Today I have been able to catch up with Hugh and Lyndsay, the directors of Greenwich YFC and Chislehurst YFC. Amazing to think they are only a few miles apart and yet their respective areas, the the young people they work with, are vastly different in so many ways. This is reflected in the differences in their respective ministries which are unique to them and has come from reflection with God.
The many places I go and speak with church and youth leaders always seems to lead to the same question which is shrouded in many different ways but is the same nonetheless – ‘what is the secret?’ or ‘what one thing do I need to do?’
I have long thought there no such thing as youth culture. Over 3 years ago we used to have this discussion as a Gillingham YFC team. Rather than one ‘youth culture’ there are many sub-cultures within cultures. This gives us the challenge of not being able to use a tried and tested system that has worked elsewhere. This means there is no blueprint.
Not strictly true I guess – there is a blueprint of principles, such as respect, love, time … and it is from these that what we do needs to be developed.
The secret must have something to do with observing our young people and creating space to listen and reflect with God. As we watch, notice, reflect and listen maybe we can then we can start to think about how we may join with God in reaching his young people.
What do you think?
The Shiny Headed Prophet 
I think you hit the proverbial nail on the head!I still remember all the years ago when I was in high school a campus ministry staff that had a profound impact on my life. She wasn’t into our youth culture of the time or what we would call cool, she was just Linda. But God used Linda in a mighty way in my life because she took time for just me; to do as you said “watch, notice, reflect and listen”.Teen years are a time when teens are emerging as their own person. When they are beginning to come to terms with who they are and what they believe, when they are inundated with their own hormones and messages from the world around them, a time when they need space to be. When they crave attention and importance and someone who will just listen. I repeatedly find all three of my sons (sons are age 19, 15 & 13) friends want to just talk about themselves and their lives and what is going on. They have a need for importance. To sit back and give that to them, verses try to be something and have some great handle on their world, is something God in His goodness lets me do.
Rob, do you know something I don’t? Is Hugh about to nick me job or has Greenwich grown so much that it’s about to put in a hostile takeover of it’s GYFC counterpart down the road!!? Or is it just that Gillingham YFC is in your blood, and there’s only one GYFC in your world?!
TracyThat’s great – keep listening. I find more and more that space to just ‘be’ os being taken from our young people.Mal?????dunno what you mean?;)