Youth Ministry Vision for the Diocese of
I.
The goal of Youth Ministry in the Diocese of Southern Ohio is to equip and empower
youth to be faithful ministers of the word of God in and around their communities.
We are here to raise leaders, to nurture a personal and intimate relationship
with God, and to show through our example the lifestyle proclaimed through the
teachings of Christ.
II.
Youth Ministry is Not
To discover what Youth Ministry is in
a. Entertainment. Our goal is not to take as many youth on rafting trips or to parks as possible. The fun and enjoyment of our ministry must not be constructed through specific works, but rather through fellowship and celebration in safety and in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
b. Charisma. Our Youth Ministry can not focus on the person of the Youth minister, no matter how knowledgeable, exciting, and charismatic they are. This approach leads to one end-burn out for the minister. We are here to raise leaders, not burden them so they cannot function anymore.
c. Information. The youth in our Ministry cannot be expected to make Christ centered decisions based solely on the amount of information in their head. Youth today are bombarded with information from every angle, and we need to provide them with experiences more than simple knowledge.
III. Model for Youth Ministry: Contemplative, Youth Empowered Ministry
a. The focus of this approach to Youth Ministry is to pay attention to God’s presence right this moment, not to the minister, or to the program.
b. We must focus on the disciplines of the early church and how to bring them into a fun and safe experience.
i. Celebration
ii. Silence
iii. Solitude
iv. Study
v. Prayer
vi. Worship
vii. Sacrifice
c. We must create safe environments for youth. These environments must be:
i. Well supervised (1 adult for every five youth, male and female)
ii. Physically safe and secure
iii. Praise centered and not condemning
iv. Consistently Available
v. Well prepared and efficient activities.
IV.
Process
To achieve these goals, we must build a foundation together in strength and
prayerful discernment, acknowledging each individual’s spiritual gifts and helping
them to explore and expand them. This starts with
a. Youth
Ministers and Leadership
The Youth Minister’s role will no longer be the focus of our ministry, the Youth
Minister is a catalyst and facilitator, not the focal point. She or he must
be prepared to pass their experiences and love on to their youth, and they must
enjoy working with children, seeing their work as a calling and vocation, not
just a job. To be able to do this, a Youth Minister must have:
i. A Support mechanism, both personally and professionally. This includes a counselor, a priest who is open to the contemplative, and resources to do their work.
ii. Training. The Youth Minister must be prepared for every situation, and know their limits. This includes first aid, CPR, sexual harassment, biblical study, emergency procedures, and support networks (psychologists, counselors, bishops, priests, deacons, and other lay ministers)
iii. Spiritual Formation. A Youth Minister CANNOT neglect their own walk with Christ to help the youth they are responsible for. To this end the Diocese will provide support to its Youth Ministers via retreats, resources, personnel, and communication-networking with other ministers.
b. Parish
oriented Ministry
”Youth Group” is not what we are about. There is a distinct difference between
a program centered system and a Contemplative one. Parish ministries must focus
on:
i. Youth Ministering to their peers
ii. Youth Ministering to their elders
iii. Youth Ministering to their community and church
iv. Cultivating vocational choices to ministry
v. Leadership opportunities
vi. Team building exercises
vii. Spiritual Formation
viii. Biblical Study
ix. Providing excellent role models for youth, and by youth
c. Diocesan
Events and Support
The diocese will provide opportunity for any willing to explore their call to
ministry-youth, young adult, and adult, with training and retreats. These events
will be focused on two areas:
i. Formation – dead batteries do not power lights.
ii. Training – Equipping ministers to fully explore their calling.
d. Communication
The diocese will provide ample resources for Youth Ministers to keep in touch,
pass on ideas, vent, and offer direction or advice to other ministers. Tools
of communication across the diocese.:
i. distance learning and communication
ii. using the internet
iii. Email
iv. and phones
e. Ministry
Our ministry will be focused on love. Loving our fellow men and women, and showing
the mercy of God’s love. Our goals will be the same as the twelve’s when Jesus
sent them out into the world:
i.
Proclaim the nearness of the
ii. Heal the sick
iii. Cleanse the diseased
iv. Raise the dead
v. Drive out demons
vi. Give freely of ourselves
vii. Stand firm in our faith
V.
The Covenant of all Ministers to their Youth
The following is a covenant all ministers should make with their youth before
they begin any work of God.
a. I will strive to do my best to give you the love, respect, courtesy and space which you may need to help you understand your preciousness and worth as a child of God.
b. I will strive to listen to you, to hear your story, and help you discern the awesome and powerful gifts which God has given to you.
c. I will strive to teach you from my knowledge, wisdom, and experience how to fully treasure living in God’s kingdom.
d. I will strive to create a safe place, free from physical, emotional, and verbal abuse, while modeling for you Christian living in community.
e. I will strive to be patient with you, knowing that the gap in experiences and values is often great between us.
f. I will challenge you with tasks, chores, learning experiences, new forms of worship which will require your best. I will strive to support you in you efforts.
g. I will require that you strive to have an open mind, a willingness to learn and pay attention, and to have a positive attitude. I will insist that you strive to respect the dignity and grace of each person you interact with.
h. I will strive to have fun and joy in all that we do and I will encourage you to do the same.
i. Finally, I ask God for the ability to accomplish the above, and where I fall I ask God’s forgiveness and yours.
j. I will be in daily prayer for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God to fulfill what I Covenant with you.