Chris was leaving his office discouraged for the second week in a row. Ironically, this time the criticism had been exactly the opposite of what he received last week. First, he tried to present simple gospel truths because he knew he had a number of non-Christians in the room. Apparently, he wasn’t going deep enough for some of the students. This week, he tried ramping up the discussion, and people complained he was talking over students’ heads! No matter what he did, it seemed it would be wrong for somebody.
I’ve known (and been) Chris many times in my years as a youth pastor. When there are many different levels of understanding in the room, the struggle to teach with theological depth is real. But I am more prepared for it than I used to be. Here’s how I’m getting there:
Before You Change Anything
Like a toddler banging away at a tablet screen, we can be tempted (especially in the face of criticism) to just try a different thing every week to see what sticks to the wall. Unfortunately, this rarely works. More often, this approach creates ministry whiplash in both the students’ and leaders’ minds, making your teaching feel uncomfortable and hard to follow.
Instead, it helps first to ask why there are different levels of understanding in the room. Some possibilities:
- You have students that span a wide age range in the same room at the same time.
- You have some students who are Christians and/or are biblically and theologically literate, and other students who aren’t Christians yet, or who don’t have a Christian background.
- You have a more regional ministry, with students coming from a number of different denominations and theological traditions.
- You have students with specific needs, such as neurodivergence/cognitive disabilities, or for whom English (or whatever your spoken language) is not their first or most comfortable means of communication
Doing this analysis ahead of time is important so that you can use strategies that actually serve the students the Spirit is leading to your ministry.
Things to Remember and Things to Try
REMEMBER, just because youth group is a common ministry model, it doesn’t mean all your instruction needs to occur at one time.
TRY creating different spaces for instruction based on interest. Usually your largest gathering is where you ‘cast the widest net’ and teach for many different ears. Students who want to go deeper might enjoy a book club and breakfast before school, or a “theology night” discussion at someone’s home. To make sure you aren’t creating multiple groups when you do this, encourage smaller studies to be supplemental to a wider gathering, or plan fellowship opportunities in which students from many backgrounds can spend time together.
While not every ministry can split between younger and older students, the developmental differences between a seventh grade brain and that of a high school senior are massive. Consider models that would allow you to split the group, whether that means groups meet at different times, are taught by different people (see below), or alternate between fellowship and teaching for each group.
REMEMBER, you don’t have to do all the teaching!
TRY (if you have a model that includes small groups) equipping your leaders with more than they might need, and then give them the agency to teach to their specific group of students. I prepare a sheet of notes I give my leaders two or three days before our youth group meetings. These notes intentionally have more on them than I will teach. My leaders might choose different things on the sheet to discuss based on the makeup of their specific group. They know these specific students better than I do, and can react to the group makeup any given week.
This can also work through individual mentorship. Investing one on one in students who want to grow in discipleship can help when a student has specific questions or wants to go very deep. This can also help avoid the phenomenon of group hijacking, when a student (often well-meaning) tries to talk about a specific topic that leaves the rest of the group behind.
Students who are neurodivergent or for whom English is a second language will also benefit greatly from time spent specifically teaching them. Perhaps speak to a student’s parents or caregiver about the circumstances, and then seek out resources specific to that student. Be patient with English learners, as theological language is often one of the hardest aspects of a new language to learn. Maybe even utilize a translator to show your commitment to that student’s walk with Jesus over expecting him or her to just fit in.
REMEMBER, you can speak to different kinds of students in the same lesson.
TRY intentionally balancing your teaching so that you are speaking to multiple people in the room. Make sure you have a simple, clear gospel point that someone with less understanding can grasp well. Also, highlight points students can explore further if they want to grow. If you know some Hebrew or Greek, throw a word study into a lesson that also has easy-to-understand illustrations, or scratch someone’s history itch with a story from church history. You could even simply mention that you’d like to talk with any student who is interested in learning and growing in certain topics.
REMEMBER, ‘theological depth’ is not a linear scale. Students have a variety of experiences, backgrounds, interests, and capabilities they bring to the table.
TRY pushing your students “just a bit.” In education, there is a concept called the “zone of proximal development.” This means that rather than taking huge leaps, we introduce a small amount of stretching into our teaching, and provide the support necessary for students to get there. When learners accomplish this task, they feel dignified and motivated to go again with another small step.
In pastoral terms, this might mean someone begins to see the gospel as “slightly” more plausible or applicable than they did the day before. But these small steps add up!
Finally, REMEMBER that the Holy Spirit is the one who ultimately teaches our students.
It is not on you to save the students God has gathered. Your job is to faithfully love and point them to Jesus. Taking multiple levels of theological depth into account when you teach is a great way to love.
If you’re looking for resources to help you teach with more depth, consider Rooted’s Bible-based curriculum.
