The Ministry Process

Over the past few years, my view of youth ministry has consistently and continually changed. We've made pretty big updates each year that have modified the feel and look of our weekly, Wednesday night programs - from changes to incorporate worship to splitting middle and high school groups, to numerous updates to the small group programoverall, these changes have worked well to move us more fully toward our vision: That students would See, Seek and Serve God. (that has to be a run-on sentence)

This year, we're adding another large tweak, but with one caveot: this change isn't easily seen. Instead of redeveloping programs, switching schedules or adding events, I'm attempting to redirect my ministry focus entirely. And it all comes down to three words: The Ministry Process.

This is something I've blogged about a little over the past few months, but it's still something I want to elaborate on as we move forward. Ministry is a process - a process of introducing broken, sinful humanity  to a glorious, sufficient Savior, and then helping, in community, to guide a transformation by the Spirit of God.

That process needs to be thought through. There's an effective way of doing discipleship, and there are very, very ineffective ways as well. In being entrusted with the spiritual growth and development of hearts, I want to be able to say we're more intentional about discipleship than just merely throwing gospel darts at an ambiguous target.

And so we're implementing an actionable, deliberate ministry process framework for the 2011-2012 school year: Plant, Root, Produce. You'll notice I've dropped those words in different blog posts - and I'll continue to do that. The notion of our process comes directly out of Matthew 13 and the parable of the sower. There is a process in ministry there - the seed is sowed, or planted, to a wide range of hearts. The seeds begin to grow in some hearts, and those are identified by those seeds taking deep root. Finally, true conversion is evidenced by an abundance of produce.

So too is a ministry process for HYPE - there will be events and activities throughout the year with the intent purpose of sowing the gospel to hearts that may or may not be receptive to the gospel. At Plant events, we're not afraid so much of the rejection of the gospel, more so the ignorance to the gospel.

There will also be focused Root events and programs throughout the year. The idea behind these program and events is to provide opportunity for the growing seed of the gospel to deeply root in the hearts of students. Identity is a main component of root level discipleship - identity as a son or daughter of God, and identity within the community of Christ. These events and programs will focus on these things, as well as Scripture and prayer.

And finally, there will be "Produce" level activities - areas of specific challenge to students we feel are evidencing the effects of life-changing grace.

This ministry process is a meta-framework to activities and events in HYPE Youth Ministries. It's a formulative, guiding process for thinking and planning events and the structure of the year. For instance, in thinking through a specific event, I might ask, "Is this Plant, Root or Produce level? Based on the level, who am I targeting? What's the teaching going to look like? The structure of the night? The take-away challenge?" Then, I can evaluate the ministry calendar based on the number of Plant, Root and Produce events and programs, to ensure that the year is effectively challenging different students at different levels.

I really want to stress that this ministry process is nothing more than a framework - it's certainly not a means to conversion or discipleship. That is only accomplished through the movement of the Holy Spirit. A process doesn't reduce my dependence on God's movement! But a process does help me evaluate my faithfulness to organizing and structuring an effective ministry. And only by God's grace...

Trek: Defined

Another definition piece! I'm excited - this is the last "meta-program" that we'll be looking at in this series of 'what's-what' at HYPE Youth Ministries, and from here, we'll begin to look at some other aspects of our ministry; we'll especially be looking at some of the changes in the upcoming year.

Trek is very similar to Core, at least in it's intention. Where Core exists to develop depth-level accountability and discipleship primarily in high school students, Trek serves the middle school students. This is a Root level program.

Trek is an AWANA extension for Junior High students, targeting 7th and 8th grade students with Scripture memorization, life lessons and other activities. The usual implementation would be in a youth group setting, with games, handbook time, a teaching time, and other activities.

In HYPE YM, we've chosen a different implementation. Although CrossOver targets 6-8th grade students, we generally reserve Trek for the 7th and 8th graders. We meet on Monday evenings, at the church, during the regular AWANA time. For the first hour and a half of AWANA, Trek students are used as volunteers for the younger kids. They serve in the game times, in the Cubbies, and during handbook time. Near the end of the evening, we break away for an hour to do Trek-specific work. Our emphasis has been on teaching and community, while also spending some time working on our handbooks, too.

This year will be the third year of Trek, and I'm more excited than ever. I think we'll have a strong number of returning students - with weekly attendance hovering around ten. That mean ten middle school students who have committed to memorizing, learning and reciting Scripture, and then serving on a weekly basis. That's pretty awesome.

The implementation will be firmed up this year as well, with a more pragmatic and intentional placement of students in service roles. I want to see students serving more hands-on with the younger kids, helping at handbook time and during the lesson time.

Overall, Trek serves to give the AWANA program valuable volunteers, while creating an environment of service and study for Middle School students.