[Reflections from Purpose Driven Youth Ministry, by Doug Fields]
What happens when a youth event tries to cater for every type of young person? Ch. 5 reveals the struggles that occur when a single event attempts to cater for both the growing Christians as well as those that are unchurched. When you stretch to meet the needs of every kind of student at the same time, ministry may be thin, and few impacted powerfully. Those encountering God for the first time will have different needs to those well on the journey, yet both need proper attention.
I need to recognize the broad variety of students within my ministry, and attempt to focus particular events on a more specific type of student rather than just 'all of them'. If several different programs can each target a particular segment of spiritual-maturity, the needs of those particular students can be more effectively met - those with a hunger to get deeper into the bible can be fed appropriately, while those who've never read it before can be approached in a different way that won't lose their interest, while possibly meeting other needs such as excitement, belonging, and acceptance.
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