Relational Youth Ministry

I have always been strong relationally in the youth group. You wouldn't know it from my testing (I am a INTP). I am very introverted and it takes time for me to come out of my shell and really get involved with the youth I am in charge of. As a Pastor I had to jump the task very quickly, as a volunteer I was able to take the back burner and allow myself to be an accepted part of the current youth group.

When being a INTP personality its hard to change your routine a bit. By being relational you become vulnerable. It allows students to see another side of you but being "out there" they can see your flaws. My past experiences have led me to be embarrassed, frustrated, and sometimes asking, "Why did I try to build a relationship?"

Then all of a sudden you have a student who reaches out. They start asking questions, sometimes really simple ones, about their friends and if what they are doing is wrong. The relationship builds to where they are asking questions about God, their relationships, their families, their struggles, their ambitions, their failures, etc. (Starting to really build a faith system themselves)

To me that is the turning point, that is where youth ministry starts being effective on a personal level.

I believe Youth Ministry is a balance of different formulas for success and to be too strong in one area can be a fault. Here is how I see Relational Youth Ministry as a fault:

• To much on Relationships can = less focus on the Bible


• Vulnerability


• Only a few will really catch on (A good base to start a Core group but I have yet to Master that)


• Some get left out (which is easily done)


• Evangelism is low key or even forgotten


• The Pastor might not get it (Relational is focused on what you have, and sometimes the success is not numerical which doesn't look pretty to some Pastors)

To be relational is vital to the success of your youth group.

Do you agree/disagree? How do you think Relational Youth Ministry is good? How is it bad?

**This article is a work in process**