Does Your Parish Know How To Grow Young?

Recently, I’ve taken over the formation for all age groups at our parish. The role has been an adjustment because of the expanded workload, but now it means learning about different age groups. After working primarily with teenagers for the last seventeen years, I’ve had to educate myself on programming and ministry for elementary-age kids. And while there are several differences, they all require one thing, A GROWING YOUNG ATTITUDE.

Growing young does not mean ignoring the older generations. Growing young is about cultivating the energy that drives the mission and future of the Church. It does mean investing in young people and inviting more senior people to be a part of the process. And if parishes want to have a future and invest in generations to come, they need to:

PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTHS ARE

Young people are a long-term investment that can be challenging to embrace. Many people associate the fruit of a vibrant youth ministry with large numbers and high energy. And while there are more qualities to a healthy youth ministry, if you want something that is consistently growing, you need to put money into it.

Yes, you can build a quality ministry on a shoestring budget with a few volunteers; it’s just going to take longer and more creativity. And while money does not solve all problems, it does allow you to:

• Hire someone who can carry the vision and fully commit to the ministry’s growth
• Invest in effective materials and high quality
• Provide opportunities (e.g., retreat, conferences) that are life-changing

Investing in the young church can be expensive, but it is not impossible. No matter your financial situation, it begins with casting a vision of what the young church can do for your parish. It’s asking key contributors to invest what they can so that the parish can continue to grow.

The most crucial part of financially investing in the young church is showing the next generation that you care about them. A parish that financially supports the next generation is telling them that they not only belong, but they can call this place home.

DEVELOP A CULTURE OF APPRENTICESHIP THROUGH ACCOMPANIMENT

Handing leadership to a young person does not have to be scary or complicated. The simplest way to invest in the next generation of leaders is to invite them into apprenticeship opportunities where experienced leaders mentor younger ones. While apprenticeships seem like a lot of work, they do not have to be if you embrace the idea of accompaniment. The way that it works is that you partner a young person with a leader in your parish who is going to:

• Show the teen what they do in their ministry.
• Allow them to shadow them for a certain period of time
• Allow them to take the lead and then debrief that experience

In other words, it’s a slow and natural progression of showing someone what you do. What makes this relationship a little more unique is asking that leader to get to know the young person through conversation and prayer. But, showing the next generation to lead is only a part of the solution. If you want to grow young, then you need to:

SPEND TIME LEARNING ABOUT THEIR WORLD

Teens want to know that they are being heard. Young people want to see that they have a voice and that adults understand their world. If the next generation does not feel like you care about their world, they’ll go searching for someone else that does.

Youth ministry programming is one place where teens can share their voice, but if you want to earn a young person’s trust, you extend the opportunities. Creating forums and opportunities where young people can talk with parish leaders will go a long way. If they feel like they can make a difference, they’ll stick around into adulthood.

It does not matter your position in the parish; it does not matter if you are paid or volunteering; investing in young people is a church-wide responsibility. As we head into a new calendar year, start looking at your budget, give them opportunities to lead, and make sure they feel known. When a young person knows that the local church cares about them, the more they’ll care about the local church and its future.