y t h o l o g y
d a l l a s
wall paint.JPG

Blog

So many resources at ythology. Every topic you can imagine and more than 14 years of blogging!

Predicting the Future of YTH Ministry

Disney’s theme song for the Tomorrowland adventure says, “There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow waiting at the end of every day”

Disney’s theme song for the Tomorrowland adventure says, “There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow waiting at the end of every day”

A youth pastor should be one of God's sociologists. As Moses described Issachar, one of the tribes of Israel, so should YTH ministry be described - “they understood the times and knew what to do about it.” (1 Chronicles 12.32)

To understand the times is not easy. And probably more difficult is knowing what to do. The future is so unpredictable. Looking at the current trends and leans in youth culture and society, is there something that we can learn moving forward? Are there certain things happening now that will shape the future of our work?

YTH Ministry Futures

In the recent ythology resource, a chapter is spent on the future of YTH ministry. Here's a quick review of the content in the chapter that will undoubtedly be a contributing factor to what YTH ministry looks like in the next decade.

The Family Ethic

YTH ministry must change the culture of youth society when it comes to family. The disintegration of the Family is evident. We're not just raising a fatherless generation anymore. We are raising a fatherless, a motherless, and a sibling-less generation. The classic family structure that was such a strength in our nation's past has been lost.

One recent study found that fathers have only 18 minutes a week personal face time with their child. If this is true, then we get a glimpse of why our children are the way they are.

How can the YTH ministry affect change at the family level? Here are a few practical ways:

  1. Affection with protection

  2. Promoting the value of relationship

  3. Making sure the YTH leadership team is multi-generational

  4. Parents training sessions annually

Many people blame government, education, social media, entertainment and the arts, and a multitude of other things for the condition of our society. But the number one issue in our society is the health of the family. Youth ministry must get this right. If we do not, we raise another weakened generation.

Let's look at the next cultural trend that should shape YTH ministry.

A Theology Ethic

A theology ethic is critical for YTH ministry in the future because of the generational loss of theology in Gen Z. All of the research statistics show a spiral downward in YTH Christian thinking and worldview. The research has shown that Gen Z has only a 4% Biblical worldview. The research has also shown that only 1/3 of Christian teenagers who attend YTH group can name half of the 10 Commandments. These statistics are startling. And require YTH ministry to place theology at the center of our work.

Here's how we can do that:

  1. A greater emphasis on preaching from the bible

  2. Creating series around a passage of the scriptures and not just a topic (Expository preaching)

  3. More application and practical teaching from the bible

  4. Biblical worship

  5. Biblical counseling

  6. Redeeming social media for the purpose of theology

All the statistics and findings about theology in this generation cannot get much worse. If we are not careful, the generation to follow is going to be even worse off than Gen Z.

Here’s a third future of YTH ministry.

A Diversity Ethic

Right now, for the first time in history, Gen Z is the only generation who is predominantly non white - 52%. These are encouraging times for the race discussion. We have said here many times on this blog, that teenagers today are rewriting the race story. If we can simply give them the pen, they can write a new history for race relations in America.

The new resource book covers some of the great civil activists in American history and their work to free our nation of racism. If we are honest, we can see the “one day” that Martin Luther king, Jr. prophesied over America many years ago. If our YTH ministry is not addressing diversity then we are not speaking the language of this generation.

What does that look like?

  1. A diversity of the leadership team

  2. The language that we use in our messaging

  3. involvement of the students

  4. Outreach to neutral site settings

  5. Strategy for social media posting

What is important about diversity development is that it must be intentional. With all of the great work of civil rights activists from the past, our future must reflect their sacrifices and message. And I believe it is happening!

Finally

Is important to understand sociology and theology. In fact, they go hand-in-hand as context (sociology) and content (theology).

Predicting the future of anything is difficult. But what is important is the observation of current trends. Looking at what we see now in the YTH culture is a great way to predict where YTH ministry should go. If we are going to be God's sociologists, we must be in the world and able to break it down with strategies that will make our work more effective.

Try these practical principles to create a more futurist YTH ministry. And if you want more help on this, you can get the book at Amazon.

Jeff Grenell