Youth Ministry is More Than Future Fruit

1/12/2023

Why do we do children’s and youth ministry? Is it so that in 5-10 years’ time we can have faithful adult disciples of Jesus who can become children’s and youth ministry leaders?

This appears to be the argument put forward by this recent online article on the importance of gospel-centred youth ministry. While there is much to commend, the article left me feeling frustrated, not on what was said, but on what was missing and the attitude towards ministry to young people that it reveals.

First, let’s begin with the positive. There are a number of excellent principles put forward by the author about how to think about youth ministry.

The significance of youth discipleship beyond the Friday night, and beyond the Bible talk is a helpful reminder that discipleship requires walking beside young people, “When you sit at home and when you walk along the road” (Dt.6), or in the words of the author, “Around the snacks and in the carpark.” It also reminds us that we can extend our discipleship relationships beyond the Friday night, finding creative opportunities to engage with young people throughout the week. The importance of discipleship of the leaders reminds us that we need to be spiritually caring for the team that leads our young people, not just the young people. Finally, there is the encouragement to train up and equip young people for ministry within the group and amongst their peers.

With these positive principles being laid down, why did I finish the article feeling frustrated? Because, alongside this solid practical advice, there was a common attitude towards ministry to young people that undervalues and offsets the immediate benefits.

Far too often, I hear phrases that infer that the real value of children’s and youth ministry is either for the families it brings along to church, or because of the future Gospel growth that we will see.

“Effective Children’s Ministry is planting seeds.”

“Excellent Kids Programs bring families to church.”

“Gospel-centred Youth Ministry prepares teens for being part of the church.”

These statements reveal an attitude that children’s and youth ministry is instrumental or utilitarian. The value of faithful ministry lies beyond the actual children and teenagers themselves to either their parents attending “real” church, or to the future Christians that the young people are becoming. But does it?

This view seems to dismiss the real faith of young people now. Notice the future orientation in these comments (emphasis added).

“What’s it going to take to get someone like Jill from a current youth group attendee to a future youth group leader?”

“How does a kid in year 1 grow in their maturity in Christ so that when they are in their twenties they are a faithful committed Christian who can be trusted to lead and serve in formal or informal ministry?”

“It works towards them becoming an adult member of the church community.”

What is missing? A recognition that the value of faithful youth ministry helps teenage disciples of Jesus live as Christians right now. Children can and do have faith. Teenagers can be and are faithful, mature believers in Christ right now in their adolescence.

When Paul writes that the role of the church is to, “Present everyone mature in Christ,” it is a mistake to conflate spiritual maturity with age. In fact, Jesus tells us that children are examples to the rest of us, of what it looks like to belong to the Kingdom of Heaven. There is something about the humility and trust of a child-like faith that is a model to those of us who are adult Christians.

Children and teenagers are not worth discipling because of their future faith or future usefulness as leaders of the church. Children and teenagers are worth discipling because they are, or have the ability to be, Christ followers in their own right, right now. Young people can know, love and obey King Jesus in their childhood and adolescence. Child faith is real faith. Adolescents are not Christians-in-waiting. Their value, and hence the value of effective Gospel-centred youth and children’s ministry, is not in the future. It is right now.

Young people are not merely the church of tomorrow. They are part of the church of today.