There is a time and place for teenagers in the church to get together and share their lives with one another, but our goal for youth ministry is not to isolate youth into a silo church program but to integrate them into the life and ministry of the entire church. This takes place through small groups, mentorship and discipleship, and family ministry.

Through the years, we have found seminar-style teaching largely ineffective in reaching teenagers. The best form of teaching is through small groups and, most importantly, one-on-one ministry. Youth need healthy, meaningful, godly relationships with other adults in the church. At the same time, it is impractical for the youth worker alone to be able to build this kind of relationship with every single teenager, so the youth worker must recruit and train lay ministers to lead small groups. This ensures that each teenager is being ministered to as much as possible.

Also, teenagers need mentorship. A mentor is a member of the church who has demonstrated a vibrant relationship with Jesus. Each mentor has two or three teenagers they get together with to read Scripture, pray, chat about life, and perhaps even share a meal. These mentorships are successful in doing two things — discipleship and assimilation. Teenagers grow in their faith by learning from the wisdom and experience of older Christians, and they are also integrated into the church. Since they have created meaningful relationships with small group leaders and mentors, they are less likely to “graduate” from church when they leave school. They must understand their role in the church now, not simply as the “church of the future”.

Last, and perhaps most important, family ministry is intended to give parents encouragement and support in ministering to their children. While parents must heed the call to teach their children the things of God (Deuteronomy 6:4-9), we must also exhort them and keep them accountable to what God has required of parents. The youth worker’s role is to regularly visit with parents to pray with them, address any needs or concerns, and develop a trusting relationship. If parents have a good rapport with the youth worker, they are more likely to seek advice and prayer for their teenagers. Ultimately, we want parents to train their children in righteousness and children to grow in obedience, humility, and honor.