Do Your Students Serve In The Church?

I think we would all agree we want to see our students plugged in and serving the church. There is nothing greater than seeing students with a desire to serve Jesus by serving people. Serving is a sign of growth and helps keep students connected and engaged. Unfortunately, for so many of us, this can be a serious issue. It becomes an issue because either we or the people of the church tend to look at student ministries as a completely separate entity of the church.

Not only is this an unfortunate way to look at student ministries, but it causes students to miss out on some amazing growth opportunities in the body of Christ. When students serve in the church, they get to witness God using them, learn from older, wiser people who have seen a thing or two, and ultimately, grow in their relationship with the Lord.

Even though many of us want to see our students serving, sometimes making it happen comes with obstacles. It could be because some of the students are nervous and afraid of serving in a capacity outside of the student ministry. It could be because adults don’t want students in the way. Or perhaps it’s because they are dependent on their parents getting them there early, and that’s a tough sell. It could be any combination of things; however, we have to find the solution.

WAYS TO HELP INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO THE CHURCH

One of the easiest ways to introduce students to serving in the church is through Vacation Bible School, camps, and other kids’ activities. Typically, adults are more stressed during these events and will be more willing to allow students to serve. Students will be more willing to serve because they feel more mature. Get your students plugged into these areas as quickly as possible! Serving in your kid's ministry is a great first step for many middle and high schoolers.

Once you have set the groundwork and foundation for serving, it is time to start plugging students into places that match their gifts. For instance, if a student shows an interest in mixing sound on Wednesday nights, start allowing them to attend practices on Sunday mornings. If a student shows interest in leading a small group, get them plugged in with the kid’s Sunday School teachers. There are so many areas where our students can serve. As youth pastors, we have to help cast the vision to our church, ministry leaders, and to our students.

THE BIGGEST STEP

Finding areas for your students to serve can be a major issue. Making sure the adults treat them appropriately during their service can be a cause for concern. Having students be faithful to their responsibilities can cause us some stress. There are a lot of things to think about when it comes to getting our students to serve in the church, but I think there is one thing we tend to overlook more than anything!

WE MUST DO OUR PART TO MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS ARE PREPARED TO SERVE! What do I mean? I mean, we must make sure they are learning, growing in their walk, becoming more Spiritually mature, and grasping the full meaning of the Great Commission. It is not only our responsibility, but it is our duty. We owe it to our students, but we owe it to the church. We must ensure our students understand the purpose of serving, the ways we serve, and why it is so important for their personal growth. We must be active participants in “equipping the saints for the work of the ministry.”

We can do so by hosting things like leadership classes or an interest meeting to serve. We can get those interested in serving together outside of regular service times to explain the process, reasoning, and benefits of serving the church. We can do our part by helping shape our students into the leaders we know they can be. We’ve all heard the saying, “Students aren’t the future of the church. They are the church today.” I believe that with all of my heart. I believe in our students. I believe in their generation. I believe God can and wants to do something in and through them.

It starts with us. We must be committed to not only seeing our numbers grow, seeing students attend camp, and hosting the most events in the county, though all of these may be great. We must be committed to leading, equipping, guiding, instructing, teaching, and loving our students so that they can become a vital aspect of the church today and tomorrow.

Share your thoughts with others in our YM360 community:

1. How many students do you have currently serving in some capacity within the church? How many do you wish you had?
2. What can you do better to facilitate a servant attitude within your student ministry?