Dave Livermore and Steve Argue from Intersect have kindly allowed me to reproduce this article. I hope you find it thought-provoking and helpful as you reflect on the kind of youth ministry you want to develop to serve your young people.
Should the 'youth' in our youth ministry be our primary focus? Wherever we go these days, we're introduced as guys who really have a heart for today's generation of young people. And of course we do. We love teenagers, are quick to defend them, and are passionate about understanding them. But we think the 'ministry' side of youth ministry is sometimes unrecognizable in the shadow of the 'youth' side.
Ask the kids we work with—we're not total killjoys. We love a good time and a good laugh. But what does it mean to authentically demonstrate the love and mission of God to the 'people group' he's entrusted to our care? What do they see valued as they watch the things we prioritize?
Let's take the 'youth' out of youth ministry for a moment. Ministry is the biblical description for what we do—we're ministers who happen to be called to youth. Consider Paul's ministry imperatives to young Timothy (2 Timothy 2):
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