Getting personal

What makes for an effective ministry to teens?

Powerful worship?

Relevant classes?

Great trips?

A good youth minister?

While all of these are important, I think there is one thing that is more valuable than almost everything else.

Small groups are, I believe, the most important part of an effective ministry to students. Do you need other events and activities? Yes. But will any of the others have the same ongoing impact? Doubtful.

If you are in a church with a youth group smaller than a dozen or so students, you already know this. In most churches that size, you don't have a full-time youth minister and likely have few activities for your students. And many times you don't have the budget to do very much. But if you have adults who love students and spend time with them, you have seen the benefit of small groups.

I work with a church where we have over 1,000 members and nearly a hundred students. Our budget is thousands of dollars. We have a large youth area with a sound system, projection, lighting, and a stage. I don't say any of this to brag. As a matter of fact, sometimes all of this can get in the way of spiritual growth.

I tell you all this to tell you that the most powerful part of our ministry doesn't use a large youth room. It isn't dependent on how many students show up for a Wednesday night worship time. It doesn't even really matter if I am there. This part of our ministry depends on a group of volunteers who give up every Sunday night to spend time with a group of less than a dozen students.

Our small groups are where students get connected. It's where they are known. It's where they are able to discuss what it means to be a teenager and a follower of Jesus.

For many students, their small group leader is their youth minister. This is the person they share an hour with every week. This is the adult who makes a connection with them.

I have seen small group leaders at a student's sporting event or extra-curricular activity. I know small group leaders email and call the students in their groups. Small group leaders host sleepovers and movie nights. There are even times students will contact their small group leader before me if they have an issue in their lives.

Am I offended? No.

Am I concerned about eliminating my job? No.

Am I excited? Absolutely!

In a church our size, it is impossible for one person to connect with dozens of students. But it is possible for an adult to connect with less than ten students.

That is the beauty of small groups. It creates smaller communities within the community of faith that is Rochester Church. It provides a venue when students can share something they would never share in a class of 40 students. It is a place to know and be known.

No matter how big or small your church is, you should be doing small groups. You may only have enough students for one group. But you still need to create a time and space - separate from "Bible class" - where students can connect.

One word of advice. There is no set way to do small groups, but I am convinced that there is value in single gender small groups for teens. My experience has been that there is much more openness and transparency when boys and girls are in separate groups.

If you aren't doing small groups, start them. If you need help, there are plenty of resources. I know that in the last two years, small groups have been more of a blessing to our ministry than just about anything else we have done. Let them be a blessing to yours as well.

shine!
Jason