The Most Important Thing a Youth Ministry Can Do
I’ve been a youth pastor for nearly two decades, have my D.Min. in ministry to emerging generations, and have written a few youth ministry books. And yet, I’m finally coming to a conclusion that shouldn’t be so shocking.
The most important thing a youth ministry can do is teach students how to read and study the Bible.
I’m writing this with more self-reflection than finger-pointing, but God help us if we’re consistently graduating students who don’t know how to read the Bible, even though they’ve been active participants in our ministries for six or seven years. But on the converse: imagine what might happen if even half our students graduate with a solid grasp on how to read and study the Bible without a parent or mentor guiding them along. Such a student would be well-prepared for lifelong faith and ministry.
Why is Bible Reading so Essential?
If students graduate from our ministries without the ability to read and study the Bible, then what have we really accomplished? Now, whether or not they choose to do it is another matter. But they should at least know how. Here are a few reasons I believe this is the most important thing we can do.
The Bible is God’s Word. We call it “the Word of God” all the time. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is true. But do we actually mean it? Do we believe that God will actually speak to students and do a supernatural work through the Bible? Or do we think it’s over their heads… or even worse, do we think it’s too boring to hold their attention? Many youth workers profess to claim the Bible is the Word of God, but then they build their ministry with Scripture as little more than an add-on. May it not be so among us.
You can’t force discipleship. There needs to be student buy-in. If you’ve been in youth ministry for a few years, then you’ve experienced the impossibility of discipling a student who doesn’t want to be discipled. Training students to read and study the Bible will show you who is spiritually hungry, and who… isn’t. Then, you can reach out to those who are hungry for discipleship while praying for the Lord to spiritually awaken those who remain disinterested.
God’s Word is living and active. When we read the Bible, the Bible will change us. It is not passive and inert. Something happens. As Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Why wouldn’t we keep Scripture front and center?
If you still aren’t convinced, please listen to episode 12 of the YPT Podcast with Kyle Hoffsmith on Teaching the Bible in Youth Ministry. Then, go subscribe to CPYU’s podcast, The Word in Youth Ministry, which Kyle co-hosts.
How Can We Teach Students to Study the Bible?
There’s no “one way” to study the Bible. But one thing is for sure - if we tell students they should read the Bible but we never get hands-on, actually teaching them how to do it, then they won’t know how to start. Here are a few ways you can approach it with students.
Storytelling the Bible. This is an oral approach to teaching the Bible that’s often used by missionaries in nonliterate cultures. It’s a highly interactive and effective way to draw students into Scripture and for them to learn how to share the message of Scripture with their friends.
Three “What” Questions. This is an approach I’ve taught students for years that’s based on the three hermeneutical questions. These may be familiar if you’ve used the Rooted Curriculum since I was on the team who helped develop it. We chose these questions for the curriculum to implicitly teach students how to study the Bible. I elaborate on these questions in my book, Lead Them to Jesus.
What? (Content): What does this passage say? Really dig into the context and facts of the passage.
So What? (Meaning): What does this passage teach? Identify the core truth this passage is teaching and how it’s connected to the gospel.
Now What? (Application): How will I respond?
The Swedish Method. This is a well-known approach to inductive Bible Study, especially in a group context. There are three key elements to the Swedish Method, each with its own symbol.
Light Bulb: Something from the passage that stands out for you
Question Mark: What questions does this passage raise, and how might you resolve it?
Arrow: How can you apply this passage to your life?
The Seven Arrows of Bible Study. This approach uses seven easily-drawn symbols to help students navigate the text. There are various study guides and devotionals you can provide for students where they can practice this method.
LeaderTreks’ Bible Study Methods. LeaderTreks is a youth ministry organization whom I deeply appreciate. One of the cornerstones of their missions trips is a commitment to spend meaningful time in Scripture, using a different Bible Study Method each morning. By the end of the week, students have practiced each approach and are now equipped to continue when they get home. My favorite of their devotionals is, “I am a Disciple,” which also employs these various methods. I give it to every student after they make a commitment to Christ or when they ask for help learning how to read the Bible.
The YouVersion Bible App. This is a great resource to help students read the Bible together. Your ministry (or a small group leader) can create an account, select a plan and a starting date, and then share the link to invite others to join the reading group. Some plans are quite good, while others… aren’t. So you need to be discerning, but there are some good plans out there. Make sure to choose a plan that actually has students reading Scripture rather than one or two short verses and then someone’s inspirational thoughts, because then they aren’t reading much Scripture, they’re mostly reading someone’s reflections on it. I highly recommend the Spoken Gospel plans. Although this is a good way to help students read Scripture together, it’s best to prioritize teaching the different ways to read the Bible listed above, otherwise students’ Bible-reading can become dependent on others reading with them or on a specific guide to do the thinking for them. We want students in the Word.
One Important Clarifier
This article isn’t saying that Bible Study is the only thing youth ministry should ever do. Don’t cancel everything on your calendar and blow up everything in your ministry… at least, not right away. Instead of taking immediate and drastic action, read and discuss this article with your leadership team (it’d probably be wise to include a few parents, too), then prayerfully discuss how you can begin to put it into practice.
