transformational youth ministry model workshop notes

8/7/2019 Transformational Youth Ministry Model Workshop Notes

1/10

What are some traditional small group ministries that have existed in

our churches through the decades?

Based on the conversations we have been having yesterday and today,

how do those ministries connect to the generational reality of manyyoung adults today? [Take a specific one]

I am worried my generation. Brother all my friends (not in

seminary)

Reality

o Conservative estimates for sda dropout 45-50%

Factor in the ones that walked away and didnt turn

in surveys. 55%o Barna 61%

o Baptist church - 70%

We are good at setting up programs but we need to be more

intentional in setting up relationships that will help to take

people on the next part of their journey

o It is very difficult to separate a deepening faith from

deepening relationships

o One of the reasons youth walk away is because their

relationships are stronger outside the church than inside The relationships outside the church tend to be

more affirming and accepting than those inside the

church.

Been talking Characteristics Main ones

o Seek home community be valued member of

o Seek authenticity in their lives and others

o Seek authentic spirituality

Their interest is of the quality of the known andunknown spirituality

Much like Acts 17 Athens Altar to an Unknown

God


2/10

There is a spiritual bone in their body, and they

are looking

In the next talk about model for ministry that potential

b/c Keys in - core values

o A radically different model of small groupo As a church, we are traditionally an information based

movement.

When we think about the concept of small groups,

we think an informational small group

Come to a bible study and learn

What is radical is that we package small groups

around relationship

3 different approaches to Youth ministry

consumer

o producing and delivering content that will catch the

attention of people

informational

transformational

o this model is not totally separate from the other two, but

it does stand alone because of the harder task of

mentorship sometimes will include programs, sometimes will

include instruction.


3/10

Consumer Informational transformational

Faith is good Faith isconforming, Godis truth

Faith isrelationship

God is Love

leadership program director instructor spiritual guide

volunteers chaperones Classroom aids Mentors

Practices Events,programming,activities

Activities,learning, study

Activities,relationships (Godand people)

teaching values religious info,indoctrination,lifestyle

Christian Living

Youth Religious

consumers

Potential

institutionalmembers

Developing a

spiritual way of life

Constituency Parent andchurch

Religiousinstitution

Church as acommunity

A model for Growth Group based on Authenticity, Belonging,

Discipleship

A word about models

o [Building blocks example with model car]


4/10

A Transformational model for a spiritual growth group

Format

o Section A

Transition exercises (activity)

History giving/sharing stories. Letting peopleknow who we are

As group progresses sharing spiritual

journey

Vary group sizes during sharing time

2s, 4s, 8s method

o Section B

Christian Personal growth section

Great way to start - Devotional habits

taught in the middle section of the 3 step

process

heart of the model

it isnt a bible study, the bible work

comes in the next section

the middle time is the greatest time for a

pastor to truly minister

divided into time for review of previous

teaching and modeling of devotional habits.Then its time for teaching and modeling the

next new one

A word about Devotional Habits

Two areas of Habits

disengagment

o solitude

jesus was a master of this,

spending late nights with the

father


5/10

o unplugging

teaching people how to have

space in the day where one

gets away from the media

engagmento reflective bible reading

this isnt study, this is

devotional time

o praise

Praise for who God versus

thankfulness for what hes

done

o journaling/writing songs/poetry

o prayer as a conversation

o Section C

Scripture Discussion/Assignment

based on devotional habit

7 verses (1 verse per day)

talk through the 7 verses or assign the 7

verses

Conversational prayer

Short sentences personal life pray foreach other

o Go home


6/10

[Video]


7/10

Ideas for Forming the Group The 1st group should be hand picked

o Characteristics of members

That they can talk to other people interpersonal

skills

Who seem to have at least a glimmer of a heart for

God

o Ideal group number of 8

Shakedown period for 2 weeks

o Telling Y.A. that youre about to start a radically different

small group. Come and check it out

o Giving them a way to be committed with out being

committed

o They need to have a non-embarrassing option for exit.

After the first 2 weeks, it becomes a Closed(open) group

o Creating an ideal environment, like a greenhouse, that

protects, but lets the light in for growth

o In the 1st few weeks, you want to create an idealenvironment for spiritual growth

o In this model we advocate that for a small group to

develop, become, and remain community it needs to

be a closed/open group

Community built around openness and honesty

Openness & honesty only occur when trust has

been developed

All this leads to authenticity


8/10

o In a small group setting it takes about 4 weeks, using

the trust cycle, to build trust among group participants

4 levels of relationship it seems simple, but without

critically thinking about it, one never realizes why

churches never reach the 4th level fellowship

mixing and mingling

friendship

what is the difference between fellowship

and friendship?

o Can one have fellowship without

friendship? Yes

o Can one have friendship without

fellowship? No

Bonding

Whats the difference between a friend and

a bonded friend? Intimacy, trust

o Can one have friendship without

bonding? Yes

o Can one have bonding without

friendship? No

Community This is more than just the common usage of

the term we throw around: I live in the

community of Berrien. Or Berrien Springs

Community church.

o Can one have bonding without

community? Yes

o Can one have Community without

Bonding? No

What happened in Acts 2 is that the diciples

merely replicated what jesus did with them. Jesus

had a relationship with the 12 on the level of

community. Not just fellowship, friendship, and

bonding.


9/10

What is Gods dream for the restoration of

our relationships? That we be one.

o In terms of community

o In community we learn more from

each othero

o If new members are introduced during this time, trust

levels regress and have to be rebuilt. If this continues to

occur, the group will remain superficial

o Trust being the key ingredient

1st week, is forming. Spills into week 2. By week 4

the group starts to trust each other. And it

becomes deeper than just superficial

if new people come in at this point, the trust level

of the group goes back to about week 2.

Contract

o Then set up a contract period

2 components to the verbal contract

10 weeks, once a week

that means, the 1st 2 weeks have to be

good

time length of meeting. Group decides. Be

Firm on the times, in and out.

Commitment

Ill be here unless Im on my death bed

sick or accident

Reading

I will do my devotional reading

Confidentiality

o Theres a psychological advantage to the closed group:

just like nightclubs with a bouncer


10/10

transformational youth ministry model workshop notes

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