For one generation, the American Dream was about freedom from a tyrant leader of their country. For others, it was about opportunity; opportunity to worship freely, opportunity for gender equality, and opportunity for a fresh start. For another generation, it was about the pursuit of wealth, accumulation of stuff, and vacation homes. We often preach against the later.

May I make a bold assertion? As Student Pastors, when we preach against the American Dream to our students as the accumulation of stuff, pursuit of wealth, and owning vacation homes, I think it often falls on deaf ears. Not because they don’t care, but because it doesn’t resonate with their generation as a whole. 

The Millenial Generation is a generation who is passionate. They want to succeed, but their success is measured on a different level. Their accumulation of wealth doesn’t lead to a strong desire for a bigger house or a vacation home. This generation would rather use that accumulation of wealth as a means to something else. They would rather take that money and go to Africa and build a village, go to Central American and dig a well, launch an organizaiton to stop human trafficking in Asia, or develop a shoe company that gives a pair of shoes to someone when you purchase a pair. They’re different. (For some great resources on this, check out The Millenials and Soul Searching) They desire global impact, and it’s at their fingertips.

What this generation needs is the gospel as THE reason for global impact. Student Pastors, we must keep preaching the gospel as better than the accumulation of stuff, but this generation is different. The American Dream is shifting. Let’s hit’em with the gospel and unleash them on the world.

This could be the generation that ushers in the kingdom.

However, when we first started playing ball in the backyard, he constantly held the bat incorrectly, would throw the ball 190ft away from where I was standing (thus contributing to my loss of 30lbs in the past year), and wouldn’t even consider getting in front of the ball to catch it.  The game of baseball wasn’t foreign to him, but executing the basics sure seemed that way. But wait a second, he’s THREE….give the kid a break. (C’mon people. It’s an analogy.)

It wasn’t until I got off the back porch and got my hands dirty with my son that we saw progress.  I had to encourage him, even when he kept messing up. I had to constantly help him hold his hands correctly on the bat. I had to show him that there wasn’t anything to be afraid of when the ball was coming towards him. I had to give him a target to throw the ball towards, and not just expect him to know that he’s supposed to throw it to my glove.

I’ve learned a lot from my son in the way I approach ministry.

As ministry leaders, we love to do the following:

• Tell students how to live out the gospel
• Give them the steps on how to do it
• Expect them to live as missionaries in their school with everything we’ve told them about Jesus. 

What we should be doing is this: 

• Teach them about the gospel and it’s beauty
• Come alongside them; pray that God would connect the dots between information and application.
• Provide mentoring and friendship when they miss the mark, and gracefully show them Christ.
• Equip them as missionaries, pray for them, and encourage them along the way.

We can’t do effective ministry from the dugout only. We’ve got to get in the game with our students. THIS is why I love the ministry of Small Groups. Our small group leaders are on the field, ready to play ball with these students. They are the ones who not only teach our students, but come alongside of them in the day to day aspects of life, provide intimate friendship, and unleash them on their mission fields. Small Group leader, your role is vital.

Let’s give our students the tools they need for life and godliness, and let them swing the bat. 

If you’ve never pondered on the DNA of your ministry, may I encourage you to get away from the office for a day and spend some time with the Lord? If you have staff on your team, bring them along as well. Pray together. Ask for wisdom. Ask for vision. Ask for God to give you direction and strength.

But don’t just think about the DNA of your ministry being the gathering of your students. Think outside the walls. Think both the church gathered and the church scattered. What do you want to define your students when they are in their schools? On their athletic teams? Clubs?

May I offer a tip? Don’t just read people’s blogs on this, or another book, or another article in a another Youth Ministry magazine. There’s plenty of great resources out there, and I think you’d be crazy not to utilize them, but make those places secondary to the gospel.

Search the Scriptures.

Now go grab a journal and a bible and get to work!

My Pastor often says that “generosity is contagious, and so is greed.” There is such depth to that statement. We believe here at the Summit Church that the blessings God gives us are meant not only for our enjoyment, but also to leverage for good of others as we seek to be like Jesus as he leveraged his life for us.

What this means for our Student Ministry here at the Summit Church

• Our staff will work hard to live a life of generosity in front of our students. That means that there is accountability in our giving to the local church and the way we handle our personal finances, among many other things.
• We teach our students that the gospel is bigger than the collecting of things (which is a false gospel by the way.)
• On the flip side, we will model and teach our students that God does give us things for our enjoyment. Period. So enjoy them and worship God for them.
• Give your students an opportunity to give themselves away (ex: serve locally in a soup kitchen, give financially to a family in need, go on a mission trip, plan their college career around church planting, etc.)

One of the things we say around here at The Summit Church is that we’ll learn from just about anybody. The reality is that a good leader is always learning. They are always open to the ideas of others and take their input with a generous spirit. Here at The Summit Church, we care deeply about creating a culture among our staff and within our ministries a culture of giving and receiving godly feedback. Without it, we’ll wither up and die.

How this Affects our Student Ministry:

• We’re always praying and asking God to help us learn from others within our ministry and in other ministries around the country. God has really allowed me to learn from some great guys in ministry that have really helped shape the way we do ministry here with our students!  (Brad Cooper, Clayton King, Matt Lawson, Brian Mills, the fellas out at Mars Hill, Chuck Thompson, Matt Rice, etc..) I’ve used some of the approaches these guys have taken to get a point across, to train my volunteers, to greet first time guests, and to connect with parents. Learn from others!
• Learning from others produces self evaluation. When we learn from others, it often causes us to evaluate our programming, our strategies, our gifting, our passion, etc.
• Replicating is not the same as Learning. Here’s where we get caught. We often try and rip things off from other churches because it “works” there. Learning from others is not carbon copying their ministry to yours. When you begin to replicate, you begin to rely on their godliness, their creativity, and their leadership to take your ministry to the next level and not the grace of God!

Plumbline #1: People are the Mission

In all of our programming and strategy, we have to always remember that People are the Mission, and our programming and our facilities are simply tools in helping us reach and equip people. So many times we (myself included) get caught up in making secondary things the “main thing.”  People are our mission. They are our main thing. Not our facility. Not our programs. Those are simply resources that help us…not define us.

Here’s what this means for our Student Ministry:

• This means that we will be good stewards of the resources we’ve been given. We’ll keep the facility clean and make good use of what we’ve been given. Nobody wants to use crummy tools.
• We’ll spend our money wisely.
• We’ll see our programs as platforms to always connect with students and equip them with the gospel
• If our emphasis becomes on our resources and not students, we’ll repent.

We’ve been equipped with the message of hope. That message is for people. People that are created in the image of God, yet separated by sin. We will take that message to them and help them grow in it daily. They are our mission. 

• What are the key components you look for in a discipleship resource for your Small Group/Sunday School?
• How long do your classes/meetings last?
• What do you feel is missing from most curriculum? (ie: What’s the ONE THING you wish 95% of Student Ministry discipleship material would have that it doesn’t?)

• Is it Understandable? This is big. I once read in one of John Piper’s books this great quote, and I share it with you as well: “When the gospel is proclaimed, it must be explained…Unintelligible goods news is not even news, let alone good.” Great words of truth for us. Billy Graham was also once quoted as saying “I study to be simple.” I love that. Yes, teach on key doctrines of the faith! If you don’t do this…you’ve missed the point. But please, whatever you do, explain yourself to these students. All of your “ologies” need explaining.
• Can you define your entire message in one sentence? Great practice for anyone who teaches the word. If it takes more than one sentence to define your “point,” start all over again. Keep doing that until you can give a thesis statement for your entire sermon.
• Your body language says it all. I once had a professor in Seminary who was (and still is) a master writer. His books that I had read going into his classes were mind breaking for me in many ways. Then it happened. I took his class. He bored me to tears. Somehow the exact same things he wrote about in his books just did not connect with me when I heard him lecture. What was it about his presentation that bored me? His information was great, but it wasn’t landing. No passion. No connection with the class. Just information overload. What I needed was energy and enthusiasm. I needed to know from him that this was more than just information, but that it was urgent truth! Our students need that from us as well.

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