Small-Church Youth Ministry
Different and Better
Editor’s Note: Awhile back I asked our group community of readers to give me feedback on how well we’re helping youth pastors in small churches. The response was, essentially, “You could do more.” So this debut column by Stephanie Caro is one way we’re doing more. I’ve known Stephanie for most of my 21 years as group editor—you’re going to love her “voice,” I think.
—Rick Lawrence
I’ve been around the block...I started out in youth ministry as a part-timer in a medium-size church. Then I served a long stretch as a full-time youth pastor in a large church—we had all the bells and whistles, including paid youth ministry staffers, great facilities, and a reasonable budget. And now, at a time when my years of ministry experience translate to “more to give,” God has moved me into a broader role at a much smaller church. I work with children, youth, and their parents in a contemporary outreach setting.
My youth group now? A big numbers night for us is...I shouldn’t tell you. What does it matter, really? Okay, just for the sake of comparison, a really big night for us is 10 kids, or whenever we have to pull up another couch when we’re hanging out in our Coffee Café. With everything else I have to do to serve my church, I have maybe five to eight hours a week to offer our youth group. And it’s just not enough time. Our church has virtually no youth ministry budget. We didn’t get to take a summer trip this past year because of...lots of reasons. We usually don’t get to do Rock the Universe or any of the other “big group” stuff.
But I’ll let you in on a little secret...I love it! No, I don’t love the vacuum-like budget or the cramped hours or not having a dedicated youth facility. But I love my kids and my ministry.
- I love the way April says she’s a “mini-me.”
- I love how Jordan comes to church any time the kitchen door’s unlocked just to help me out.
- I love the way Ashley can go on and on and on when she’s telling me a story.
- I love how my kids race in on Wednesdays to be the first into the chair by my desk.
- And I really love when a new kid comes and we must watch all four of the Vintage21 Jesus videos1 one more time, and all my “old” kids laugh their heads off all over again.
One big plus of small-church youth ministry? I know every single teenager. I know their birthdays. I know who likes Coke and who drinks Pepsi. I know that Angela likes purple and Tyler is a black belt. I’ve been to every kid’s house. I know that Alex gets her braces off in two weeks. I know which of my kids missed last week and the week before.
Smaller is different, not better or worse. But a thought keeps sneaking through the door—maybe smaller is better.
1 To check out Vintage21’s Jesus videos, go to vintage21.com, run your cursor over the “Sunday” link, then click on “Video.”
Stephanie Carohas been working with children, youth, and adults for more than 27 years. She’s on Group’s presenter team, and she’s a frequent contributor to both Group and Rev! Magazines. She lives in Florida.
Conversation
i want more direction on how
i want more direction on how to handle youths fund managment
I stepped out of youth
I stepped out of youth ministry for almost 6 years and started up again Feb 1 of this year. The church that I'm at now is the smallest that I've ever served at full-time. On a good night I may have 10-12 students, but the one-on-one attention that I can give them is great. I am using my college age group to help with things such as D-Now, Fellowships, etc. because I want the students to see that they can be used by God after High School. Always remember the ones that graduate out of your ministry and use them as much as possible.
I am a youth pastor in a
I am a youth pastor in a small rural community of around 500 people. Our youth have built in relationships with many adults in the church because of our small community size. However, we are losing our local k-12 school because of budget cuts and low enrollment. Thus, our students will be scattering to potentially 8 different schools next year. The nearest is 15 miles away. Any suggestions on how to provide a community/church unity in a situation like this?
Thanks, Stephanie! I love
Thanks, Stephanie! I love your wit and willingness to let us enter into your world. I'd love to hear about how your youth group interacts with the rest of the congregation. You mention in the article that you don't have a "dedicated youth facility" and wish you did. My "small" youth group (avg 10-15) does have a dedicated youth facility and I find it difficult to encourage interaction with other age groups in the church because we are so often sequestered to "our" building. Sometimes I see the extra building as a hindrance rather than a blessing. I'd love to hear more about your experience in this area, ie: the blessings and curses of a dedicated youth facility.
One of the biggest struggles
One of the biggest struggles I've had is the youth and adult leaders who are looking for the "big group" feel and activities because they've been involved with the "big youth group" and have trouble adapting to building a small youth group and the relationships (as you've so eloquently noted) that can be built.
There are more small youth groups than large ones, and we need a method to encourage and support one another.
Thank you for saying this.
Thank you for saying this. It blessed me because of the setting I am in. I am working with youth and children's and any other thing the church needs helps with. It can be discouraging when you never have enough time.
It is blessing to know there
It is blessing to know there is someone out there who is willing to invest his time and energy to facilitate young men and women of God. God bless you and your ministry. I am a Youth Pastor at New Covenant Church in Trappe, PA. Before I moved here in PA I was pastor/director in NY for college ministry. I had about 150 student. When I took this job and I was told that on very good sunday the number of student is 6, It blew my mind away but I was confident in the mighty power of Holy Spirit that he will bring more people in the youth. It has been over three month and now I have 17-18 kids..it is growing. I feel I need to spend more time in prayer. I guess sometimes testimonies like your encourage other to pressing on. Thanks for your honesty and your Service to His kingdom.
Thanks for encouragement to
Thanks for encouragement to hang in with a small ministry!!!
Thanks for encouragement to
Thanks for encouragement to hang in with a small ministry!!!
I really enjoyed this
I really enjoyed this article. I am a young youth pastor in a new church helping to grow and maintain the youth. I appreciate the advantages mentioned in this article, they really apply to my ministry.
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