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Youth Ministry events and structure?

Hey everyone...
I recently took hold of our growing youth ministry and I am trying to adapt to the changes... We went from 3 youth five years ago, to now from 45 - 60 on Sunday night. I'm having struggles with the structure and social events. Honestly, I'm very much a teacher but not all that much fun :) I'd love input on our structure, your structure, and what type of lower cost social events you guys are doing?
This is the structure of our youth group night...
We do:
6:00 - 6:30 - arrival time/hangout
6:30 - 7:00 - games
7:00 - 7:15 - worship
7:15 - 7:45 - message
7:45 - 8:00 - discussion
Thanks in advance,
Brian

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1 year ago

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youth

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games

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0 Votes The structure looks fine, and ours is pretty similar. If you are a teacher make the best use you can of that time and put a team around you that has some of those other strengths and let them run with those aspects of the programing. by John Byrne 1 year ago by John Byrne 1 year ago
0 Votes Wed night: 5:30 dinner 6:00 games/hang-out 6:15 worship/announcements 6:40 Bible study 7:10 Hang out till parents come at 7:30 Sun night: 6:00 Hang out/games 6:30 Worship announcements 7:00 Basic Lesson 7:20 Small Group Discussion until parents come at 8:00 I like to have fun, but I'm terrible at games. I've delegated game finding in the past to others. For social stuff, I plan a meeting with parents once a quarter to coordinate calendars-kids are so busy, you can't bank on them being free. I try to do a Saturday event each month and a weekend event each fall and spring. Our favorite fall event is our family campout at the end of football season. Parents and youth together on a camping retreat studying the Bible. Everyone loves it! by jasonbh... 1 year ago by jasonbhuffman 1 year ago
0 Votes Our night usually goes like this: 6:00-7:00 Hang out 7:00-7:15 Welcome and games 7:15-7:40 Worship 7:40-8:00 Message 8:00-8:30 Either small groups or 10-15min of quiet prayer time. We have seen the same growth in our group over the past 2 years too. It's cool to see other ministries taking off. As your group grows bigger you need to make sure you have plenty of leaders helping/supporting you. It looks like you already have an idea of how you are gifted, the next step is to delegate the things you aren't gifted in to other leaders/youth. Not only will it keep you from beating your head against the wall, it will also help raise up future leaders in the church and allow them to use their gifts. by BethelYD 1 year ago by BethelYD 1 year ago
0 Votes We do small groups: 5-10 minutes = announcements, video or game 50-55 minutes = small groups For social events we meet on non-school nights (i.e. Fridays, Saturday, Sunday afternoon or Sunday when there's no school Monday). We've done ice skating @ a local rink, tailgate parties before football games, ROCKtoberFEST with RockBand & stuff, a Bake Off in the church kitchen, Outdoor Movie Night, Guys Nights/Girls Nights, Water Games, Turkey Bowl (football), Wiffle Ball, Dodge Ball, etc. by brianferry 1 year ago by brianferry 1 year ago
0 Votes Our structure looks the same. 6-6:15 eat 6:15-6:45 hangout 6:45-7:10ish message 7:15-7:30 small group discussion As far as not being fun as in the games and such, have someone else do it. Give them parameters and let em fly. This teaches leadership and gives someone else the chance to "own" the ministry themselves. We have small group leaders who are in the youth, but I invest in them on Sunday nights so they're a little different than some of the others. Our ministry here started with 5 and in two years has 60 or so, so I know exactly what you're going thru. Learn to delegate. Maybe you could let the kids hash out time, just tell them you want 30min (also a tool for unity and wonership) Good luck by pastor e 1 year ago by pastor e 1 year ago

Votes

The structure looks fine, and ours is pretty similar. If you are a teacher make the best use you can of that time and put a team around you that has some of those other strengths and let them run with those aspects of the programing.

John Byrne

1 year ago

Votes

Wed night:
5:30 dinner
6:00 games/hang-out
6:15 worship/announcements
6:40 Bible study
7:10 Hang out till parents come at 7:30

Sun night:
6:00 Hang out/games
6:30 Worship announcements
7:00 Basic Lesson
7:20 Small Group Discussion until parents come at 8:00

I like to have fun, but I'm terrible at games. I've delegated game finding in the past to others. For social stuff, I plan a meeting with parents once a quarter to coordinate calendars-kids are so busy, you can't bank on them being free. I try to do a Saturday event each month and a weekend event each fall and spring. Our favorite fall event is our family campout at the end of football season. Parents and youth together on a camping retreat studying the Bible. Everyone loves it!

jasonbh...

1 year ago

Votes

Our night usually goes like this:
6:00-7:00 Hang out
7:00-7:15 Welcome and games
7:15-7:40 Worship
7:40-8:00 Message
8:00-8:30 Either small groups or 10-15min of quiet prayer time.

We have seen the same growth in our group over the past 2 years too. It's cool to see other ministries taking off. As your group grows bigger you need to make sure you have plenty of leaders helping/supporting you. It looks like you already have an idea of how you are gifted, the next step is to delegate the things you aren't gifted in to other leaders/youth. Not only will it keep you from beating your head against the wall, it will also help raise up future leaders in the church and allow them to use their gifts.

BethelYD

1 year ago

Votes

We do small groups:
5-10 minutes = announcements, video or game
50-55 minutes = small groups

For social events we meet on non-school nights (i.e. Fridays, Saturday, Sunday afternoon or Sunday when there's no school Monday). We've done ice skating @ a local rink, tailgate parties before football games, ROCKtoberFEST with RockBand & stuff, a Bake Off in the church kitchen, Outdoor Movie Night, Guys Nights/Girls Nights, Water Games, Turkey Bowl (football), Wiffle Ball, Dodge Ball, etc.

brianferry

1 year ago

Votes

Our structure looks the same.
6-6:15 eat
6:15-6:45 hangout
6:45-7:10ish message
7:15-7:30 small group discussion

As far as not being fun as in the games and such, have someone else do it. Give them parameters and let em fly. This teaches leadership and gives someone else the chance to "own" the ministry themselves. We have small group leaders who are in the youth, but I invest in them on Sunday nights so they're a little different than some of the others. Our ministry here started with 5 and in two years has 60 or so, so I know exactly what you're going thru. Learn to delegate. Maybe you could let the kids hash out time, just tell them you want 30min (also a tool for unity and wonership) Good luck

pastor e

1 year ago

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