Graduations, end-of-the-year award ceremonies and final concerts are just a few of the many things we attend as school comes to a close. Even if you don’t have students from your church graduating, you likely have friends or family members whom you are going to support. The truth is, we attend these events because we love our students. If you ever question whether or not it is of value to attend these events, let me encourage you to consider the following reasons:
• Attending these events provides an opportunity to show love to your students. Showing up is a big deal. If you have ever scrolled through videos on the internet, you may have come across videos that show young children on stage. The child is down and clearly doesn’t want to be there. However, when they see their parent or another caring adult they know in the audience, their attitude completely changes. Their faces light up with joy. Our teenagers are really no different. They may not express themselves the same way a five or six year old does, but when they look out in the crowd and see their “fans,” it makes a difference. The ministry of presence is so important. It means showing up when life is good and celebrations are in order. It also means showing up when the hard things come. Being there sends a clear message to the young people in your life, “We love you!”
• Attending these events provides an opportunity to connect with your students’ families. Before, after and even during these events, attendance means being able to spend time with the families of your students. It expresses to these families that you love and care for their students. There is usually time to talk with the parents and grandparents. It is a wonderful time to share in their excitement.
• Attending these events provides an opportunity to serve as an example to your church body. One of the great missed opportunities for church members is not attending events like these. We leave it to youth pastors, Sunday school teachers and friends. End-of-the-year events are a time for church families to come together to celebrate. There is nothing quite like seeing multiple church families come out for an end-of-the-year concert. You might think there is no need to go to these events, but remember, it’s a time to connect with families and show love to your students. As the student ministry worker, it is important to go to these events to serve as an example to your people. For us to have a long-term impact on our students’ lives, the local church must look for opportunities to connect with the students and their families.
Will you be able to attend all of these events? No. Even as the youth pastor, there are times when you will miss graduations and other end-of-year events. I had a trip one year and got sick another year. Due to these circumstances, I missed two of my students’ graduations that I had really wanted to attend. Life happens, but those should be the exception. To connect with students, you need to show up. Are you committed to that concept? If not, why? God has called us to love our students. Showing up is one of the ways that we do that.
Join the conversation at Facebook.com/groups/StudentMinistryMattersCommunity. What are your favorite events to attend? What do you dread sitting through?
