Why Do You Do What You Do?
If I asked every youth worker who visits this site, “What is your purpose for being in youth ministry,” I could expect a lot of variety in the responses I’d get back. The answers themselves would be articulated differently. But my hunch is that at their heart, there would be some uniformity.
My hunch is that the main thrust of most people’s responses would be something along the lines of wanting teenagers to know God and to see their lives changed as a result.
The answers might be phrased a little differently, and might put more emphasis on practice or outcomes, etc. But overall, I believe we all want to see teenagers fully grasp who God, and to be transformed by this knowledge, living lives that glorify Him, with all that implies both in the present and in their futures. In a general sense, this is why we do what we do.
And this is one of the main reasons why we believe so strongly in the elements Bible study curriculum, and are so excited that churches all across the country are using it.
In case you don’t know, elements is our newest Bible study curriculum, and it’s unique in that it examines 25 core faith concepts in three-lesson snapshots. These 25 concepts are vital to your students’ understanding of their faith. But it’s the way the three-lesson snapshot is structured that makes such an impact.
Certainly you could take concepts like Grace, God’s Mission, Salvation, God’s Judgment, and so on, and teach semester length studies of them. But we wanted to come up with a way to teach the basics of these concepts in a succinct but powerful format that held students’ attention but still covered the basics. That’s where the structure of the three-lesson format comes in.
The 3 "lenses" of every elements study: Lens #1
In the first lesson of every single elements study, we look at the specific concept in light of God’s character. So, for instance, in our study on Service, we look at how God selflessly provided for Adam and Eve, the Israelites, and so many more throughout Scripture. We help show your students that serving others is part of God’s character, and that it should be part of theirs as His children. The same type of progression happens when we talk about Discipleship, or God’s Righteousness, or Prayer, or any other of the 25 element studies.
It’s a powerful and simple way of helping your students understand who God is and how this knowledge radically transforms their identities.
Over the next couple of days, we’ll talk about the other two “lenses” of the three-lesson format of an elements study. In the meantime, if you want to try elements for yourself, you can download an entire study for FREE. This is an excellent way to see if elements will work for your group.
Curious about the 25 core faith concepts of elements? Here's a quick look at what's covered:
And, while you're here, take a second and watch this short video:
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! Call (888.969.6360), Live Chat us by clicking on the link at the top of this page, or email us at customercare@youthministry360.com. We'd love to answer any questions you may have.
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