Approaches to Youth Ministry

[Matt McCarnan]

The traditional style of youth ministry is to have a youth pastor and a few sponsors run a youth group. They meet separately, they have their own activities.

There is another approach that is gaining popularity that plays down the group mentality, as it were, for a more parent-driven ministry. This system keeps the youth integrated with the rest of the body on the whole, and only gathers the teens together in a group once a month or so. These group meetings are very different from traditional meetings. The parents are strongly urged to attend, they play the games and hear the teaching.

The goal is to keep the parents as involved with raising/discipling their children as possible. As it is the duty of the parents to train up their children, the youth leaders strive to do nothing more than come alongside the parents and encourage them.

Which system, or what blend of them, does your church employ?

Which do you prefer, and for what reasons?

What are the strongest pros and cons to these systems, in your eyes?