Rise to the Challenge

There's no doubt that Student Ministry can be challenging at times. It will challenge your body with lack of sleep, it will challenge your self-esteem with comments about how "uncool" you can be from time to time, and it will challenge your intellect and your spirit with big questions about a life lived wholeheartedly for Jesus.

I had an interesting conversation with one of our team last night about this very idea. She was feeling challenged by the Senior Girls in her Connect Group. They are dealing with all the serious issues of life and carrying around some baggage from decisions they have made as well as from decisions others around them have made. As they fight through it all, they are responding with strength and grace as they trust God to walk them through. All this resulted in this member of our team asking the question, "How do I rise to the challenge when they are challenging me so much? And what do I say to help them when I don't seem to have the answers?"

Those questions reminded me of a big idea for Student Ministry.

Student Ministry is primarily about modeling.

My sermons aren't what they remember (shocking, I know) and your devos aren't necessarily what they remember (though I know they are full of earth shattering revelation). They remember your life. They remember sitting around coffee shops talking about Jesus. They remember the crazy, fun things you guys all did together and then told them, "Don't tell Pastor Brent how crazy that was!" They remember watching you live your life wholeheartedly for God. That means you don't have to worry about being intellectually deep and insightful every moment you are with them. Don't misunderstand. You do need to be ready to have some of the answers, you do need to be consistent in your quiet time so you can talk big ideas with them from a Biblical worldview, and you do need to work through those big conversations about life when they arise.

But, more than that, you need to show them how to live strong for Jesus in every area of life every day. They'll remember that more than anything. So let me recommend a few things as you journey through your ministry today.

Challenge them to fast regularly with you.

Challenge them to read through a book of the Bible with you.

Challenge them to pray every day.

Challenge them to worship with you during services.

Challenge them to write down a Life Mission Statement and share it together.

Challenge them to read a great book with you.

Challenge them to chuck the cell phone, ipod, computer, and TV for a weekend

Challenge them to adopt a child from Compassion International.

Challenge them to research and pray for a specific country this month. 

Challenges like these don't require you any prep time and they don't require you to have the answers.

They require you to do them yourself, stay disciplined, hold one another accountable, and share what God is doing as you do them together.

Don't fall into the trap of being the "all-knowing Youth Leader". That's too much pressure. Challenge them to genuinely live their lives for Jesus like you live your life for Him. You'll find that both you and the students you lead will rise to the challenges together. And God will do some great things.

Thank you for what you do.

Brent