EVANGELISM AND DISCIPLESHIP IN YOUTH MINISTRY

PURPOSE OF THE WORKSHOP

The purpose of this workshop is to help participants develop an understanding of

the centrality of evangelism and discipleship in youth ministry; and identify ways
of developing a youth program based on evangelism and discipleship. During the
workshop, participants will explore statements about youth ministry, consider key
elements of evangelism and discipleship for youth, and determine specific
activities that will help them build a program for youth in their churches.

WORKSHOP OUTLINE

I Introduction and Overview (15 minutes)

II Statements about Youth Ministry (25 minutes)

III Presentation of the Evangelism/Discipleship Circle (15 minutes)

IV Bible Study (30 minutes)

V Evangelism and Discipleship in My Church's Youth Ministry (30

minutes)

VI Closing (5 minutes)

PREPARATION AND MATERIALS

∙ Review the workshop. You may want to re-read each of the Bible Study texts
and walk through each activity, filling out handouts ahead of time for your own
enrichment and as examples.
NM 401 1

© 2007 National Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA.

Permission is granted to copy this resource for use in national,
regional and local events. All other rights reserved. This online
resource is supported by the America for Christ Offering.
 Evangelism in Youth Ministry
Jeffrey Jones and Wallace Smith

∙ Photocopy handouts:
• Evangelism and Discipleship in Youth Ministry
• An Evangelism/Discipleship Review of Your Church's Youth Ministry
• Resources for Further Study
∙ Print the workshop outline on newsprint or a wallboard.
∙ Plan examples for “The Evangelism/Discipleship Circle” (Section III, Handout A).
∙ Print out the following statements on newsprint (or Power Point slide):
1. Youth ministry is everything the church does with and for youth; everything
youth do in and through the church.
2. All youth ministry is either evangelism or discipleship; if it is not one or the
other, then it is not youth ministry.
∙ Gather materials:
• Newsprint
• Marking pens
• Tape
• Bibles

CONDUCTING THE WORKSHOP

I Introduction and Overview (15 minutes)

Welcome participants to the workshop and ask participants to share their names,
churches and the roles they have in youth ministry.

Next ask the participants what event, activity or tradition from their current youth
ministry setting that comes to mind when you say the words “Evangelism and
Discipleship.” Invite sharing, allowing 30-60 seconds for each participant to tell
about what came to mind, depending on the size of the group. Explain that there
will be time later on to share more in depth and try to keep participants to the
time-frame since learning to respect time and not monopolize discussion is a
good secondary lesson for church folks.

Explain the purpose of the workshop and review the outline from the newsprint or
wallboard.
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© 2008 National Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA. Permission is granted to copy this resource for use in national,
regional and local events. All other rights reserved. This online resource is supported by the America for Christ Offering.
 Evangelism in Youth Ministry
Jeffrey Jones and Wallace Smith

II Two Statements about Youth Ministry (25 minutes)

Invite participants to join groups of three and discuss their reactions to the
statements about youth ministry, encouraging them to consider if they agree with
one more than the other or if they think both are right. Ask: If you had to choose
one to affirm over the other, which one would it be?
1. Youth ministry is everything the church does with and for youth; everything
youth do in and through the church.
2. All youth ministry is either evangelism or discipleship; if it is not one or the
other, then it is not youth ministry.

Reconvene and ask the groups to summarize their discussions.

Point out that, although the statements may appear to be contradictory, it is

possible that they may both be true because the first is about program and the
second is about the purpose of youth ministry. The first statement affirms that a
wide variety of activities may be part of a church youth ministry, more than the
youth group, and can include church school, involvement in worship,
relationships between adults and youth in the church, participation of youth on
boards and committees, and countless other activities. The second statement is a
theological statement that suggests that no matter what activities we have,
evangelism or discipleship must be their ultimate purpose. Explain that the
theological concern is the central focus of this workshop with exploration of
program implications coming later on.

III Presentation of the Evangelism/Discipleship Circle (30 minutes)

Distribute Handout A and review the descriptions of evangelism and discipleship.

Next, work through the various segments of the Evangelism/Discipleship Circle,
using the following information. The identified texts will be reviewed during the
Bible study.

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© 2008 National Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA. Permission is granted to copy this resource for use in national,
regional and local events. All other rights reserved. This online resource is supported by the America for Christ Offering.
 Evangelism in Youth Ministry
Jeffrey Jones and Wallace Smith

∙ Introduction: The circle is a rubric designed to present the key elements (not
all, but the most important elements for youth ministry) of evangelism and
discipleship in youth ministry. There is, of course, overlap among the various
elements.

∙ Outer Circle—Evangelism:
· Presentation of the Gospel focuses on the importance of sharing the
Good News in both word and action. It also suggests that the Christian life
is one in which we experience both the grace and responsibilities that
Christ presents to us. An illustration of this element can be found in the
story of Paul in Athens (Acts 17:22-34).

· Clarifying and Interpreting suggests that hearing the gospel is not

enough. There is a need to dig deeper, to question and to probe before it
is possible to make a commitment. An illustration of this element can be
found in the story of the Ethiopian official (Acts 8:26-37).

· Encouraging and Challenging to Accept Christ recognizes that

decisions need to be made freely, without coercion or manipulation.
Encouragement and challenge, however, are essential in youth ministry.
An illustration of this element can be found in Timothy 4:1-5.

∙ Inner Circle—Discipleship:
· Deepening Spiritual Life suggests the importance of continuing to
deepen the personal relationship with Christ, privately and in the context
of the faith community, especially through worship, as the foundation for
everything else the disciple does. Acts 2:46-47 tells of the importance of
the spiritual life for members of the early church.

· Training and Equipping points to the necessity of developing

knowledge and skills to live out discipleship, including the Bible (how it
came to us, content, and skills for interpretation), basic Christian doctrine,
and practical skills, such as planning, working with groups, and serving in

4
© 2008 National Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA. Permission is granted to copy this resource for use in national,
regional and local events. All other rights reserved. This online resource is supported by the America for Christ Offering.
 Evangelism in Youth Ministry
Jeffrey Jones and Wallace Smith

leadership roles in the church. Ephesians 4:11-13 speaks of the

importance of disciples being equipped.

· Ministering highlights the importance of putting the word into action

through service, mission, social action, and leadership within the church,
the community and the world. James 1:22-25 issues the call to be doers
of the Word.

∙ Conclusion: The reality for most churches is that they do evangelism and
discipleship at the same time and even through the same events. This is quite
possible since an event that may include worship, study, or action for a
person who has made an initial faith commitment can also be a means of
presenting the gospel to those who have not yet made such a commitment. It
is important in using the circle to remember that it is only a tool, a heuristic
device that helps us look at the elements of evangelism and discipleship in
isolation. The distinctions between the two activities are not rigid.

Check for questions about the presentation thus far.

IV Bible Study (30 minutes)

If there are twelve or more participants, divide into six small groups and assign
each group one of the Bible passages from the circle:
Acts 17:22-34 Timothy 4:1-5 Ephesians 4:11-13
Acts 8:26-372 Acts 2:46-47 James 1:22-25
If there are fewer than twelve, move into groups of two or three and divide the six
Bible passages among the small groups.

Give the participants 15 minutes to read the assigned passage(s) and discuss the
insights it offers about the element it accompanies in the circle.

Reconvene and ask each group to share their insights. When all the small groups
have reviewed their insights, invite additional observations from the participants.

5
© 2008 National Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA. Permission is granted to copy this resource for use in national,
regional and local events. All other rights reserved. This online resource is supported by the America for Christ Offering.
 Evangelism in Youth Ministry
Jeffrey Jones and Wallace Smith

V Evangelism and Discipleship in My Church's Youth Ministry (30 minutes)

If there are several members from the same church present, ask them to work
together. Distribute Handout B and review the chart, pointing out the six
elements of youth ministry. Share the following example or an example from your
personal experience:
At our church, we have a fall youth retreat, which has become a very important
tradition for the group. We spend Friday night through Sunday afternoon at a
retreat house about an hour from home. At this retreat we have a lot of fun
carving pumpkins, playing flag football, going on a nature hike and a hay ride,
and enjoying campfire time. The youth have small groups and also experience
a three hour period of solitary reflection and journaling. On Sunday morning,
the small groups each plan a part of the shared worship service that brings our
time together to a close. Many of our youth have made initial faith
commitments at this event and for many others, it has been a special time of
spiritual growth.

Invite participants to identify the elements of evangelism and discipleship that are
present in the described activity. (They will soon see that this one event includes
efforts in almost every category.)

Give participants about 8 minutes to review their church's current youth ministry
program from the perspective of each element and note on the handout those
activities that are related to each element. When they have completed this step,
ask them to review and note:
· Surprises: What elements are more prominent than expected? Which are less
prominent?
· Gaps: What do they need to enhance?
· Over-emphases: How might they change their efforts for more balance?

Divide participants into groups of 3 or 4 so that they are in groups with persons
who are not from their own churches. Invite them to work together to help
develop strategies for filling in the gaps in their churches. Each participant
suggests the element he or she would like to enhance and the group brainstorms
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© 2008 National Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA. Permission is granted to copy this resource for use in national,
regional and local events. All other rights reserved. This online resource is supported by the America for Christ Offering.
 Evangelism in Youth Ministry
Jeffrey Jones and Wallace Smith

and the group spends about 4 minutes to offer a variety of possibilities for each
person. They are not developing complete programs. Nor should they evaluating
each other’s suggestions.
Note: The purpose in forming groups of persons from different churches is to
bring an outside perspective. As an alternative, persons from the same church
stay together, however, the outside perspective can often be very helpful.

VI Closing (5 minutes)

Reconvene and invite questions or pressing concerns that can be addressed by

the group or informally following the workshop. Distribute Handout C, “Resources
for Further Exploration.”

Invite participants to spontaneously complete the following sentences as you call

out beginning phrases:
I discovered . . .
I was surprised . . .
I wish we had . . .
I am going to . . .

Offer a prayer of thanks for the shared work and discernment, and a word of
dedication for the ministries of the participants and for the youth they serve.

7
© 2008 National Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA. Permission is granted to copy this resource for use in national,
regional and local events. All other rights reserved. This online resource is supported by the America for Christ Offering.
 HANDOUT A 1 of 2

Evangelism and Discipleship in Youth Ministry

In evangelism, the church reaches out to youth who have not yet made a
commitment to Jesus, to presenting the gospel and encouraging faith decisions.

In discipleship, the church ministers with youth who have made a commitment to
Jesus Christ, helping them to live out their commitments and to grow in the faith.

EVANGELISM

Clarifying and
Presenting Interpreting
The Gospel DISCIPLESHIP Acts 8:26-37
Acts 17:22-34

Deepening
Spiritual Life
Acts 2:46-47

Ministering Training and Equipping

James 1:22-25 Ephesians 4:11-13

Encouraging and Challenging to Accept Christ

2 Timothy 4:1-5
 HANDOUT A 2 of 2

Evangelism:
· Presentation of the Gospel focuses on the importance of sharing the Good
News in both word and action. It also suggests that the Christian life is one in
which we experience both the grace and responsibilities that Christ presents to
us. An illustration of this element can be found in the story of Paul in Athens (Acts
17:22-34).

· Clarifying and Interpreting suggests that hearing the gospel is not enough.
There is a need to dig deeper, to question and to probe before it is possible to
make a commitment. An illustration of this element can be found in the story of
the Ethiopian official (Acts 8:26-37).

· Encouraging and Challenging to Accept Christ recognizes that decisions need

to be made freely, without coercion or manipulation. Encouragement and
challenge, however, are essential in youth ministry. An illustration of this element
can be found in Timothy 4:1-5.

Discipleship:
· Deepening Spiritual Life suggests the importance of continuing to deepen the
personal relationship with Christ, privately and in the context of the faith
community, especially through worship, as the foundation for everything else a
the disciple does. Acts 2:46-47 tells of the importance of the spiritual life for
members of the early church.

· Training and Equipping points to the necessity of developing knowledge and

skills to live out discipleship, including the Bible (how it came to us, content, and
skills for interpretation), basic Christian doctrine, and practical skills, such as
planning, working with groups, and serving in leadership roles in the church.
Ephesians 4:11-13 speaks of the importance of disciples being equipped.

· Ministering highlights the importance of putting the word into action through
service, mission, social action, and leadership within the church, the community
and the world. James 1:22-25 issues the call to be doers of the Word.
 HANDOUT B

An Evangelism/Discipleship Review of Your Church's Youth Ministry

Examples include worship, Bible study, one-on-one conversations, special events,

intergenerational events, mission trips, testimony, prayer, spiritual exercises, and
rites of passage.

EVANGELISM
Presenting the Gospel Clarifying/Interpreting Encouragement to Accept Christ

We do this by

We could

DISCIPLESHIP

Spiritual Life Training/Equipping Ministry

We do this by

We could
 HANDOUT C
Resources for Further Exploration

• Call Waiting: God’s Invitation to Youth, Larry L. McSwain and Kay Wilson
Shurden (Judson Press, 2005). A resource to help youth explore the nature of
“call,” personal giftedness, and ways to live in faithfulness.
• Bookmarks: Bible Explorations for Older Youth, Volumes 1-6, J. Thomas Son
and Sandra DeMott Hasenauer, ed. (Judson Press, 1999-2001). An excellent
series for Sunday school or Bible Study.
• Bridges of Promise: Taking Steps to Follow Jesus, Revised Edition, Franklin W.
Nelson. (Judson Press, 2001) Uses group guided and self-guided exercises to
help children and youth (ages: 8-14) make a first-time faith commitment.
• Contemplative Youth Ministry, Mark Yaconelli (Youth Specialties, 2006). An
excellent resource that may completely transform the culture and practices of
your church’s youth ministry.
• Practicing Discernment with Youth: A Transformative Youth Ministry
Approach (Youth Ministry Alternatives), David White (Pilgrim, 2005)
• Practicing Passion: Youth and the Quest of a Passionate Church, Kenda
Creasy Dean (Eerdmans Publishing Group, 200)4. A holistic, transformational
resource for discipleship and evangelism ministry with youth.
• The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry, Kenda
Creasy Dean (Upper Room Books, 1998).
• Way to Live: Christian Practices for Teens, Dorothy C. Bass. (Upper Room
Books, 2001). Downloadable leader’s guide available at www.waytolive.org
• We Are Baptists: Studies for Youth, Debra L. Sutton (Judson Press, 2001).

Websites

www.nationalministries.org—connect to denominational youth resources

www.judsonpress.com—resources for youth Sunday school and Bible Study
www.simplyyouthministry.com—Saddleback Church Resources
www.ymsp.org—The Youth Ministry and Spirituality Project
www.youthministry.com—Group youth ministry resources
www.youthspecialites.com—Includes Youthworker journal, articles and resources
www.waytolive.org—can be used by youth and youth ministry leaders