ANGLICAN YOUTH MINISTRIES

ROLE AND STRUCTURE

AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH

PREAMBLE

This is a rough outline of another way of viewing AYM's role. It is based on the belief that youth ministry should have strategic goals related to the strengthening of young people for real and significant ministry both in the church and in the world; and related also to the building of strong congregations which are accessible to and owned by young people.

The present state of church life in Australia is such that radical attempts must be made both to draw young people into faith and the church; and also to build strong disciples of the young people who are already in the church. Significant and focussed work must be done to replace the missing generation.

THE MISSION OF AYM

The mission and role of AYM ought to be parallel with the mission of the church.

So AYM could have a mission statement as follows:

To assist young people to be disciples of Jesus Christ in such a way that they

•Live for God and serve Jesus as their King

•Build up the Church and strengthen God's family

•Disciple young people and tell the gospel about Jesus.

GOALS

Crucial and strategic goals or outcomes of AYM's ministry could be:

To strengthen young people as Christian disciples, servants of the King in his world, and ministers in their churches

To bring other young people to faith in Christ and into the life of the church

To establish new congregations and other ways of allowing young people to meet as the church.

THE MINISTRY

The ministry of AYM could be led by two leaders.

Pastor/teacher

The role of the pastor/teacher would be to assist in teaching, mentoring and discipling young people in accord with the goals and mission statement

Evangelist

The role of the evangelist would be to help young people bring the gospel to other young people so that young people turned to Christ.

THE PRACTICE

The two ministry leaders would work together with each other and with volunteers to accomplish their aims.

Pastor/teacher

Would minister:

•As a mentor to key young people.

•In small groups to teach, train and model ministry to young people.

•In local parish settings by providing resources, ideas and ways of discipling young people at a parish level.

•At a regional and diocesan level by providing workshops, training, resourcing, events that contributed to helping young people serving Jesus and building the church.

Evangelist

Would minister:

•As a mentor to key young people who were ministering in evangelism.

•Providing courses, seminars that allowed young people to understand the Christian gospel and the call of Christ on their life.

•Assist in local church evangelism as a speaker, advisor and resource person for local outreaches.

•Provide advice and resource for parishes who were establishing new youth congregations or outreach ministries.

•At a regional and diocesan level by providing workshops, training, resourcing, and events that contributed to helping young people hear about Jesus and learn to follow him.

Volunteers

In both areas of ministry the ministry leaders should work with volunteers, both for the benefit of modelling, mentoring and discipling, and for the benefit of sharing the work.

Support

A room for preparation should be provided to each minister, together with a computer, desk etc.

A meeting room should be provided for work with volunteers.

Volunteers should assist with the preparation and administration of particular events.

Office, administrative and bureaucratic operations should be kept to a minimum.

Support Team

Each of the Ministry Leaders should have a support team whose task would be to pray, listen, encourage, support, and otherwise provide human and spiritual undergirding to the ministry.

AYM Council

The council would oversee the ministry of AYM, and provide financial and other support.

Range of Outcomes

Kingdom service and church ministry would have many different expressions, from ministering to street people, to working in schools, to helping young refugees, to leading Sunday School classes etc. While some of these would be local parish ministries, others might be regional or diocesan interest groups which the AYM ministry leaders would help by encouraging, mentoring or supporting the key leaders of the different ministries.

This variety would be possible because the discipling style of ministry would be aimed to equip others for the work and so decentralise it.

MAKING A START

1. Appoint a Council that was enthusiastic to give this a go.

2. Appoint two ministry leaders.

3. Let the Chair of the Council and the two leaders make a start.

Dale Appleby

17 May 2001

You can contact AYM at:

www.aymperth.iinet.net.au