Thursday, October 16, 2003
Youthmin study tour to Sydney
OK, I've finally gotten around to throwing some thought together about the places that we visited with the Youth Vision guys last month. For another version, checkout what Scott wrote.
One place that we visited simply has a Christian running a coffee shop. However, within that environment the owner builds real long term relationships, through which over time he is able to share his faith in Jesus. He’s committed to doing whatever it takes, (within moral boundaries naturally!) to make disciples. He’s prepared to reimagine Church and develop new ways of thinking about Church, community and discipleship. Hmmm.
Penrith Christian Life Centre was an accidental miracle. Originally we weren’t going there, but a last-minute pullout led to us turning up without knowing anything about their youth ministry. What they are doing is simply amazing. Along with their entire Church, they have embraced the Bogota G12 cell model of ministry. They empower every person in their Church, and more importantly for us, every person in their youth ministry, to make disciples. They want everyone to pray for friends to know Christ. Once saved, they then become part of a cell group, and the leader joins a G12 leadership group themselves. These cells are actively winning disciples and are being led by even grade six students! When leaders are scarce in the local state school, they bus equipped leaders from their Christian school down to where the leaders are needed at lunchtime. Amazingly, their youth ministry has doubled from 250 to over 500 in cells over the last 18 months. (See www.g12harvest.org for more info on this model)
At Pendle Hill Church of Christ we were strongly challenged to develop compassionate hearts for the poor and under-privileged in society – sort of like God’s. It was a good kick up the proverbial.
The misspelt “Enigma Lounge” of Narara Valley Baptist challenged us to elevate the concept of mystery in our programs. Rather than pretending to have all the answers, we can people through relationships to confront the mystery of both God and the gospel.
Kingsway was one of the most inspiring Churches to visit of all. This long-established Church of Christ is ministering in four local schools. In two of these they actually have begun Churches inside the schools and use students as the worship leaders and preachers there.
Hillsong was the largest youth ministry we visited, yet their style was very similar to many other Churches, and certainly not out of reach of most Churches. They had an emphasis on cell groups, encouraged students to run their own lunchtime programs in schools and invested in young leaders from as young as eleven. They don’t bother trying to organise social activities, and worship services on Friday nights aimed strongly at youth.
A challenging Church was Gymea Anglican. They prefer the term peer group to youth group, promoting the idea that leaders are meant to be long-term friends, not short-term authority figures. Because they see Christian unity as a key tool of evangelism, they spend large amounts of time together as a natural outworking of their love for each other. Their youth ministry meets in an industrial shed leased especially for their hangout.
St Paul’s Anglican came to understand that if you attracted youth by huge flashy programs with heaps of games, then you would need to keep the same youth by the same flashiness the next week. Instead of the old bait and switch – come for the friends and fun - stay for Jesus – their students are told instead to invite friends along to a fun night where they will hear about Jesus. Sure there are a few games as well, but they also will hear a sermon from the gospel – every week – and see hundreds of other high schoolers around them.
We also talked to Andrew Palmer from Baptist Youth Ministries, who challenged us about a Biblical approach to evangelism. Rather than casting out gospel pearls at swine who will only trample them, he suggests politely waiting until we are asked before we share the gospel. Think Matthew 7, 1 Peter 3:15, Jesus’ parables and Col 4:5-6 and it makes a lot of sense. Rather than this being a lazy approach, he suggests that we try to stimulate people’s spiritual thirst through our actions and our conversation.
We also visited Dural Baptist, Fusion Church at Wesley Central Mission, a Skate ministry and attended about seven services while we were there. Finally, we relaxed at beautiful Stanwell tops with other youth pastors from around Australia for the National Youth Pastors Gathering.
Where all these ideas and experiences will take each of us, God only knows. I hope and pray that the time will bear fruit in the years ahead.
OK, I've finally gotten around to throwing some thought together about the places that we visited with the Youth Vision guys last month. For another version, checkout what Scott wrote.
One place that we visited simply has a Christian running a coffee shop. However, within that environment the owner builds real long term relationships, through which over time he is able to share his faith in Jesus. He’s committed to doing whatever it takes, (within moral boundaries naturally!) to make disciples. He’s prepared to reimagine Church and develop new ways of thinking about Church, community and discipleship. Hmmm.
Penrith Christian Life Centre was an accidental miracle. Originally we weren’t going there, but a last-minute pullout led to us turning up without knowing anything about their youth ministry. What they are doing is simply amazing. Along with their entire Church, they have embraced the Bogota G12 cell model of ministry. They empower every person in their Church, and more importantly for us, every person in their youth ministry, to make disciples. They want everyone to pray for friends to know Christ. Once saved, they then become part of a cell group, and the leader joins a G12 leadership group themselves. These cells are actively winning disciples and are being led by even grade six students! When leaders are scarce in the local state school, they bus equipped leaders from their Christian school down to where the leaders are needed at lunchtime. Amazingly, their youth ministry has doubled from 250 to over 500 in cells over the last 18 months. (See www.g12harvest.org for more info on this model)
At Pendle Hill Church of Christ we were strongly challenged to develop compassionate hearts for the poor and under-privileged in society – sort of like God’s. It was a good kick up the proverbial.
The misspelt “Enigma Lounge” of Narara Valley Baptist challenged us to elevate the concept of mystery in our programs. Rather than pretending to have all the answers, we can people through relationships to confront the mystery of both God and the gospel.
Kingsway was one of the most inspiring Churches to visit of all. This long-established Church of Christ is ministering in four local schools. In two of these they actually have begun Churches inside the schools and use students as the worship leaders and preachers there.
Hillsong was the largest youth ministry we visited, yet their style was very similar to many other Churches, and certainly not out of reach of most Churches. They had an emphasis on cell groups, encouraged students to run their own lunchtime programs in schools and invested in young leaders from as young as eleven. They don’t bother trying to organise social activities, and worship services on Friday nights aimed strongly at youth.
A challenging Church was Gymea Anglican. They prefer the term peer group to youth group, promoting the idea that leaders are meant to be long-term friends, not short-term authority figures. Because they see Christian unity as a key tool of evangelism, they spend large amounts of time together as a natural outworking of their love for each other. Their youth ministry meets in an industrial shed leased especially for their hangout.
St Paul’s Anglican came to understand that if you attracted youth by huge flashy programs with heaps of games, then you would need to keep the same youth by the same flashiness the next week. Instead of the old bait and switch – come for the friends and fun - stay for Jesus – their students are told instead to invite friends along to a fun night where they will hear about Jesus. Sure there are a few games as well, but they also will hear a sermon from the gospel – every week – and see hundreds of other high schoolers around them.
We also talked to Andrew Palmer from Baptist Youth Ministries, who challenged us about a Biblical approach to evangelism. Rather than casting out gospel pearls at swine who will only trample them, he suggests politely waiting until we are asked before we share the gospel. Think Matthew 7, 1 Peter 3:15, Jesus’ parables and Col 4:5-6 and it makes a lot of sense. Rather than this being a lazy approach, he suggests that we try to stimulate people’s spiritual thirst through our actions and our conversation.
We also visited Dural Baptist, Fusion Church at Wesley Central Mission, a Skate ministry and attended about seven services while we were there. Finally, we relaxed at beautiful Stanwell tops with other youth pastors from around Australia for the National Youth Pastors Gathering.
Where all these ideas and experiences will take each of us, God only knows. I hope and pray that the time will bear fruit in the years ahead.
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