You have to know by now. Doing the math, you know parents have more hours of influence in the lives of teens than you. Experientially, you’ve seen the struggles of teens who get fired up at church only to be shot down at home. You also have seen the beauty and growth of teens who get it and are reaffirmed by their parents. For better or for worse, parents are the number one influence in the lives of teens.
While some parents show little interest in discipling their children, I’ve found that most have a strong desire but lack the knowledge and encouragement to do so. They haven’t read the latest youth ministry books. Adolescent development is something they experienced but never completely understood. They know Scripture tells them to nurture the faith of their children, but they don’t know where to begin.
This is where we come in. As youth workers, we have a perspective on teen life that is broad and largely different than most parents. Some of us have been trained in how to relay God’s Word creatively to teens, as well as understand the context of the struggles they experience. We are in a position of holding great power in knowing, understanding and experientially applying great principles of discipling youth. So, let’s not keep it to ourselves. Let’s empower parents and collaborate for the most effective ministry to teens for the cause of Jesus Christ. If you agree, then consider a couple of thoughts to help you know where to begin.
Use Your Training
If you’ve had any training at all in youth ministry, a lot of the work already has been done for you. Pull out those old class notes from your coursework and offer times to equip parents in how to teach the Bible with creativity, to better understand adolescent development or how to organize a great event. Your teachers and professors gave you this material for your personal growth; now it’s time to pass it on to someone else. Parents can use your knowledge to become youth workers in their own homes. Not only does this get your in their corner, but you’ve doubled the effectiveness of your ministry to the teens you love and serve.
Use Your Connections
Talk to members of your local youth worker network. If you’re not connected, get connected. Learn the strengths and passions of those in your area, and plan to help one another in this process of empowering parents. You may be strong in the area of administration but struggle with small groups. Ask a youth worker friend who has an effective small group ministry to bring a training event to your church. Not only will you be able to learn from your friend, but your parents also will receive great thoughts in how to have faith talks in their homes.
Use Your Community
Too often our churches sit in isolation from the community we are called to serve. Be sure you know local government leaders in areas such as law enforcement, education and public health. Take them out to lunch and talk through your passion for teens, your heart for parents and your biblical worldview. You may be surprised at what you learn from these resources. Offer to host a community seminar on Internet safety, current health concerns or ways parents can partner with teachers for greater success. In this, you may provide connections that parents have long wished to have but never found the time to form.
As youth workers, we have some awesome experiences and are some of the most creative people on the planet; we shouldn’t keep that to ourselves. Take some time to be intentional about equipping parents as youth workers. Don’t worry about which opportunity you’ll offer first. The best way to begin is simply to take the first step.
