Doing Youth Work in Free Lutheran Congregations

he main objective of this approach is to involve as many youth in
the local congregation as possible. It is to train them how to be a
part of the local congregation. It is to teach them what they need
to make a stand in our day.

1. Pray - This I did not mention but is a good place to begin.
2. Ask the Church Council what they want to see in a youth program
without tell them yet what you invision.
3. Ask the parents what they want to see in a youth program, what
they want to see happening for their children.
4. Ask the students themselves what they would want to see. This
may at first lead you into the area of having fun but then to explain
to them they need to grapple and be honest with themselves as to what
is actually needed in the spiritual realm.
5. Have them elect officers (realizing they may pick students who
are popular etc - but asking them to choose whom they feel would best
qualify for the positions!)
6. Have sessions training them for their positions....all together
and maybe asking them to meet with you.
7. Also, it would be a good idea to meet with your youth advisors
prior to even meeting with the students - I like to call them Luther
Leaguers.
8. Let them carry out their own program - lead in the studies, do
the responsibilities for set up for meetings, food and entertainment
etc. Not separate from the advisors or pastor!
9. As Pastor you would want to call all students every time their is
a meeting and tell them...never depend on the bulletin, newspaper, or
newsletter - these are fine - but all them ahead of time.
10. It is good to plan for an entire year at once.....even though
you might have to change the plan because of conflicts, like school
events etc.
11. Let it be known that meetings begin and end at definite times.
12. You can add more.

Molding Lives

"I took a piece od plastic clay and idly fashioned it one day;
And as my fingers pressed it still, It bent and yielded to my will.
I came again when days were past. The bit of clay was hard at last;
My early impress it still bore and I could change it no more."

"You take a piece of living claly and gently form it day by day;
Mouldinf it with your power and art, a young boy's soft and yielded heart.
You come again when years are past, gone it is a man you look upon.
Your early impress still it bore and you can change him never more!"

Author Unknown

Abstinence education

A study suggested that abstinence education programs delay and reduce sexual activity among teenagers. Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation argues that are some beneificial side effects that are not obvious: "When an abstinent teen is matched against a sexually active teen who is identical in gender, race, parental education, family income and structure, educational aspiration, and self esteem, the abstinent teen is twice as likely to graduate from college."

From the National Review for March 8, 2010