Starting Fresh at a New Church
I have just begun a new season in my life this past July. Student Ministry has been a calling on my life since I have been 15 years old and when I was 18 years old, a church took a chance on me within their Student Ministry. Since then for the past 15 years I have fallen deeper into the calling of Student Ministry and investing in Millenials and now Gen Z.
In July of 2018, I left North Carolina where I had lived for 10 years total working with two churches, but God called our family to a new place to grow in our Christian walk. I began working at Church at the Cross in Orlando, FL. There are four things that God has shown me through coming on staff here in Church at the Cross.
God brings us as Pastors into students lives for a purpose
Each one of us would admit that God brings us into students lives for a reason, but what are we doing with the time we have with the students in our ministry. While starting at a new ministry, I have loved meeting fellow Student Pastors who are doing amazing things in their ministries. The key for us as Student Pastors is to realize we are in our ministry setting with these students for a specific purpose. The students in our ministry need us to stay faithful to God, God's Word, and leading them closer to God daily. We have a purpose before us every day to invest and be part of Students lives. I can tell you students want you at their schools, sporting events, and sharing God's Word.
Share the Gospel Faithfully
No matter where you are in ministry, share the Gospel with your students. I have found over the years that staying faithful to the Gospel is the key to doing ministry. I love asking students I meet a question, "What is your story?" That question opens the door for you as a Student Pastor to learn more about your students. But be prepared because this question can/will lead to people giving their lives over to Christ. I know you are just reading this blog and going to move on with your day, but let me ask you a question to ponder over. How can you share the Gospel faithfully in your ministry setting? I asked myself this question, and it changed the way I do ministry.
Discipleship is the Key to Student Ministry
Generation Z that sits within our ministries weekly wants to be discipled. I have found recently asking a student if they would like to meet once a week for discipleship is one of the biggest wins for me in ministry. Students are looking for someone to help them grow in Christ and help answer the questions they are afraid to ask. The more I study Gen Z, the more I realize that they have extreme pressure and stress in their lives. The students you minister to daily are part of a generation that battles depression, anxiety, perfectionism, and the list goes on because they feel like the whole world is on their shoulders right now. They are not worried about the future, they are concerned about today. So walking beside students through discipleship is pivotal.
Your Youth Workers are the G.O.A.T.
I am spoiled when it comes to Youth Workers. I have amazing volunteers who come into our ministry to help teach and reach students. I want to just say this to all my Youth Pastor and Pastor friends, spoil and go above and beyond for your youth workers because they are on the frontlines of ministry for you daily. I am looking online as I write this to think of a creative way to thank my Youth Workers who volunteer their time every week for our students. If you are a Youth Worker in a local church, realize you are the G.O.A.T.
