It is crazy to think, but 2023 is just around the corner. While it seems impossible to think that in a month and a half we will be in a new year, that is our reality. One of the things I love about the end of the year, and the beginning of the next is the opportunity to evaluate where we are and what we need to do to move forward. This is especially important in student ministry. Our world is rapidly changing and so does youth culture. While our message never changes, our methods have to be constantly evolving.
What is your vision for your student ministry in 2023? Now let me be clear, your mission is defined by your church. Your mission is that purpose that the entire church moves forward with. However, your vision is applying that mission to your context. It leaves us with questions about how we are going to pour into our students and reach students in our community. Have you taken a few minutes to consider how God would have you fulfill the student ministry at your church in 2023? If not, now is when you need to do it for the upcoming year. This will allow you time to meet with other leaders within your congregation and then be able to communicate that vision to your students. As you seek to determine your vision for 2023, here are a few things to consider:
• What is the mission and vision of your church? We often neglect to think about our ministry as a part of the larger whole. At the end of the day, student ministry is an auxiliary of the church. It is not an entity unto itself. We need to make sure that we are in alignment with the rest of the congregation in leadership.
• Where is God working in your community? Henry Blackaby is known for pointing us to this concept. Find where God is working and join him there. We should look at our vision in the same manner. How is God using your students now? What could you do to help them? What does it look like for your ministry to make that sort of investment?
• Is our vision God–focused? It is important for us to strive for greater numbers, because they represent people. However, if we are not careful, we can become man-focused rather than God-focused. In those cases, it becomes about what “we” did rather than what God did. Pour into the important stuff: Bible study, evangelism, prayer, service, and worship.
As you seek to figure out the direction of your ministry in 2023, I’m sure you have other things you will also consider. Join us in our Facebook group (Student Ministry Matters Community) to share some of those things. We would love to hear from you.
