Youth studies

Look for Tm412 at lifeway.com. It's excellent, and not expensive. There's a narrative there, but if you find you're interested, let me know...we use it.

 

Look at inquest. They have good material. Tm412 is good if you are looking for a study that is designed to bring in kids. It is not very deep. I shelved it after about 6 weeks.

I would also encourage you to look at the student life material that is on their web sight.

I also do a lot of my own stuff. It depends on the group.

WWW.inquest.com or org, I am not for sure. It is good stuff.

 

Hit youthspecialties.com and youthpastor.com they have free resources on the websites.

 

What about taking a book of the Bible and going through it verse by verse?

 

Great idea in theory. There are many youth workers who would not be able to do that. Starting in Sept. on Wedneday nights, I will be teaching the Baptist faith and message. I will not title it that.

I have spent my 3 months getting into a teachable format for youth. Many people aren't full-time in ministry and need help on weekly basis for Bible study.

About half of all I teach is original stuff. Sometimes if a study is well written and doctinally sound, I use it.

Bottom line as a youth worker, you have to connect. In today's culture, you better be part enertainer as well as teacher. That is a sad statement to make. You have to be creative and make it realitive to their lives.

Before you bash me. My Bible studies is not a playtime. It isn't game and cookies. Wednesday nights is a time of praise and worship and, then we open up the Word. I teach the whole counsel of God.

From the time a student enters the student ministry he or she will be exposed to all major doctrines and will a Biblical worldview when leaving the student ministry upon graduation.

 

I was a youth pastor for several years I know all the issues. I think that we do our youth a huge disservice when we try to do so many other things instead of simply opening up God's Word and showing them the relevance to their life. One of the things I regret about my time as a youth pastor was I spent a lot of time trying to be creative and an entertainer instead of showing them the Word in a relevant way.

 

I don't do programs. I never have. I use studies. That is what I like about inquest is these studies are stand alone.


I want my kids to leave with something at the end of the night, they can put into action in their own lives. We gotto to teach application.

If I just opened up the Bible, I would lose about 2/3 of my youth would leave.

I have a class on Thursday night that is more for my serious students. Currently we are going thru Masterlife.

 

I know that is reality in most places, but it is a pretty sad state for the modern church, huh?

I wonder how Jesus would teach a youth class?

 

Jesus used stories, object lessons, He was pretty original. He used humor. Not a bad approach to teaching. He used the tools He had to get the message across.

You are right it is sad. Adults are the same way. They want the entertainment part of it. We would not have the worship split we have today. Because, our taste in music has nothing to do with true worship..

 

Gentlemen, what's the bottom line when a youth group is a mile wide but only one inch deep? Not trying to be cute; I'd really like to know, having been a youth minister for 20+ years.

 

Gentlemen, what's the bottom line when a youth group is a mile wide but only one inch deep? Not trying to be cute; I'd really like to know, having been a youth minister for 20+ years.

 

My kids are awesome, and they seem to know more than most adults I know. Thank you for the suggestions. We'll be starting 1 Peter next week.
</font>[/QUOTE]Thats great

 

If you're looking for a great curriculum that covers the entire Bible and has incredible depth, look at studentlifebiblestudy.org. We've used it for two years and our students love it - they get so much out of it. We've grown from averaging 90 to 140 in about a year, some of which comes from our students actually wanting to invite other students on Sunday mornings.

It is a six-year study, so your 7th graders can say that they've been through the entire Bible when they graduate. Another great feature - you pay per student, (and it's inexpensive even if you have a lot of people), so if you have, say, 20 people, it's only 200 dollars per year.

It's also theologically accurate and unapologetically evangelical. I strongly recommend it.

 

Wally,

I have kids that are well founded in the Word. I have others who are just there. I teach the Word and I have kids who soak it in. I have others that are there for other reasons.

I use a variety of means to capture the attention of my kids. I use a wide variety of multi-media tools. I am might play a game that will tie in with my message. I use a lot of object lessons.

You look at the ministry of Jesus, he used whatever was at hand. I think many times we limit our impact by not using everything availble out disposal.

I have kids that are in ministry now. They will bring something up that made an impact in their life and I am amazed. Small stuff, that I have totaly forgotten about. A game or illistration. That is when I think my ministry has impacted lives.

 

I am a youth myself and I can tell you that the most effective way of reaching youth is not the little pamplets that you can order and things like that...but just reading the Word of God. That is so effective. Most people don't realize it but the korny things that they put in the pamplets and things like that are boring. Hearing the living Word is the most exciting of any teaching method.

 

Great perspective! Thanks for sharing.