Responding To Unchurched Students Who Show Up To Youth Group

Today's post is a link to an excellent article from Jeremy Zach. Jeremy's an awesome guy that does incredible work with the team over at XP3/Orange. He's one of our ym360 Contributors and an all around great guy.

We ran across this post yesterday and thought it was a great one to share. We'll start it here, but of you want to finish it, bounce on over to Jeremy's site by clicking the link below the article. (Oh, and if you enjoyed it, let him know in the comment section on his blog.)

The Outsiders: Responding To Unchurched Students Who Show Up To Youth Group By Jeremy Zach

My heart gravitates towards the fringe-unchurched-postmodern kid. I really do enjoy working with these “outsiders” and I am very thrilled when a unchurched kid comes to church. At any given point in any youth ministry program, I am going to be thinking: What are the unchurched students thinking about this youth program? and How are our leaders responding and interacting with these unchurched kids?Below are 3 ideas that I have learned while working with and responding to unchurched kids who enter the teenage Christian sub-culture known as youth group:

1. Be sensitive to each students spiritual development and process.

Every students’ spiritual process is unique. The adolescent spiritual growth is not a sequential progress like the educational system. Rather the spiritual process for new unchurched kids is very intermittent and disruptive. Here are a few ways to support the uniqueness of each kid’s spiritual process: a) Overestimate the power of the Gospel and Jesus b) Be commitment and consistent through the ups and downs c) Most growth happens when student does hands on ministry d) Become a conversationalist and a not lecturer e) Discipleship starts with a student’s heart and not with their actions and behaviors f) Pray the Holy Spirit spark an awe for God.

Read the rest of Jeremy's post on his site by CLICKING HERE.