Why do pre-teens and young adults leave church? In studies I've read it is reported that between one-third to one-half leave in the years between Sunday school and youth. They don't survive the transitions with relationships and faith in tact. Regarding young adults leaving, studies usually report about two-thirds leaving the faith. Why? Turning this [...]
The pathway toward FUNCTIONAL unity is conversation - and this group are nailing it We applaud our youth leaders in national positions. This group - with others who'd left before the pic was taken (about 10 of the group are missing), had another great day together yesterday. How might we TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for the decline [...]
Where Christian youth ministry in NZ has declined - there are FOUR practices church and youth leaders could engage in and support that could change this. Read more now! A national youth outreach survey was undertaken by the Shining Lights Trust on behalf of a national youth leaders round table (unity and discussion group). Those [...]
There can be many different models for school groups. One example, which has been going for 13 years, run by a church in Napier, is called Food4Thought. It's beginnings Invited by a school to engage more intentionally with their youth - to give them positive thoughts about faith and hope as support in the [...]
Details around health and safety can feel overwhelming for a young youth leader. Thankfully - the Presbyterians have made it easy - and MANY can benefit. What's the resource called? Called the 'Safety WOF' (Warrant of Fitness), Matt Chamberlin (Presbyterian Youth Ministries facilitator) confirms this really is available for all! While it has a [...]
We congratulate Micah and Miriam from the Catalyst Movement for their amazing new outreach training resource for youth. What does the training include? Fronted by Micah and Miriam, its three sessions cover: 1. How to share testimony and start conversations about Jesus - 13 minutes 2. How to share the gospel - 18 minutes [...]
Intentionality in goals is a key to increasing results Leadership habits not only teach something to our youth; they reinforce it - shifting it to long-term memory and application. One of the habits I identified numerous years ago related to the FIRST gathering of any church small group or youth group, at the start of [...]
This is a summary of a survey conducted by Dare2Share, including youth groups in 47 nations, with an average group size of 153. (Bigger than NZ youth groups.) The report can be found HERE Everything below is from the survey – just a lot shorter. All comments are likewise summaries of things said in the [...]
This article will be brief - and added to as a summary page. Why intermediate-aged youth ministry? Barna research used to say worldview was essentially shaped by age 14. They now say age 13. While there are exceptions, the 'presets' created by this age essentially set what they will consider later. It's very difficult [...]
There are number of points very-concisely stated in this article. For an opening statement: If we claim to be making disciples, while failing to equip them for their mission, our claim is false at a fundamental level. Here is why - and the easy solution! A cycle that needs breaking Consider the repeating cycle [...]
