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A Word From the Authors
Student-led small groups. Another youth ministry “gimmick of the month”? Another new technique on the market to hook more students into your youth program?
We hope not! Why? Because student-led small groups start with the biblical premise that youth have been given a special gift of ministry, like Timothy was given. Far from being only ministry “targets” or ministry “recipients,” youth can be visionaries and agents of ministry to one another and to the world. Student-led small groups remind us of this, as they equip students and give them hands-on opportunities for ministry.
Far from expecting too much from students, adults in youth ministry often expect too little from them. Yet, over and over again in our own churches, we witness the wonderful synergy that happens when students are given significant leadership roles! Significant ministry not only happens; it exceeds expectations.
We have experienced this excitement since the inception of student-led small groups at Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Beginning with a design team of student and adult leaders, the student-led cell group ministry that was envisioned and launched has been blessed beyond our wildest dreams. In addition to reaching youth beyond our church walls, we have witnessed this ministry nurture the spiritual growth and leadership of countless students who have participated as leaders and group members. The temptation is a real one, the temptation to turn Synago sessions into adult-led Sunday school lessons or youth fellowship programs. It can be done. There’s no doubt about that. But in doing so you’ll miss a priceless opportunity to witness what God can do when God uses a students’ imagination, compassion, and enthusiasm to lead a ministry such as this one.
Prepare to be amazed, as we were.
—Karen Kluever and Joe Hamby
About the Authors
Joe Hamby serves as minister to youth and their families at Myers Park United Methodist Church, in Charlotte, North Carolina. A graduate of Wake Forest University, Joe earned his Masters of Divinity at Duke way back in the pre-video game era of recorded history (early 1980s). An ordained deacon in the Western North Carolina Conference, Joe has been in youth ministry for more than fifteen years.
Karen Kluever is in ministry with youth at Mouzon United Methodist Church, in Charlotte, where she serves as director of program ministries. For eleven years, Karen also worked at Myers Park Church, where Synago was born. Three of those years were with Joe. Karen has undergraduate and graduate degrees in journalism and a master’s in Christian education from Pfeiffer University, in North Carolina.
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