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Youth Leaders meet with Bishop to discuss ministries

Written: 9/24/2009

With a spirit of collaboration, United Methodist youth leaders from across the state gathered at the Conference Center in Columbia for a meeting to talk about their youth ministries and the difference they can make in young peoples live. The meeting was called by Missouri Bishop Robert Schnase, and was the first Bishop-led youth ministers meeting that anyone could remember.

Reading scripture from his iPhone, Bishop Schnase began with Luke chapter 9, verses 1-5 from the Message translation by Jim Peterson, calling particular attention to the verse: “Don’t load yourself up with equipment. Keep it simple. You are the equipment.”

Bishop Schnase then cited a study by Lovett Weems, which found that the two biggest factors in determining if someone would answer the call ministry is whether that person was part of a quality, effective youth ministry, and whether that person had someone in his or her life who fostered them into an openness to God’s calling.

“I would not be here today if it were not for an active youth ministry when I was growing up in First UMC in Del Rio, Texas,” Bishop Schnase said. “The paradox is that I don’t think anyone at that church ever really thought they had a successful youth ministry.”

The youth group only had about 15 members, and never grew to the size that many hoped it would. But from those members came Sunday school teachers, youth directors, and three ministers in three different denominations.

“Don’t ever underestimate the significance of your ministry,” Bishop Schnase said.  “The people in this room have a greater influence in long-term viability of the Missouri Conference than many of the major committees and boards of our conference.  In ten years the Board of Ordained Ministry will have no one to consider for ministry unless our youth ministry is vibrant and fruitful.”

Bishop Schnase went on to say that good youth ministry isn’t just about helping people answer the call to ministry; that is just an example of one of the fruits that can come from effective youth ministry. When he considers how well we are doing at youth ministry in the Missouri Conference, Conference-wide youth activities are just a small part of that question. The real answer lies in how youth ministry is doing in the local church.

Bishop Schnase focused the conversation on outward-focused invitational youth ministry.  Most of the meeting was spent with those gathered split into small groups to discuss challenges they face, and share best practices. Some ideas that were shared included:.

• Fifth-Quarter Clubs: Fun events and a message at the church following football games.
• Participating in school activities and community events.
• Working with organizations like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
• When going on activities with a participation fee, paying for any unchurched youth that are invited to come along.

Bishop Schnase cautioned against having activities just to get youth to come, that then didn’t take them anywhere. He recalled that during his own short experience as a youth minister, he was given a list of half-dozen activities he was to do with the youth, like the annual trip to Six Flags. When he reflected on the experience later, he doubted that any of the activities really brought anyone closer to Christ.

One youth pastor said he tries to focus on equipping the youth so they are confident in sharing their own faith journeys. Another said she didn’t feel her youth were formed enough for her to be able to prompt them to be outwardly focused. Another said he felt it was easier for new Christians to share their faith than ones who are settled into their religion.

“It’s more difficult to learn evangelism at a late state than it is on day one,” he said.

Rev. Rob Barringer, pastor of the new church start LifeSong, said that his experience from his youth shapes his ministry today.

“My enthusiasm for evangelism comes from the time that someone reached out and found me,” he said. 

“Who are you learning from?” was one of the questions youth leaders answered, sharing ideas about what they were reading, what churches they were visiting, and what conferences they attend.  As the meeting progressed, youth leaders expressed their interest in on-going, high-quality support and learning communities for youth ministers similar to the Pastor Leadership Development groups attended by pastors.  

The gathering was sponsored and supported by gifts from Pathways Partners comprised of laity committed to supporting the mission of the Missouri Conference through their gifts.