As I left my final week as leader of the youth and children’s work at Word Alive, someone asked me if that was my last bit of youth ministry.
After 50 years perhaps it should be, but I will be teaching at a discipleship week at The Oakes in July. The next thing I said shocked even me: ‘It will always be on my agenda’. After all this time you can’t just switch off your passion to see young people discipled in a local church context – that’s what I passionately believe in.
Into the business
So I wonder if it’s on your agenda? For some churches it is a key part of what they are seeking to do. When you had your annual meeting you received a report of all that’s going on amongst children and youth. Or were there so many ‘business’ items on the agenda that anything to do with ministry had to wait until 9:30 pm when everybody was exhausted. If churches with any kind of under 19s’ ministry don’t bring that ministry into the central core of the church’s business and ministry that group of leaders may well feel isolated.