Healthy Youth Ministry

Right now my house is filling up with High School girls for Pazookies.  My wife is serving these girls chocolate, ice cream & sugar for a celebratory study break during finals week.  It's a simple reminder to me of how healthy youth ministry really is simple.

1--Healthy Youth Ministry takes leaders meeting students where they are.

Students need to see adults entering their world.  Students need to be shown that adults really do have students best interest in mind & want to understand their world, needs & what matters to them.  Being accepted by students allows the message you carry to be received by students.  Risk failing & risk looking like a fool, students value authenticity.

2--Healthy Youth Ministry needs a little creativity shown to students.

Students love to be loved with something a little different.  A little bit of creativity shown to a student can go a long way.  A Birthday card in the mail 6 months before their birthday, a text message with a lame joke, or a study break with Pazookies.  

Creativity in the lives of students looks a lot like sincere care & appropriate affection for teens who are often starved of both.

3--Healthy Youth Ministry shows students that life with Jesus is worth it.

Words, actions, intentions & attitude are all watched & gauged by students.  They observe our lives through a magnifying glass to see if we'll really live out our faith or if its just verbiage we recite.