Six Principles of Youth Ministry

«What does your church do for teenagers and high school students?» a pastor asked me recently.

I don’t consider myself an expert in youth ministry, but I do believe that there is a certain amount of flexibility in the program. Do you have weekly meetings? For whom? What is their content? Do you have special projects or trips? I leave these things to you.

But there are a few biblical principles, which should be followed under all circumstances. And, it seems to me, many youth ministries ignore them.

1. Whatever you do, keep a clear line between church and world.Jesus, Paul, Peter, and other apostles insist on the need for a clear separation between church and world —whether a person is 14 years old or 84 (see Matt. 18:15–20; 2 Cor. 6:14–7:1; 1 Pet. 2:9–12). This is very unmodern! But just as God in the Old Testament was deeply interested in those who bear His Name (Ezek. 36:20–27, 36), so Jesus in the New Testament cares for those who publicly identify themselves with His Name (Matt. 18:20; 28:19; cf. 1 Cor. 5:4).

   The temptation of youth ministry, if I may put it that way, is blur this line. You have a mix of «churched» teens and «unchurched» teens. Some consider themselves Christians, some don’t. But who among us can say for sure which is true, right? That’s the thing, and that’s why some churches deliberately refrain from baptizing teens—and that might be an option you should consider. But whether you support that position or not, make sure your words, programs, and methods help young people realize this simple truth: «"There is the Church and there is the world. And that's it"».

   The greatest act of love for teenagers is to help them see that the most important decision of their lives is to determine which side of that line they stand on. Who are you with—Christ or the world?

   And that is why you should not treat youth ministry as a separate «wing» of the church, where the general rules, expectations, and requirements of membership do not apply. On the contrary…

2. If you do baptize teenagers, treat them like adults.Again, I'm not advocating for teenagers to be baptized. I'm not sure it's always appropriate. But if you do, and many of you do, then you have a responsibility. treat them as adult Christians. They are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19), and therefore bear responsibility with the entire church for the reputation of God’s family (Matt. 18:20; 1 Cor. 5:4–5). They are part of the body of Christ and are to be involved in the care of that body (1 Cor. 12:21–26; cf. 2 Cor. 2:6).

   They should have the right to vote at the membership meetings. They should be subject to church discipline if they get involved in partying and start living in unrepentant sin. They should attend the main church service, pray for the church, reconcile with those with whom they have a conflict before partaking of the Lord’s Supper. They should be under the care of the pastors of the church. And so on.

   Ultimately, the requirement of full responsibility for membership is really a requirement for the very foundation of Christian living. Jesus expects all of His sheep to care for the good name of God's family, to watch over one another, to build one another up in love, to pursue peace. You don't want to teach the youth the opposite by practicing the opposite.

   Baptism of a teenager in church is a recognition of church authority over his confession of faith., which even the father or mother does not have. Of course, ministers should always involve the parents in the spiritual care of the child. But ultimately it is the church, not the parents, that makes the decision about membership or loss, because it is to the church that Jesus gave «"keys of the Kingdom"» (Matt. 16:18–19), not to parents.

   Does this mean that we should carefully weigh the decision before baptizing teenagers? Yes!

3. Baptized or not, integrate teenagers into the multifaceted life of the church.Western businesses and media spend billions of dollars every year marketing to young people, teaching them to consumer thinking: «Hey, you can have whatever you want, on your terms—and right away.» Because of this, today’s youth come to church not with the expectation of entering the adult world (as they did a hundred years ago), but with the desire to simply «hang out» with those who are like them—with their peers.

   I urge you be very careful about trying to please these instincts in youth ministry. After all, consumerism is at odds with growth in sacrifice. Whatever your programs, remember: genuine discipleship is best formed when young people immerse themselves in the chronologically rich life of the church. They need to see how the entire body of Christ functions together to understand what Christianity is all about. Younger ones are to learn from the older ones, and older ones are to instruct the younger ones (1 Tim. 5:1; Titus 2:2–6; 1 Pet. 5:5).

   The path of Christianity is the unity of elders and younger ones in the Body of Christ. And if you want young people to follow this path, show them this path.

4. Equip parents to minister to their children.The Bible lays down responsibility for raising children lies with parents, not youth pastors (see Eph. 4:11; 6:4). I am not saying that we should abandon youth ministers. But if you are a youth pastor, make sure that your work and programs do not give Christian parents a convenient reason to neglect their duty, but on the contrary, they help them obey God's Word.
5. Take advantage of the evangelistic opportunity of this age.As one of the pastors, I read all the membership applications for our church—and therefore all the testimonies of people who join us. (It’s a real joy to my soul!) What particularly catches my eye— How many people became believers in middle or high school?. And this applies to both children from Christian families and those who grew up without faith. This period is extremely favorable for evangelism.

   What should this look like from a programming perspective? I don't know. But do something!

6. Whatever you do from an organizational standpoint, do not let human plans interfere with biblical goals. On the contrary, promote them.Make sure your programs or groups do not disconnect youth from church life, and do not blur the line between the Church and the world. Your goal is for them to be mentored by adult church members, not just peers.

   I'm not sure how this all works out in practice (did I say that already?), but I think there's room for honest «"brainstorming"». Why do you think so many parents watch their «Christian» children go to college and leave the faith? In my opinion, it is often the result of two failures: failure in discipleship and failure in a wise structural approach to matters of baptism, membership, and discipline.

   So how can we simultaneously draw a clear line between the Church and the world in the lives of church youth and help them carry the Gospel into this world?

   Share your ideas!