Shaping Evangelism Around Kids’ Special Interests
10/4/2007
You can call your students postmoderns or Millennials or Net Gens. Or you can identify them by something far more important than their generational tag—as surfers, football players, skaters, student journalists, mall crawlers, and a whole lot more.
Youth ministers know that the teenage world is really multiple worlds. Broad-stroke books paint trends about postmoderns as if they have strategic value. But when it comes to youth evangelism, one of the most effective strategies is to set aside macroperspectives and plunge into the subworlds where students cluster to carve out their identities. By surfing, pumping, skating, sipping, or shopping with young people, attentive adults can learn how to reach them.
But can older folks like me keep up? Do we have to? The prospect of a 42-year-old man shredding a half pipe when he should be shedding a few pounds is scary enough to warrant a career change. Fear not. The secret lies neither in our athleticism nor in our fearlessness, but in our willingness to build rapport with young people by engaging them in the midst of their special-interest worlds.
See if one of the following three strategies fits your style.
Special-interest program provider—Omar leads a basketball outreach that involves hundreds of young people. He’s aiming to provide kids a wholesome recreational opportunity, and a whole lot more. The setting is an excuse to invite nonchurched young people to hear about Jesus and get to know Christian adults who live for Jesus. Though adding an evangelism strategy to a recreation program will boost your workload, programs such as Omar’s are very effective in reaching young people who can’t get enough of a special-interest activity.
One caution: Be sure the program allows students to pursue their interest at the quality level to which they’re accustomed. Anything less will be repulsive, not attractive, to young people who take their interests seriously.
Special-interest coach—Raeann was a drama queen in college, and I mean that in the best way. So it’s only natural that she should volunteer to help out with her local high school’s theater department. Showing up nightly for rehearsals gives her the access she needs to initiate relationships with student actors. Her own theatrical background adds to her credibility with this dedicated group. After-rehearsal food runs are natural opportunities for Raeann to engage in spiritual conversations.
Some coaching relationships are more formal than Raeann’s, and you’ll need to respect established boundaries between “players” and “coaches.” That will require both intentional effort and ethical sensitivity.
Special-interest student—This strategy may be the most underrated of all—the only requirement is your willingness to learn about a special interest from the young people who are passionate about it. I’m an overaged and under-endowed youth evangelist myself, and I can testify to this strategy’s effectiveness.
Dave was a gifted upright bass player who taught me to appreciate jazz music. Ronnie introduced me to the street-ball rules at his home court in the city. Scott gave me a new appreciation for the art of improv comedy. And Dewey enjoyed improving my Frisbee golf form (even though I eventually beat him). Each of these young men became Christians when our common ground began to include Jesus. Students’ special interests are important to them. They’re also a great way to show how important they are to us.
Dave Rahn is a longtime youth pastor, youth ministry professor, and a vice president of Youth For Christ. He lives in Indiana.
Youth ministers know that the teenage world is really multiple worlds. Broad-stroke books paint trends about postmoderns as if they have strategic value. But when it comes to youth evangelism, one of the most effective strategies is to set aside macroperspectives and plunge into the subworlds where students cluster to carve out their identities. By surfing, pumping, skating, sipping, or shopping with young people, attentive adults can learn how to reach them.
But can older folks like me keep up? Do we have to? The prospect of a 42-year-old man shredding a half pipe when he should be shedding a few pounds is scary enough to warrant a career change. Fear not. The secret lies neither in our athleticism nor in our fearlessness, but in our willingness to build rapport with young people by engaging them in the midst of their special-interest worlds.
See if one of the following three strategies fits your style.
Special-interest program provider—Omar leads a basketball outreach that involves hundreds of young people. He’s aiming to provide kids a wholesome recreational opportunity, and a whole lot more. The setting is an excuse to invite nonchurched young people to hear about Jesus and get to know Christian adults who live for Jesus. Though adding an evangelism strategy to a recreation program will boost your workload, programs such as Omar’s are very effective in reaching young people who can’t get enough of a special-interest activity.
One caution: Be sure the program allows students to pursue their interest at the quality level to which they’re accustomed. Anything less will be repulsive, not attractive, to young people who take their interests seriously.
Special-interest coach—Raeann was a drama queen in college, and I mean that in the best way. So it’s only natural that she should volunteer to help out with her local high school’s theater department. Showing up nightly for rehearsals gives her the access she needs to initiate relationships with student actors. Her own theatrical background adds to her credibility with this dedicated group. After-rehearsal food runs are natural opportunities for Raeann to engage in spiritual conversations.
Some coaching relationships are more formal than Raeann’s, and you’ll need to respect established boundaries between “players” and “coaches.” That will require both intentional effort and ethical sensitivity.
Special-interest student—This strategy may be the most underrated of all—the only requirement is your willingness to learn about a special interest from the young people who are passionate about it. I’m an overaged and under-endowed youth evangelist myself, and I can testify to this strategy’s effectiveness.
Dave was a gifted upright bass player who taught me to appreciate jazz music. Ronnie introduced me to the street-ball rules at his home court in the city. Scott gave me a new appreciation for the art of improv comedy. And Dewey enjoyed improving my Frisbee golf form (even though I eventually beat him). Each of these young men became Christians when our common ground began to include Jesus. Students’ special interests are important to them. They’re also a great way to show how important they are to us.
Dave Rahn is a longtime youth pastor, youth ministry professor, and a vice president of Youth For Christ. He lives in Indiana.
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