Signs of a HealthyStudent Ministry

Daryl WattsStudent & Family Specialist

Healthy Church Group

Matthew 28:19-20

The Great Commission

Make Disciples

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Marks of a Disciple

• Are the students in your church better disciples right now than they were a year ago?• If so, how do you know?• How do you plan to make them

better disciples next year?• How will you know?4 September 2014

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Scorecard for A Healthy Student Ministry

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A Healthy Student MinistryEvangelism• Students are prepared to share the gospel with

lost students, faculty, and staff at school• Students and leaders share the gospel with lost

friends and others weekly• Students and leaders pray for lost persons, for

themselves as evangelists, and for others who evangelize

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryEvangelism• Students gather with other students at school to

pray for lost students, faculty, and staff• You share the gospel in classes on a regular

basis• You share the gospel and provide ways for lost

students to respond at all appropriate student ministry events

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryEvangelism• You prepare students and parents to share the

gospel with lost family members• You take Christian and lost students to events

that highlight the gospel and that give students hearts for evangelism

• You teach students and leaders how God is mobilizing Christians to carry the gospel to North America and the world

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryEvangelism• You have an ongoing process for training

students and leaders to make an effective presentation of the gospel to lost persons

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryHow Big Should Your Student Ministry Be?

• At least 5% of the total church participation.• The healthiest range is 8% to 12% of the total

church participation.• The maximum size is 20% under ideal*

circumstances.*Ideal circumstances: Adults comprise at least 60% of the congregation 40% preschool, children, and youth combined

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A Healthy Student MinistryStarting Point for Evangelism• You mobilize students and adult leaders to pray

for lost persons, for themselves as evangelists, and for others who evangelize

• You share the gospel and provide ways for lost students to respond at all appropriate student ministry events

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryDiscipleship• Prepare parents to disciple their teenagers• Guide students and leaders to make the

adjustments necessary to join God in what He is doing, both now and in the future

• Assemble adult leaders to plan, train, and pray before teaching and discipling students

• Guide adult leaders toward life transformation and deepening discipleship

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryDiscipleship• Discipleship groups, open to all students, that

lead to the salvation of lost students and the life transformation of Christian students

• Build discipling experiences into all appropriate student ministry events

• Offer discipleship groups for students wanting deeper content, accountability, preparation outside of class, and attendance commitment

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryDiscipleship• Baptize and begin discipling new converts

immediately after conversion• Have a six-year discipleship plan that covers all

sections of the Bible, all biblical doctrines, and developmentally-focused life issues

• Prepare students to be godly stewards of their bodies, time, gifts, and resources

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryStarting Point for Discipleship• You build discipling experiences into all

appropriate student ministry events.• You prepare parents to disciple their teenage

children.

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryMinistry• Prepare staff, adult leaders and mature students

to respond to students and families in crisis• Train parents in effective Christian parenting• Provide regular opportunities for students and

families to directly confront and respond to needs in the congregation in the name of Christ

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A Healthy Student MinistryMinistry• Provide opportunities for students and families

to confront and respond to needs away from your community in the name of Christ

• Teach students and leaders how God is mobilizing Christians to offer ministry in the name of Christ in North America and the world

• Minister to member students who have become inactive

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryMinistry• Train and involve students, parents, and adult

leaders in planning and implementing your church's student ministry

• Guide students to give a summer, semester, or longer in full-time ministry while young

• Lead students, parents, and leaders to commit financial and human resources to kingdom use through the local church

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryStarting Point for Ministry• You teach students and adult leaders how God is

mobilizing Christians to offer ministry in the name of Christ in North America and the world.

• You minister to member students who have become inactive.

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryWorship• Prepare students and parents to experience

authentic worship together at home• Challenge students to continue to meet God in

corporate and private worship after graduation• Incorporate experiences of authentic worship

into appropriate student ministry events• Prepare students to use music as a language of

worship4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryWorship• Prepare students to experience God when

worshiping alone• Impact the planning for congregational worship

to assist in making the elements of worship more accessible to students

• Involve students in leadership during congregational worship and student worship

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryWorship• Provide opportunities for students and leaders

to experience authentic worship during discipleship classes and groups

• Train and motivate students to use their gifts and abilities in worship leadership

• Prepare students to experience God in each of the elements of corporate worship

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryStarting Point for Worship• You impact the planning for congregational

worship to assist in making the elements of worship more accessible to students.

• You prepare students to experience God when worshiping alone.

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryFellowship• Provide opportunities for students to deepen

relationships with family members• Guide students, parents, and leaders to form

honest friendships with lost students and parents

• Sustain an atmosphere in which every student feels valued, accepted, and cared for by the congregation

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryFellowship• Sustain an atmosphere in which every student

feels valued, accepted, and cared for by peers and leaders

• Provide opportunities for adult leaders to deepen relationships with each other

• Provide opportunities for students and leaders to sustain relationships with students who graduate

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryFellowship• Provide opportunities for students and parents

to deepen relationships with leaders and staff• Provide opportunities for students to deepen

relationships with church members of all ages• Guide students to form pure and joyful

relationships with members of the opposite sex• Provide opportunities for students to deepen

relationships with other students4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinistryStarting Point for Fellowship• You sustain an atmosphere in which every

student feels valued, accepted, and cared for by the congregation.

• You provide opportunities for students to deepen relationships with other students.

4 September 2014

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A Healthy Student MinisterShould You Call or Hire a Student Minister?

• Follow the 1 to 125 rule of thumb.• Determine your philosophy of student ministry.• Determine how many of the Marks of a Healthy

Student Ministry you plan to actually engage.• Hire to the right match in oCallingoCompetency

4 September 2014

o Charactero Chemistry

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For More Information

Contact Daryl Watts

• dwatts@csbc.com• 559.256.0861• www.studentignition.com

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For More Discipling

4 September 2014

Ontario Convention Center December 29-31