Should we give our youth a seat at the table?

How do you decide on your youth group programmes? Perhaps it is a sense of, ‘I would like to teach this part of the Bible next.’ I know that I have done that through the years. And that is okay; if I am enthused and being changed by Jesus from the text, then that will be infectious.

Perhaps it is a sense of, ‘I think the young people need…’ This is also okay, as it considers the young person, and it is seeking to address a perceived need or issue. Do we include the young people in shaping the programme?

In previous articles we have considered how the Bible is where the young person encounters the living God, and how they are full human beings with views and opinions. This dynamic holds the key to effective ministry. There may be points and observations that we disagree with, even make us feel uncomfortable, but it seems strange to exclude them entirely from the process of planning their own groups.

I have had occasion where, in planning with some of the young people, significant issues came up and we felt we had to commit a few weeks to working them through. To have missed these could have been significant and they were not always easy to handle, but the ministry was so enriched by giving them voice, power, and a seat at the table.

For many of us, our starting point is Scripture – ‘I’m going to teach Colossians this term’ (why is it always Colossians!?) Our programmes are fixed by consecutive expositions of the text. Perhaps we need to regularly start at the other end of the encounter and let the young people ask their questions and set the agenda for what they feel they need to think through.

As they do this, it may be that we learn something. Our young people have a huge amount to teach us and challenge us with. They bring a perspective and understanding which will enrich our own lives and therefore the groups we are serving. It may be that they will want to talk about issues that you have never even considered. It is probable that you will see a seriousness and maturity that surprises you. It is likely that you will be stretched further than you expected. It is definite that your programmes will be improved for it!