Many
people do youth
ministry but are unsure of the big picture. The five questions below
will
help you put together your plan of ministry. It is based around the
word
BONDS which stands for
INTRODUCTION
BRIDGES
OUTREACH
NURTURE
DISCIPLESHIP
SERVANTHOOD
The aim is to
work through
these headings to find your strengths and weaknesses in your program.
INTRODUCTION
* Who has your
youth group reached
in the past? Why?
* What is your
youth group
good at doing?
* Why do you
like going?
* What are the
aims of the
ministry?
BONDS
B How will you
build bridges
to your community?
* How do
people hear about
the group?
If you
interviewed people
in the local schools what things would they say about your group?
- Media
- Word of Mouth
- Community
Profile
* What events
do you run
that link non-Christians to the group?
* What events
could your
church run to link it more to the community?
Our response
is to ...
Practical
tips newspaper
articles; special community events; use the days that you know that you
will have visitors; signs on the church property; drop in centre, sport
groups, summary document of the aims and key ministries. Visit every
visitor
to the church/youth group within the following week. brochures on the
church/youth
group.
OUTREACH
How will you
outreach and
present the gospel?
* Do we
provide opportunities
for people to become Christians?
- Where,
when and
how?
* Do the
people in the youth
group know how to tell others about Jesus?
- What
training do you provide?
Our response
is to ...
Practical
tips,, community
films e.g.. dealing with being single, marriage, parenting; School
Seminars,
Holiday clubs, special services that the church plans for.
NURTURE
How will you
nurture new
believers?
* If a person
became a Christian
how would we help them to grow?
- What
resources do you
use to encourage Bible reading, prayer, church attendance and ministry?
- How do
people find out
their gifts for ministry?
Our response
is to ...
Practical
tips: Find a suitable
follow up course, Promote your small groups; Quiet time material,
church
Prayer diaries, A new Believers pack.
DISCIPLESHIP
How will you
disciple Christians
to spiritual maturity?
* How do you
develop peoples
love for God!
- How do
people develop
their ministry skills?
- How do
people grow in
Bible knowledge?
Our response
is to ...
Practical tips
Provide a
challenge for your people; Set aside a regular time in the church
calendar
to teach for a few weeks on ministry etc. Give worth to those who
complete
any training.
SERVE
How will you
provide opportunities
of Service?
Do we provide
opportunities
to serve Christ?
* How does a
person get
involved in ministry?
Our response
is to ...
Practical
tips Have job
descriptions for all jobs, a philosophy of ministry standard and
application
forms so that people know what will be expected of them.
Short term
Missions,
fund raising events for mission work, Help on Christian camp sites,
Sponsorship
for Leadership training camps, Supporting members at Bible College, Do
missions for other Churches, Help in charitable organisations, sing in
homes, paint or help with the lawns for older people, Pictures in
the church of all key ministry people.
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