One of the things I'm most thankful for in our church over the past year is the renaissance that's happened in Re:Mix, our youth ministry. Which means I'm uber thankful for Mike Hall, who has taken point, and Cammie Howard who ably oversees all of Family Ministry.
If you attend LFC-Huntersville, you've noticed the fun pictures and activities they've been doing (like that running in a bubble thing) as we've made announcements in worship. But don't be fooled by the fun. I wanted you to see a brief snapshot of the serious vision for discipling and mentoring teens to follow Jesus that's behind the madness and the growth in numbers.
Below is Mike Hall's outline for his vision talk with the LFC-H volunteer youth group leaders last Saturday in a mini leadership retreat. It makes me fired up to know the teens and their families at LFC are being shepherded with such solid biblical underpinnings. Even while, yes, having crazy amounts of fun.
My life changed when my parents strongly led me to begin attending youth group back in the day. I formed a friendship with one of the adult leaders who taught me how to follow Jesus.
If you have a teen, consider how you might lead them into an environment at church, or a Christian club at school, where they can potentially connect and grow under a Christian mentor. Its worth stepping up your level of intentionality and assertiveness with them, as their primary spiritual shepherd, and doing what I encourage parents of teens to do this time of year:
"Hey bud/budette - this fall you will be growing intellectually at school, you'll be growing in your sport/hobby. Dude, God says that spiritual growth really matters and in fact brings the rest of life into focus and power. I want to make a deal with you. Let's agree that you will attend Re:Mix (youth group) for the first month of Sunday nights. And let's think of a friend to invite with you. At the end of that month, we will sit down and discuss if its helping you grow spiritually, and if its good to continue. And hey, if you make all four Sunday nights, I will give you ____ (a week off from chores/certificate for Froyo/etc.). Deal?" (find out details for LFC ReMix at Lake Forest Youth Ministry
That's my suggestion to you parents of teenagers - the younger they are, the more important it is right now. Here is Mike Hall's vision talk outline:
Vision casting: 15-16 Bring them to the fountain.
Give someone a cup of water, you quench their thirst for a ______.
Show someone where the fountain is and quench their thirst for a _____________.
The top five changes youth desire for their youth group were: time for deep conversation, missions trips, service projects, accountability and one-on-one time with leaders.
How many MS and HS kids in our area?
13,000 and growing. 366 at LFCH
How we will accomplish our mission:
Gospel fluency
Understand and can articulate their OWN story with Jesus
Grasp of the IMPLICATIONS of the gospel
Desire to LIVE out the gospel
A growing ATTITUDE of grace.
Spirit dependency
John 14:26
Biblical community
With a group of peers
With the church as a whole
God is a common topic of conversation
We are not COACHING kids, but rather DISCIPLING them.
What’s the difference?
Give someone a cup of water, you quench their thirst for a ______.
Show someone where the fountain is and quench their thirst for a _____________.
However, show someone how to show someone where the fountain is…that’s when you change the world.
(here's the devotional book Mike Hall wrote for ReMix this spring - killer content to help teens develop good habits of meeting with God personally)
