SCHOOL GROUPS IDEAS PAGE
Why schools groups:
A decreasing number of secondary schools have Christian groups in them. Christians youth are also facing increasing social discrimination and pressure – sometimes being negatively judged due to religious stereotypes given by our media. In this environment it’s important that Christian youth are encouraged and helped to stand together. They should never have to deny their faiths to be accepted or fit in. They also carry a message of hope that is very much needed in this social climate. Let’s get Christian school groups happening again – and lets’ do this in a way that’s clear thinking, respectful and fun!
The core resource:
We will eventually create some ‘school groups training’ videos – just like the ‘equipping’ and ‘youth leadership’ ones already found at this website.
The suggested ethos for school groups:
We suggest that groups areL
(i) Student led, and adult encouraged
(ii) 90% focused on blessing the school / students / teachers, while only 10% about the Christian message — because our message and words need to match (and these efforts are often a bridge to conversation, rather than being the place where the full conversation takes place).
The suggested approach:
(i) Partner — with other students of like mind
(ii) Pray – about what you could do
(iii) Action – do it
(iv) Persevere – keep this process going
Resources:
Below are some ideas (click the ‘blog’ links).
We also note the 101 ideas for school groups magazine from ‘New Generation’ found HERE is EXCEPTIONAL!
We note ‘pray for your school day’ is 28th September. This initiative is from the UK. United youth things for schools in the UK are far ahead of here in NZ. Godtalk.nz suggest we could follow their lead in a number of areas – as they are tracking well ahead of us in terms of a united youth movement.
School groups are needed (Sounding the alarm)
A friend recently counted how many High School students there are in our local Tauranga / Western Bay of Plenty Colleges. I was surprised! Katikati College – 789 Te Puke College – 829 Aquinas College – 746 Bethlehem College – 1878 Mount College – 1721 Papamoa College [...]
‘Why Christians believe’ – new resource and FREE
NEW: 'Why Christians believe Christianity to be true' About two-thirds of all young adults in our churches leave in the 18- 22-year-old age bracket. This has been true for 30 years too - and this tragic reality is one of the things that catalysed this [...]
How to lose less young adults and ‘tweens’ – Nic interviews Dave
A 45min podcast that you'll hopefully find INSPIRATIONAL! How could we lose less young adults? Why are we losing them? How could we lose less 'tweens' at ages 12 to 13 - which is the second largest area of loss from our churches?? How could [...]
This generation are OPEN – a new boldness is needed
This generation (Gen Z) are open to faith in a way that is different to those who are 20, 40 and 60 years older than them McCrindle Research in Australia did a study that included the below. Here are some simple - brief - [...]
Growing by NOT LOSING as many youth
I'm privileged in this season to be facilitating regular discussion groups about outreach with both a group of senior pastors, and also a group of youth leaders. I'm taking to both groups about youth ministry, and here is why. A point that many senior church [...]
UK Data – how into outreach are youth group youth really?
The following is extracted from a survey of 488 teenagers in church youth groups (a longer summary is here) ------ How confident to outreach are youth - really? A third (34%) of young Christians told us they share their faith regularly In terms of what this [...]
Knowing this stuff will give you confidence – and words (stories)!
Western media and culture has created a 'narrative' against the Christian faith. They like to pull our faith down. As a result they tell bad stories about the church - but not the good. What this overlooks is the fact that: ...there are tens of [...]
Key faith blockers – not what you’d think
(From Godtalk October 2021 update) Morag Paton has specialised in online outreach for the past half dozen years. 'YesHeIs' was one of her projects. - The info on the left reflects data taken from 5,078 online conversations she and team had in 2018 to 2020. [...]
School ideas – Exam time?
So, it's exam time, and people are stressed. Check out the ideas in the image! Bake muffins with a Bible verse - to show care and lift people up Put a positive Bible verse on a notice board - but with permission Set up a [...]
Jesus Club in Christchurch school nailing it
(Shared with permission from a 'Evangelism Network' update in Christchurch, as written by Nic) Jesus Club at Cashmere High School Jesus Club was a group that was started in 2019 by my friends and I at Cashmere High School. We started it as a place [...]
Sports can be a bridge
I remember some youth wanting to reach out to their friends. But how do you ever get yourself in a space where you can talk? The answer they found was by playing sports together for fun. Afterwards you're naturally sitting around, chatting while having a [...]
Time to educate our own again (short book – important point)
> Time to educate our own again < A call to a change in thinking regarding the education of our young This article, formatted into 4 short 'chapters', suggests a change in thinking I suggest is needed in the NZ Church regarding how we [...]
How to guide: How to lead a city youth leaders network
(This page can work as a discussion document at a gathering of youth leaders in a city or town. Freely invite Raki or Dave to join you in person or via skype/zoom to communicate vision for the potential of your unity. Note there are discussion [...]
Take the Hope Story Challenge
#hopestory challenge This idea is INTERNATIONAL - and has resulted in MANY MILLIONS of videos viewed. > See details, and a video explains it - and examples of stories... ... at hopestorychallenge.com The reach on social media even just in NZ can be HUGE if 50 [...]
Turning Easter into an opportunity
From Raki Wiringi - Godtalk Easter is a great opportunity. Here is a list of ideas you may consider as an outreach this Easter season - with a hidden coded message amongst them. Throw an easter egg hunt at your church (Great) Invite a [...]
Regional GODtalk Creative Communication Competitions – could you run one?
(Since writing this blog we have created a Godtalk Talent Quest Programme Planning Manual. It can be downloaded here - while the below still explains the vision concisely). American Idol. Britains Got Talent. Talent quest are a big deal right now! Would it be possible to [...]
Launching an effective school group (audio message)
We had Scott McCullock of LifeZone Church in Tauranga do a seminar at Engage Conference about how to launch an effective outreaching school group. Here is the audio via youtube. It's an awesome 39 minutes long message! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIIJr8FnVqc
What Rheannon did in her school
What is and isn't possible in a school? Listen to Rheannon recounting her experience. With her younger siblings in the same school following her, the pattern of this continued. With a respectful — yet clear thinking approach, this one is amazing! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd1HrXw1CFM
We married two 17 year olds at school
I the previous blog I wrote about the benefits of running large group 'connect' programmes in schools, if you're able to get a team together who can do this. The idea simply to attract a crowd, so as to give profile to a message or [...]
Large group lunchtime “Connect Programmes”
For a number of years I mentored a group of Christian students who met weekly during lunchtime in a school classroom. I hope what I share here encourages you to believe that you can make a difference. What the group aimed to achieve each school [...]
Prayer at the gate
Prayer at the Gate is an idea that came out of American churches. In the early 2010's the Equippers denomination were one of the main groups to make this idea 'famous' around New Zealand. The idea is simple but powerful: Christian youth meet together outside [...]
Offer a prayer
You could ask your school friends about things that are going on in their lives and let them know you’re praying for them. You may never know the effect this may have on your friends. Although they may not believe in the power of prayer [...]
Giving out a resource
Conversations can be hard to start, so why not try giving out a resource? Giving out a recourse could be a good technique to use as it won’t chicken out, it communicates clearly what it wants to say every time, and it stays there well [...]
New ideas for you
We are soon to start sharing ideas that people are trying in their schools. Christians should not be embarrassed about being Christians. No one should have to feel like that. Helping you represent Christ in a way that is appropriate - but valid, is [...]