STUDENT MINISTRY: The Power of Chili Dogs and Card Games

I have recently been watching a television show that I have never seen before. It began before the pandemic and, as I have watched it, I am being walked through the strangeness of that season all over again. Is that fun? No. However, it has reminded me of how much things have changed at my church and for many of us. With a 30-40% drop in attendance, many churches are still trying to adapt to a new normal. Old programs have disappeared, and new approaches have to be invented as we seek to love on the teenagers within our congregations and communities.

Our student ministry was on the upswing before March 2020. We had students on the verge of growth, and I could see a bright future as we worked on learning God’s Word together. When COVID-19 showed its head in our university town, many things shut down and many of our programs were shelved until our community felt safe. That pause has put us in a weird place with our student ministry, but there is a bright spot. When our Sunday School program restarted, our youth class teacher and students found a place to connect. This teacher has given herself to the process and is working to impact these students. I thank God for her willingness and heart.

Perhaps you find yourself and your church in a similar situation. A once-thriving youth ministry has been replaced by something different. Different doesn’t mean bad, it just means different. Our goal should remain the same. We are to provide students with the life-changing gospel message centered around the Word of God through teaching and relationships. Here are some ideas of what it should include:

• You need a teaching time. That may be Sunday School. That may be a Wednesday night or Sunday night group or something altogether different. You need a time to gather around the Word.

• You need a relational time. That is where the chili dogs and card games come in. My “rock star” of a teacher has started inviting our students (primarily a group of girls) to her home for a time of food, fellowship and fun. This past Sunday, we met and enjoyed a great time together. Did it matter that only a few of the students were able to come? No. What mattered is that we had an opportunity to share some time and laughs.

• You need a prayer time. This can be a group of church members who are praying for your students, or it can a specific time for your students to pray together. Ideally, it would be both. Prayer is vital to our ministries and to future opportunities as we seek to grow and impact students. If you are wanting to restart or simply reinvigorate your ministry, start with prayer and engage others to join you in the journey.

Your new normal may be very different from three years ago. Let me encourage you to not give up. Your students need you to focus on the important things and keep giving them Jesus. If you are lucky, you will get to eat some chili dogs on the way.