Youth leaders have too many concerns clamoring for their attention. Everyone has an opinion on what should be included in or the focus of the youth ministry. In Nazarene Youth International, we use BE, DO, GO to call us back to the three core strategies that Nazarene youth leaders have affirmed for many years: evangelism (BE), discipleship (DO), and leadership development (GO). This three-book series will help you reimagine what youth ministry can look like when youth are actively engaged in evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development.
Too often our youth are scared of evangelism, and we sometimes share many of their same fears. However, if we do not help our youth develop a healthy view of evangelism, they might miss out on opportunities for God to influence friends and family and literally change their world. Engaging Youth In Evangelism will help you see evangelism as a way of life and not just a spiritual task to accomplish. It will help you with more nuanced language to use as you discover new ways to engage your youth in the important work of sharing God’s saving love with our world.
It is too easy to assume that discipleship is happening just because our youth show up at church. The reality is that discipleship can be a part of every gathering — whether formal or informal — if you are giving careful attention to modeling the way of Jesus and inviting youth to follow. Engaging Youth In Discipleship will help you think intentionally about how you are growing in your love of God and love of others and how you are teaching others to do the same. It will help you see even the little moments of daily life as opportunities for shaping your youth to be more like Jesus.
For many, leadership development is an unrealized dream in youth ministry. We hope for a youth ministry team made up of and led by the youth of our church, and yet it is often easier and faster to just do things on our own. While it might be simpler in the short term, we rob the church of so many gifts when we fail to help our youth see how their talents and skills are gifts of God to the church. Engaging Youth In Leadership Development will help us see our youth as leaders — gifted by God and called to serve God.