What activities can I have for a new 15+ youth group? - MinistryQuestions.com | Ministry questions, answers, advice, and input from other ministry workers

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What activities can I have for a new 15+ youth group?

OK. I tonight was appointed the sole youth leader by minister of my church and I need to start a youth group. I'm also only 17. We have 3 guys and 2 girls in the youth and there all about my age.

1) I have very limited resources. I have a Wii that we could use, I believe there's possibly a snooker table, but literally that's all that I can think of. I could perhaps use a laptop + speakers to play music too.

I don't know what else I could set up for people to do. I'm concerned having snooker + wii + music is not enough for keeping people entertained and coming back.

2) There may be unsaved ppl, and I dont know how long, if any (at least starting) minutes out of 60 the bible should should be.

3) Any other advice? I need lots.

Thanks

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- LeeJ
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4 years ago

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0 Votes All the others on here are spot on, so I'll tell you of a game that is inexpensive and good for church and non-church kids to get along and get aquainted with one another. It's called 4square. Look it up. It's easy, simple, and fun. The center and focus on your meetings, like all below have mentioned, is on God. Pray, read, learn, talk, listen, and become a strong united group centered on God. by pastor e 4 years ago by pastor e 4 years ago
0 Votes 1. Find someone older to help you. Being 17 and trying to lead others your age is going to be very hard (no offense to you). Having an older person help take a load of responsibility off of you. 2. Like others have said, don't make it about fun. this is a huge problem in ministry (even my own) is that we push the fun factor and that is all kids want, once you take it away, they leave. 3. Read books like First 2 Years in Ministry by Doug Fields and Sustainable Youth Ministry by Mark DeVries. Both of these books give you a good idea of how to get started. 4. Treat it as a small group. Build connections with those five & go from there. Don't worry about growing You in a tough spot and I am praying for you and would love to help if I can by Soulshaper 4 years ago by Soulshaper 4 years ago
0 Votes onnections are VERY important in Student Ministry. It’s a great way to build relationships and get to know each other.(Programs don’t develop relationships; people do!) Spend some time in a small group setting praying that GOD would show your small group what it is that HE has for you and he will guide your paths. Don't try and do this all on your own, find others in your group that can share the work load. Begin to pray for those non believers and ask GOD to help you as you minister to them. by Pastor Joe 4 years ago by Pastor Joe 4 years ago
0 Votes I agree with what everyone else said below. 1. Don't focus on the entertainment part at all. Instead, focus on becoming a community of teenagers that love Jesus passionately and want to dig deep into His Word and share Him with everyone around you. 2. Beg God to give you a strong vision for your group: what it should look like and the direction God wants you to go with it. 3. Read the book, "Ministry Mutiny" by Greg Stier. 4. Start small with your group. Don't try to become too big too fast. Team up with the 3 guys and 2 girls and spend time just praying together, asking for the Lord to lead you as you lead the group together. by Tim Sch... 4 years ago by Tim Schmoyer 4 years ago
0 Votes Wow, good for you, but it's going to be a challenge. You must find someone to help you out with some of the issues you've asked about. There are a lot of ways to answer your questions and there is little space here to do it. I'd love to connect with you more, Lee, and help out however I can. Feel free to contact me at mark@thepsm.com. Hope this helps! by Mark C 4 years ago by Mark C 4 years ago
0 Votes Get some other experienced people to lead with you. On your own you're vulnerable. The young people need Jesus, and they need help living out the Christian life. Do things together that engage with these realities. A clear vision of what you'd like to achieve over the next while will help you work out what you should do to get there. It will also help you establish what you've achieved and what you're needing more work on. Other people starting youth groups have asked about resources in this forum, and a variety of answers have been posted. It's worth flicking through the back catalogue. by caughtn... 4 years ago by caughtnottaught 4 years ago
0 Votes The first thing you need to do is get connected with a veteran youth pastor who can mentor you!! Don't focus on fun (have fun, but don't focus on it) instead focus on the Gospel of Jesus!! Honestly I was in your shoes (a long time ago) but I had someone helping me along the way...I am so thankful for that. Read a lot, Read Tim Schmoyer's blog, Greg Stiers blog, this web site, look at some of the stuff on my site, the source for Youth ministey, etc... by John Byrne 4 years ago by John Byrne 4 years ago
0 Votes i feel like one thing you must do is stay away from entertaining students. you have the advantage being the same age you relate to the students better then i could ever so what i suggest is get the students on your side suggest them to help you in your mission. and then share the msg of Jesus if you surround yourself with teens who all have the same goal and want the group to thrive it will with out entertainment. however fun fellowship is always fun a wii a trip to the movies ice skating bowling are all things that can be done fro cheap. also contact some of the other groups in your area and see if you can work together to build one strong group. and always remember Jesus picked 12 focused on 3 and graduated 11, you will loose some. by JohnPyle 4 years ago by JohnPyle 4 years ago

Votes

All the others on here are spot on, so I'll tell you of a game that is inexpensive and good for church and non-church kids to get along and get aquainted with one another. It's called 4square. Look it up. It's easy, simple, and fun. The center and focus on your meetings, like all below have mentioned, is on God. Pray, read, learn, talk, listen, and become a strong united group centered on God.

pastor e

4 years ago

Votes

1. Find someone older to help you. Being 17 and trying to lead others your age is going to be very hard (no offense to you). Having an older person help take a load of responsibility off of you.
2. Like others have said, don't make it about fun. this is a huge problem in ministry (even my own) is that we push the fun factor and that is all kids want, once you take it away, they leave.
3. Read books like First 2 Years in Ministry by Doug Fields and Sustainable Youth Ministry by Mark DeVries. Both of these books give you a good idea of how to get started.
4. Treat it as a small group. Build connections with those five & go from there. Don't worry about growing

You in a tough spot and I am praying for you and would love to help if I can

Soulshaper

4 years ago

Votes

onnections are VERY important in Student Ministry. It’s a great way to build relationships and get to know each other.(Programs don’t develop relationships; people do!)

Spend some time in a small group setting praying that GOD would show your small group what it is that HE has for you and he will guide your paths.

Don't try and do this all on your own, find others in your group that can share the work load. Begin to pray for those non believers and ask GOD to help you as you minister to them.

Pastor Joe

4 years ago

Votes

I agree with what everyone else said below.

1. Don't focus on the entertainment part at all. Instead, focus on becoming a community of teenagers that love Jesus passionately and want to dig deep into His Word and share Him with everyone around you.

2. Beg God to give you a strong vision for your group: what it should look like and the direction God wants you to go with it.

3. Read the book, "Ministry Mutiny" by Greg Stier.

4. Start small with your group. Don't try to become too big too fast. Team up with the 3 guys and 2 girls and spend time just praying together, asking for the Lord to lead you as you lead the group together.

Tim Sch...

4 years ago

Votes

Wow, good for you, but it's going to be a challenge. You must find someone to help you out with some of the issues you've asked about. There are a lot of ways to answer your questions and there is little space here to do it.

I'd love to connect with you more, Lee, and help out however I can. Feel free to contact me at mark@thepsm.com.

Hope this helps!

Mark C

4 years ago

Votes

Get some other experienced people to lead with you. On your own you're vulnerable.

The young people need Jesus, and they need help living out the Christian life. Do things together that engage with these realities. A clear vision of what you'd like to achieve over the next while will help you work out what you should do to get there. It will also help you establish what you've achieved and what you're needing more work on.

Other people starting youth groups have asked about resources in this forum, and a variety of answers have been posted. It's worth flicking through the back catalogue.

caughtn...

4 years ago

Votes

The first thing you need to do is get connected with a veteran youth pastor who can mentor you!! Don't focus on fun (have fun, but don't focus on it) instead focus on the Gospel of Jesus!!

Honestly I was in your shoes (a long time ago) but I had someone helping me along the way...I am so thankful for that. Read a lot, Read Tim Schmoyer's blog, Greg Stiers blog, this web site, look at some of the stuff on my site, the source for Youth ministey, etc...

John Byrne

4 years ago

Votes

i feel like one thing you must do is stay away from entertaining students. you have the advantage being the same age you relate to the students better then i could ever so what i suggest is get the students on your side suggest them to help you in your mission. and then share the msg of Jesus if you surround yourself with teens who all have the same goal and want the group to thrive it will with out entertainment. however fun fellowship is always fun a wii a trip to the movies ice skating bowling are all things that can be done fro cheap. also contact some of the other groups in your area and see if you can work together to build one strong group. and always remember Jesus picked 12 focused on 3 and graduated 11, you will loose some.

JohnPyle

4 years ago

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