Subscribe to the NetworkGUEST POST: Remember Who
Now I just want to say right off the bat, I am no experienced veteran in ministry. I am a rookie when it comes to leading a ministry, but I have been hanging out and leading small group with students for 7 years. This summer was my first experience (did I mention it was a great experience?) at running a Junior High Youth Group. In that time I learned something huge, something that I as a leader will never forget, which even the most experienced leaders forget at times because speaking has become such a routine for them.
What I learned were two major things:
Remember Who You Are Talking To
Whether you are talking to junior high students or high school students, it is important to remember that they are… students. As a speaker, at least for the younger ones, I think we try to go all out and use the big words, Greek and Hebrew definitions, use the “Christianize” language to try to impress them to think we know what we are talking about. Something all youth leaders know is that students are the best “Fake Detectors” out there. You do not need to pretend to be a Dallas Willard or Brian McLaren on stage. What you do need to remember is that because you are the group’s leader, because you hang out with the students after service, at their school, and are just apart of their lives, they will listen to what you have to say (for the most part). Try to put your personality into your message so it is you up there, not a full on Bible Scholar trying to teach a Graduate School Lecture.Also, we need to remember who you are talking to and not try to, for lack of a better phrase, “dumb it down.” Especially when it comes to junior high students, they are not dumb at all. They really want the real Bible stories; they left all the kid stuff back in the children’s ministries. We need to not forget that we need “speak the truth in love” as it is said. There are many stories in the Bible, which have to deal with real people, real controversy, and real sin. Students can handle a deep message, they want it. Even though junior highers don’t always seem like they are following along, they are. We need to be real and up front with them about what is in the Bible because it is the Sword of the Spirit and our main offensive against Satan.
We need to remember whom we are talking to. They are students who, for the most part, want to hear what you have to say.
Remember Who We Are Talking About-
Remember we are talking about the God of the universe, the God of all creation, the God of Everything. I think sometimes we can get caught up in just writing a message, but it is much bigger than that. You are telling students about the Almighty Father in Heaven. I think we just need to take a step back sometimes and think about that because with that in mind, you can create a message with the full intent of speaking to the students about God, and who He really is and is capable of.
Hope this is helpful to someone. It was helpful to me.
Justin Knowles is the interim jr high pastor at Pomona FBC in Pomona, CA. Check out his Twitter at twitter.com/jknowles07.
