A youth group in a church requires a lot of commitment and planning for it to be successful. Sometimes it’s not necessarily clear what the youth group does or their purpose within the church. How are activities organized? What is the age range in a youth group?
What is known by most is that the children are the future; they must be encouraged to be more spiritually inclined and develop a relationship with Christ. Hopefully, we can help provide an understanding of the role, positions, and inner workings of a youth church group.
What is a Youth Group?
A youth group, or youth ministry, is a religious, age-specific group. It caters towards getting youth, typically ages 12-18, involved in faith-based activities and spiritual awakening. The youth church groups may also include individuals up to 30 years old who serve as leaders of the group that relate to the participants.
The teens involved in the youth group usually attend the church. Generally, someone within the church has organized a group to engage with young people regarding their faith and understanding of their beliefs. For example, a Christian youth group encourages involvement both within the church and the community as ambassadors for Christ as they grow and begin to learn and have more experiences.
Why Are Youth Church Groups Important?
If Christian faith is the foundation of the youth group, certain beliefs accompany the creation of the ministry. The group members must understand that those who ascribe to Christianity take on the duty as servants to what is good to God and Jesus. There is much to be done related to spreading the Gospel of the Bible and helping those in need.
For the body of Christ to grow, meaning the believers, it is necessary to start with the future of the church—the youth. The goal is to teach young people within the church to continue trusting and growing in their relationship with God. This experience will propel them to be faithful to Christ in all they do as they get older. The church itself flourishes in this way, along with the congregation.
What Do You Do in a Youth Church Group?
So what do you do in a youth group? How often do you meet, and what do you discuss? These are all legitimate questions for anyone thinking of starting or joining a church youth group.
Mission/Service Projects
A lot of vital lessons get learned from participating in mission projects. As young people see the effect that their service has on their community, their faith will also increase.
They will understand more and more that this is how Christ originally came to serve us in any capacity we needed, willingly, out of kindness and love. Not only are the actions significant, but the disposition as well.
Here are some examples of mission work that a youth group nay participate in:
- Visiting local homeless shelters to serve food or talk to those living in the shelter
- Sending handwritten letters to the troops to thank them for their sacrifices
- Assembling and distributing care packages for those members of the church that are in college
- Participating in a food drive or going to a food bank to help with organization
- Participating in a clothing drive
- Clean-up day at the church
- Visiting the children in the hospitals to keep them company
Activities for Entertainment
Every activity that the group engages in does not have to be for mission work. The church youth group can come together to have fun and to enjoy one another.
Here are additional suggestions for youth group activities outside of service projects:
- Cooking Lessons
- Movie Night
- Music Night
- Arts and Crafts
- Discussions about Faith
- Night Around the Campfire
- Baking Lessons
- Babysitting Night
- Game Night (Bible Jeopardy, Bible Verse Trivia, etc.)
- Bring Someone New Might
- Hiking
- Lock-in
- Christian Concerts
- Youth Conferences (locally and one in the summer somewhere else in the country)
Ongoing Activities
It’s a good idea to incorporate some ongoing activities because not only does it build chemistry, but it serves as an incentive to return to the group.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Start a Prayer Jar: everyone puts something into the jar that they’d like to receive prayers for.
- Do a Weekly Devotional
- Start a Prayer Wall
- Verse of the Week
Benefits of A Youth Church Group
Outside of the obvious opportunity for fellowship that comes with joining a youth group, there are several crucial benefits to participation in the ministry.
Discipleship
By joining a youth ministry, the leaders and mentors work together to build discipleship. Through participation in worship, reading and studying the Bible, and outside mission work, young people will develop a sense of pride. Knowing God and committing themselves to service will inevitably bear good fruit.
Community Outreach and Invitations
There aren’t any strict requirements to be a member of the church. Certain members of the group and those looking for a church home may not have fully accepted the faith. The point of the group is to encourage development whereby you can see the growth for yourself and can take the initiative to go out and recruit others to join the group.
Bridge the Gap
Church youth groups bridge the gap between the younger and the older generations, passing the torch, so to speak. By contributing to the church and engaging with the other adults there, the youth feel important, involved, and cared for. Eventually, those future positions as deacons, pastors, ushers, choir members, etc., will be filled by them! As time progresses, they’ll be able to see themselves as future workers for Christ.
Final Thoughts
Anyone interested in starting or joining a youth group should understand that the keys to success are commitment and consistency. It takes consistent encouragement, engagement, and discussions to truly lead someone to become a future leader and example of Christ.
For those who are organizing the ministry, make sure the youth are the focus and that their input is considered. Their voices should count concerning the activities that the group engages in.
By teaching the youth what’s required as a believer of Christ and instilling the importance of righteousness, you prepare them for the world. Engaging in community- service projects, mission projects, and even simple activities with one another, you’re building a bond.
They’ll learn to love and lean on the principles of their faith while also assisting others who are interested in understanding the religion.