Developing an Urban Youth Ministry
continued...

With Bible in hand, one volunteer, and few resources, I set out to reach these kids for Christ. I felt alone, unprepared, and isolated from the rest of the Christian world. Surely there was no one else on Earth doing this type of ministry-no one brain-damaged enough. What do I do? Where do I start? How do I get them to listen to me? Suppose these kids gang up on me? I was scared to death, but felt a deep calling to this ministry.

Many lonely years and numerous frustrating nights later, and with many fewer hairs on my head, I developed six small groups from that one core group, eventually reaching over 100 kids per week. This was only possible through a massive dose of God's grace and the help of dedicated volunteers.

So how do you begin a youth group, with virtually nothing, for kids in the inner city?

It's important to note that there's no magical formula. There really isn't a "how-to" manual for urban ministry. The needs of kids are as diverse as the cultures, ethnic groups, and personalities of those who make up the inner city.

Although there are no set formulas, there are a few essential ingredients which, if implemented, make it more likely for kids to want to keep coming back.

Identifying Resources
You might say, "I don't have any resources." But if you look around, you'll begin to see that you do indeed have something. You have at least three basic resources you can begin with.

Spiritual resources: You're able to equip yourself with Bible aids, books, Christian music, videos, etc. Start with a few resources, and as you grow, you can add more to your resource library.

Facility resources: You have access to a church building, homes, schools, gyms, parks, and recreational facilities where you could meet and host activities for kids. Check around to see what's available and what would work best for you. You can even rotate your meeting places.

People resources: There are adults from your church who can help you, special speakers you can invite, and local music groups who might be willing to come for free.

The key is to look around and identify the resources that might already be around you and available to you for little or no cost.

Starting Small
You don't have to have a large group of kids in order to have an effective ministry. It's perfectly acceptable to start with a small core group of students (5-7 is ideal). As you meet and build relationships, let the kids know what you plan to do. They'll need to see your level of commitment, and know that you're not going to start something and leave in a few months. Once you've gained their trust and an effective program is in place, you've laid the foundation for your ministry to grow.

Staying Creative and Flexible
There's often a basic, traditional format for a youth group meeting, which is, in effect, a reproduction of the Sunday morning service:

• Opening prayer/devotions
• Announcements
• Worship
• Message
• Dismissal
• Everybody goes hom

There's nothing intrinsically wrong with that format in a service, but there's so much more you could do with kids that would make your group exciting and inspire students to keep coming back and invite their friends. Jim Rayburn, the founder of Young Life has said, "It is a sin to bore kids with the Bible."

Early on in my ministry I adopted a philosophy: "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to reach kids...as long it never compromises the message of the Gospel." I believe that was the overriding principle in Paul's letter to the Corinthian church: "... I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." (1 Cor. 9:22)

Referring to the establishment of the New Testament church in Scripture, Dr. Robert Coleman says, "The Church's policy of pragmatism encouraged creativity. The rule seemed to be: Within the guidelines of the apostles' teaching, whatever facilitates the ministry, do it…what was important is that the most helpful means be found in every setting to accomplish the task at hand."

I believe one key to effective youth ministry is variety. Do things differently each week. Maintain the element of surprise so the kids don't know what to expect. Incorporate as many creative ideas as possible and rotate their use. Examples could be things like:

• Crowd breakers—opportunities for kids to burn energy and have fun
• Drama/skits
• Special music—we're not afraid to use contemporary Christian music, hip-hop, rap, etc.
• Dance Videos
• Creative messages on relevant topics
• Lively discussions

It's important to keep experimenting with new ministry ideas. You might find that there are things that might work with one group of kids during a particular time, and not work with another set of kids at another time. Maintain a "flexible methodology" approach to ministry. Be sensitive to the needs of your group in order to reach them where they are, and adjust your program to meet those needs.