Simple is Good:
There are a lot of ways to get involved with kids. Many people join an
already existing youth group. Some people start a new group, but I think
most people try to make it more complicated than it has to be. I believe
that simple is GOOD. Whatever is simple for you! The important thing is
not how you get involved. It's just getting involved. I don't think that
you need to go to the other side of the planet looking for a kid to help,
when the kid next door is hungry. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that
you should not go. I'm just saying, why go? Unless, God told you to go.
Never look around and say, their youth group is bigger than mine.
Your youth group is yours and as long as you are doing what God told you
to do, don't even think about what someone else is doing. It is far better
to be in the ball game, even a little, than not to play at all.
Working with an existing group:
Working with an existing group is very good. It's a good way to get your
feet wet. You will learn a lot about the responsibility and hard work that
is involved. You will experience the frustration of trying to lead a group
when none of your good helpers show up, but the trouble makers do.
Creating your own group or club:
When you are on your own, you will face the reality of having to come up
with activities and events that keep interest high. Keeping the kids interested
is very important. When the kids stop having fun, they will stop coming.
But you say that you should not have to be an entertainer, the Word should
be all that you need to give them. The kids should sit there and let you
teach. Well that sounds good, but the truth is that you're dealing with
unsaved kids that have no interest in the Word. And, the only way to get
the Word in them is to cover the Good News with something they like better.
After a while they will start to receive what you have for them, but they
will not receive unless you make it fun.
And it is also very important that you work with the kinds of kids
that you feel comfortable with, and they feel comfortable with you! They
know when they are pushing your buttons! If you do not like working with
a particular kind of kid, DON'T!
This brings us to having something fresh and fun to do all the time,
every week. There are several ways to attacking this problem, and they
all depend on the kind of youth work you are doing.
One on one. There are lots of wonderful one on one ministries that a
person can do. I keep coming back to the desperate need of unmarried moms
with kids. They have no one to help them. Their kids spend a lot of time
by themselves, with nothing to do, and they just get into trouble. There
is a tremendous ministry in picking up kids from school and helping them
with their homework until mom gets home from work. I'm not talking about
baby sitting. I'm talking about real help and ministry. To that end we
freely offer all of the educational and counseling materials that are at
this site to help you. You may also wish to read in our "Ponder me this"
section an article called "Will our kids, have jobs?" Don't be afraid to
try new things with the kids, take a cyber trip to the zoo or the Library
of Congress. You can access the latest pictures from outer space through
some of the N.A.S.A. sites that we have here, and you can go into outer
space at space camp. All of this is FREE! It's all here, and easy to find,
so Please use it!
Clubs:
To those of you with special skills like sewing, or carpentry, or car repair,
and many other skills, you may wish to start a club. Clubs do not have
to belong to a church but they can. Belonging to a church can make it easier
to get help. You might try a movie making club, there are
so many camcorders around. Use the basis of your skills to teach your
skills, and put God in the center of your skill and your love. It is not
important what you teach or do, it's just important that you teach, and
give God the credit.
I am really struck by the lack of training that parents give their kids
now a days. When I was a kid, parents taught their kids all kinds of things
from sewing and cooking to car repair, and house building. Mentoring is
very important to any society. Another nice thing about small clubs is
that everyone can go places in a van. You don't need to rent a bus, expenses
are low and most people feel more comfortable working with topics they
know in small groups.
Youth groups:
Whether you start a new group or join an existing one, youth groups provide
interaction, and social skills. They teach people how to get along. This,
in my opinion, is the hardest form of a youth ministry. And perhaps the
most rewarding, only because you can impact so many lives at a time. It
is also the most stressful. Keeping good help is as difficult as keeping
the kids from fighting and bickering. When you join a group make a commitment
to be a good participant and mentor. What youth leaders need are good honest
helpers that are willing to follow their plan and support them. Disagreements
between the youth leaders need to be worked out at a time when they are
away from the kids. Activities should vary a lot. Try some of these ideas:
occasionally mix in a serious activity like Hospital out reach, Family
support activities like one on one help with home work after school, and
community service activities between the fun activities. Kids need a sense
of community.
Performers:
Performers are the roustabouts of youth ministry. They fill in, and provide
a break for the youth leader, and often approach problems from a new angle.
Clowning, puppets, ventriloquism, gospel magic, and many other art forms
can all give new spark to a tired ministry or group. They require dedication
and training, and like everything, some money. Performers are not appreciated
in some churches, and that is a shame! Some performers are looked down
on and ridiculed. Clowns are some of the most misunderstood performers
around. Some people think that a clown is a fool, and that can not be farther
from the truth. Clowns are some of the most big hearted, talented, versatile,
and easy to get along with people you can find. Christian clowns often
work for free or very little money even when they have substantial expenses.
Clown shoes can cost $275.00. Their costumes can run from $200.00
to $1500.00, no problem. Their makeup is not very expensive, but takes
a good hour to put on, and about 20 minutes to get off. Props and tricks
can run from $20.00 to hundreds of dollars. You would not believe how much
some of the simplest things cost. Balloons can cost from about $6.00 to
$16.00 a gross (144 balloons), and then there is the time that is spent
in training and practice. The 2-3 hours getting ready to go do a show,
and the 2 hours unloading and getting cleaned up after the show. And yet they suffer ridicule
and jokes to bring the message of Christ to kids. I have seen clown church
services that hardly left a dry eye in the house. This is a shame, performers can be a great resource if used correctly.
Summary:
Each person needs to find his or her own field or area of interest. Remember,
what you do is not as important as how you do it, and doing it is more
important than not!