THIS is success in Student Ministry
I’ve been in student ministry for over 18 years now (over 20 in some capacity). As much as I have loved my involvement in student ministry, full-time student ministry involvement is becoming less and less as I’ve become more of a coach and volunteer than a head leader over the past year (as well as lead our new Online Ministry for the Church).
As I reflect on my time leading the student ministry I have struggled to determine if I was a successful Student Ministry. Was I? Wasn’t I? What were my contributions? How many people did I lead to Christ? Was it longevity in student ministry? It was really causing me to pause and figure it out.
But as I have been reflecting on this, an interesting trend has been happening with me over the past few years. THIS ended up causing me to realize…yes, I was successful (not that it is all about me). But, YES, I made an impact. YES, God used me. What was it?
All the crisis in life phone calls, texts and emails I got from former students who are now in their 20s and 30s experiencing tough life situations.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa Tom. You’re telling me you were successful in student ministry because of former students getting in touch with you when they were in crisis???”
Yes and here is why.
Because it shows that when life gets tough and life throws them those unexpected curveballs, God spoke to them in the time they were with me as a teen. That God ultimately used me in their lives when they were younger that has caused them to call upon me now.
Sure, when I was younger I wanted to say that I helped lead hundreds of kids to Christ and other become to become ministers themselves. Those would be great to determine my success. But success to me is that 5, 10, 15 years down the road, they can and DO turn to me and ask me for Godly guidance at an older age.
And I believe that true success in your ministry isn’t based on baptisms or how many teens attended my “youth group” nights. It is based on how many of them I still have contact with and who will and do still call me when life gets tough.
God did use me and I am forever grateful.
What about you? How do you define success in student ministry? Share below or on social media using #ymsidekick.
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