Inside the Secret Youth Culture

I was talking with a Christian Youth Speaker recently who was describing the glory days of his ministry. He led a Christian Youth Event that was basically quirky field games mixed with a big food fight. Back in the 80s, teens would come in droves to play the games, get soaked in nastiness, and then hear the Christian Youth Speaker. The guy lamented to me that modern youth ministry is really missing out because these types of events are on the decline.

What my friend didn’t see was the cultural side of the conversation. Today’s teens might have 1970s hairdos and 1980s skinny jeans, but their culture couldn’t be more different. One of the keys to being a Christian Youth Speaker is having a pulse on current youth culture. If you’re a youth pastor, this means finding out what works for your group. Because what works for one group, doesn’t always work for the next.

The key to  planning successful Youth Events – more than anything else – is involving teens in the planning. Ask your students what’s important to them. Ask them to tell you their dream for their school – their mission field. Ask them to dream up an event, let them plan it with you, and let them promote it with you. Bring in a Christian Youth Speaker, and make it a special event. Remember, there are key students in every group who intrinsically define what is cool for the group. They have natural influence. If they’re on the planning committee, your event is already cool. As a youth leader, you don’t bow to the cool kids; you learn to lead in sync with the heartbeat of the local youth culture.

Here’s the cool part: even though youth culture is ever-changing, the spiritual and emotional needs of teens stays the same. Teens still need acceptance, unconditional love, and positive role models in their life. So don’t lead from a distance. Get your hands dirty, and get involved in your student’s lives. Become indigenous to this people group. If you can be patient and really listen to your students, you will be allowed inside the secret youth culture.