Summary

This training video features Jay Heiss and Scott Nagle discussing how to structure an effective youth ministry service that maximizes limited time and creates meaningful discipleship opportunities. The speakers emphasize that youth leaders typically have only 1.5 hours per week, with approximately 48-50 opportunities annually to impact students' spiritual lives. They provide a comprehensive approach to designing a youth service that goes beyond traditional programming to create intentional spiritual transformation. The conversation challenges youth leaders to critically examine every element of their service, ensuring each component serves a specific discipleship purpose. The ultimate goal is to create a service structure that connects, teaches, and challenges students spiritually.

Main Points

Connecting Time

The first 15 minutes of the service should focus on creating meaningful connections between students and leaders. This can include inclusive games, "family time" activities, or student-led unite groups that help students feel welcome and build relationships. The speakers emphasize that connection activities should be intentional and actually help students connect with one another. Games and activities should be optional and create opportunities for students to engage naturally. The key is creating an atmosphere where students feel comfortable and valued.

Truth and Processing

The middle portion of the service (25-30 minutes) should focus on delivering a message that raises more questions than it answers. Speakers recommend keeping messages concise (15-20 minutes) to maintain student engagement, with a focus on creating space for students to process and wrestle with spiritual concepts. Small group leaders play a crucial role in facilitating deeper conversations and helping students think critically about the message. The approach involves crafting questions that challenge students to think deeply about spiritual truths. The goal is to teach students how to think, not just what to think.

Recap and Next Steps

The final portion of the service should include a sermon recap, worship, prayer, and clear next steps for application. This section allows the communicator to answer questions raised during the message and point students toward biblical truth. Worship becomes an expression of response rather than just a service opener. The speakers stress the importance of providing clear, actionable next steps for students to apply what they've learned. Without specific guidance, students are unlikely to take meaningful action.

Action Items

• Redesign service structure to maximize connection, truth, and processing time

• Develop intentional small group questions that challenge students spiritually

• Create a system for providing clear, actionable next steps after each message

• Train small group leaders to facilitate student-led discussions (view our small group leader training video here)

• Implement a flexible service model that can adapt to different student needs