Give Graduates the Gospel
‘Tis the season for high school graduations and Church grad night celebrations. For many youth workers, the weeks surrounding graduation are among the busiest of the entire year. It’s common for churches to celebrate and pray for Grads either during a Sunday worship service or to host an evening reception for them, or some combination of the two.
High school graduation marks an important transition and a teenager‘s life. It’s good and right to acknowledge that. Some students are the first graduates in their families. Some have overcome significant learning disabilities or other struggles to attain their diploma. Minimizing the accomplishment or choosing to not acknowledge it because “we only honor Christ” lacks compassion and love. Graduation is an opportune moment for the church to come alongside families to encourage and provide support.
It can be incredibly meaningful for the church, Youth Group, and Parents come together to bless our high school graduates as they prepare for the next season life.
Who Gets Celebrated
It’s good to celebrate our students’ accomplishment in graduating high school. Sometimes youth workers can struggle to discern who to celebrate and who to leave off the list. What about church kids who never attended Sunday School or Youth Group? What about students who used to attend, but haven’t come to anything in years? What about students who come to big events, but not regular programming?
In general, it’s best to err on the side of gracious inclusion. If we only include students who are still currently involved at time of graduation then we implicitly communicate to students who’ve been absent, “Your belonging here has been forfeited.” For a ministry that builds around the gospel, that’s a terrible message to send as graduates consider the role of the church in their lives moving forward. If they or their families consider your church “their church,” and if they have ever participated enough to not be considered a visitor - then you should include them.
For many, these ministries played a key role in their lives in the past even if they haven’t attended in a few years. You never know, it could be a great way to reconnect and be present for some important conversations as they prepare to face whatever is next in life.
Who Gets Invited to the Celebration
One of the most common questions we receive at YPT is this, “How can we partner with parents and integrate students into the church beyond the youth ministry?” Your ministry’s Honor the Graduate celebration is an obvious place. Host a gathering after church, during Sunday School, or invite the entire church to youth group that night. Ask for space in a worship service to speak a word of blessing and to pray for them. Coordinate a plan with the church staff for the corporate church to intentionally encourage and bless your graduates.
Find ways to involve and acknowledge parents and families, too. Many won’t want to say anything. But it can be meaningful to do something as simple as having parents introduce their kids, or having them share one prayer request for their kid that you read during their introduction, or providing a single flower for their grad to present to their family. Acknowledging their effort and sacrifice to make graduation possible will be a meaningful way to thank the parents.
Give Them the Gospel
It’s easy to groan at the worldly messages and out-of-context Bible verses graduates receive. Instead of criticizing and dismantling those messages, simply give them the gospel. Why would you want your potential final word to these students to be one of criticism?
Once again, it’s important to keep the gospel central. These graduates are uniquely poised to consider the message of the gospel. In the midst of certains students receiving great adulation for the awards and prestigious collegiate future, others’ insecurities are only reinforced. Students who are heading to an Ivy League university are applauded louder than those who will be working at Walmart as they continue to figure out what their futures will hold. Our students’ value isn’t ranked according to GPA, academic awards, extracurricular activities, or athletic scholarships. For this reason, I have chosen to celebrate their graduation without announcing their awards or future plans.
In the midst of speeches about chasing your dreams and “being the change you want to see in the world,” give them permission to rest because Jesus’ yoke is easy and his burden is light. Preach the gospel, which proclaims a freedom that comes from the generosity of God rather than as something we need to earn. Invite them to simply be children of God, who have been adopted by a Heavenly Father whose love doesn’t waver in the light of our sin.
Grad Gifts
Most churches give graduates a Bible or a book as a graduation gift. This is an often discussed topic in youth pastor Facebook groups. Those of us who give books do so knowing that most of them will remain unread. But Christians are, and always have been, people of the book.
Personally, I set aside room in my budget to give students an apologetics book and a hammock. When giving them the books during our Honor the Grad Night, I’ll say something like, “I know you don’t want a book for graduation. But whether you’re heading to college or the work force, you’re going to get asked some hard questions about Christianity… and you’re going to ask some hard questions, too. And it can be confusing to know where to find good answers. So I know you’re not going to run home and read this book, but I’m asking you to bring it with you where life brings you next. That way, it’ll be there for you when these questions come. In the meantime, the gospel invites us to rest in God, because Jesus has done everything we need for our place before God to be secure. So when life is stressful or overwhelming and you need a rest, here’s a hammock to remind you that the gospel is a message of rest.”
However you choose to honor and bless the graduates from your ministry, be sure to send them off with the gospel. They’ve been pumped up to change the world, and may very soon run face-first into the harsh realities of life. Maybe the way you blessed them and prayed for them on their way out will be the very thing that draws them back when they need the Church the most.
Here are a few links in case you’re still searching for the right grad gift. (Amazon links are affiliate links that support YPT.)
Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels, J. Warner Wallace
Why I Trust the Bible: Answers to Real Questions and Doubts People Have about the Bible, William Mounce
Help My Unbelief: Why Doubt is Not the Enemy of Faith, Barnabas Piper
The Jesus I Wish I Knew in High School, edited by Cole & Getz
YPT’s Recommended Resources on Apologetics and Books to Read with Students
