As a youth pastor I can't tell you enough how important it is to our youth ministry at NHC to have adults investing into the lives of teenagers. I learned long ago that is was stupid of me to try to do youth ministry alone. As a matter of fact all ministry should be done together. Part of discipleship and growing in our faith is to use our SHAPE to serve Jesus Christ and his church. There is no possible way a youth pastor can adequately minister to more than a handful of students on his own.
We should always bring other believers along with us as we minister. The result of years of poor teaching in the church has led many believers to understand the word, "minister", as the paid staff. Fact is every believer is to be a minister and actively involved in ministry in his or her local church. A believer who isn't actively serving is spiritually unhealthy just as a believer who isn't spending time alone with God or not sharing their faith.
Cruise around to different youth ministries and you will see adults helping in many youth groups. Some adults are chaperones and others are ministers. The difference? Glad you asked. Here are seven I can think of off the top of my head:
Chaperones sit around the edge - Ministers sit right in the middle of students
Chaperones stand around and talk with other adults - Ministers stand around talking with students
Chaperones help when it is convenient - Ministers have a desire to serve however they can
Chaperones keep their distance - Ministers dig right into the middle of student's lives
Chaperones are the rule enforcers - Ministers are relationship builders
Chaperones don't "get involved" - Ministers keep up with students outside of the youth group setting
Chaperones help out of sense of duty - Ministers help because that is how God has SHAPEd them
Do you have any to add?
20 comments:
Chaperones stand in the back of the room, talking with one another while their students are supposed to be singing/listening/etc.
Nothing frustrates me more as a worship leader at a youth event than seeing the adults disengage with what's happening on stage...yet we expect the kids to be involved?
Chaperones either aren't happy with or hate youth culture. . .Ministers find ways to use youth culture to reach students.
Chaperones don't plan or prepare; they just show up. . .Ministers are strategically intentional.
Chaperones read the King James to youth. . .Ministers use the NLT (or other easier to understand translations).
Chaperones are indifferent about their relationship with Christ. . .Ministers know that building up their relationship with Christ makes ministering to others possible.
Chaperones are annoyed when youth get rowdy. . .Ministers know that's just kids being kids (but every so often they need the "smack-down"!).
Chaperones are more interested in being loved. . .Ministers are more interested in giving love.
Chaperones are involved when they "have to be". . .Ministers are involved because they want to be.
All the other ones I thought of just sounded like echoes of what you already said.
I'm sorry, this comment is unrelated to your post. OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations on your babies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been sick and haven't been reading the blogs I follow. Imagine my surprise when I was getting caught up with yours today.
They are absolutely gorgeous. Your wife is BEAMING and glowing and you look as proud as you can be! How's Big Brother doing? I have goosebumps over here, I tell ya!
As a Mom in the process of adoption, I know how very much these babies were not only wanted but loved by you long before you held them in your arms. Congratulations again. I will be praying for your family's transition, good health, and God's abundant Grace to be apparent every. single. day.
@lee - Thanks a bunch!
Chaperones need to be trained and challenged to become ministers (if youth ministry is their calling).
Chaperones are allowed to be because of a lack of leadership.
Chaperones probably wish there was more to what they are doing, but haven't been empowered to do it.
(sorry, double posted)
I agree with what Rick said.
Sadly some people don't want there to be "more to it" and I guess I was seeing that as the difference between a chaperone and a minister.
SHAPE will quickly help chaperones discover if they are ministers to students or not.
Sadly most churches do Zero in the way of training and equipping.
Andy, Please ignore the email I sent you that said I would transport/chaperone for the Destination Unknown trip. I'll happily minister that night.
:)
Sometimes, we use words without really thinking about the semantics and nuances that they have. I'm all about the ministering, but still often refer to myself as a 'chaperone'.
@Bonnie- you would be one of the folks I point out as a minister. You get it! And what better way to minister to students than to play Farkle with them?
That explains why Bonnie's always talking about "chaperoning" the keyboard on Sunday...
There was a comment about different, more easier translations being read to the youth. We have a very strong and active youth ministry in our church and only in the last year or so started making the change from KJV exclusivity. Most of the youth still prefer KJV.
The version of bible you use is not the point I'm trying to make. The point is meet them were they are at and then challenge them to a higher standard/level of understanding.
This is not coming out as clearly as I want but hopefully you get what I'm trying to say.
@ Michelle. . .sorry, I totally miscommunicated what I meant with the KJV comment; in fact, looking over my comment I think a few of mine are poorly communicated.
I need to work on that.
No offence taken, I think there are just too many church splits in my country over translations and so I tend to notice when bible versions are mentioned.
:)
I just try to stick with reading the Greek and Hebrew. ;)
You d'man for that Andy!
Just wish I really could. I'm glad someone else has done it for me :)
I'm glad that someone has done it for me to.
My hubby on the other hand can read the greek to a large extent.
I love being lazy and just asking him what words mean.
It takes a geek to read the Greek.
Post a Comment