In this episode Dorothy, Justin, and Terrence delve into what’s entailed for local church youth ministry collaborations. They respond to questions regarding the benefits and complexities of such and incorporate anecdotes of how the Lord has refined, enhanced, and pruned these efforts and the fruit which have come from them.
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Our topic for the month is partnerships in the AA youth ministry context. This week, we explore what it’s like for church youth ministries to collaborate for its gatherings, both in the regular school year and even the annual retreat. To start:
Q1: What is the concentration of Asian churches in your locality? In what way does that make it more or less possible to link-up with another church youth ministry for a given youth night?
- Number of ethnic-specific churches in your city or county?
- I.e., does having a greater number of Chinese churches around make it any more or less possible to minister to your students together? Why or why not?
Q2: Describe what it would look like for your church’s youth ministry to collaborate with another, or perhaps several.
- More anecdotal. Give an example. Maybe for a weekly youth night occasion, praise night, annual retreat.
Q3: What have been the benefits of collaborating with another church’s youth group? Complexities?
- Benefits
- Exposes students and volunteers to different ways of doing things
- Develops inter-church unity, fellowship, friendships, support
- Social-practical sense: Helps students become more adept in meeting new people, alleviates isolationism
- Complexities
- Potential for territorialism
- Logistical, administrative, communications
- Sometimes, comes with a lack of executive direction
- Necessitates established, cohesive vision