13 Things I Want for Every Youth Ministry Kid

Our passion is to motivate young people to surrender their lives to JESUS CHRIST and to influence the world for His glory.

That's the mission statement of our youth ministry. Here are 13 things I want for every kid we encounter:

1. A fun, safe place to go and hang out with peers while having real needs met, no matter what they are. If the kids who come to us are hungry, we feed them.

2. A love for the scriptures.

3. Inspiration to follow and obey God.

4. The experience of playing weird games like racing across a pool while wearing a giant hooded sweatshirt or stuffing 12 people into a phone booth in downtown Seattle.

5. Someone to consistently pray for them.

6. The regular opportunity to serve those less fortunate.

7. Practice evangelizing their friends, family and neighbors.

8. A youth pastor they will talk about in old age. Or, more specifically, when sharing their testimony as missionary candidates. (Shout out to our youth pastors, Chris and Randy!)

9. At least one life-changing and emotional spiritual epiphany. Maybe it happens at a youth conference, or a missions trip, or at a Christian concert.

10. Encouragement through the seasons that seem spiritually stagnant. (See #2)

11. An understanding of the vital role a church family plays in surviving tough times. I especially worry about this when our students go off to college and have to find a church on their own.

12. A safe environment and enough confidence to speak up in discussion. This is a valuable characteristic in school and beyond, and what better place to hone it than at church.

13. The desire to glorify God in everything. Growth, which produces fruit, which produces more glory for God.