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reTHINK: Decide for yourself, is student ministry working? - PART 2

Some more excerpts from Steve Wright's reTHINK:
  • “We must equip parents with the tools and understanding to disciple their teens” (86)
  • “Josh McDowell shares that 78% of churched teenagers say their parents shape their attitude and actions. These studies also show that parents have three times more influence over their students than pastors or youth group leaders” (112)
  • “The average teen spends two hours at church per week. That is less than 2 percent of a teen’s time” (153)
  • “Resource, Train, and Involve – It is our three-step strategy to ensure parents are no longer sidelined in our ministry.” (158)
  • “offer them tools and encouragement in navigating the waters of raising an adolescent” (159)
  • “Let’s get our parents and their children on the same page to encourage carryover at home” (161)
  • Supports the formation and use of a Parent Leadership Team to “provide wisdom, information, encouragement, and perspective to the Student Ministry Leadership Team” (178)
  • “If I could go back, I would seek to build disciples over building crowds. I would seek the applause of heaven over the applause of men and seek a biblical model that produces lasting fruit.” (199)
  • “We must champion the parents and point teens back to mom and dad in tough times.” (216)

“The set of principles that guide my ministry are:

  1. Everything I do must honor God above all. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
  2. We are to be biblical stewards of everything God has entrusted to us. (Matthew 6:19-21)
  3. God has ordained parents as the primary disciplers of their children. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
  4. God has ordained the church to support, equip and resource families. (Ephesians 4:12)
  5. The goal of student ministry is to make disciples who seek to bring others into a relationship with Christ. (Matthew 28:19-20)
  6. The three primary needs of students and adults are alike: love and care, a model to follow, and truth to build their life on. (1 Peter 2:21)
  7. Effective student ministry co-champions the family and the church. (Acts 2:42-47)
  8. A biblical framework is always valued above cultural relevancy. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)” (122)

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