Subscribe!

Why is YOUTH MINISTRY so Important?

The youth within the Moravian Church are extremely important and not just because they represent the future and will be the church one day, but because they represent the present and are the church today. Through youth ministry there are various programs that are available such as camping and outdoor ministries, and these programs are designed to build a community and help youth develop powerful relationships with adults, peers, and God.

In the June 1989 issue of The Moravian, in talking about her camping experience, Janice Keim wrote, “Camp, for a counselor or a camper, is involvement in a community where each one cares if another is hurting, each one is truly happy when another one triumphs, each one is willing to invest himself or herself in the concerns of another.” It is such an environment that acts as an incubator helping to reach today’s youth and provide acceptance as they learn, grow, and mature. Youth ministry takes full advantage of camping, but there are many other aspects that are used to reach today’s youth.

Youth are sometimes mysterious and can, at times, be difficult to reach. In the June 1989 issue of The Moravian, Miriam McElveen Story wrote, “The teenager is one of God’s most exciting creatures. A teenager has the tenacity and resilience of a lion cub, yet is as fragile and beautiful as a butterfly. The teenager knows instinctively the heartbeat of the universe.” McElveen further wrote, “The youth of today are hungry to have their lives touched in emotional and spiritual ways. They also need to be given opportunities to serve others.” Raised a Moravian, McElveen described teenagers from her experience as the Director of Youth Ministry at First United Methodist Church in Johnson City, Tennessee. The role of the Director of Youth Ministry is an important role in all churches and the Moravian Church is fortunate to have two extremely qualified directors — the Rev. Brad Bennett, Director of Youth and College Ministries, Southern Province, and the Rev. Chris Giesler, Director of Youth Ministry for the Eastern District, Northern Province.

These Youth Directors of the Moravian Church provide valuable insight with their various ministry experiences. Furthermore they talk about why youth ministry is so important and how it should be approached today, what programs are available, and how changing technology plays a role. When talking about the importance of Youth Ministry, Chris says, “As Christians, we are commanded to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the world. That task begins at home with sharing the gospel to the next generation. We don’t do this because they are the church of tomorrow but because they deserve to hear the good news today!” Brad confirms this point saying, “As followers of Jesus Christ it is our duty to reach out to our youth. It is also our great joy and privilege! They have EVERYTHING to offer the Moravian Church.”

Youth Ministry is important because it allows youth to interact with peers and adults. In doing so they learn why it is important to develop a relationship with God and live as Christians. Chris feels that many people falsely think that it is difficult to work with the youth. He says, “This really has more to do with adults feeling inadequate about their own faith and leadership abilities than it does about youth. Because youth are going through a time of great change in their physical bodies and emotional states, they often times don’t understand themselves, much less having adults that know what they are feeling.” Brad supports this by stating, “the best way to reach youth is to be honest and real, take them seriously, give them respect, let them be who they are, don’t try to be anything other than an adult who cares (that is, don’t try to act like a teenager!), and talk, talk, discuss, pray, talk, love them, and talk some more.”

Brad and Chris also speak of the various programs that are available for the youth of today. Both speak highly of the camping programs in their respective areas. Brad also mentions the Regional Youth Council, an annual rally and lovefeast, an annual youth retreat in the Florida District, and, more recently, the joining together of smaller churches to have larger monthly youth gatherings. Chris adds that the Northern Province has various district and congregational youth rallies and various retreat opportunities. Both Chris and Brad speak enthusiastically of Convo, a gathering of Moravian youth from both the Northern and Southern Provinces, which occurs every two to four years depending on age.

In describing the events that occur at Convos and camps, Brad says, “We DO pray and worship a lot! I’d be concerned if we didn’t! But we also laugh, play, talk, cry, joke, prank, learn, study, goof around, eat, laugh some more, support, challenge, teach, sometimes sleep, hug, laugh even more, work, listen, struggle, watch, grow, read, lead, giggle, encourage, goof up, and most of all love.” Adding to this, Chris says, “Camps (especially the older ones) are usually a combination of large group programming, small group interaction, and then structured and unstructured recreational time. It is usually very relationship intensive in that a lot of energy is spent on developing a community of faith.” In speaking of these various events in the November 1985 issue of The Moravian the Rev. B. David Smith wrote, “Our camps, convos, wilderness events, rallies, and other programs have offered consistency, growth, and excitement in faith development for many youth. Such consistency should be continued.”

On the media and changing technology Chris and Brad feel that people just cannot compete with the entertainment value of mass media. Furthermore Brad says, “To even try to compete with modern technology, entertainment media, etc. would only doom one to always trying to ‘keep up’ with whatever the latest fad is, which means one spends one’s time in the competition instead of the mission and the message of the gospel.” He also speaks of how he uses modern technology to help rather than hinder his approach to youth ministry. Brad states, “I have actually done counseling on IM (AOL Instant Messenger). One can also use examples in popular television and movies that can be used as vehicles for the message. Current music, movies, and TV shows also make great conversation pieces.” Chris feels that youth will put the mass media on hold to experience youth ministry events. He says, “Kids go to where they are part of a community. They will miss a TV show, put off going to see a movie, and leave the keyboard, if they can go to a place where they are loved and accepted and have formed solid relationships.”

In addition to providing a sense of youthfulness to the church, Chris says that, “They give the established church new eyes to see the Old Story in new ways. They challenge the established church to communicate the gospel in new ways so that the changing world can also be invited into the Church,” Brad adds that, “if they do not feel loved and included, they will not remain. Give them the respect they deserve as children of God.”

Chris and Brad’s Thoughts On Working With Youth

Andrew David is a professional writing student from Kutztown University completing an internship with the Interprovincial Board of Communication of the Moravian Church in North America.