Abingdon Youth

by Mike Ratliff

The days of the Lone Ranger are gone. Not only is the wild west a thing of the past, so are the days when the person doing youth ministry in a local congregation was the star of the show. We live in an interconnected world with integration, both in the congregation and community, being a necessary and central element to accomplishing our tasks as leaders of youth. When we try to do it all ourselves, we risk burnout and miss the blessings others have to offer.

Partnering is not a new idea. The concept is to find and utilize the strengths of a whole network of persons, groups, and organizations in order to help one or more particular people, groups, and organizations accomplish their goals. Partnering means that we give up some degree of autonomy and control in return for greater effectiveness. It also means that we are not alone in providing leadership and support for the teens with whom we are in ministry. Our ability to partner effectively will be reflected in our willingness to let go of the reigns of ministry and let others become significant partners in the development of the teens whose lives we touch.

Theologically, the concept of partnering goes to the very heart of our Judeo-Christian heritage. God provides the first example of this concept as humankind is invited into partnership with God as stewards of God’s precious creation. Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Samuel, Joseph, Moses, David, and many others all respond and become partners with God as leaders of God’s people. Mary enters into an ultimate and intimate partnership with God as she becomes the mother of Jesus. Throughout the history of the church, God has partnered with us to accomplish God’s will.

Paul’s example of the "body of Christ" is perhaps the clearest picture of what partnering can accomplish. Utilizing the gifts and strengths of many, we are able to be what we can never be alone. Our gifts are complemented by the gifts of others. Every person has a contribution to make to the body of Christ.

In order for youth ministry to be a part of the body of Christ, there can be no subjects of youth ministry. All of us are in it together. Youth, leaders, parents, the congregation, and the community become involved in transformational living that makes a difference in who we are and how we all live together.

Youth ministry isn’t just about transforming the lives of youth, it involves the transforming of all who are involved. It is about transforming systems that have an impact on the lives of youth. It is about creating organizations that support that transformation and provide the framework for greater and continuing transformation in people and systems.

Partnering in the Church

Youth ministry is the responsibility of the entire congregation. Many times, the church responds to this responsibility by giving it to a person or persons–volunteer or paid. To effectively develop a youth ministry that doesn’t become attached to, but basically separate from the rest of the church, the leaders of youth ministry need to enable the church to enter into that ministry. This is an opportunity for partnership. Here are some practical examples of ways to accomplish this:

Ask for time on the agenda of the church leadership group (administrative council, board, or other) to get feedback, input, and ideas for youth ministry. Ask this group to support youth ministry with their prayers.
Develop a leadership group of youth and adults in your church. In a small church, this may be all involved youth and adults. In larger churches, this would probably be a representative group. Be sure they are people who want to be involved in leadership and are willing to give time and energy to make a difference.
Meet with parents of youth to discover their gifts and talents, concerns, and needs. Begin to envision with them ways they could be involved in making a difference in the lives of their own youth and the lives of other youth. Ask them to pray for the youth ministry and give them the opportunity to become prayer partners for youth.
Together with the pastor (if that’s not you), identify people in the congregation who may have gifts for youth ministry. Ask them to use those gifts with youth in your church and community. Help your pastor develop a sensitivity to youth and the issues that are present in their lives. Encourage her or him to make sermons reflective and responsive of those issues.
Invite all of the members of your congregation to pray for the youth ministry and perhaps to become prayer partners with individual youth.
Create ministry opportunities that bring different groups in the church together with youth to accomplish a task. Mission opportunities are great ways to accomplish this.
Encourage youth to be visible and active in every part of the church’s life.
Assign every member of the confirmation class a prayer partner in the congregation.
Encourage youth on a retreat to pray for a youth who could not attend the retreat.
Encourage the United Methodist women (UMW) to support youth fundraisers and youth to serve the meals for a UMW fundraiser.
Trustees and youth leadership can work together to solve a transportation problem–it’s not just a youth problem; it is a challenge for the church.
Youth and children could partner to accomplish a mission project together.
Youth can work as "teen-aides" in children’s Sunday school, vacation Bible school, or other settings.
The pastor and a youth could preach a sermon together on any topic.
Youth, young adults, and adults can work together to do four weeks of missions in the same location accomplishing more in partnership than any group could accomplish on its own.

Partnering Beyond the Church

The church is not a closed system, though many times we treat it as if it were. We are all part of a dynamic world that continues to change and evolve. Any youth ministry that wants to have an impact on those with whom they minister must participate in that world. We are called by Christ to change the world as a response to the ways Christ has changed us. Here are some ideas about how the church and its ministry with youth can partner with those beyond our walls to make a difference.

Offer your assistance to principals, counselors, coaches, and teachers in the schools where youth from your church attend. (This is challenging for those with multi-school churches, but whatever you can do will benefit your ministry.)
Sponsor an "Educator Sunday" and have youth and children distribute written invitations to their teachers. Make it a meaningful recognition of what they give to the lives of children and youth in your community.
Find or create an organization that works on youth issues from different perspectives in the community. The "Healthy Communities, Healthy Youth" initiatives related to the Search Institute can provide a framework for this. (Be sure to involve youth!)
Work with area churches to accomplish ministries that you (or they) couldn’t do alone.
Work with denominational structures and staff to strengthen your ministry locally and theirs regionally or nationally.
Find, develop, or support independent ministries that help make a difference in the lives of youth and churches’ ministries to youth.
Join forces with other churches or community centers to establish a "coffee house" ministry for youth who might never enter the door of a church.
Have the church provide space for a school function.
Ask a school to provide space for a church function.
School counselors and youth leaders could work to help a youth through a challenging time or issue.
Youth leaders and community leaders could combine forces to provide a program on suicide, drug abuse, violence, or another pressing issue.
Youth leaders and the legal system could work together to help a troubled teen.
Youth leaders could partner with health care providers to offer community seminars of holistic approaches to youth health issues.
Churches and community leaders could provide forums on political issues that affect youth.
Youth groups and local ministry or mission agencies could work together to meet the needs of the homeless.

Endless Possibilities

We are only limited in the possibilities for partnering–both within and beyond the church–by our creativity and trust levels. If we look around us, we will find obvious ways to connect our mission with others. Partnering efforts that creatively link people, issues, and needs will flourish and provide transformation. That transformation will be seen in the lives of all who are involved in the process. It will also transform the systems, organizations, cultures, and communities within which these partnerships happen.

When Jesus told us to go into all the world, he didn’t intend for any of us to be a lone ranger. Just as he partnered with those around him, we are called to link who we are and what we can offer to all who will join with us in this most holy endeavor to which we have been called.

Mike Ratliff is pastor with youth at St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Littleton, Colorado. Mike has more than twenty-seven years of youth ministry experience.

Brought to you by your youth ministry colleagues at Cokesbury.