Essential Spiritual Skills Students Need
As a Student and College Pastor,
I have been repeatedly asked by parents, pastors, and other churchgoers what students need to know or do not know when coming into student ministries and when leaving student ministries. Often, my response has been something akin to, "How much time do you have?" The answer to that question varies depending on who you ask, and most answers have some level of truth. Seeing as there is no magical genie-lamp lying around to solve all the student ministry problems, I have boiled my list down into two skills that students need coming into youth ministry and two they need upon leaving youth ministry that will enable them to grow confident and strong in Christ.
The first skill students need coming into Student Ministry is navigating the Bible.
Generations Z and Alpha are quickly becoming the least biblically literate in the United States. Although Christians today have more access to the Bible than ever before, American Christians are reading the Bible less than ever. According to a Christianity Today article, 26 million Americans stopped reading the Bible during the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, although Bible reading has slightly increased since then, only 16% of Americans use the Bible daily, or 4-6 times per week, on their own.
However, not all is doom and gloom. Those of Generation Z and Alpha that are considered "committed Christians," as Barna Research Group defines as teens who "self-identify as Christian and say they have made a personal commitment to follow Jesus Christ," are more motivated to learn more about Jesus. 80% of these teens want to learn more about Jesus Christ for the rest of their lives. That is good news! Therefore, a top priority for parents, volunteers, pastors, and others should be training students to navigate the Bible confidently. Students going into youth groups need to identify where books of the Bible are, what chapters and verses indicate, and what scriptural headings indicate. These are all skills that students need to follow in sermons and Bible studies. Having the skill to navigate the Bible will not only save students from embarrassment but also give them confidence to read the Bible, knowing they know where they are in the Bible.
The second skill students need when going into Student Ministry is having a simple hermeneutic, or way of studying the Bible.
Many young Christians today are plagued by "internet theology." Students are taught how to read the Bible based on 60-second videos they see on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. Overwhelmingly, these videos teach ideas on "where to go when you are feeling depressed" or "when you're feeling lonely."
Now, the Scriptures do speak to loneliness and depression, and when utilized correctly, they can help students who struggle with those things. However, this teaches them to use the Bible more as a vending machine with particular or powerful verses. This way of reading the Bible is a "me-centric" approach. This method will eventually lead students to unconsciously think that if it does not "speak to them" at that moment, then it does not matter. Instead, the simple hermeneutic that can be developed early is approaching the Bible to learn about God. Will the Bible teach the reader about themselves? Yes. Will the Scriptures encourage and help in times of discouragement? Yes, but students should learn to approach the Bible to see what it says about God first and themselves second. This method builds a God-centered way of reading the Bible rather than a Man-centered reading.
The first skill students need to have when leaving Student Ministry is Understanding the Meta-Narrative of Scripture.
One of the chief complaints I hear from students is that they need help understanding where they are (biblically speaking) in the story. A typical illustration I have used is to ask how many people have read the entire Harry Potter series. The series is seven books long, growing increasingly complicated with depth in its overarching story, but each has its own story. Those who jump into Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (book 4 of 7) may enjoy the story, understand the good and evil characters, and even deduce portions of the bigger narrative, but it will be lacking. Those who jump into the series in book four will not appreciate the character arcs that are taking place; they will not feel the depth of loss and victory, the struggle, and all that comes with the first three books.
The same thing is true for young Christians. Starting in Matthew, or John, or Ephesians is okay. However, students who have not seen the creation of the world, the plunge into sin and death, the struggle of God's people in the wilderness, and the kings and prophets that culminate towards the Lord Jesus in the New Testament will not be able to understand the why behind certain books of the Bible. Students who are trained to understand the meta-narrative of Scripture are equipped with a guide to know where they are in the Scriptures. By providing them with the skill of knowing the whole story, they are far more likely to understand the Bible wholistically, enjoy the Scriptures, and find confidence in their reading and study of God's Word.
The second skill students need when leaving Student Ministry is the ability to define and defend their theology.
Students need to know how to articulate what they believe and why they believe it. They also need to be able to do so respectfully and humbly, recognizing that they do not have all the answers. Students need to be taught how to engage in theological conversations with others who may have different beliefs. This includes being able to articulate their beliefs while also being willing to listen. They should also be able to ask questions and seek answers to deepen their understanding of the Bible. This skill will help them navigate the often-challenging conversations they will face as they enter the world and encounter different beliefs and worldviews.
If you were to poll American Christians, and Ligonier Ministries has done so in what they call "The State of Theology" (a poll conducted every two years), most professing evangelical Christians cannot rightly define what the Bible teaches. Answers to questions on who the Holy Spirit is, the Trinity, who Jesus is, if Jesus is created, or if God accepts all kinds of worship, among others, are on a broad spectrum ranging from correct responses to flat-out wrong. And, unfortunately, year after year, Christians become less and less sure of what the Bible actually teaches.
How does the Church correct this downward trend? It begins by teaching proper theology to students and helping them identify it. Much like a teacher in a schoolhouse whose goal is to teach history, math, science, or literature, the Church needs to teach young Christians theology. Students who know, can define, and defend what they believe will be more confident as they leave student ministry and have a dramatically increased ability to grow in their knowledge of God.
These are not all-encompassing skills, but they can serve as solid foundations to better serve every student going into and leaving student ministry. Developing these skills takes time, perseverance, and dedication to students and takes cooperation between pastors, leaders, and parents. However, developing these skills is worth the student's development into becoming a fully formed disciple of Jesus Christ.
