To reach a desired goal, we must begin with the end in sight. Sort of an obvious statement, but a thought that can get lost in the shuffle of meeting the demands of daily activity. A question we need to keep forefront in our minds and need to continually revisit in youth ministry is, “What are we helping teenagers become?” What are the qualities, virtues and tasks that we desire to see formed in and shaping the young people in our local churches and communities?

One of the first things about youth ministry I learned as a college student was from a lecture by Glenn Ludwig. What I learned was also one of the issues Glenn wrote about in his book, Building an Effective Youth Ministry, where he addresses the five tasks of adolescence. The five tasks of adolescence that he identifies are:

Independence

Identity

Intimacy

Investment

Inspiration

If these are the tasks that each adolescent must settle to become a healthy adult; then it might be important for those in youth ministry to consider how the Christian tradition helps a young person in meeting these tasks.

Are we helping teens “own” their faith (gaining independence)?

Are we focused on shaping a young person’s understanding of themselves and their place in God’s Kingdom (forming identity)?

How are our ministries addressing the issue of giving and receiving love and our relational connections/obligations in the local church (discovering intimacy)?

Are we helping young people explore their vocational callings and providing opportunities to discover and develop their giftedness (investigating investment)?

What tools and experiences are we providing to ensure that young people are encountering God and finding Him to be real and at work in their world and lives (experiencing inspiration)?

Maybe these questions will help to spur you to further define and refine how your ministry can help to shape students as they address the work of maturing into young adults. As youth workers we can and often do play a crucial role in helping our teens become more like Christ. My hope is that we will approach our role with foresight, well-informed and well-equipped, to help the students in our local churches become the persons that God intended.