by Lori Richey, former youth director
Young people need opportunities to grow in faith, explore their gifts, and serve others if they are to hear and answer God’s call. Here are some prime ways parents can connect their kids with the means to grow, explore, and serve at church.
Grow
- Help your child find an age-appropriate Sunday School class
- Watch for announcements of small groups for study or fellowship in church communications and encourage your child to participate
- Register your child for Vacation Bible School or encourage them to sign up to help if they’re beyond the age range for participants
Explore
- Prioritize youth group participation by avoiding conflicts with other activities when youth group is offered
- If your child expresses interest in music or the arts, encourage participation in choir or worship music
- Support your child in assisting in the church nursery or other children’s ministry – typically a young teen can begin volunteering in these areas long before they can be hired for a job outside the church, and the skills they practice early can help them stand out when competing for jobs later on
Serve
- Encourage your child to participate in youth mission trips.
- Promote Intergenerational or youth service projects as a way to grow and learn while serving others – and these events can often be used for required community service hours in school as well
- Help your child plug into ways they can serve in your congregation, by serving as a greeter, usher, liturgist, acolyte, or tech assistant
- If your church has a Youth Council, invite your child to plug in and consider serving as an adult member