I’m planning on producing a youth ministry training paper most Wednesday’s throughout the year. These papers will be discussed at our Soulies weekly leaders meeting. Anyone is welcome to interact in the comments. Click here to access archive.
The Christian youth leader can have an endless number of roles in the life of young punks. Friend, encourager, example, skateboard instructor, Bible teacher, prayer partner, motivator, maths tutor, mentor, guitar teacher. I’m sure there’s more! That’s cool. What an exciting thing to be involved in so many different ways in young lives! But among the many things a youth leader can do, what should be their primary responsibility?
What is the primary role of a youth leader?
This paper will argue that fundamental to the role of youth leadership is making disciples who will then go on to make disciples. The Great Commission is a key text in this regard: “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”” (Mat 28:18-20 NIV)
Disciples are to be made “of all nations” with an agenda of “teaching them to obey” Jesus. This is the pattern “to the very end of the age”. According to Marshall & Payne, “The commission is not fundamentally about mission out there somewhere else in another country. It’s a commission that makes disciple-making the normal agenda and priority of every church and every Christian disciple.” (The Trellis & the Vine, p.13)
Disciples making disciples is the bread and butter of Christian life and ministry. It is therefore the foundation of Biblical youth ministry. Discipleship doesn’t just include work with Christian young people, but it includes getting them (evangelism) and then growing them (edification).
As you think about your primary role as a youth leader, the expectation is that you will be part of that ongoing process of disciples making disciples. It looks like this: Disciples (youth leader) making disciples (Christian young punk) making disciples (not yet Christian young punk). And so on.
What is the goal of Christian ministry according to these verses?
- Colossians 1:28-29
- Ephesians 4:11-16
What do we learn about Paul’s discipleship ministry in Thessalonica?
- 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16
It is interesting to note the repeated phrase “you know” in 1 Thess 2. The believers in Thessalonica knew about Paul because they knew Paul. As Paul shared the gospel with them, he shared his very life because they had become dear to him (1 Thess 2:8). The key discipleship tool in Paul’s belt is “the word of God”. They heard it from Paul (Silas and Timothy) but they received it as the very word of God, and it is that word that is now at work in them (1 Thess 2:13).
Why spend a whole paper talking about something that might seem obvious? Because it’s easy to forget the main game! We need to keep reminding each other of our primary role as youth leaders. It’s not entertainment. It’s not running games. It’s not being popular. It’s about disciples making disciples. We share our lives, we share the gospel of Jesus’ death & resurrection and we let God’s word do its work in young lives.
At its heart, youth ministry is quite simple. We want to see disciples making disciples.
At Soulies, we want to see these disciples growing in their: Love for Jesus; Love for Jesus’ People; and Love for Jesus’ World.
KEEP IT REAL
How does this help you to think about your role as a youth leader? How does this help you think about the program we run? How does this help you think about your own discipleship? How can you be more deliberate in building disciples who make disciples?
Dave,
As a Youth Pastor I have been thinking a lot about this “primary role” idea lately. My conviction is that “disciples making disciples” is paramount, and when this is our focus as a ministry then other things will fall into place. It can be one of things you do, or the one thing that influences everything you do! For example when young people share their faith, they are drawn to scripture because they feel ill equipped, or a deeper prayer life, or passionate thanksgiving to God because someone got saved. However when Youth Ministry focuses on “community” or “fellowship” as the main objective, it is often at the expense of “evangelism”. Good word, thanks for the insights.
Andrew Edmonds
hey andrew.
thanks for the comment.
and when this is our focus as a ministry then other things will fall into place.
i think you’re right. that’s not to say we don’t work hard on those other things, we should. but we major on the majors, before we major on the minors.
It can be one of things you do, or the one thing that influences everything you do!
good quote!! i like.. if and when this paper gets edited, that quote might come in handy!!