The Disciple Making Youth Ministry

 Trent Cornwell

In the Bible you do not find “youth ministry”. You only find ministry and students inthe ministry! Becoming a “youth worker” does not negate a person to “go yetherefore and make disciples” mandate. It gives a person, in my opinion, one ofthe greatest strategic positions in the churches disciple making process. Wecan “prepare men of war fit for battle” (I Chron. 12:8)

What isthe work that youth workers should do?

• The work of the ministry (Matthew 28:19,20)
• As I preacher I have the responsibility to strive “to present ever man perfect in Christ”. (Colossians 1:28)
• Bring students to a place where they “Be. Do. Serve. Train” all to the glory of God.

What will this ministry look like?

Evangelize. Establish. Equip. Export

The word“disciple” simply means “learner” or “student.” In the New Testament, the word“disciple” is used 261 times: 233 times in the Gospels and 28 times in Acts.

It usually refers toJesus’ disciples, but there are also references to:

1. The disciples of John the Baptist (Mark 2:18, Luke 11:1)
2. The disciples of the Pharisees (Matt 22:16, Mark 2:18)
3. And even the disciples of Moses (John 9:28)

If disciples arelearners then to make disciples you must be a teacher. Find men and womenqualified at teaching the Word of God to work with your young people.

Youth Pastor = BibleTeacher to Youth

1. Water will rise to its source.
2. Prepare them to get their answers from the Word of God.
3. Same ministry, different target audience.
4. Do not compromise the preaching time. Preach 30+ minutes from the Bible. 
5. Ministry must be centered on the Word of God.
6. Church is about God. Plain and simple.

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“Don’t just spend time, invest time in the students! Do not worry about growing yourministry. Help the students grow – this is your ministry!”     

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4 elements of a disciple making youth ministry….

1. Information on who we are in Christ.
1. Teaching students who the Bible says they should “BE”
2. If you are not learning then you will not be able to teach for long.
3. We must teach them the Bible and show them how to discover the truths on their own.
4. Encourage us to study. Push us to be Bible Teachers.
2. Illustration on what we should do. 
1. Modeling to students what they should “DO”
2. Activities give the students an opportunity to watch the youth workers.
3. Have activities that will help them how to live and learn. (formal events to see manners illustrated, athletic events to demonstrate self control, soul winning to illustrate a desire to see souls saved)
4. During this time you will get a better understanding of the students “BE” level.

3. Imitation of service. 
1. Equipping the student to “SERVE”
2. Discipleship is the process of making the learner like the teacher, both in knowledge and in practice.
3. Get them around the people that will help to serve in a area of ministry they have a passion for. 
4. Involvement in the process.
1. Encourage your students to “TRAIN” others.
2. Allow them to do some the things in the ministry you do. (Teach them a lesson on baptism, have them watch you teach the lesson on baptism, have them teach you the lesson on baptism, watch them as they teach)
3. Allow them to take a supervised ownership of some part of the ministry.

On getting youth workers…

Why is it to easier to staff a volunteer fire department then a volunteer youth staff? 

1. People want to give their lives to something they believe is meaningful.
2. People do want to be left in the “sheep pen” while other men are off to battle. (Numbers 32)
3. People are frustrated by the high attrition rate of students after high school.

We have placed ouremphasis on the wrong parts of youth ministry. We focus on areas that we havenot been promised to be blessed in and areas we are not promised power tosucceed in.