A Protestant/Evangelical Youth Ministry is a Christian Ministry intended to instruct and disciple youths in what it means to be a Christian, how to mature as a Christian, and how to encourage others to claim Jesus as their Saviour through Evangelism and apologetics. This is accomplished through teaching, relationship building and/or mentoring. Youth ministries may vary widely depending on their denomination, size, liberal or conservative outlook and geographic location. The ministries themselves are almost always built on relationships between the youth minister and the student and their shared perception of their relationship to God. Youth have become an integral part of nearly every church’s ministry programming, and youth ministries continue to have a profound impact on the societies in which they exist.
The doctrine of Sunday Sabbatarianism held by many Christian denominations encourages practices such as Sunday School attendance as it teaches that the entirety of the Lord's Day should be devoted to God; as such many children and teenagers often return to church in the late afternoon for youth group before attending an evening service of worship.
History of Youth Ministry
While youth organizations exist worldwide, the history section of this article will put a special focus on the development of youth ministry in America.
The beginnings of Youth Ministry were in the mid-19th century, in the wake of the industrial revolution. Churches took note of all the young men who moved into central urban areas to work in factories. Laypersons who noticed these young adults working six days a week and gallivanting about town on Sundays aspired to educate them. Thus early Youth Ministry began when churches brought older children and teenagers into classrooms to teach them how to read the Bible. Early Ministry was designed for unchurched children with no formal education; while the primary goal of early Youth Ministry was education, a desirable secondary effect was that students would realize through Biblical passages that they are sinners in need of forgiveness.
Eventually, churches opened up Sunday school to church members and unchurched children and teens alike. Teachers encouraged the students to bring their friends along, and the movement gained momentum. Laypersons would often work independently, neither subjecting themselves to congregational scrutiny nor receiving church funding. This fostered the development of interdenominational teaching programs and, eventually, faith-based organizations devoted to youth such as the YMCA and YWCA, whose American branches were founded in the 1850's.
The most recognizable effort to offer periodic Bible studies, social networking and outreach opportunities for youth was spearheaded by Francis Edward Clark. He began the Christian Endeavor Society in 1881. Clark wanted to change the view of young people in churches from “pitchers waiting to be filled” to young adults “responsible for larger service in the church of Christ.” The Christian Endeavor Society revolutionized youth ministry and became extremely popular in its first years of operation. Clark set the limit for each society at 80 members. By 1887, there were 700 societies with over 50,000 members spread out across 33 states.
One common speculation is that churches in the 1880s became fearful that they would lose all of their young members to these societies. In response, mainstream denominations began their own youth organizations modelled after the Christian Endeavor Society. Some examples are the Methodist church’s Epworth League, or the Lutheran’s Luther League. These new church-based organizations, as well as interdenominational ones already in existence, flourished, increasing in attendance and international outreach involvement as a part of faith-based foreign aid.
After World War I, the focus of many youth ministries began to shift from outreach and conversion to education and understanding of faith. It was during this time that teenagers began to think theologically as well as gain a social awareness of the world around them. From the 1930's to the 1960's, the churches emphasized fellowship and theological understanding.
Before 1940, it was the pastor’s job to do everything in the church, including youth fellowships. During the late 1940's there was some introduction of church youth committees - youth were returning from the war with great life-experience and they could not be kept out of leadership in the church just because they were in their twenties.