Monthly column for youth leaders

Breaking orders

One of my favourite films is 'A Few Good Men', starring Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson. 'We follow orders, or people die. It's that simple, son', says Jack to Tom at one point. In the end two rank-and-file soldiers realise that some orders need to be broken to protect the weak and innocent.

It's just a story, but it's a good illustration of a problem that many struggle with in their youth work. The problem: I cannot find the way of working that fits my exact situation, what model should I follow that guarantees results? The answer: There is no model that will do that. We have to realise that the models we read about in books are not strict orders to follow, but to break. If you are a youth or children's leader, you have full permission to do things your way.

Let me explain. I am not trying to achieve chaos. Lots of youth leaders ask how to achieve what is being done across town in another church. Permission to do things your way is permission not to feel the need to emulate what someone else is doing. Do what is right for your church.

Identify fundamentals

Initially this means going back to a few basics. You must ask the goal setting questions again. What are you aiming for with your young people? What are the resources you have available? What are the priorities and the steps we need to take to achieve them? Some of these priorities ought to be the same as the big church down the road. Fundamentals like Bible teaching, discipleship, evangelism and building group identity are the same everywhere. How we go about reaching those goals is where we differ. Models and structures in books are great for broad generalisations, but the nitty-gritty is going to change for each church.

It is at this fundamental level that tough questions need to be asked. Generally there are several 'interested parties'. One of the toughest jobs is establishing that we are all aiming at the same thing. Young people expecting to be entertained have a different goal to youth leaders expecting to teach the Bible. Parents expecting a safe youth club where they can leave their children may not have thought of discipleship being one of its goals. Be clear on the objective, the immediate aim of what's happening.

Clear the way

Once you have established your goals, it's time to clear the way to make them happen. Unlike the big church down the road you may not have the resources to run a Bible study group alongside an open youth club. Which one fulfils the goal of bringing young people to know Christ and discipling them? Does one club drain resources to the detriment of the other? What are the church's priorities at this time?

To clear the way is a liberating thing to do. It means putting your resources where it matters for your church, resources being leaders, money, time and other assets. It is permission to do things your way and not feel like a failure if you haven't exactly copied the book or another church's model.

Remember me?

In all of these questions don't forget the church-going young people and overlook them in the melee of putting on a big youth club. Check whether they are actually attending. One of the hardest things to achieve in church youth work is that crossover between youth club and church. Often this is because the two groups attending each do not mix in any other context, so why should they here? Sometimes this can marginalise the church's young people.

In small churches it is easy to write off two or three young people by saying 'we don't have a youth group'. The danger is that if they don't feel valued by the church, no resources go their way, then soon there won't be any young people at all. Be certain that every effort goes into their spiritual growth. If they are encouraged and taught properly, soon the group will grow.

Permission to do things your way

Breaking orders

Identify fundamentals

Clear the way

Remember me?

Roger Fawcett

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