Passing the baton...

Multiplication and Kingdom Focused Ministry are not new.  It was Jesus who designed this model of ministry and outreach!  He invested in three, then twelve, then seventy, and eventually the name of Jesus Christ was more famous than any name in the world!  His Gospel spread, and is still spreading, like wildfire! This major investment in a few is essential for making a Kingdom Impact.  It is crucial to leave a legacy for generations to come.  Let’s be honest for a moment, and I am speaking to all my friends in the trenches of youth ministry; to those very few that have stuck with youth ministry for the long haul. One day, we will all be too old to do all the things we do today. (I am already reminded of that very fact when the muscle aches set in after a marathon of dodge ball or being up all night at a lock- in) We can, and should, do ministry until the day we die, but our prime will pass us by like it has every other believer who has ever lived.  When that happens, we will be faced with the questions of: how well did we do in passing the baton to the next generation? Are we investing in their lives in a way to fan the flames in their hearts to be the future church leaders with a passion for Jesus, His word and His church? Do our students reflect the character qualities Paul describes in 1 Timothy 4:12 when he wrote, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in life, in love and in purity.” 

As I have previously discussed through what I call a sort of farm system approach, it is important to identify and coach those student who are ministry-level leaders. But how do we invest in these students without neglecting the rest of your group? The great thing is that although it starts with your leadership, it isn’t all up to you. It is important to understand that the student leaders must jump in all the way and commit to work and serve for the cause of the Kingdom. You can lead them to be leaders, but you ultimately have to lead them to fall at the feet of the cross and submit to their calling before the King of Kings! It is up to them to commit to Godly living, to regular personal Bible Study, and to facing the challenges of leadership. Here is a simple plan to get started:

     Step One: Call a meeting.  Call a meeting and invite everyone that is interested in student leadership.

     Step Two: Lay out the commitment.  During the meeting, be sure to use scripture like those verses in 1Timothy 3, 1Timothy 4:12, and Titus 1, for example, to talk about the character qualities you are looking for in ministry level students. This helps to define what the goals and tasks are and the cost of discipleship and service. I like to hand out a list of assigned quiet times for thirty days and have the students complete study questions to go over together when we meet. Explain to them that to be a student leader, they cannot miss more than two meetings a quarter (except for illness) and must attend the leadership retreat. Provide a ministry handbook with the guidelines for serving students and you might also want to require applications, a written testimony, and other formal processes. These are just a few examples, but the idea is to raise the bar without being legalistic. But at the same time, don’t shy away from making student ministry leadership challenging.  This will require some prayer and preparation on your part as the youth leader, which will be setting an example for your students.

     Step three: Have students sign a Student Leadership Covenant. This works well, because the students who discover that student leadership is not their calling can simply dismiss themselves form the process. Those students who remain can continue to commit and prepare for the tasks ahead and you can begin to invest in those students who will help reach out to their school campuses as well as helping to plan and carry out the events for your church group.  Make sure these students are committed to their own personal discipleship and keep them accountable. 

Now this team of student leaders can not only be inspired to be leaders in their church, schools and their homes, they may also be challenged to see ministry as a possible vocation. Let’s face it, there are not enough great youth leaders/pastors out there, and the church itself needs Christians who are called and willing to serve their church and reach out to their community. But in truth, all Christians are called to be “ministers” in whatever vocation they are called to. We also need more principals, teachers, doctors, lawyers, accountants, movie and music producers, and the like, to be committed servant leaders who love and minister in the name of Jesus Christ! Leading students to a personal encounter with Christ and teaching them all he commands is where it starts. Leading them to pursue a life of discipleship is where the baton is passed!