Over the last few years I have gotten increasingly despondent at the ways in which the average Church seems to approach youth ministry. There seems to be little in the way of innovation and nothing beyond social programs and worship services. But I am feeling a lot more chipper as I take stock of what is emerging in our region:
Group one has set up a travelling LAN party ministry aimed not only at youth but their fathers too. About once a month they invade a church hall set up 15+ computers connect them into a server and play Battle Field games – they cook a meal together and also have a devotional. In January they hope to turn the event into an overnighter with paintball too. The kids who hate the regular youth group stuff love this...
Group two intends to run bush line activities for small groups 6 weekends a year – they'll take the small group (1 to 3 leader ratio) into the bush teach them how to make fires, shelter and forage and use it as a growing up experience (mini rites of passage I guess)...
Group three takes two van loads of young people each weekend during Winter up to the snow – where they board and learn how to climb – they've even had a go at making an igloo...
Group four isn't even a group it's a developing project based around an online chaplaincy (care) for youth who are in remote churches, the hope is that using technology we can help the one or two kids from every small town church in the region join together – face to face meetings will take place too but much of it will be net based.
Group five is a young people who got dragged into a youth development course – every other year we bring 20 or so young people from around the region to learn life skills – to develop communication, leadership and confidence in themselves.
We still have regular youth ministries but it seems that it's these new initiatives that strengthen the regular ministry, they are also helping to link in with the wider church – kingdom building...
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