The Changing Church and It's Success

Ministry is an evolving thing. Look at churches today compared to just 10, 20 years ago. The structure, sound, and look has changed. We are Chris Tomlin instead of John Newton…we are Matt Redman instead of Avalon...we are guitars, small groups, and videos instead of organs, Sunday Schools, and power point. There is nothing wrong with this, but over the years a lot of things have changed. I think about youth ministry back when I was just in 9th grade (which was not too long ago if you are polite). It was filled with lock-ins, corny (but fun) games, and many trips to the bowling alley. It was enough to get us to come and experience fellowship in a Christian setting. The messages were decent enough and full of obvious biblical truths. I guess I’m trying to say I heard the truth (it got me here to this point in my life), but I cannot point to particular life-changing message. Today’s youth ministry is no longer called “youth ministry”. We call it Student Ministry. We have catchy names, themes, and slogans. Our services are video filled and we “student pastors” are always looking for the new “attention grabber” to get this ADD generation to consider us. Please know I’m not downing any of these changes because our services at Southern Heights are also filled with video illustrations, proper mood-setting lighting, and series messages. I have talked to 40 student ministers in the past two years that refuse, and make it known upon hiring, to become an event driven ministry. A ministry that is full of bowling alley trips, laser tag, and putt-putt. The “event” driven ministry looks a lot like our past youth ministries that serve the purpose of getting kids in church just for the sake of getting them to come. I’m not saying that those lives were never changed because it is obvious a lot were, but I am saying we called ourselves a successful youth ministry if we had 50 students go bowling. I think we still today have a horrible success “scale”. We base success on our Sunday School numbers, people who showed up at the last social, and the number of ministries we have. When are we going to start counting success on the number of students who continue to go to church when they enter college. Or how about how many students we have go on mission trips on their own and not because all of their friends are going. Or how about how many students who learn to feed themselves spiritual truths and develop personal biblical disciplines. Or how about how many senior adults continue to serve without excuse to the best of their ability. The church is changing, and I hope the ministry at Southern Heights changes more than just visually. I hope and pray God uses us to change lives. My goal for our Student Ministry is not to have 200 students, but for the students we have that they’ll become godly, spiritual believers that love Jesus and have truly given their LIVES to Him