.

Very quickly, he and Chad realized that they were not alone. Their podcast grew rapidly from a regional to a national audience. That’s when Zac had his a-ha moment. His ministry could extend to supporting his fellow youth ministers in honing their craft, strengthening their service, and staying grounded mentally and emotionally in the process:

“There were a lot of resources on how to do the work better. But there wasn’t a lot out there that enabled us to make connections with each other around the topics that had no easy or obvious answers–our health, our service, our own grounding and practices. It was obvious that to answer these questions, we needed to build a community.”

With that in mind, Zac started looking for an online home for him and his fellow youth ministers.

case study for youth ministry

Starting with a Facebook Group... And finding limitations right away

Zac started by trying to make a community work on a Facebook Group . Almost immediately he saw that on Facebook his members were only asking basic, cursory questions:

“Small talk runs rampant in youth ministry. It’s always ‘How many kids are you running? What’s your youth group logo? Where do I get t-shirts?’ Those are fine icebreaker questions, but it’s not why we’re here and doing this work. These questions certainly weren’t going to create the kinds of relationships that would have the biggest impact on our members.”

These superficial conversations weren’t getting at the topics that resonated so powerfully on the podcast. He wanted to connect more youth ministers to each other in more vulnerable and meaningful ways that would have a richer and more positive impact on their practices and lives. It wasn’t about the quantity of members (something he felt Facebook emphasized) but rather the quality of the connections:

“Instead of trying to go wider, we wanted to go deeper.”

He knew he had to get Youth Ministry Booster off Facebook.

His list of requirements wasn’t particularly crazy. He wanted to be able to share the podcast a few days early, add resources that would help youth ministers get creative solutions to common challenges, and, above all else, ensure his members could build real relationships with each other:

“A lot of youth ministers are isolated. They don’t always have a community of pastors to fall back on who understand their unique challenges. We wanted to create a place where we’d all be able to answer honestly the question, ‘Hey, how are you doing?'”

Discovering the right platform meant offering more value without more work

When Zac discovered Mighty Networks , he found his answer. A Mighty Network was different from a Facebook group in a few key ways:

  • It was off Facebook in a space that would be all their own–away from the noise, clutter, and expectations of social media.
  • It would allow Zac to use the training and workshops he offered directly in the community for members to meet each other and build relationships naturally just like they would at a real-world conference.
  • There were more ways to connect members beyond what was possible in his prior group and there was no algorithm that stood between him and communicating with everyone.
  • And because a Mighty Network was offered on both the web and mobile apps, he wouldn’t have to sacrifice engagement by choosing to run his own branded community.

Zac found quickly that he had made the right call. His members began tapping into each other’s experiences, both in neighboring towns and across the country.

Now he was ready to scale. He was committed to serving his members more deeply with more resources as well as more ways to meet each other. He knew that charging for membership would mean more of his members would commit. As another Mighty Host, Dan Miller put it , “people pay attention to what they pay for.” Zac intuitively knew this as well.

case study for youth ministry

A new membership model with live events, trainings, and curated connections

To keep things simple for prospective members (following a best practice in creating subscription businesses), Zac launched a single membership tier, priced at $19.99 a month or $199 a year. For his current 353 members, this subscription includes:

  • Weekly Soul Care

Members have the option to reserve a spot in a weekly group video call with their peers, where they can touch base, ask important questions, and provide (and ask for) support and encouragement from each other.

  • On-Demand Training

Members get access to an archive of over 200 training videos to watch on their own time, with topics from administration to discipleship.

  • Practical Webinars

Led by a guest speaker, these monthly webinars dive deep into topics like leadership, communication, trauma, discipleship, and event planning.

  • Digital Resources

Youth Ministry Booster offers new resources monthly that help members to enhance their leadership and enrich their ministries. These resources give followers access to hundreds of ideas, a calendar year’s worth of teaching elements, graphics, games and more.

  • Exclusive Mastermind Group Matching

These monthly mastermind groups are curated by Zac and his team, matching 8 to 10 youth ministers to each other based on location, experience, and the size of their congregation. Once a month, the group connects virtually via video meetings led by veteran youth ministers, where they can ask questions, exchange experiences, and get closer to achieving their personal and professional goals.

This last benefit of membership–mastermind group matching–has turned out to be the crown jewel of the subscription:

“The Mastermind Matching Service brings our members back month-to-month. It’s really anchored our membership.”

One of the benefits of choosing a Mighty Network was its Groups feature, which enabled Zac to match and run the mastermind groups within his Mighty Network, another feature deepening engagement.

Beyond the matching service, the live events and weekly calendar build habits among Zac’s members in a way that hasn’t created a lot of work for him:

“With our course offerings, regular live events, and weekly 'office hours,' I’m able to create a rhythm for our members that’s also totally manageable for me. We plan quarterly and give our members a ton of things to look forward to.”

case study for youth ministry

Making an investment in doing things that matter

For Zac, focusing on creating meaningful connections remains the priority, which is how he’s able to support both free and paying members:

“We’ll give you the same kind of care, love, attention, and support whether you’re a paying member or not. When people pour their heart out to us, we don’t gate keep and say, ‘Well you’re not paying us. At the same time, we want to offer more value and opportunities for deeper focus around goals and purpose for our paying members. It’s definitely a balance that, for now, we’ve found.”

And while he started without a plan, he’s confident that as long as his Mighty Network is able to sustain a community of youth pastors in need of resources, members will keep coming back—and bringing more of their fellow youth pastors with them:

“We didn’t know at the beginning that our work with Youth Ministry Booster would take the form of a membership model. But we’ve found something affordable for people that motivates them to contribute their stories, experiences, and ideas with each other, while supporting our work to make this community a reality. But no matter what, the quality of care we offer doesn’t change.”

3 key takeaways from Youth Ministry Booster’s Story of Awesome

  • Use your own experience to discover your niche. Zac knew he could be an effective mentor for his community because he understood first-hand how important, yet lonely and isolating youth ministry can be. Consider your own circumstances, identity, and background when defining your community purpose and the initial members you want to target first.
  • Choose quality over quantity. Early on, Zac made the decision to drive a deeper connection among hundreds of members instead of defining success as having thousands of members. It’s easier to build a valuable experience for a smaller group of people (especially if you are starting from scratch), plus it sets you up to charge a premium price of $199 or more per year.
  • Strike a balance between value and what’s manageable for you. Once Zac and his team ditched their Facebook group, they knew they needed to differentiate what they were building into their membership model from what someone could get for free from social media. Look for ways to offer people value through a weekly calendar of events, smaller groups, and more, all while keeping an eye on making it manageable for you to run over time. There aren’t extra points for building something that you can’t sustain.

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case study for youth ministry

Course Catalog | Liberty University

Youth ministries (yout).

A study of biblical principles in establishing and maintaining a ministry to adolescents. Emphasis is placed upon a system of philosophy and general principles for adolescent ministry. Special attention is given to developing a youth ministry mission statement, objectives and strategy.

Offered: Resident and Online

This course will begin by exploring the cultural practices, behavioral norms, and core values of youth in North America and will expand to global youth culture. It will examine methods for effective ethnographic studies of youth in their host culture and identify areas that create barriers to effective intercultural communication and ministry. Special attention will be given to the anthropological and social issues critical to engaging global adolescents within the context of their culture.

Offered: Resident

Supervised field experience at an approved site. Application procedures processed through the Career Center. Must apply semester prior to internship.

Registration Restrictions: Sophomore status, 2.00 GPA, two courses in major, declared major, not more than one CSER behind

Prerequisite: YOUT 201

An investigation of specific elements that are building blocks for the biblical education of adolescents. Foundational issues, principles of teaching and curriculum development will be studied.

Prerequisite: YOUT 201 and YOUT 220

A study of various strategies in building bridges to the local adolescent community in order to effectively communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ. Special attention will be given to the role of the local church in training its own adolescents to reach their peers, creating a culture of outreach within the church, and having each student develop an effective outreach strategy.

Prerequisite: YOUT 201 and YOUT 220 and ( RSCH 201 or Inquiry Research with a score of 80 or Research Assessment with a score of 80 or Research (prior to 2017-2018) with a score of 80)

This course will take a comprehensive examination of contemporary issues related to Youth Ministry. Areas of emphasis will include adolescent behavioral issues, ministerial models and trends that are being practiced among youth ministries, vocational issues among youth ministers/workers, and technological issues that will enhance youth ministry.

Online Prerequisite: YOUT 201

A study of the history and strategy of reaching youth through the campus structure. Attention is given to the basic workings of the campus social system and the methods used in reaching it with the gospel.

Offered: Online

This course will investigate specific elements and issues that are building blocks for camping ministry. Such elements and issues will include starting a camp, programming, recreation, staffing, budgeting, legal issues, promotional methods, camp counseling, camping options and management principles will be addressed. The course will include a full day of on-site training in order to get a hands-on look and feel of the significant ministry of camping. (Cross-listed with CLCM 220 )

This course will take a comprehensive examination of critical areas for the individual who gives or is considering leadership in a Christian youth organization. An exposition of biblical passages supporting the establishment and function of Christian youth organizations and their supportive relationship to the local church will be presented. After which, pragmatic applications to effectively direct/ manage a Christian youth organization will be examined. (Cross-listed with CLCM 370 )

Prerequisite: YOUT 220 and ( YOUT 201 or CLCM 210 )

An examination of both contemporary and re-occurring generational behaviors confronting today's youth that have escalated to crises. These issues are relevant to adolescents both physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. The problem-solving technique of case studies will be juxtaposed with the safety and well-being of the teenager, as well as an emphasis on biblical applications to these problems.

Prerequisite: CHMN 201 and CHMN 205 and CHMN 300 and CHMN 360

This course is an investigation of the factors which influence spiritual development. Attention is given to exploring the biblical and theological foundations for discipleship and making application to the discipleship process. (Crosslisted with CHMN 447 )

Registration Restrictions: Junior status

Prerequisite: BIBL 350 and YOUT 201 and YOUT 220 and YOUT 310 and YOUT 340 and YOUT 380

A study focusing on communicating biblical and spiritual truths to the youth culture. The course equips the student with the specific knowledge, skills, and practice necessary to prepare and deliver effective oral communications.

Registration Restrictions: Junior Status

This course is designed to teach the student the basic organization necessary for an effective local church and Christian ministry. Emphasis is placed on the development of biblical management and leadership skills. Attention is given to the student's spiritual life, personal life, and ministry life. Topics addressed include the call to ministry, stages of ministry, finding the right church or ministry, personal piety, and staff relations and development. (Cross-listed with CHMN 450 )

Prerequisite: CHMN 201 and CHMN 205 and CHMN 360 and YOUT 201 and YOUT 220 and YOUT 310 and YOUT 340 and YOUT 380 and YOUT 447 and YOUT 448

A study of the planning and implementation of the ministry vehicle. Specific programming aspects of the large meeting, small group meeting, activities, camping and missions projects will be examined. Attention will be given to annual calendar planning and organization skills.

Registration Restrictions: Senior status

Prerequisite: YOUT 447 and YOUT 448

This internship will focus on both the programming and leadership aspects of youth ministry. It will be a supervised field experience at an approved site. Applications are processed through the department Faculty Intern Advisor. Applicants must apply the semester prior to starting the internship.

Registration Restrictions: Junior Status and 21 hours in Major

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Brandon Lake Doesn’t Hear ‘Churchy Stuff’ When He Listens for God’s Voice

Visiting pastor stops sermon to save woman choking on a mint, trump-aligned think tank, denying policy plans, gives voice to christian nationalist views, texas attorney general moves to shut down catholic migrant shelters, heads of sbc mission boards say they will not fund new abuse reform nonprofit, youth bible study: help preteens pursue purity and godly living.

youth Bible study

At a recent preteen camp, I presented a youth Bible study on purity for the first time. I ended up preparing an original lesson on purity that led to some of our best small-group discussions ever. Kids talked with one another and their leaders about things that really matter!

I highly recommend leading a youth Bible study on purity for preteens and middle schoolers on up. Follow these tips and suggestions.

Here’s the process I used before our youth Bible study on purity:

  • The registration letter I sent to parents included information about the planned session.
  • Two parents contacted us with questions, which led to some helpful discussions.
  • I made it very clear that I wasn’t going to talk about sex (especially the “mechanics” involved).
  • I emphasized that our small-group discussions needed to focus on purity as well.

Adapt these notes from my youth Bible study on purity

Purity: what does it mean.

  • Think about the best kind of jewelry: pure gold. My ring is gold-plated. How much does 1 kg of gold cost? More than $40,000!
  • Think about a bottle of water. You wouldn’t want it if it wasn’t pure. (Proceed to backwash in a bottle and then offer it to a student, who will be disgusted.)

Object Lesson

  • Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8 (NKJV)
  • To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. Titus 1:15

How Do You Stay Pure?

“…and Moses killed it (the bull). Then he took the blood and put some on the horns of the altar all around with his finger and purified the altar. And he poured the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it to make atonement for it.” Leviticus 8:15

So what we need is a massive bull to kill and cover each of us with blood? No, Jesus has paid the price! He was the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. So what do we need now?

In the Old Testament, a cleansing agent was required…water, blood or fire. We are under the New Testament, which is the new and better covenant Jesus gave us. His sacrifice brings purification; his blood cleanses from sin ( 1 John 1:7 ).

  • The person who is in right relationship with God is to live a life of purity ( 2 Timothy 2:21-22 ; Titus 1:15 and have a pure heart— Matthew 5:8 ; 1 Timothy 1:5 ; Hebrews 9:14 ; James 4:8 ; 1 Peter 1:22 ).
  • Purity is also listed among virtues ( 2 Corinthians 6:6 ; Philippians 4:8 ; 1 Timothy 4:12 ; compare Mark 7:15 ).
  • “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:16
  • “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.” Psalm 119:9

Youth Bible Study: Three Areas of Purity

  • Pure deeds Luke 6:46 ; 1 John 5:3 ; James 1:21-25
  • Pure words 1 Peter 2:1 ; Matthew 12:34-37 ; James 3:2-8
  • Pure thoughts Matthew 5:8 ; 1 Chronicles 28:9 ; Proverbs 4:23

Many people believe their thoughts don’t matter, so long as they don’t actually practice evil deeds. But pure thoughts are essential to a pure life, because our thoughts determine what we say and do. Pure thoughts lead to pure words and pure deeds. Your thoughts are important.

Which is easier?

  • Work out or play Wii?
  • Eat pizza or salad?
  • Clean your room or disobey your parents?
  • Walk out of the movie or just go along with your friends.

Often, the hard thing is the best for your future.

If I bought 1 kg of gold in the year 2000, it would have cost $9,067. That would have been a lot of money back then, but it’s worth more than $40,000 now. Sometimes the best thing you can do is the hardest thing to do. Are you considering investing in gold, if yes then you’ve come to the right venue to make purchasing and buying gold in Brisbane !

Mr. Purity: Joseph

In the Old Testament, Joseph is an example of purity. He has pure thoughts. When Potiphar’s wife makes sexual advances toward Joseph, he refuses ( Genesis 39:7-9 ).

I think it would have been almost impossible for Joseph as a young man in his prime to say no to temptation without a love for God. With our culture’s extreme focus on sex and love, the same is true for us.

Purity is tough! Don’t beat yourself up about it; remember that God’s forgiveness is total. You need not live in guilt over your sins once you repent and ask forgiveness of both God and anyone else impacted by your sin.

Action Step

Develop a “spring cleaning” mentality when it comes to items that promote impurity or glamorize immorality. Throw away anything you wouldn’t want in your home if you knew that Jesus was coming to visit. In what room will you begin your cleaning?

Who Tells You How to Dress?

What’s the best way to get someone to do something? Make them believe they made up their own minds to do it! So the same happens to you. You think you make up your mind about things, but then why are you and your friends wearing the same clothes? Why do you like the same movies and music?

Someone is making up your mind for you. One day, you’ll probably look back and get embarrassed about what you’re wearing today. A decision you were so sure about is suddenly embarrassing.

If you base your choices on what TV and your friends tell you, you may just make the wrong choice. But if you base them on a standard to live up to and God’s principles, then you’ll never go wrong. You may still make bad fashion choices, but life is much more serious than clothes. I hope you become someone who buys gold while you’re young and in the future finds yourself in a much greater place.

Youth Bible Study: Purity Takes Planning

Purity doesn’t just happen, and the heat of the moment isn’t the time to decide your boundaries ( Proverbs 14:15 ; 1 Corinthians 10:12 ; Lamentations 3:40 ).

End the purity Bible study for youth by asking these discussion questions:

  • Do you agree or disagree with the importance of “giving thought to your steps” and “examining your ways”?
  • Think of a personal situation or experience you were in that you shouldn’t have been. Did you have a plan beforehand to prevent you from getting there?
  • How might a plan have helped you prevent that type of situation in the first place?

What other suggestions do you have for a youth Bible study for purity?

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Making Church Decisions

Working together to discern God's leading

Making Church Decisions

A Case Study on Church Conflict

First: review the 7 levels of conflict.

Church conflict happens in lots of places. Understanding the dynamics and what can be done needs practice. The following case study is a chance for you to put theory into practice.

Review the Case Story

Blessed Peace Church is located in Keiffer, a small town. This congregation has been in existence for over 135 years. There is a sense of wellbeing in the greater community and the population has been growing steadily in recent years due to the high quality of life offered. Keiffer has a college, a new telecommunication center for a large insurance company and an established manufacturing factory nearby that employs a lot of people. Because of these factors, new people are moving into the area alarming older residents with the need for new schools and other services. Change is happening despite growing opposition.

Current Reality

This growth has also brought about challenges in the congregation over the last 5 years.  Once a small church, Blessed Peace has now grown in size (Average Weekly Attendance 115) and style offering a full program for children, youth and adults.  Its ministry has developed, stretching the budget and space needs. There is now a growing college student program that is led by a new member, Charles Tony. Mr. Tony has been a member of the congregation for less than 2 years and has established an effective ministry with students that totals 45 each Sunday. He tends to work best alone and values growth.

Pastor Martha Rowlings has been at the church for 6 years and is now receiving a steady stream of complaints about the Student Ministry from older members. They share that this new group is not sharing space well, they consume a part of the budget that could be used on other ministries and seem not to appreciate established leaders or approved ways for doing things.

What Happened

At a recent Church Council Meeting, Mr. Tony made a request on behalf of the students requesting that a second worship service begin next month. They would meet on Sunday evenings in the Fellowship Hall and offer a contemporary style of praise and song. He would take the responsibility to find musicians and promote this new venture on behalf of the congregation. When Pastor Rowlings, who did not know about this request in advance, asked that the congregation form a task group of 7 members of the church (older members and students) to further study this matter to gain support and to properly organize this activity, Mr. Tony objected. He stated that if the church did not approve his request, he would quit and the students would leave.

A heated debate occurred that raised all the underlying issues that the congregation was struggling with over this ministry: lack of communication, the difference of perspectives, allotment of resources, confusion and a desire to do things the way they have been done in the past.  While no one opposed the request, some expressed doubts that the request was brought before the Council properly and with the support of the Pastor, as it should be. Assumptions and insults followed over whether the proper process was followed. What was the impact on the budget expected to be? The congregation wanted to support student ministry but not be held hostage.

In frustration, the Council Chair finally deferred the matter until the next meeting. He suggested that the Pastor and Mr. Tony meet together during the week to work out a proposal that would be beneficial to both the students and the church. Mr. Tony did not show up for that meeting.

Afterwards…

People began to talk and take sides. Some believed that the student ministry was taking over the church and needed to be more respectful. Mr. Tony had overstepped his boundaries. Other leaders wanted to do all they could to support the newer members and suggested that a second worship service would help alleviate tensions between the 2 groups. My Tony did bring new energy to the church and the young adults responded well.

Sadly, nobody knew what to do to resolve the matter or the conflict that led to the place that they now find themselves. So they call you…

Discussion Questions

  • What level of conflict do you think the church is encountering and why?
  • What would you suggest be done to resolve the tensions and bring about a restored trust and wellbeing to the congregation?
  • Is there a way to meet the needs of both the older members and students? Can you see a way forward?

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case study for youth ministry

Author: Julia Wallace

Julia is a layperson in the United Methodist Church, USA who works in Mediation and Conflict Transformation. She is co-author of the book: "The Church Guide for Making Decisions Together." View all posts by Julia Wallace

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Additional information about International Student Program reforms

Ottawa, February 5, 2024— Further information is being provided to clarify the announcement of an intake cap on new international study permit applications and other changes . International students make important contributions to Canada’s campuses, communities and economy; however, we have seen unsustainable growth in the International Student Program in recent years. These recently announced reforms will support sustainable population growth in Canada and improve system integrity, while helping to ensure that international students have a positive experience in Canada.

1. Cap and provincial attestation letter

As of 8:30 a.m. ET on January 22, 2024, most new post-secondary international students at the college or undergraduate level must provide a provincial attestation letter (PAL) from a province or territory with their study permit application. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will return any application received that does not include a PAL, unless otherwise exempt.

This attestation will serve as proof that the student has been accounted for under a provincial or territorial allocation within the national cap. Provinces and territories have been asked to have a plan in place for issuing PALs by March 31, 2024. The Government of Canada is working with the Government of Quebec to determine how the certificat d’acceptation du Québec pour études could serve as a PAL.

International students whose applications were received by IRCC before 8:30 a.m. on January 22, 2024, as well as those who have already been approved for a study permit and intend to travel to Canada for an upcoming program, do not need to take further action as a result of the cap.

Who needs a provincial attestation letter?

  • most post-secondary study permit applicants
  • most non-degree granting graduate programs (for example, certificate programs and graduate diplomas)
  • anyone else not included in the exception list below

Who doesn’t need a provincial attestation letter?

  • primary and secondary school students
  • master’s or doctoral degree students
  • visiting or exchange students
  • in-Canada study permit and work permit holders (includes study permit holders applying for an extension)
  • in-Canada family members of study permit or work permit holders
  • students whose application we received before 8:30 a.m. ET on January 22, 2024

2. Post-graduation work permit (PGWP) update for graduates of master’s degree programs

In recognition that graduates of master’s degree granting programs are excellent candidates to succeed in Canada’s labour market and potentially transition to permanent residence, we have made a change to the length of the PGWP, so that they have the opportunity to meet the required Canadian work experience in order to apply for their permanent residence.

Starting on February 15, 2024, a longer, 3-year post-graduation work permit will be available to those who are graduating from a master’s degree program that is less than 2 years and who meet all other PGWP eligibility criteria.

The length of PGWPs for programs other than master’s degrees will continue to align with the length of the study program, to a maximum of 3 years.

Who is eligible for a longer post-graduation work permit (PGWP)?

  • Graduates of programs that are at least two years in length at PGWP-eligible designated learning institutions are eligible for a 3-year PGWP, as are graduates of master’s degree programs less than 2 years in length.

3. PGWP eligibility for public-private partnership college programs

Some provinces allow public colleges to license their curriculum to be delivered by an affiliated private college. In these cases, students physically attend a private college, but graduate with a diploma from a public institution. Concerns have been raised with regard to the quality of education provided by these institutions, as well as the lack of sufficient student supports. The Auditor General of Ontario has also raised concerns about a lack of oversight into program quality and student services at these institutions.

As such, IRCC has made a change to restrict PGWPs for these institutions, anticipating that without the ability to apply for a PGWP, there will be a reduction in the number of international students enrolling in them.

Who is eligible for a PGWP after graduating from a public-private partnership college program?

  • International students currently enrolled will remain eligible for a PGWP if they meet other program eligibility criteria.

Who is not eligible for a PGWP after graduating from a public-private partnership college program?

  • New students enrolling in this type of program will not be eligible for a post-graduation work permit.

4. Changes to open work permit eligibility for spouses

In the coming weeks, eligibility for open work permits for the spouses and common-law partners of international students will be updated.

Who can get an open work permit?

  • Eligibility is limited to the spouses and common-law partners of students in graduate (master’s and doctorate) and professional degree–granting programs only.
  • Once these changes are in effect, spouses and common-law partners of international students seeking to extend their existing work permit will continue to be eligible under this stream.

Who will not be eligible for an open work permit?

  • The spouses and common-law partners of international students in other levels of study, including undergraduate and college programs, will no longer be eligible for an open work permit unless they already hold an open work permit under this stream.

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  1. Youth Ministry: The Case for (the Right Kind of) Teen Ministry

    case study for youth ministry

  2. This Way to Youth Ministry Companion Guide: Readings, Case Studies

    case study for youth ministry

  3. (DOC) Analysing the Youth Ministry of a Local Church (Case Study in

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  4. Benedictine Youth Ministry in the Light of Mt 19:13-15: A Case Study of

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  6. Experiential Youth Ministry Handbook

    case study for youth ministry

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  1. Student testimony #001

  2. Work Session

  3. Live Stream

  4. Session 3

  5. Hackathon

  6. Wed, Jan. 10, 2023

COMMENTS

  1. 6 Real Life Scenarios for Youth Workers

    1. A 10th-grader who is involved at your local church tells you that he's smoking pot (illegally). He also tells you not to tell his parents. What would you do? 2. A high-school senior guy is dating a junior girl and you find out that they are sleeping together.

  2. Youth Ministry and Crisis

    This article focuses on how (select) youth ministries operated, reached out to youth, and cared for youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. How technology was utilized, challenges faced, and lessons gleaned are also addressed with practical application ideas.

  3. Youth Ministry Guide: 7 Key Components & How To Build

    Pastoral care. Discipleship. Service. Leadership. Prayer and worship. Making each of these components central to your youth ministry will go a long way to creating a youth group that is more than a small group, more than baby-sitting-for-teenagers, and even more than an extracurricular activity. Utilizing these core components will build a ...

  4. Toward An Integrated Youth Ministry: A Case Study Of The Application Of

    Toward An Integrated Youth Ministry: A Case Study Of The Application Of Principles From Ephesians Among Teens And Their Families Of The Collegedale Church Of Seventh-day Adventists Timothy Allen Cross, Andrews University Follow Date of Award 2011 Document Type Project Report Degree Name Doctor of Ministry College

  5. The Priorities, Challenges, and Trends in Youth Ministry

    Nearly six in ten (59%) young people who grow up in Christian churches end up walking away, and the unchurched segment among Millennials has increased in the last decade from 44% to 52%, mirroring a larger cultural trend away from churchgoing in America. When asked what has helped their faith grow, "church" does not make even the top 10 factors.

  6. Case Study on Student Leadership

    By Doug Franklin June 8, 2012 Let's look at two common but hypothetical situations to how youth ministries implement student leadership teams. First, take a look at George. George was told by the leadership team at his church that he should look into developing a leadership program for the youth group.

  7. Stress & Anxiety Case Study

    Stress & Anxiety Case Study Teenagers are stressed out and over-scheduled more than ever before, creating students who often want to come to youth group but can't figure out how to "fit it in" amongst a host of other extra-curricular and other activities in their lives. What do you do? Guilt is never the answer.

  8. This Way to Youth Ministry Companion Guide: Readings, Case Studies

    Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Youth Ministry (But Had No Way of Finding Out) Duffy Robbins, Len Kageler, and 10 of the most respected names in youth ministry, give you a hands-on, in-the-trenches look at the issues you'll face in youth ministry. Essays by Chap Clark, Helen Musick, and others provide case studies, guided discussions, and questions for reflection that bring to life ...

  9. A Christian Case Making Strategy for Youth Ministry

    Youth ministries need to understand the importance of taking young people out into the world to engage the issues head on. When we regularly schedule encounters of this nature, our teaching will become training. "This Will Require Youth Ministers to Embrace a New Attitude"

  10. Youth Ministry: It Starts Sooner Than You Think! A Youth Ministry Case

    A Youth Ministry Case Study Report Jiwan S. Moon Senior Pastor, Kitchener-Waterloo Church Ontario Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Abstract When does youth ministry really begin? It is a question we all need to ask to be efective in ministering to our youth. What really is youth ministry?

  11. The Case for Student Leadership Development

    The Case for Student Leadership Development In a recent LeaderTreks Youth Ministry survey, we asked youth pastors if they thought leadership development in youth ministry was important. An overwhelming 76% strongly agreed that leadership development is important in youth ministry.

  12. Connecting the Dots: A Case Study Examining the Impact of Service

    Youth and Young Adult Student Ministry. LeGrand, Thomas Spencer, Jr., 2013: Dissertation, Gardner-Webb University, Service Learning/Curriculum Design/Christian Education/Inductive Learning/Collaboration/Youth Ministry/Young Adult Ministry The purpose of this study was to provide a case study on the application of service-

  13. Case studies collection

    My son is marrying a Buddhist! Should I accept? Food that has been offered in worship Bible translation: Choosing a word for God celebrate Diwali? -- a clash between Christianity and Hinduism Food offered to idols: Should food offered to a Hindu shrine be eaten by Christ-followers? Hindu/Christian marriage proposal

  14. "Youth Ministry: It Starts Sooner Than You Think! A Youth Ministry Case

    When does youth ministry really begin? It is a question we all need to ask to be effective in ministering to our youth. What really is youth ministry? These two questions come from a belief that there is a specific time frame and a particular way to minister to young people that is different from where they have come and where they are going. However, I would like to introduce a different idea ...

  15. PDF What Works in Youth Participation: Case Studies from Around the World

    ing youth as "assets," "active agents of social change," or "decision-makers," as well as by individuals who are pro-moting more democratic, inter-generational relationships through "adult-youth partnerships." Such concepts can be traced to both a shift in child and youth studies and to the emerging youth development field.

  16. Christian faith-based youth work: systematic narrative review

    Van Dijk Groeneboer Citation 2015 (Netherlands) focusing on youth ministry settings within the Catholic Church; and. Webber, Singleton, and Joyce Citation 2010 (Melbourne, Australia) ... One paper used two case studies from the same Christian youth organisation. One study involved observation of small groups of young people over a school term.

  17. Building the Twenty-first Century Church: The Role of the Youth

    The Role of Youth Ministry in Church Growth: A Study of Standard Life Christian Centre Assembly of God. Jan 2019; ... A Case Study of the Light of the World Society (lows) Of Christ Apostolic ...

  18. Case Study: Youth Ministry Booster

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  19. Youth Ministries (YOUT) < Liberty University

    Youth Ministries (YOUT) A study of biblical principles in establishing and maintaining a ministry to adolescents. Emphasis is placed upon a system of philosophy and general principles for adolescent ministry. Special attention is given to developing a youth ministry mission statement, objectives and strategy. This course will begin by exploring ...

  20. Youth Bible Study: Help Preteens Pursue Purity and Godly Living

    Youth Bible Study: Three Areas of Purity. Pure deeds Luke 6:46; 1 John 5:3; James 1:21-25. Pure words 1 Peter 2:1; Matthew 12:34-37; James 3:2-8. Pure thoughts Matthew 5:8; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Proverbs 4:23. Many people believe their thoughts don't matter, so long as they don't actually practice evil deeds. But pure thoughts are essential to ...

  21. A Case Study on Church Conflict

    The following case study is a chance for you to put theory into practice. Review the Case Story Background. ... (Average Weekly Attendance 115) and style offering a full program for children, youth and adults. Its ministry has developed, stretching the budget and space needs. There is now a growing college student program that is led by a new ...

  22. The Youth Worker's Big Book of Case Studies: Not Quite a Million

    More than 180 real-life case studies to get more students talking . . . and thinking! Easy answers are not easy to find. With The Youth Worker's Big Book of Case Studies, your teenagers will be talking, and thinking about stuff that matters most in their lives.

  23. The Youth Pastor: Linking the Past with the Future through Youth Ministry

    This particular study has its focus on the youth ministry and specifically the topic of the office of the career youth pastor in an attempt to address the concern of effective ministry to youth as ...

  24. Additional information about International Student Program reforms

    Ottawa, February 5, 2024—Further information is being provided to clarify the announcement of an intake cap on new international study permit applications and other changes.International students make important contributions to Canada's campuses, communities and economy; however, we have seen unsustainable growth in the International Student Program in recent years.