Evangelism and Discipleship in Youth Ministry: You can make a difference

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 CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 1

THESIS 2

PURPOSE STATEMENT

MISSION

THE NEED FOR DISCIPLESHIP

KEY ELEMENTS OF DISCIPLESHIP

KEY ELEMENTS OF EVANGELISM

ACTIVITIES THAT WILL HELP

CALENDAR

BALANCE AND BLEND

CONCLUSION 8

REFERENCES 9

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INTRODUCTION

The objective of this paper is to help readers understand the centrality of evangelism and

discipleship in the youth ministry. I will include the purpose statement for the youth ministry and

explore key elements of evangelism and discipleship, and determine specific activities that will

help build the church program in our community. The calendar section will be a twelve month

plan that begins August 2015 through July 2016 and it will include a list of the activities that

help with evangelism and discipleship, training, fellowship events that provides for our youth.

The last section its a summary describing how our youth ministry will be able to accommodate

the 9 components of youth ministry found in The Purpose Driven Youth Ministry textbook.

The task of identifying the proper role of evangelism and discipleship in the Christian life

is essential for a good understanding of the Word of God. The goal of this research is to examine

how evangelism and discipleship makes a difference in the Youth Ministry as it relates to their

faith.

PURPOSE STATEMENT

In partnership with families, the youth ministry of exists to engage every teenager, train

them to live for Christ, and send them out as godly people who will transform their homes,

schools, and their world for Christ. The job of the Youth Ministry is to invite everyone into a

relationship with Jesus, equip them and challenge them to see Gods vision. We desire to send

them into the world to reach others teens for Christ. (Colossians 1:9-10)1

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And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the
knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully
pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (NIV).
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In every youth meeting we focus on a combination of the following: Evangelism

(Matthew 28:19-20)2 Evangelism is the way we carry out the Great Commission and share the

gospel with those who dont yet have a personal relationship with Christ. This is everyones

responsibility, young and old not just an adult youth leader. Second, Worship (Romans 12:1.)3

We define worship as the way we celebrate Gods presence and honor Him with our spirit

because He becomes so much more than just singing praise songs. Worship is when we pray

with our small group, when we read and study scriptures, when we baptize and partake of the

Lords supper, and when we give tithes and offering. Third, Fellowship (Ephesians 2:19.)4 True

fellowship happens when each teen is acknowledged for his or her talents and contribution to the

ministry and held accountable for the own spiritual journey. Biblical fellowship is Gods way or

working out His will through the church. Fourth, Discipleship (Hebrews 6:1.)5 A disciple is a

follower, one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another.6 Discipleship is

helping teenagers become more like Christ, whether that is helping them develop Christ

character or helping them understand the scriptures. Hebrews 6 said, to leave behind the

elementary teachings and to mature in the faith. A youth disciple is one who accepts and

assists in the spreading of the good news of Jesus Christ. This is the procedure by which a

2
Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and
make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age. (NIV).
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Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of Gods mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy
and pleasing to Godthis is your true and proper worship.(NIV).
4
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with Gods people and also
members of his household, (NIV).
5
Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying
again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, (NIV).
6
Merriam-Webster Dictionary, accessed May 9, 2015, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disciple.
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disciple experiences growth in the Lord Jesus Christ and is equipped by the Holy Spirit, to

overcome pressures and the trials of life as he or she become more and more Christlike.

The fifth and final focus is Ministry, (Ephesians 4: 11-12.)7 Ministry is meeting the

teenagers where they are at and taking them to where God wants them to be. CCR Youth

Ministry is about relationships and the needs teenager have that lead us to establish connections

with one another.

MISSION

To win souls and make disciples that serves and worships God.8 The emphasis of the

youth ministry in obeying the Great Commission its on winning souls. However, the essential

element is to make disciples. Every teenager that becomes a believer, he or she immediately

begin a process called the Great Commission9 that requires discipleship training in the School

of Leaders. We work towards a missional youth ministry, where discipleship happens by

exploring the principles from the book of Acts; Worship, fellowship, evangelism, and service. In

each principle youll see Jesus method of ministry and how to implement evangelism and

discipleship. Our approach is practical and easy to put into action, the youth ministry its an

integral part of the vision. We offer the youth a biblical foundation and ministry opportunities

that enhance their spiritual growth, teach how to build healthy relationships, assess spiritual gift,

and empower them to impact the kingdom of God with their talents and abilities.

THE NEED FOR DISCIPLESHIP

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So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for
works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up, (NIV).
8
www.capillacr.com, May 08, 2015, accessed May 8, 2015, http://www.capillacr.com/#!undefined/sitepage_2.
9
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV).
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Many youth are ready to do more than we give them because they understand what it

takes for spiritual leadership. Wilson said, Sometimes youth do not know how important they

are to the church, which hopefully will change through this process. Youth can be actively

involved in church life if given the opportunity to serve. They have gifts and abilities like

everyone else.10 Discipleship is an old concept modeled by Jesus to the disciples as a new

lifestyle and as learners of scriptures with the help of the Holy Spirit. Fields said, My definition

of discipleship is simply helping students become more like Christ.11 I agree with this

definition because its simple enough to remember and communicate to the youth, parents, and

leaders.

Blevins and Maddix stated in their book Discovering discipleship, Many people

associate Christian education with more recent approaches to teaching and learning, often

anchored in approaches grounded in a modern understanding of educational theory and

practice.12 However, we desire to minister to all of the different groups within the youth ministry

because there is great potential in each small group. All they need is help with the basic doctrine

and leaders that have a passion for people. As youth leaders, we would spend a couple of months

getting to know each teenager through a lot of interesting and fun activities.

KEY ELEMENTS OF DISCIPLESHIP

Jesus demonstrated to His disciples how to live, and showed them how to pray. He

modeled with His life and allow them to follow him. He used scripture and stories that He knew

from the Old Testament thoroughly revealed the truth from scripture to them. He showed them

10
Christopher W. Wilson, Passage Into Discipleship: Guide to Baptism (St. Louis, Mo.: Chalice Press, 2009), 9.
11
Doug Fields, Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry: 9 Essential Foundations for Healthy Growth (Grand Rapids, Mich.:
Zondervan, 1998), 157.
12
Dean Gray Blevins and Mark A. Maddix, Discovering Discipleship: Dynamics of Christian Education (Kansas
City, Mo.: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2013), 15, accessed May 4, 2015, 201.
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how to win souls by doing it Himself and taught them the things they would need to do to be

effective in winning souls. This is equally important today, people are seeking for a practical

demonstration or an example to follow. We will share our faith with every teenager around us, to

teach them by doing, and by showing with our own lives how to serve God. At the same time we

accept the responsibility to always model Christ character and when we make a mistake, it is our

duty to establish transparency in the error we made.

James Montgomery, in his book Christ call to Discipleship stated, True faith involves

these elements: knowledge, upon which it is based, heart response, which results of the new

birth, and commitment, without which faith is no different from the assent of the demons who

believe and shudder (James 2:19).13 We view these 3 elements; the knowledge of Christ,

the heart responds to obedience, and commitment to serve God as essential to the youth ministry.

KEY ELEMENTS OF EVANGELISM

Hewitt said, Too often, evangelism and discipleship are presented as programs that are

designed like easy-fit custom furniture that can be assembled by dummies. I beg to differ,

because my personal experiences and theological reflections seem to suggest that it is a

messy affair fraught with challenges because there is no one-size-fits-all plan for evangelism

and discipleship.14 At the core of evangelism is building genuine relationships with people

who are seeking the truth of life in the life of Jesus, calling and making disciples confirms

how difficult is the task, because teenagers, especially, are different type of learners. First, be

led by the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:6, 9-10). Like Paul in Acts, we continually asked the Holy

Spirit to lead us to people whose hearts are ready for the harvest. Second, develop

relationships to share the Fathers love and compel them to personally commit to Christ.

13
James Montgomery Boice, Christ's Call to Discipleship (S.l.: Kregel Pubs, 2013), 22.
14
Roderick R. Hewitt, Evangelism as Discipleship. International Review Of Mission, 103.
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Third, share your story with people because they know you and your tangible relationship

with God. Fourth, be empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8)15 and allow Him to take over

the conversation and lead you to use the right words to say to the right person. Last but not

least, prayer is the catalyst that initiates Gods will be done on the earth and the most

essential element of evangelism.

ACTIVITIES THAT WILL HELP

Jesus charged His disciples out to complete the work of evangelism, which is the youth

ministry work as well. He first gave them instructions in Matthew 10:5, 616 on who to reach. He

told them to expect hardship, following the understanding of since the world hated me they will

hate you too. He told them the Gospel message will divide households and to expect it. Jesus

charged them out two by two, with the understanding that two can accomplish more than one.

Today we call for the youth to be out on assignment. Jesus checked on his disciples after their

assignments and followed up on their success to use these times to give instructions, correction,

and help them make sense of their assignments. Some of the activities for the Youth Ministry are

as follows:

BIBLE READING

1. Order Bibles from a Bible society give away to teens. American Bible Society, Nazarene
Publishing House, Canadian Bible Society, http://worldbiblesociety.org/

2. Provide a Bible reading calendar for Teens.

3. Write how the Bible passages affected your life this week.

OUTREACH

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But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and
in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (NIV).
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These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of
the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. (NIV).
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1. Teen Sunday School class party to invite friends who do not attend a Sunday School
class.

2. Brunch on Sunday. Between Sunday School and morning worship, we will have a brunch
and invite neighbors and friends. During the brunch, we will introduce Sunday School
teachers, Youth Ministry Leaders, and give information about the Youth Ministry and
CCR programs.

PRAYER

1. Youth Ministry Neighborhood Prayer Walk

2. Pray for guidance to identify someone who is open to the Gospel and pray for the
opportunity to share the Gospel with him or her.

COMMUNITY/SERVICE

1. A free car wash sponsored by the Youth Ministry.

2. A complimentary baby sitting for single moms in the church sponsored by the Youth
Ministry.

FELLOWSHIP

1. A Bike ride or walk-a-thon. Invite the community to join the fun.

2. Promote inter-generational classes for a Sunday. The adult Sunday School classes adopt a
teen class and meet together for the lesson, food, fun, and fellowship.

2015 2016 CALENDAR

August:
7th, 14th, 22nd, 28th: Sunday School Class
13th: Small Group meeting
19th: David, a man that seems to fail a lot!
26th: Solomon, everything is meaningless
***Provide a Bible reading calendar***

September:
6th, 13th, 20th: Sunday School Class
12th:Community Family Night: Discipleship in the home.
19th: Guest Speaker Evangelist Carlos Evans gives his testimony as a follower of Christ.
26th: Sunday School class party (Bring a friend)
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***Youth Ministry Neighborhood Prayer Walk for Spring Lake, NC***

October:
4th, 11th, 18th, 25th: Sunday School Class
9th: Small Group
16th: Youth Service
23rd: Small Group
***A free car wash sponsored by the CCR Youth Ministry***

November:
1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd,: Sunday School Class
6th: Small Group
13th: Youth Service
27th: Small Group
***NC District Hispanic Fellowship Youth Convention, Goldsboro, NC***

December:
6th, 13th, 20th, 27th: Sunday School Class
4th: Small Group
11th: Youth Service
25th: Small Group
***Youth Ministry Christmas Party***

January:
3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th: Sunday School Class
8th: Small Group
15th: Youth Service
29th, Small Group
*** Prayer & Fasting Month***

February:
7th, 14th, 21th, 28th: Sunday School Class
5th: Small Group
19th: Youth Service
26th, Small Group
*** Prayer & Fasting Month***

March:
6th, 13th, 20th, 27th: Sunday School Class
11th: Small Group
18th: Youth Service
25th, Small Group

April:
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3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th: Sunday School Class

1th: Small Group
8th: Youth Service
22nd:Small Group
29th, Youth Ministry Neighborhood Prayer Walk for Spring Lake, NC

May:
1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th: Sunday School Class
6th: Small Group
13th: Youth Service
20th: Small Group
27th: NC, District Hispanic Fellowship Youth Convention, Charlotte, NC

June:
5th, 12th, 19th, 26th: Sunday School Class
3rd: Small Group
10th: Youth Service
17th, Small Group
29th, Youth Ministry Neighborhood Prayer Walk for Spring Lake, NC

July:
3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th: Sunday School Class
1th: Small Group
8th: Youth Service
22nd: Small Group
29th, Youth Ministry Neighborhood Prayer Walk for Spring Lake, NC
***NC Distric Hispanic Fellowship Youth Camp, Kenly, NC***

BALANCE AND BLEND IN CCR YOUTH MINISTRY

Component 1 THE POWER OF GOD: there is a direct connection between a leaders spiritual

vitality and a healthy youth ministry. Component 2 PURPOSE: the youth ministry stresses the

importance of discovering the purpose and putting leadership behind them. Component 3

POTENTIAL AUDIENCE: we will identify the youth audience different commitment levels so

that the youth program will be more effective. Component 4 PROGRAMS: programs are a
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means of reaching students at different levels and fullling the ve purposes of the church. The

equation for putting a program together should be as follows: Purpose + Potential Audience =

Program. Component 5 PROCESS: Our process shows the path in the ministrys spiritual

growth. Component 6 PLANNED VALUES: Youth Minstry values are Fellowship,

discipleship, evangelism and service. Component 7 PARENTS: parents are a vital part of the

youth ministry team. Component 8 PARTICIPATING LEADERS: All Youth ministry leaders

are adult volunteers who passionately care for the youth. Component 9 PERSEVERANCE: This

section focuses on managing time, dealing with problem students, contending with church

politics, and making wise changes before these issues lead to burnout. These survival chapters

have grown out of years of experience and are rich in passion to help you run to win the race of

youth ministry.17

How will the various levels of commitment from different youth be met?

How will different parents and youth worker concerns be addressed? Parents input and

feedback is solicited before, during and after as we plan activities and create the annual

ministry calendar.

How will youth ministry be evaluated? We use the Youth Group Planning Survey and

Youth Group Year-End Feedback Survey http://www.evaluatod.org/

How the community will be engaged? We get youth involved in our church services and

give the opportunity to practice their faith and the behaviors associated with worship.

17
Doug Fields, Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry: 9 Essential Foundations for Healthy Growth (Grand Rapids, Mich.:
Zondervan, 1998), 19-22.
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How will the church staff be included? The Youth Pastor is responsible to coordinate

with other church staff involvement and active collaboration with the community. Church

staff meeting and briefing are conducted weekly.

What are three levels of measure that will indicate successful evangelism? Souls,

Baptism, and discipleship training are the area we measure.

What are three levels of measure that will indicate successful discipleship? Commitment,

spiritual maturity, and leadership development.

What basic principles will be used for dealing with conflict and discipline? We follow

Matthew 18:15-17 process for the confrontation and restoration of a teenager.

Confrontation its done carefully, humbly, and with the goal of restoration (Galatians 6:1).

CONCLUSION

Every one of us should be looking for some means to integrate the wisdom of Jesus

strategy into our own method of evangelism and discipleship. We want our teens to keep the

focus on Jesus and to understand that the best way to have an effect on others is by being

together with them. Jesus spent the majority of His time with twelve disciples not with the

crowds and multitudes. This is good wisdom for us and we must keep our purpose clear as we

provide opportunities for outreach and expect something from them. We must also keep them

going, meet with them and hear how things are going.

In this I covered centrality of evangelism and discipleship in the Youth Ministry. I

included the purpose statement for youth ministry and explored how the mission, need for

discipleship, key elements of discipleship and evangelism. I also supplied some of the youth

ministry activities and a 12 month calendar that starts in August 2015 through July 2016. The

last section described how our youth ministry is able to accommodate the 9 components of youth
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ministry found in The Purpose Driven Youth Ministry textbook. I hope and pray the paper

provided you with an understanding of how Youth Ministry works. God bless you.
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REFERENCES:

1. Blevins, Dean Gray, and Mark A. Maddix. 2013. Discovering Discipleship: Dynamics of Christian Education.
Kansas City, Mo: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2013. EBook Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost
(accessed March 29, 2015).

2. Boice, James Montgomery. Christ's Call to Discipleship. S.l.: Kregel Pubns, 2013.

3. Fields, Doug. Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry: 9 Essential Foundations for Healthy Growth. Grand Rapids,
Mich.: Zondervan, 1998.

4. Hewitt, Roderick R. "Evangelism as Discipleship."International Review Of Mission103, no. 2 (November

2014): 200-214. Humanities International Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed May 5, 2015).

5. Pratney, Winkie. 1983. Youth aflame: a manual for discipleship. N.p.: Minneapolis, Minn. : Bethany House
Publishers, 1983., 1983. Regent University Library and Law Library Catalog, EBSCOhost (accessed March
29, 2015).

6. Veerman, David. 1988. Youth evangelism. N.p.: [Wheaton, Ill.?]: Victor Books, c1988., 1988. Regent
University Library and Law Library Catalog, EBSCOhost (accessed March 29, 2015).

7. Wilson, Christopher W. 2009. Passage Into Discipleship: Guide to Baptism. St. Louis, Mo: Chalice Press,
2009. EBook Academic Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost (accessed March 29, 2015).

8. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Accessed May 9, 2015. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disciple.