Where youth ministry is going [Introduction] Life In Student Ministry

Where youth ministry is going

Topic / Featured, Youth Ministry

blog, Future of Youth Ministry

Where is youth ministry going? I really don’t know exactly where youth ministry is going. There’s been a lot written on this subject, especially lately, but no one really knows for sure. It’s all tainted by our own values, experiences, and perceptions of what we see in the circles we run with.

I know this is definitely true for me. I tend to be involved with more conservative circles in youth ministry. Just like everyone else, I have a set of values that serve as a set of lenses for how I perceives shifts and decisions, too. What I share over the next several days is all based on that limited perspective and experience.

I’d love for this to be a discussion where we can talk about some of these things because I’d really love to hear what you guys are seeing out there. It’ll be interesting to see how my observations align or don’t align with your observations and vice versa.

I have 3 trends to discuss with you guys that I think are starting to take place in our approach to youth ministry, all of which really excite me! But there’s 1 trend that’s still not happening that I wish was a trend. Maybe if I rant hard enough about it in my last post of this series youth ministries will actually start doing it. We’ll see. ;)

Before we jump into the series tomorrow, I want to hear your initial thoughts on where youth ministry is going and what trends you see taking place that will shape our future. Comment below!

QUESTION: What 3 trends do you see taking place in youth ministry? What is 1 thing you wish was a trend that isn’t?

P.S. Just for kicks, read through a series I hosted back in 2006 where 25 youth leaders shared their thoughts on, “What needs to change in youth ministry?” Contributors include Marko, Adam McLane, Greg Stier, Joshua Griffin, and more. Funny to see what’s changed and hasn’t changed in youth ministry since that was written 6 years ago.