For me youth ministry is one of the most exciting, vibrant and dynamic parts of the church today, but at the same time one of the most challenging, frustrating and demanding also. The reason I say this is because many youth pastors find themselves with the responsibility and expectation to create an environment where teenagers can experience the love of God in a relevant, fun, engaging authentic and expressive way but often the problem is that the expectations that are placed on a youth pastor exceed the amount of resources that he/she is provided with. This creates an inner conflict between the dream that the youth pastor has for the teens that he/she is working with and the physical reality of his/her limited resources. Although there are many resources needed for a youth ministry to be successful, a resource that is absolutely critical in youth ministry, and is more often than not in very short supply, is manpower.
In my 5 and a half years as a youth pastor I have learnt that one of the best things that any youth pastor can do is to realise his/her limitations and shortcomings and instead of being paralysed by them, rather compensate for them by seeking out competent, spirit filled, God fearing, passionate people to come along side him and help him build God’s dream for his/her youth ministry. Look at the story of Moses in Numbers 11:10 – 17 “Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the Lord became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. 11 And Moses said to the Lord, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? 12 Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? 13 Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! 15 If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!” 16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather before me seventy men who are recognized as elders and leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you. 17 I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone.” Moses, like many youth pastors, was burdened with the responsibility of leading God’s people and helping them towards the promise that God had for them but he was limited by his physical capacity and resources.
We need to realise that we are not superhuman and that God does not expect us to carry the burden of our youth ministries on our own. No-one is going to give you a badge for doing it all on your own. We need to realise that we can’t build God’s Kingdom on our own, we need all the help we can get. So why don’t you put your pride in your pocket, like I did, and start asking people to come and help you at your youth ministry. There are people out there that are willing to give their time and energy and talents and skills for the expansion of God’s Kingdom and all they are waiting for is for you to ask them to join you. Ask God to show some people that can help you and then go out there and get them!
Hier volg die onderhoud tussen Werner Strauss van JeugNet en ZD Buchling van die Straatlig:
1) Vertel ons vlugtig van jouself en jou bediening (Wie, wat, waar, wanneer?)
Ek is gebore in Krugersdorp terwyl ek nog ‘n babatjie was. Ek was op ‘n naweek gebore want my ma het gewerk in die week. Ek het groot geword in Krugersdorp, Petit (daar is regtig so plek), en dan die grootste deel van my lewe in Amanzimtoti! Ek het my hart vir die Here gegee toe ek in Gr 11 was. Ek het sommer van daardie dag af geweet ek wil my lewe gee om ander jongmense van Jesus te vertel en te leer. Ek is nou al 18 jaar aktief betrokke in tiener bediening en ek geniet elke oomblik daarvan. O, ek hou ook van musiek maak.
2) Wat is/was van jou grootste uitdagings met tiener bediening?
My grootste uitdaging was so vier jaar gelede. Ek het op ‘n punt gekom waar ek gevoel het dat ek besig is om oud te word, of eerder te oud te word. Ek het vir ‘n paar maande momentum verloor terwyl ek met die “krisis” gespartel het. Ek het die saak die Here toe gevat en uiteindelik vrede gekry. Ek weet vandag dat bediening nie noodwendig aan ouderdom gekoppel is nie. Ek is meer gemotiveerd as ooit te vore om jongmense te disipel.
3) Watter lesse het jy al geleer i.v.m. tiener bediening?
Ek het met my eie oge al gesien hoe God jong seuns en jong girls se lewens omdraai nadat ‘n klomp mense moed op gegee het met hulle. So my hardste les is om nooit iemand op te som op grond van sy of haar uiterlike nie en ook om nooit moed op te gee nie.
Les nommer twee sal wees dat ek nie teen die ouers werk nie, maar eerder saam met hulle.
Les drie is dat jy iemand moet lief he soos Jesus hulle lief het voordat jy hulle effektief kan bedien.
En dit was als in die eerste maand!!! Ek leer elke dag nog nuwe dinge, so kyk uit – dalk verskyn daar eendag ‘n boek!
4) Watter advies kan jy gee vir mense wat in die tiener bediening staan?
My advies vir mense wat in tiener bediening staan is om weer my vraag drie se antwoord te lees. Nee, sommer net ‘n grappie! Ek dink enige iemand wat in tiener bediening betrokke is moet nie verwag om oornag lewensveranderende resultate te sien nie. Veral tiener ministry is ‘n tydsame oefening omrede die kern daarvan verhouding is! Verhouding met die mense wat jy bedien asook verhouding met iemand wat jou kan mentor en leiding en raad gee as jy dit die dag nodig het!
Hier volg die onderhoud tussen Werner Strauss van JeugNet en Berron Fuhri van Muurprop:
1) Vertel ons vlugtig van jouself en jou bediening (Wie, wat, waar, wanneer?)
My name is Berron Fuhri. I have been a fulltime youth pastor for the last 6 years. I am part of the pastoral staff at the Taberna Dei Church in Polokwane and I lead the Muurprop Teen Ministry. We get together on Tuesdays nights as our main event and its awesome.
2) Wat is/was van jou grootste uitdagings met tiener bediening?
Youth Ministry holds many challenges and one of the most complex ones that I have encountered is: Identifying and developing volunteers and establishing an effective volunteer base. I have found that in youth ministry this is a very difficult task due to the fact that teenagers can sometimes be very difficult to work with especially if you are not a paid staff member. Although this is an ongoing challenge I must also say that the benefit of having a team of volunteers working alongside you as the paid staff member is immensely helpful, especially because of the fact that when the work is shared it gets done a lot more effectively. The resources, creativity and man power that is made available to you as a leader through the contributions of volunteers is hugely valuable. A book that I found particularly helpful and insightful concerning Volunteers is a book by Bill Hybels called “Creating a Volunteer Revolution”.
3) Watter lesse het jy al geleer i.v.m. tiener bediening?
Sticking to the calling that God has given you and faithfully working towards it is so important. Creating a stable and reliable leadership platform is also essential, because so many youth ministries struggle to maintain continuity and are easily distracted by fashion trends and whims. Find a course of action from God and stick to it no matter what.
4) Watter advies kan jy gee vir mense wat in die tiener bediening staan?
The best advice that I could give is that you need to stay CLOSE to God and that your relationship with Jesus should take precedence over every relationship or responsibility. Seek God’s heart because not only will you grow in relationship with Him but He will give you His hand to help you and guide you along the way. Never stop learning, read books, read as many as you can. Talk to other Youth Pastors and make sure you attend all the JeugNet events and don’t be afraid to borrow ideas from people who are successful and give those ideas expression in your own unique context.
Hier volg die onderhoud tussen Werner Strauss van JeugNet en Schalk Holloway van DIEP:
1) Vertel ons vlugtig van jouself en jou bediening (Wie, wat, waar, wanneer?)
My naam is Schalk Holloway, ek is nou so 19 maande voltyds in bediening as Jeugpastoor by AGS Siloam in Bloemfontein. Ek was voor dit by Kohin vir 4 jaar en deeltyds by Lewende Woord die Jeugpastoor se 2ib. Ons bediening se naam is DIEP (Job 14:7-9) – ons glo ons geroep om ‘n generasie te help om hulleself DIEP te wortel in Jesus en Sy Liggaam. DIEP hardloop Woensdagaande 18:30 – 21:00 in die jeuglokaal, Sondagaande ondersteun DIEP se jeugspanne die hoofdiens. Julle kan ons gerus friend request by www.facebook.com/diep.jeugbediening.
2) Wat is/was van jou grootste uitdagings met tiener bediening?
Die hardste werk byvêre is die opleiding en bemagtiging van die Liggaam self. Ons het ‘n baie groot leierskap ontwikkelings fokus en die feit dat ons met jongmense werk maak dit uit die aard van die saak uniek en partykeer uitdagend. Ons tweede uitdaging in Bloem is betrokkenheid in die week. Meeste van die groot jeugbedieninge in Bloem hardloop naweke. Die skole en universiteite prop die weke ongelooflike vol met ekstra buitemuurse en akademiese verwagtinge, dus is die jongmense nie net tyd beperk nie maar ook baie keer moeg en onder druk.
3) Watter lesse het jy al geleer i.v.m. tiener bediening?
Die grootste les bly een van die Here met my gedeel het nadat ek ‘n totale meltdown in November 2005 gehad het! Hy het vir my die eendag na werk (by ‘n skool as Kohin Youth Coach daai tyd), terwyl ek myself weer in my kamer toegesluit het en verskriklik jammer gekry het, blatant gesê: “Jy jaag die vrug, HOU OP DAARMEE!”. Eerstens was ek redelik geskok met die gedagte dat ek nou moet ophou om die vrug te jaag – ek meen di’s mos waaroor dit gaan? Die ministry moet vrug dra; God verwag vrug (Joh 15); mense moet mos nou begin verander! Namate ek die dink bedink het ek egter agtergekom dat alhoewel vrug verseker in God se hart is, ek eintlik eers veronderstel is om Hom te jaag – en dat Hy dan verder sal sorg vir die vrug.
4) Watter advies kan jy gee vir mense wat in die tiener bediening staan?
Onthou dat die tiener bediening eintlik maar ook die kerk, die Liggaam van Christus, is. Di’s nie ‘n portuurgroep of ‘n event nie. Volgens Effesiërs 4 word ons geroep om die Liggaam op so ‘n manier te bemagtig dat wanneer ons eendag weggaan – die Liggaam sal kan aangaan sonder ons. Dus moet ons ‘n bediening so bou dat dit juis nie net van my gawes en talente afhanklik is nie; die bediening moet uit vanuit die Liggaam gevoed word, gebou word en vooruitgaan. So bou ‘n bediening, bou ‘n reuse een, maar maak seker dat jy iewers langs die pad jou dinge so doen dat as God jou skuif, die bediening nie net sonder jou sal kan aangaan nie, maar selfs nog beter sal kan doen!
First words…
I probably have to start this article with a confession: I actually hate it when anybody claims to have the final something of anything! But, knowing I’m probably jeopardizing my integrity (have some grace 
), I have to admit that I fully believe in these four F’s. Most of you know about them, some of you have suspected that they exist (probably using them without defining them clearly) and then some of us have no idea of what they are and why I’m going on about them! However, regardless of all this, I am trusting that these next words will help clarify your thinking about youth ministry in a new, fresh and most of all, simple way. As we all know a teenager is basically an “adult-in-the-making”. They are in a major developmental phase of their life and as such, if we want to be relevant to them, we need to build our Youth Ministry around their developmental dynamics. These four F’s are core to tapping into the developmental nature of a teenager’s life. Making them fundamental in your approach to Youth Ministry will help ensure that you assist in the development of nurturing and growing of soul and spirit healthy, Jesus-following adults.
Faith…
Is your Youth Ministry built on a solid Biblical foundation? Sometimes we seem to forget that our Youth Ministries are first and foremost church. We are a part of the Body of Christ and can never grow separate or away from it. When developing a doctrine, or a Biblical understanding on Youth Ministry we always need to do it on the foundation that is Jesus Christ, but, within the context of the Body of Christ. Important questions need to be explored here: How does our Youth Ministry tie into the larger Body? In which ways do we prepare our kids for a lifetime in the Body, after their meagre five years (that’s if your a good youth pastor ) in our Youth Ministry? Are we properly discipling our kids? When my kids leave my Youth Ministry will I have integrated or alienated them from the not-as-specialized church experience found in the rest of the Body? Are they following Jesus in building His Kingdom? Do they bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit? Can they minister in the power of the Holy Spirit? Exploring and developing these faith issues are critical do developing a healthy foundation for your Youth Ministry and producing solid life-time followers of Christ.
Fun …
Is your Youth Ministry fun and do your kids enjoy coming? Teenagers want to have fun – face it and embrace it! And if your anything like me (too serious and dry) then make sure you get some leaders who naturally have the fun factor built into them. Going deeper we need to help our kids develop a healthy sense of humour. Are our kids having fun with others – or at the expense of others? Do we regularly joke and play games? If not, why not? Remember friends, developmentally your teenagers are in a growing and explorative season. They want to try new things, they want to experiment. As they’re growing up their suddenly developing their own ideas and ways of thinking. They want attention and to be affirmed as having worth. All of this turns them into fun loving balls of energy which you need to tap into! Seize this opportunity and create a safe environment, one where they can laugh and play without fear of being embarrassed or becoming arrogant.
Friends…
Does your Youth Ministry help nurture existing relationships as well as building new ones? As your teenagers are becoming independent adults they suddenly feel the need to connect more with their peers than with their families. An important dynamic to understand is that the need for the parent is never replaced by the need for healthy peer relationships. Even though they do distance themselves from their families socially – the family still remains the most important influence in their lives. The building of their identities run parallel with the building of peer relationships. Their peers influence their self-concept. Understanding this should start to clarify the need for our Youth Ministries to make space for relational time, but also to make it our focus to guide them through relational and inter-personal dynamics. Rather than asking if, I would rather ask when does your Youth Ministry allow time for relational and social type stuff? Before, during or after your program? What about in all three time-slots? How do you foster peer-group and intergenerational relationships apart from your weekly program night? Don’t you? Why not? Many times we don’t realize that by not integrating these faith and relational issues outside of our main Youth Ministry events we are indirectly teaching our kids that all of these issues only relate to spiritual events – and not to the rest of their lives.
Freedom…
Does your Youth Ministry understand, and provide space for, your kids’ transition to adult independence? The more a teenager becomes independent, the larger their need for freedom and choice. However, this does not negate the parallel need for clear boundaries. We need to run freedom and boundaries synergistically within our Youth Ministries. Going deeper once again we need to understand our role in helping a teenager develop healthy principles by which to govern their decision making and the ways in which they would use their independence and freedom. When we structure our Youth Ministry in a controlling and completely program-driven way we are not helping them. How do you create “freedom spaces” in your Youth Ministry? Spaces where they can do what they want to when they want to? Another dynamic when it comes to freedom and independence is how we guide them become a part of ministry. Does our Youth Ministry empower them to speak and minister alongside us? Or do we treat them as children, forcing them to follow and obey our whims in a quiet and mechanistic way? Teenagers need to speak up and make decisions and we need to create the space and opportunity for them to do this.
Final words…
Just as important for all of the four F’s to feature in our Youth Ministries, is the question of the order, or priority, in which we place them. Many of us, at one time or another, have confused our priorities. Fun became more important than faith. Freedom was not even seen as important. Friends was prioritized as being cool whilst fun was degraded as silly or unnecessary. Beloved, all four F’s are necessary – but the order in which you place them is also extremely important! I would suggest faith always remaining the foundational F, but after this I would suggest a semi-seasonal approach to the other F’s. What I mean by this is that although you work the other three F’s into your Youth Ministry program in a systematic and structured way – you also discern whether you need to emphasize a bit more or less on certain F’s within your current season.
To make it practical, in our Youth Ministry we have integrated all four F’s into our Youth Ministry Program, but in this season we feel the need to put a bit more focus on the Friends component of our small groups. Thus, we handle the Faith side, but we do it a little faster than usual so that we can social a bit more.
Have fun!
“Gaan dan heen, maak dissipels van al die nasies, en doop hulle in die Naam van die Vader en die Seun en die Heilige Gees; en leer hulle om alles te onderhou wat Ek julle beveel het. En kyk, Ek is met julle al die dae tot aan die voleinding van die wêreld. Amen” – Mat. 28:19-20
Die Woord van God is hier baie duidelik dat ons ALMAL ‘n verantwoordelikheid het om ‘n direkte opdrag te gehoorsaam deur uit te gaan en dissipels van alle nasies te gaan maak. Daar is soveel verskillende opinies oor wat hierdie opdrag als behels en daar is baie informasie daaroor beskikbaar. Omdat daar soveel informasie op die mark is oor die konsep van hoe jy hierdie opdrag moet gehoorsaam, wil ek eerder fokus op die eienskappe van ‘n dissipel.
Die woord dissipelskap weet ons almal, beteken “volgeling”. In ons terme beteken dit om ‘n volgeling van Jesus te wees. Kom ons gaan kyk ‘n bietjie hoe lyk die lewe of watter eienskappe is daar in die lewe van ‘n ware volgeling van Jesus.
Daar is seker baie eienskappe waaroor ‘n mens kan gesels, maar kom ons kyk vandag na vier basiese eienskappe wat uitstaan van ‘n volgeling van Jesus.
1 – “Follower of Christ”
Hierdie eienskap klink so eenvoudig en logies, maar verstaan ons regtig wat dit beteken? Baie keer laat ons iets baie diep, sommer so sonder om aandag daaraan te skenk of daaroor na te dink, by ons verby glip. Om werklik ‘n volgeling van Jesus te wees beteken om ‘n onweerstaanbare interne dryf en begeerte te hê om die Lewensstyl van Jesus na te volg. Dit beteken dat ons as te ware als in ons vermoë moet doen om Sy lewensstyl te bestudeer en ons lewens daarvolgens te begin rig. Die “What Would Jesus Do-WWJD” bandjies het ons om ons arms gedra en dra dit nog steeds om ons konstant te herhinder aan wat Jesus in hierdie omstandighede sou gedoen het. Dit is waarvan ek praat, om elke oomblik van die dag ‘n begeerte te hê om die lewensstyl van Jesus te volg. Dit help nie ons sê ons is volgelinge van Jesus en ons lewens getuig nie daarvan nie. Dit is onmoontlik om voluit vir Jesus te lewe sonder dat dit in jou hele lewe begin wys.
2 – “Filled with the Word”
Baie keer dink ek: hoekom sukkel ek so met sekere dinge as ons die Woord van God het as handleiding? Die antwoord hierop is omdat ons nie altyd weet wat die handleiding sê nie of omdat ons dood eenvoudig ongehoorsaam is aan daardie handleiding. Dit is uiters belangrik in vandag se lewe dat ons tyd in die Woord spandeer en dat ons onsself in-oefen om gehoorsaam te wees aan wat die Woord van God sê. Gehoorsaamheid aan die Woord van God bring ons op ‘n plek waar ons in oorwinning kan lewe. Die oorwinnging het Jesus reeds vir ons op die kruis bewerkstellig, maar ons MOET daarin begin lewe. Die Woord van God is ons handleiding oor hoe om in oorwinning te lewe. Kom ons delf in die Woord van God in soos nog nooit te vore nie en gryp elke geleentheid aan om daaraan gehoorsaam te wees. Daar is allerhande wonderlike tegnieke wat ‘n mens kan gebruik om jou te help om die Woord te “eet”. Maak nie saak hoe ons dit doen nie, kom ons doen dit net!
3 – “Fellowship with people”
Die Woord sê ook baie duidelik dat ons die samekoms van die gelowiges nie moet afskeep nie. Die lokale kerk is die voertuig wat God gekies het om die Evangelie te verkondig. Hierdie kerk is nie ‘n gebou nie, dis mense. Daarom is dit belangrik om nie die samekoms van hierdie “mense” af te skeep nie. In die proses gaan dit eintlik oor die een-tot-een verhoudings tussen gelowiges. Dis in hierdie een-tot-een verhoudings waar daar “accountability” is. Dis ook in hierdie een-tot-een verhoudings waar daar daadwerklike groei plaasvind. ‘n Dissipel is dus iemand wat in diepe verhouding met ander gelowiges kan staan en homself nie afsonder en ‘n individualistiese lewe lei nie.
4 – “Fisher of men”
Jesus het gesê…”volg my en ek sal julle vissers van mense maak…”. Hieroor is die Woord netso duidelik dat ons ‘n verantwoordelikheid het om uit te reik na ander mense toe. Ons lewens raak so gejaag dat ons skielik nie meer tyd het om ‘n pad saam iemand anders te stap nie. Partymaal vergeet ons dat daar mense reg om ons en partykeer elke dag in ons teenwoordigheid is, maar wat reguit oppad hel toe is wanneer hulle sterf. Ons is in daardie mense se teenwoordigheid omdat ons ‘n verantwoordelikheid het om hulle te bevriend sodat ons later die Evangelie met hulle kan deel. Hulle sal dit in jou en my lewe sien en vra hoekom ons so anders is. Dis dan die geleentheid waar ons vissers van mense kan raak. Moet nooit ‘n geleentheid laat verby gaan waar jy vir iemand kan vertel wat Jesus in jou lewe vir jou gedoen het nie, veral nie wanneer jy dit deur jou dade en lewensstyl kan doen sonder om eers noodwendig woorde te gebruik nie. Partymaal wil ons mense oorval met die Evangelie, maar ons het nog nooit eers daardie persoon bevriend nie. Kom ons fokus om sterk en gesonde verhoudings met die individu te bou en dan sal die Here daardie persoon se lewe om dop.
“Hieraan sal almal weet dat julle my dissipels is, as julle liefde onder mekaar het.” – Joh. 13:35
Kom ons betoon soveel liefde teenoor mekaar dat ander mense wat dit sien ‘n begeerte ontwikkel om ook deel van die Koninkryk van die Lewende God te wees.
So kom ons strewe daarna om hierdie vier eienskappe in ons lewens te vestig:
1 – “Follower of Christ”
2 – “Filled with the Word”
3 – “Fellowship with people”
4 – “Fisher of men”
Baie dankie vir die geleentheid om so bietjie my hart rondom dissipelskap met julle te kon deel. Mag die Vader en Sy genade met julle wees en mag Sy guns op julle lewens rus.