This week, we are looking at potential ways for responding to that one student who wants to know how they can serve in fulltime ministry.
SHARE YOUR STORY
After you have heard their story and celebrated their decision, take a little time to talk about your own journey into ministry. Your path probably won’t look the same as theirs, but there will most likely be useful principles you can pass along. Also, sharing your story is a great way to deepen your relationship…a relationship they are likely to count on during this season of ministry experimentation. Be sure to recall all the hopes and fears you felt along the way.
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The ParentLink: Helping you Connect with Families in Your Youth Ministry
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GO BENEATH THE SURFACE
When a student shares something serious like this, you have an excellent opportunity to dig a little deeper to discover more of what’s prompting these decisions and questions. Most students can barely look past next week, let alone think about life beyond high school and college. Before you launch into your career counseling advice speech, take some time to really listen to his/her story.
Find out the “why” he/she is considering ministry. Listen for motive. Discover what prompted them to start thinking about their future. Work hard to uncover their expectations and misconceptions about serving in ministry. This will give you great teaching opportunities as you both progress in your relational.
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The ParentLink: Helping you Connect with Families in Your Youth Ministry
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Great youth ministry capitalizes on key moments in a student’s life. When he/she is thinking about their future, it’s a wonderful opportunity to make an impact below surface.
DISPEL THE BIG MYTH ABOUT MINISTRY
Those of us in ministry have come to realize that ministry doesn’t make you “more spiritual”. An accountant or produce worker has just as “much” as a calling to serve God as a full time youth worker. Through the years, we’ve talked to a number of students who were “on fire” for Jesus, and they naturally assumed that the best way to express their faith was to go into fulltime ministry. We’ve come to learn and experience that some of the best and most effective ministers we know have been volunteers. We’re not suggesting you try to change their mind or alter their decision, but we are suggesting they become aware of this dangerous myth.