- by Ryan Hurlburt -
This is a multi-part series for anyone involved in youth ministry delineating how to not only get your students involved in missions activities, but embody a lifestyle of being on mission for Christ. The complete series will include a list of ten practical ideas to infuse missions into the daily life of your youth ministry.
#3. SERVICE PROJECTS
“Little children, let us no longer love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” – 1 John 3:18
You’ve preached on it, prayed about it, now what? I once heard a man say, “The tongue in your mouth and the tongue of your shoes should be headed down the same path. Meaning, put your money where your mouth is!
We’re big on modeling an Acts 1:8 strategy, and the first piece of the puzzle is Jerusalem – your home town. This is a great way to represent Christ and your church in your community. Host a free carwash, give food & clothes to the homeless, visit nursing homes, assist elderly and single moms with yard work & chores, anything that meets a need so you can build a relationship to share the gospel. And please, don’t make it a once-a-year event! Make it an integral part of your ministry. Have your small groups take ownership of a certain project they can be involved with on a regular basis, then have one student from each group report to the rest of the students every so often. The only thing more infectious than students seeing their youth leader serving the community, is seeing their friends motivated by their youth leader serving their community.
Share some examples/ideas of service projects for youth groups. Are there any local organizations you have effectively partnered with in the past?
[...] 3. Service Projects [...]