To do Student Leadership or to NOT do Students Leadership

That is the question.

Here is why I ask the question. Because when I was a teenager, I was never formally asked to join a Student Leadership team where I had to commit to reading my Bible each day, or inviting friends to youth group or even memorizing scripture. God was working in my life and my Youth Leader brought me along side of him and started giving me scripture to memorize. He started asking me to share or lead a game at youth group. He asked me help out with this or that and I would do that. I said yes to all this because God was working in my life and I wanted to do that. Not because I signed a contract saying I promise to do these things. I became a leader and I didn’t even know it.

On the other side of the tracks are the Student Leadership Teams. These are groups of students who commit to a training program where they sign on to being a leader and step up into certain roles the Youth Director assigns to them. I know Youth Leaders who have done this and it has been a huge hit and help to their ministry.

As I am processing how we, at New Life Christian Church’s Student Ministry, are raising up leaders, I am asking myself this question. Do I form a program geared towards Student Leadership or do I intentionally ask students to step up and see how they respond…raising them up to be leaders naturally, over time without them even knowing it.

I would love your thoughts and comments about the pros and cons of both sides of the Student Leadership conundrum. So please, TAKE A MINUTE and think through your thoughts and post a comment so that we can all benefit.