Rev. David Gilpin
Senior Minister of Hope Church, Sheffield Behind everything you see is something you don’t see.
This book is designed to outline nuggets of wisdom that often remain invisible behind thriving churches and ministries. Mixed with a touch of humour. Top 10 of Everything looks into the Private Word and the Practical World, the Handy Hints World and the Wide World of Knowledge. It gives advice on many subjects that may prove invaluable to established and up-and-coming leaders. Read it all at once or read it one Top Ten at a time. This book can also provide new preachers with an opportunity to ‘borrow’ some of the Tom 10 outlines to create lively and dynamic sermons.
Top ten THINGS YOU DEFINITELY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUTH MINISTRY
YOUNG BLOOD
Youth ministry is tough at the best of times. Often the youth leaders are still working through a lot of stuff in their own lives and they-re given the entire responsibility for a whole lot of other lives. There’s not much praise from the youth and definitely a lot less from the parents. There’s pressure from the elders because the youth don’t sit still in church and if that’s not enough, the Devil is somewhere around as well.
- YOUTH MINISTRY IS PASSION PERSONIFIED
It’s the heart of enthusiasm for every church. Let their passion drive the music, fuel the worship, fill the testimonies and impregnate the atmosphere. Take the ‘suits’ off the front rows and let the youth sit there.
2. YOUTH MINISTRY IS ‘PAY PER VIEW
It is a payment by instalments. Teenagers don’t make one big decision for Jesus but a series of min-decisions. Each decision lets them view that bit more of God’s amazing call for their lives.
3. YOUTH MINISTRY IS A TIME-SAVING DEVICE
Prevention is better than cure. The smart money is in an awesome youth programme that puts teens on the right footing for life. It saves lots of time of ‘adult’ ministry.
4. YOUTH MINISTRY IS THE MOST VOLATILE
They go from the top of Everest to the depths of the earth in a day. Trust that under all the emotion is a faith that will keep them from falling.
5. YOUTH MINISTRY IS PRONE TO THE PACK INSTINCT
They arrive in a pack and leave in a pack. Within the pack, though, are lone wolves hungry for God.
6. YOUTH MINISTRY IS ABOUT PUSHING THE LIMITS
Safe is boring. Outrageous is more like it.
7. YOUTH MINISTRY IS A MATTER OF BEING ‘WISE AS SERPENTS’
In attempting to be relatable, the youth leader sometimes takes on the same spirit as the people he’s trying to help.
8. YOUTH MINISTRY IS A PROPHETIC MINISTRY
If you change the youth, you can change the nation. Almost every movement for good has been through a youth revolution.
9. YOUTH MINISTRY IS NOT A STEPPING STONE
Full stop.
10. YOUTH MINISTRY IS MUCH MORE THAN YOUTH MINISTRY
It is also ministry to the parents, crowd control, health and safety supervision, damage limitation, child protection, financial assistance and family planning.
