Adult Spiritual Formation Key to Successful Youth Ministry
By Roger McKinney
Roger McKinney is an Associate Regional Minister for the Christian Church in Ohio (Disciples of Christ). He was pastor for 16 years in congregations before ministry in the middle judicatory. His responsibilities include high school youth ministry, Christian education, and consulting with congregations in planning, calling pastors, redevelopment, etc. He lives with his wife and three children in Kent, Ohio. This article was first printed in the "Buckeye Disciple", the regional bi-monthly newspaper of the Christian Church in Ohio (Disciples of Christ).

Last September, I attended the Judicatory Leaders Conference by Easum/Bandy Associates (www.easumbandy.com). Bill Easum and Tom Bandy are cutting-edge church vitalization specialists. They think, write and teach about how churches can become more effective in ministry and mission, today and tomorrow.

The three-day conference was packed with new insights, but one particular statement by Tom Bandy was truly an "aha" moment for me. He said that any congregation that focuses primarily on children and youth is already, or will soon be, in decline.

I suppose I already knew this, but had never heard it expressed so bluntly before. Much of my personal energy, in twenty-three years of ministry in churches and as a regional minister, has been spent advocating for the teaching and youth ministries of the church as top priorities. I have said many times that the most effective and talented people in any church should be challenged to develop their talents in youth ministry. It's that important.

Now Tom Bandy, someone for whom I have great respect, tells me that something else is more important! What could possibly be more important?

Here it is. Bandy says that the single most important activity for any church expecting to grow and have a vital ministry and mission is Adult Spiritual Formation. If adult church members are growing in their faith, everything else will get better. Children and youth can only be cared for, taught in the faith, and nurtured by adults who have a vital, growing faith.

Okay, it's not rocket science. But it does bring me to shift my emphasis. Congregations occasionally ask me how to get a youth ministry going in their churches. Previously, I have turned to resources in youth ministry to guide them. Instead, I should be asking about what they are doing to challenge their adult church members to grow spiritually!

Worship and Sunday School are not enough. Adults need to be involved in small groups where they can learn and grow, discuss their faith, pray with other Christians, and be held accountable for their spiritual lives. In a few cases those things may take place in worship and Sunday School, but usually those are only a starting point.

So often I hear church folk upset about their church being in decline and not having any children or youth. Here's where to start. We, as church members, can resolve to shift our spiritual lives out of neutral and into drive. We can move forward. We can get a group of like-minded people together, find something to study or someone to lead us, and hold each other accountable to grow in our faith. We can be excited and positive about our growing devotion to and love for Jesus. Eventually others, including young families, youth and children, will notice and want to share what we've got. For any church, that is the real beginning of youth ministry. If it doesn't begin there, it won't happen.

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