Subscribe to BlogDeveloping a Missional Student Ministry
Below is a great blog post on developing a missional student ministry by Alvin Reid. Thanks Alvin for investing in those that invest in the largest generation of humanity!
Note: the following is a summary of my notes for my Foundations of Student Ministry Class. It summarizes some of what I hope to see happen through the student ministers trained at Southeastern. I pulled the information from a variety of sources, all noted at the end.
1. A Missional Student Ministry is founded on the missionary nature of God and His church.
The church must not be seen as “a place where religious goods and services are provided,” but instead it should be understood as the “gathered and sent people of God.”
Student ministry must move from the 3 “E”’s: Events, Entertainment, and Enthusiasm, to the 4 “-al”s: Biblical, Spiritual, Intentional, Missional (from Evangelism Handbook).
We must constantly ask ourselves whether our student ministry is:
A. Biblical: Gospel-centered, focused on the Mission of God, not on:
Moralism – using fear, rules, and commands as the basis for discouraging sin and encouraging holy living, which sadly results in increased self-righteousness among rule-keepers and absolute despair in those who are unable to live up.
Pragmatism – when in an effort to reach new people, church leaders spend more time teaching helpful techniques or useful principles than actually pointing people to the only thing that has real power to change both hearts and lives.
Political agendas – out of a desire to get involved in the public square and to influence policy, Christians of every political stripe often begin to equate the spread of the gospel with the growth of a specific political party or platform.
Instead, we focus on:
-Reading/teaching all Scripture with gospel lenses
-Preaching the gospel to believers AND unbelievers
-Leaders demonstrating this, emulating a lifestyle of repentance
-Cultivating a culture of wonder at the gospel
-Being a safe place for those who do not yet “get” the gospel (radically unchurched and radically churched or steeped in religion)
-Creating disciples who not only know the gospel but who live it.
Taken from http://www.rethinkmission.org/about-rethink-mission-what-is-a-gospel-centered-church/
B. Spiritual: Focusing on the supernatural, Spirit-led work of God. This means a ministry less about sensational events designed to draw a crowd and based on the ingenuity of the leaders, and more on prayer, witness, the power of the gospel, and the work of the Spirit.
C. Intentional: Creating a culture that sees the proclamation of the gospel the center of both the lives of the students and the ministry of the church/student ministry.
“We are intentional because we have come to understand life as worship: by the gospel we can know, serve, and worship the God of the universe! As a result we long to see unbelievers know and worship too: “By nature
we are worshipers, by conversion we have become rightly ordered missional
worshipers. Therefore, the result ought to be that each one of us becomes a
more proficient and intentional missional witness.” (Convergent Church, Chapter 10).
D. Missional: We seek so create the posture of a missionary in every student, in fact in all who follow Jesus.
Stetzer and Dodson give a basic definition of missional: “In its simplest form, the term “missional” is the noun “missionary” modified to be an adjective. Missional churches do what missionaries do, regardless of the context. . . . If they do what missionaries do—study and learn language, become a part of the culture, proclaim the good news, be the presence of Christ, and contextualize biblical life and church for that culture—they are missional churches. ” (From Combeback Churches)
2. Missional Student Ministry will focus more on being incarnational than hosting attractional events.
“Those with a missional perspective no longer see the church service as the primary connecting point for those outside the church. The missional church is more concerned about sending the people in the church out among the people of the world, rather than getting the people of the world in among the people of the church. Others have described this distinction as a challenge to ‘go and be’ as opposed to ‘come and see.’ (From http://www.rethinkmission.org/about-rethink-mission-what-is-a-gospel-centered-church/)
Stetzer and Dodson give three marks of a missional church. The same apply for student ministry:
(1) Incarnational—”missional churches are deeply entrenched in their communities. They are not focused on their facilities, but on living, demonstrating, and offering biblical community to a lost world.” (2) Indigenous—this means “taking root in the soil of their society and reflecting, appropriately, their culture.” They note how hard this is for established churches since they already have a culture of their own and find it hard to change when what they find meaningful no longer communicates to a changing community around them. Instead of expecting lost people to become like the church culture, missional churches “are driven by Scripture, but people from the community see people like them—just radically different in the way they live.” (3) Intentional—”In missional churches, biblical preaching, discipleship, baptism, and other functions are vital. But worship style, evangelistic methods, attire, service times, locations, and other matters are determined by their effectiveness in a specific cultural context.”
Students can and must learn these principles while young. Student pastors must increasingly devote time to missionary thinking and related matters such as contextualization.
3. The Missional Church is about actively participating in the Missio Dei, or mission of God.
We assume God is at work in His world, not just in the church (especially the church building!). Rather than having a missions committee as a part of the church, or a missions focus as part of student ministry, we see the mission of God as being the center of all we do: every activity, trip, what and how we teach, everything from calendar to content, flows from the redemptive mission of God.
4. This means we seek to create a missional posture in the students we lead. How?
A. Spiritual formation/transformation. How we teach believers, whether in middle school or senior adults, will focus on life transformation, not merely information dissemination. Spiritual formation becomes the goal more than teaching a lesson. This will mean a radical refocus on how most churches do Bible study, weekly meetings, etc.
B. Emphasize the Priesthood of Believers. Martin Luther in using this expression meant that Christians are to live out their faith in every area of life. Whether you are a butcher, baker, or candlestick maker, a student, an athlete, or a teacher, your life and ministry is as vital as the pastor or anyone else.
This applies particularly to current student ministry since most youth are treated like grade school children more than young men and women. Helping them to see the value of their lives spent for Christ no matter what their career may be can be vital to a growing missional reformation in the Western church.
C. Change the scorecard. Student ministry is too often measured by numbers and events. Numbers matter. The Scriptures record a lot of numbers. But we are in danger of becoming like David who sinned when he numbered the people if we rate our success on our numbers in the building rather than the lost around us.
Our scorecard should measure the impact we are making in the local public school as much as (or more than!) the numbers we have in our youth gathering. How many students are sharing their faith? How many are volunteering at the school? How are students in your ministry cultivating relationships with unchurched youth? How are their families doing? How are they living for Christ after leaving the student ministry?
D. Value “third places.” Starbucks has become the epitome of a third place for students. Everywhere I go I see students passionate about meeting friends there. They do not go to Starbucks because of the products they sell, but because of the environment they create.
Our culture has become post-Christian. More and more unbelievers must be engaged for the gospel away from a church building. If we are serious about reaching youth, this is critical. This includes understanding the place of hospitality and the need to love and welcome unchurched students who may not “get” everything we do.
E. Give students the metanarrative. Help them see that although Jesus certainly came to give us the hope of heaven after death, He came to give us life now as well. Showing them the great drama of redemption: Creation, Fall, Redemption, New Creation matters. See http://yourpartinthestory.com/ as a great example of how to do this.
I close with the closing paragraph from “What Is Missional” at http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/cp-in-kc/:
The greatest challenge facing the church in the West is the “re-conversion” of its own members. We need to be converted away from an internally focused, Constantinean mode of church and converted towards an externally focused, missional-incarnational movement that is a true reflection of the missionary God we follow. This conversion will not be easy. The gravitational pull to focus all of our resources on ourselves is strong. My prayer, however, is that a clearer understanding of the word “missional” will help to form us and ultimately move us in the proper direction.
Doing this in student ministry can only accelerate this change.
The above is taken from:
http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/cp-in-kc/
http://www.rethinkmission.org/about-rethink-mission-what-is-a-gospel-centered-church/
Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson, Breakout Churches
Mark Liederbach and Alvin Reid, Convergent Church
Alvin Reid, Evangelism Handbook
Alvin Reid, Raising the Bar
Moments that Last
Many of us who have invested in students and their families over the years have experienced first hand the impact that mission projects and trips have on their lives as individuals and as families. Personally, some of my most memorable ministry moments took place during intentional missional practice both domestically and internationally. One of my friends Tiffany Smith, Missions Mobilization Associate for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, compiled the following, valuable information on mobilizing your students in Gospel-centered, mission projects and trips in 2010.
Youth Mission Options
Texas Connections
• Brent and Savannah Sorrels, Port Arthur, TX.
They have plenty of space for teams to stay, and there are twelve individual shower stalls built into the facility at the partner church, Trinity Baptist Church in Port Arthur. Our primary focus is “international missions without leaving Texas,” and includes Vietnamese and Indian outreach efforts. All kinds of teams are welcome – youth, adult, family, small or large. Ministry opportunities include prayerwalking, evangelism, VBS, service projects, etc.
Phone: (409) 293-3950
Email: outreach2pa@sbcglobal.net
Also, there will be a Powerplant youth mission week in Port Arthur, TX – June 7-12, 2010!
• Carl & Kerry Lorey – they are church planters in Dallas, TX working with Bhutanese refugees. This is really a cross-cultural experience right here at home. They LOVE having volunteer teams come and help! There are opportunities to do all sorts of different projects. Contact the Loreys to see what would work best for your team. They are excellent at providing training and debriefing with the teams, too!
Phone: 972-951-9630
Email: carllorey@sbcglobal.net
HIS BridgeBuilders, Dallas, TX
• H.I.S. BridgeBuilders exists to build bridges of love, one life at a time. Through these bridges of love come relationships that can truly transform communities and cities for Christ. Scripture is clear about believers working together towards this goal. We have all been given different talents and gifts that we are to use for his service. BridgeBuilders has many opportunities that will fit your gifting, level of commitment and personal schedule. Please look at the Volunteer Opportunities to see how your gifting can be used within the ministry of H.I.S. BridgeBuilders.
For further information contact Roger Sappington, Director of Spiritual Development -
Email: rsappington@hisbb.org
Phone: 1-214-377-1554
Or go to http://hisbridgebuilders.org/
Church Plant:
• The Crossroads Community Church, Anna, TX; Shawn Kemp, pastor
Email: shawnkemp@hotmail.com
Phone: 903.893.8783
Houston’s First Baptist Church
• Houston’s First Baptist Church has ongoing ministries in the community to strategically reach the lost for Christ. They will accept teams all year round for prayerwalking, church planting, Outreach ministries, Muslim or People group outreach, etc. The church has facilities to house teams with a special rate to accommodate mission volunteers. This is a perfect mission opportunity for youth, college, adults, family mission groups, & senior citizens.
• July 10th-17th, 2010 – Houston Summer Project – In addition to the ongoing ministry throughout the year, HFBC has a special event outreach designed for youth – The Houston Summer Project. Go check out their website: www.HoustonProject.org The dates are July 10-17th and the cost is $175 per student including meals, lodging, training, and a portion of the ministry costs. Smaller teams and individuals could merge with others in order to assist with transportation and ministry needs. Here is the link for the schedule and details: http://www.houstonproject.org/hp_1.html This evangelistic summer project is a strategic nine-day period where 800 students and adults will experience evangelistic instruction and field training in Houston, Texas. This ministry takes place in declining churches as well as strategic new church start areas. For information with the ongoing options or the Houston Summer Project, contact Becky Parker.
Email: becky.parker@hfbc.org Phone: 713-681-8000
National Connections
Bill & Bettye Roberts – Native American Partnership Missions with NAMB
• Teams are needed to deliver items to small Indian churches on the Navajo reservation in New Mexico and to some Indian churches in Oklahoma. This is a great chance to share the Lord with the Indian people. Please contact Bill and Bettye – Phone: 903-364-2515 Email: wrobb@texoma.net
Hudson Baptist Association, Schenectady, NY
• Hudson Baptist Association exists to facilitate the starting and strengthening of churches. New York’s state capital, Albany, is the heart of our area in which only 2% of the people have a personal relationship with Christ. Fifteen churches have been planted since 2000 as we partner to engage every one of the 1.4 million people in New York’s capital region with the Good News of Jesus Christ. CONTACT: Sean Pierce, 518.355.4964; seanpierce@hbany.net
Power Plant – PowerPlant is a new student missions initiative of the North American Mission Board. At a PowerPlant event, participants will be taught evangelism skills and church planting principles. They will work alongside church planters on ministry teams that will be involved in survey work, vbs, sports camps, servant evangelism, and more. For more information & registration, please go to the website to look at the list of 2010 Projects.
June 7-12 June 14-19
Port Arthur, TX St. Louis, MO
Memphis, TN Atlanta, GA
Savannah, GA Phoenix, AZ
Indianapolis, IN
June 21-26 July 5-10
Denver, CO Seattle, WA
Greenville, SC Nashville, TN
Philadelphia, PA Ottawa, ON (Canada)
July 12-17 July 19-24
San Francisco, CA Los Angeles, CA
Charleston, WV Cincinnati, OH
Chicago, IL Madison, WI
Families on Mission
Families on Mission is a pre-packaged, week-long (Saturday through Thursday) family mission opportunity that allows mom, dad, and grandparents to model an on-mission lifestyle for their children and grandchildren. Parents and grandparents have the unique privilege to be “hands on” as they guide their family through devotions, missions awareness, mission projects, worship, family small group discussions, and interaction with resident missionaries and the community. Mission activities include acts of kindness and other evangelism events, light construction and painting, yard work, prayer walking, Vacation Bible School, sports camps, block parties, and others. Children must have completed kindergarten in order to participate. For more information and registration, please go to the website to look at the list of 2010 Projects.
June 6-11 Blue Ridge, Georgia June 13-18 Big Stone Gap, Virginia
June 20-25 Helen, Georgia July 11-16 Hannibal, Missouri
July 18-23 Broken Arrow, Oklahoma July 25-30 Shelby County, Alabama
International Connections
Mexico
• Operation GO Mexico is an exciting, Bible based, evangelistic, and aggressively missional church planting plan that works in cooperation with the IMB, SBTC, and the Mexican Baptist Convention. Our ministry will work for your church in developing, training, planning and facilitating a mission trip into Mexico that will be “in strategy” with our partners.
Contact: Mike Due, SBTC Mexico Consultant, Port Arthur, TX; mikedue@mac.com; (409) 293-3864
Mexico-Texas Border-First Baptist Church, Brownsville
• Our purpose is to fulfill the Great Commission in the Rio Grande Valley and Mexico by furnishing affordable effective mission opportunities for church groups that fosters a life-changing experience for volunteers that encourages a calling to missions. Our Mission Outreach Center offers two types of missions program opportunities: 1) Summer Youth Program and 2) year-round Mexico Mission Program.
For further information contact the pastor, Steve Dorman. Phone: 1-956-542-5334 Or go to www.fbcbrownsville.org
International World Changers
(for youth/college groups or youth/college individuals)
International World Changers exists to see men and women, young and old, from every nation, tribe and tongue come to salvation through Jesus Christ. We seek to do this by:
• Providing high school and college groups and individual students with a short-term, hands-on missions experience that results in meeting the real needs, both physical and spiritual, of people.
• Partnering with Southern Baptist missionaries and national believers to help them accomplish their goals and strategies in reaching people groups and starting new churches
• Promoting a lifestyle of missions awareness and involvement to students and their leaders in churches, youth groups and campus ministries.
For information about 2010 locations & registration, please go to: http://www.thetask.org/iwc
Don’t see the overseas area you are interested in??? We can connect you!
The SBTC partners with the International Mission Board which has over 5,000 missionaries all over the world. If you are interested in connecting with a missionary in a particular area, then please contact Tiffany Smith and she will assist you in partnering with an overseas missionary and/or planning & preparing for your trip. We can do cross-cultural training for your volunteer team before you go overseas as well.
Tiffany’s contact info is:
Email: tsmith@sbtexas.com
Phone: 817-552-2500
Twitter: www.twitter.com/tiffanydsmith
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tiffanydsmith
Resources! Resources! Resources!
Need Training Resources??? Try these:
Online:
1. Fundraising Ideas/Resources: http://www.thetask.org/youth/IWC/fundraising.asp
2. Pre-Project Study:
From the International Mission Board: http://thetask.org/youth/IWC/preprojectstudy.htm
3. Becoming a World Christian downloads from the IMB: http://thetask.org/students/G_Passion/default.htm
Topics include: Prayer, God’s Passion, Bible Studies, Debt & Becoming a World Christian
Helpful Books:
For the Leader:
1. 
Serving with Eyes Wide Open: Doing Short-term Missions with Cultural Intelligence by David A. Livermore.
If you are going overseas, this is a MUST for the leader. Excellent insight on how volunteer teams can inadvertently cause harm in missions. This book helps you as a leader be more insightful and wise when leading a team in a cross-cultural setting. The principles are also applicable to working with in Mexico or with people groups in the United States.
2. 
Preach & Heal: A Biblical Model for Missions by Charles Fielding, M.D. – With the push for “social justice” issues, this is an excellent resource for leaders wanting to learn to balance evangelism with social justice. Jesus sent His disciples to preach the kingdom of God and heal the sick. Jesus practiced both. This book explores the ideology and practical ways for balanced ministry so that you can effectively reach the lost.
3. Mission Trip Prep Kit – Leader’s Guide by Kevin Johnson. Complete preparation for your students’ cross-cultural experience.
4. The Complete Student Missions Handbook by Ridge Burns with Noel Becchetti. This book embeds some of the logistical preparation for a trip within Bible study lessons. There are some great ideas that a leader can extract and implement with his/her group preparation/planning for a mission trip – in the U.S. or overseas.
To share with the students:
1. God’s Heart for the Nations by Jeff Lewis. This is a great little book that
is easy to do a Bible study with the students or small group.
2. My Life His Mission: True Stories from Students Living on the Edge by Kim Davis. Selected stories and questions can be incorporated into a weekly lesson or you can work through the entire book with a small group or volunteer team.
3. Taking Prayer to the Streets by C. Thomas Wright. Prayerwalking – Many of the mission trips now include prayerwalking. What does that mean? How do you do it? This book will help you teach your students how to prayerwalk effectively. The ancient proverb says “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Prayer Journeys is one step to spiritual growth and renewal. This Prayer Journeys binder is for a teacher or prayer coordinator. It includes everything needed to help believers to pray for and share Jesus with people in the communities where they live, work, play and worship. There are 12 sessions, including an introduction, bibliography, and appendices. The sessions can be printed for free by clicking on the image.
Thanks Tiffany for such great information! If you want to contact her or follow her Twitter feed, her contact information is below.
Email: tsmith@sbtexas.com
Phone: 817-552-2500
Twitter: www.twitter.com/tiffanydsmith
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tiffanydsmith