278. New Beginning for Youth Ministry

Youth Shepherd application was due last Sunday. A total of six new Youth Shepherds have committed to serve for 3 years. One of them is a previous youth shepherd recommitting. I am delighted that the sacrifice of previous youth shepherds was not in vain, and their testimonies have inspired the new cohort to serve our youth in a bigger capacity. I don’t know each one’s story in detail, but I do know that the new youth shepherds really have wrestled with the decision, and I am glad they seem to feel that this is where God is leading them.

Youth is our future. Raising youth leaders is the way we continue to build a healthy and young church. As shown in many church statistics, young people are leaving church at a rapid clip after high school graduation. Thankfully, that hasn’t been the case in our church, and I attribute that to youth shepherds and youth house church ministry preparing our youth well for the transition into adult house church ministry.

Pastor Anthony will be fully taking over the youth ministry starting from July, with the new cohort of youth shepherds. He has been patiently learning for the last three years, and he has experienced everything from the current youth ministry cycle, including recruitment, visitation, and casting vision for the youth ministry.

I won’t be attending youth ministry related meetings, including Youth Shepherd Meeting, anymore. My role in the youth ministry will be limited to providing support and guidance.

In the last six years, we have built a strong foundation for youth ministry based on the same vision we have as a church, which is to create church unchurched people love to belong. Youth are our VIPs to reach. I am confident that our youth ministry will go further and deeper, under the new leadership of youth ministry leaders.