As ministers, we need to be diligent and determined in our approach to ministering to the people we serve. We also must be this deliberate when it comes to our own spiritual growth and development. For many decades, youth ministry has been thought of as an entertainment and babysitting type of ministry. Today, I truly believe youth ministry is becoming a recognized profession. As such, we need to approach it with a professional mindset.
So we must develop a life-long plan for our spiritual growth and development. We cannot be expected to lead people to a deeper relationship with Christ if we are not going there ourselves. We must first begin by looking at who we are. The spiritual journey of any individual is indeed personal. The way we achieve spiritual growth depends on what we want to gain from the experience. Bruce Powers says, “Faith is an expression of the unknown.” He sees our faith journey as based on the way we interpret the experiences of our lives. He says, “This interpretation is drawn from all of the influences on our lives, is the essence of our beliefs, actions and emotions.” He has formulated the outline below to illustrate the phases of faith development.
Phases of Faith Development
1. Nurture (ages 0-6)
• primary exposure to and awareness of the meaning of life
• parents, family members and teachers are the greatest influences. What is remembered is not what was taught but how much a person is cared for and loved.
2. Indoctrination (ages 7-18)
• Faith is based on what significant persons say.
• Public profession of faith
• Focus on rituals
• Faith based on what was told was right and on significant persons’ expectations.
3. Reality Testing (ages 19-27)
• Independence
• Venturing out into the larger world
• Testing new ideas
• Establishing a new identity apart from significant others’ expectations
• Realistic appraisal of life.
4. Making Choices (ages 28-35)
• The person acknowledges that whatever choices were made to direct his life must be his, and that every choice would have consequences with which he would have to live.
5. Active Devotion (ages 36 and up)
• Concerned on how to effectively live one’s convictions
• Heightened need to express faith in everyday life
• Becoming more open to people with different beliefs/convictions
• More confident and secure in one’s belief.
As you plan your youth ministry calendar for the next year, keep these phases of spiritual development in mind. It will greatly impact how you reach this generation for Christ in your community. Remember you need to take care of yourself spiritually, as well because you cannot lead people to a place that you have not been to yourself.
Source: Powers, Bruce. Growing Faith. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1982.
