Two Sides Finding What Fits Your Youth Ministry Copyright 2012 Darren Sutton group.com simplyyouthministry.

.com All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher, except where noted in the text and in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, visit group.com/customer-support. Credits Author: Darren Sutton Executive Developer: Nadim Najm Chief Creative Officer: Joani Schultz Copy Editor: Rob Cunningham Cover Art and Production: Riley Hall and Veronica Preston Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

Contents
Introduction ..........................................................................I Curriculum Choices .............................................................1 Small Group Assignments ..................................................7 Age Group Structure ........................................................ 17 Teaching Basis ................................................................. 25 Small Group Leadership .................................................. 35 Teaching Team ................................................................. 43 Age of Volunteers ............................................................. 53 Leadership Teams ............................................................ 63 Summer Schedule ........................................................... 73 Ministry Growth ................................................................ 81 Youth Culture .................................................................... 93

Promotion and Transition .............................................. 103 Trip Taking....................................................................... 111 Office Hours .................................................................... 121 My Kids ...........................................................................129 Contributor Biographies .................................................139

Introduction
We all know that some issues in ministry are cut-anddried, black-and-white, no room for interpretation. Life might be easier if every issue were so distinctly clear or obvious. But as certain as those areas are, just as many other areas are notareas where the shades of gray are plentiful, differing opinions abound, and the way forward is neither clear nor certain. Two Sides to Youth Ministry presents veteran youth workers, who are in the trenches, fleshing out their own philosophies and opinions on just a few of those debatable gray areas. No answer is right or wrongand there are probably other angles in approaching each of these areas that we havent included. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to read through both sides of the matter; think through some important, defining questions; and then determine your own side of the issue.

CURRICULUM CHOICES
I used to write my own curriculum. But the bigger we get, the less time I have for this. Does it matter in the long run?

Write Your Own Curriculum

by Jason Lamb I have debated this question in my mind for over a decade in youth ministry, and I have spent just as much waffling between the two sides as I have sitting on one side or the other. Some might call this being indecisive. I choose to call it staying flexible in ministry and exploring my options. Recently, I have finally solidified my belief in writing my own curriculum, regardless of the size of my student ministry. Writing personalized curriculum allows us to go deeper in our study of Scripture, as well as in the ideas and themes we present in weekly messages. We are able to build Bible studies based on a church-wide sermon series or the sermon series we are doing as a youth ministry. It gives our students the opportunity to wrestle through Scripture they have recently heard, encourages them to ask questions about things they desire to understand better, and provides them with additional time to process these spiritual truths. We also have a lot of flexibility because we write our own curriculum. One of the greatest benefits of that flexibility

is the opportunity to glean feedback from our volunteers and students, and then to make adjustments as needed. While we dont give them the responsibility of creating quality Bible studies, we digest the feedback ravenously because our volunteers implement the material and our students, obviously, are its end users. I know my kids best. I have the opportunity to walk through life with them, build relationships with them and their families, and know them on a very personal level. It only makes sense that I take the time to write curriculum so that I can balance the truth they need to learn from Scripture with the application they need in their day-today lives. Writing our own curriculum has also allowed me to minister from a very personal place. I have learned that the more intimately involved I am in what were teaching our students, the more real and authentic it is to them. I have oftentimes found myself overwhelmed with joy when students let me know that they get it! Much of that emotion comes from knowing that something I have created has brought such a personal life impact.

Developing curriculum takes time, but its definitely worth the investment. There are always competing priorities in ministry. The spiritual formation of students is arguably one of the most critical ones. Writing curriculum that I know, personally, will hit that target is one of the strongest motivators for designing my own material.

Use Pre-Written Curriculum

by Jana Snyder Having a background and degree in the educational field, I highly value curriculum and teaching material. You might say its in my blood. And though I have written my own material, I usually lean toward pre-written curriculum. After five years teaching in the public school system, I sensed Gods call to serve in vocational youth ministry. I plunged into a church position as director of youth ministry. I had no formal training, very little experience, and had not grown up in a churched family. (I still wonder why they hired me!) So my experience and skill level in teaching the Bible and faith concepts were minimal, at best. Using pre-written curriculum allowed me to get some experience teaching Scripture and, honestly,

learn some biblical concepts that I had never known before. Time was also a huge motivation for me. Being the sole student ministry staff person, I was responsible for every area of ministry: publicity, budgets, event planning, counseling, teachingeverything. Using prewritten curriculum was one way I could trim time from my weekly planning calendar. It allowed me to spend more time interacting with students and less time in my office prepping Bible study. Reinventing the wheel has never been high on my priority list. In examining pre-written materials, I found that most of them were excellently prepared, developmentally appropriate, and biblically in-depth. I never could have achieved those outcomes in my first few years of ministry, especially. Some tips and tricks Ive learned along the way: 1. Make sure the material is biblically grounded and lines up with your theological beliefs (and your churchs beliefs). Always ask for a sample, if its available.

2. With such a wide array of themes (such as books of the Bible, social justice, Christian living, and so on), knowing your group well is paramount in choosing good material. 3. Assess the financial cost to the budget. Be sure to keep undated material for reuse later on. 4. Most material is not plug-and-play. Spend some time studying and preparing, adding your personal touches, and finding group-specific examples for any curriculum you use.

Developing Your Side on the Issue

Does your budget allow for curriculum purchases? Are your resources and leadership team sufficient to consistently write your own material? Is the writer biblically grounded enough to write engaging, relevant curriculum? Is there room in your ministry structure for using both original and pre-written curriculums?

Imagine a world where everything in youth ministry is black-or-white, where simple solutions are always evident, and where one size truly fits all. Would you like a unicorn with that? Heres the reality of youth ministry: Gray often is the dominant color, differing opinions abound, and the way forward isnt always clear or certain. But just like a wise sage, Two Sides: Finding What Fits Your Ministry will help you through the journey of discovering the right, best answers for your ministry. Youll gain insights from veteran youth workers who have wrestled with these debatable gray areas. For example, should we write our own curriculum, or used pre-written material? Should small groups be separated by gender, or combined into co-ed groups? Should I be accountable for regular office hours, or follow an adaptable schedule because of youth ministrys crazy hours? In these and other areas, no answer is right or wrongthe correct answer is the one that best fits your specific setting. This book will engage you in considering both sides of the matter, thinking through some important questions, and then determining your own side of the issue.

darren sutton
Darren Sutton has served in youth ministry for over 20 years. He has a passion for students and the adults who influence them. Darren and his wife, Katie, co-founded Millennial Influence and produce a weekly podcast reaching parents of teenagers. They currently serve a student ministry in Corpus Christi, Texas. Darren is the paid staff youth pastorKatie is the unpaid, unsung hero of the ministry!

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