Informal and Formal Ministry Training
In my previous post I wrote about equipping students to serve and getting them connected in a ministry. There are two routes you can take Informal and Formal ministry training. Whichever way you choose step 1 needs to be to identify ministries within the church where students can serve. After equipping students they may even discover or start new ministries within the church.
Informal
- Teach regularly about ministry, SHAPE. At least on an annual basis.
- Create one time ministry opportunities to give students a snap shot of serving the church.
- Have conversations with students specifically about serving.
- Equip your youth ministry volunteers to have conversations that help lead students to discover their spiritual gift.
- Point out to students when you notice their spiritual gift at work in their life as they serve.
- Assist students in connecting on an existing ministry team within the church.
Formal
- A process designed to train, equip and connect students in ministry.
- A training class, one day retreat, training camp, weekly training for a set period of time.
- A plan to teach students about spiritual gifts, passions, abilities, personality can be used in ministry then a process to connect them into ministry.
- A ministry mentor who comes along side of the student to help them discover a ministry to serve in.
- Regularly scheduled meetings for students who serve to debrief and evaluate their ministry.
In the past we have been more informal with teaching SHAPE on a regular basis and connecting students with ministry teams within our church. In January we will start a more formal approach and also heading into the direction of student-led ministry. Teenager can do more than we think. In fact our children's ministry would be understaffed if it were not for our teens serving.
Teenagers need to be given responsibility in ministry so that when they graduate from high school they will continue on in their adult year to be connected and serving in a local church.
I would suggest the following resources:
The Equipping Church - Mallory; Zondervan
Ministry by Teenagers - McKee & Smith; Zondervan
http://www.leadertreks.org/store/student-led-ministry-kit/
http://www.leadertreks.org/store/student-leaders-start-here/
http://www.downloadyouthministry.com/shop/student-leadership
http://www.simplyyouthministry.com/resources-books-for-students-help--i-m-a-student-leader.html
