Youth Ministry Management Plan Discovery Church St. Cloud, Minnesota August, 2016 Introduction The ministry with young people in our church is a priority that needs to be seriously addressed to move us from where we are to where we want to be. It is our desire to be effective in helping our young people to know and live for Jesus. This plan outlines the strategy to do this. Our Mission Our mission is to provide a place for our youth to Belong to God and with one another Believe the Word of God and apply it to their lives Become followers of Jesus and bring others along with them Our Hope When students participate in the youth ministry at Discovery Church, at the time of graduation it is our hope that those students will have: A Close, Personal Relationship With Jesus Christ They will know Jesus personally as their Savior and have a genuine love for Him. A Christian, Biblical Worldview They will be equipped with a working knowledge of God s Word, have confidence that the Bible is the Word of God and be ready to meet the challenges presented by the world. Our students will learn the Word of God, they will love the Word of God and they will live the Word of God. Page 1 of 5
A Desire To Continue Growing In Christ They will seek to put God first in their lives. They will communicate with Him regularly in prayer. They will rely upon the Holy Spirit for direction and display the fruit of the Spirit in the way they live. A Respectful, Servant Heart They will have been provided with opportunities to discover and use their spiritual gifts. They will be active in ministry as they use their gifts in their church. They will exhibit a willingness to assume leadership in their group rather than expecting that others will do everything for them. A Christlike Love For Others They will demonstrate their love for others by doing for them what they would like done for themselves. They will have a passion for sharing Jesus with their friends. Our Ministry Philosophy Ministry philosophy describes the way we do youth ministry. It identifies the values that motivate and guide us. Christ-Centered Ministry Focus We believe every aspect of youth ministry should be focused on Jesus Christ; therefore, we will teach and model what it means to have a healthy, growing relationship with Him. Student Leadership We believe young people are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also the leaders for today; therefore, we will identify, train and deploy students in active leadership roles. Parental Involvement We believe God designed the home and church as the primary places for people to develop spiritually, physically, mentally and socially; therefore, we will develop an active partnership with parents. Team Approach We believe we need one another to fully express the image of Christ, therefore, we will utilize a team approach consisting of students, adult volunteers and paid staff. Page 2 of 5
Service/Missions We believe God desires to reach the entire world through His people as we express His love; therefore, we will engage students in service and mission projects. Impact Events We believe God uses special times of receptivity to stimulate spiritual growth and outreach; therefore, we will strategize and utilize impact events to inspire our students to grow and to invite friends to come and see Jesus. Safe, Affirming Environment We believe God wants every person to know how special they are to Him; therefore, we will create a safe, affirming environment where everyone is welcomed and respected. Our Youth Ministry Team The Youth Ministry Team includes students and adults who work together to achieve the Youth Ministry goals in the areas of outreach, fellowship, discipleship, and ministry. Outreach: We will build relationships with youth and their families to draw them closer to Christ and the church through personal contact, worship opportunities and youth events. Fellowship: We will provide opportunities for youth to connect with one another through regular church programming (Sunday School, Wednesday night, etc.) and special events conducted in a safe and affirming environment. Discipleship: We will lead youth to a closer understanding of and relationship to Christ through small groups, leadership training and personal mentoring. Ministry: We will provide opportunities for youth to grow as servants of Christ, identify their spiritual gifts and be of service to their friends, families, church and community. Our Strategy Ministry programming will always seek to accomplish our mission with students. The following diagram illustrates our strategy showing how the four major ministry areas monitor the progress of each student toward the desire written by Paul to Timothy. Don t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 NLT Page 3 of 5
Discipleship Building Youth up to become more like Jesus. Ministry Sending Youth out to serve and share Jesus with others Youth Ministry Strategy Fellowship Building relationships to keep youth in Outreach Creating Relationships to bring Youth in Page 4 of 5
Our Organizational Foundation Youth Ministry is the responsibility of the entire congregation. Rather than being top down, the following organizational chart depicts how youth ministry is supported by the resources of the entire chart as expressed through the leadership structure of the Board and the Discipleship Team. Youth Youth Ministry Team Discipleship Team Elder Board Congregation Page 5 of 5