The final project of the researcher centers on a ministry development plan.
The researcher intends to come up with a peer-peer fully engaged mentoring
ministry referred to as Youth Empowered and Transformed for Christ (YET 4
Christ). The ministry will be in form of a youth group that gives young people
an opportunity to mentor their colleagues in the church and within the
neighboring communities. Its goal shall be to mold and shape the young people’s
spiritual identity and perception from a worldly perspective to one that is
conducive to God’s word and how God sees His people. This is necessary for the
spiritual development of the young generation.
In the Christian context, mentorship involves more than just sharing
knowledge about the word of God. It entails helping people to understand the
importance of loving God and how to serve Him better.[1] This is what the young persons are in need of for them to
have a solid biblical foundation, and comprehend why they are important in both
the kingdom of God and in the society. YET 4 Christ shall play an important
role in nurturing strong young Christians who share not only the love of
Christ, but also their unique experiences with the word of God. This mentorship
will in turn enable the young people to have a strong sense of belonging that
is likely to replicate itself in the next generation ministry.
Understanding the Need for this Specific Ministry
The contemporary generation of youths is interesting in the sense that its
needs do not overlap with those of other church members. It is a generation
that does not believe in the importance of faith in leading God’s people to all
truth.[2] All that these young people are
preoccupied with is finding purpose and meaning in life. Many are actually
desperate and are in need of hope. Yet hope is not a target that can be easily
achieved in a world ravaged by political conflicts, failing economies,
pandemics, and terrorist attacks. This makes the future of the young generation
bleak.
Since the young people are the future of the church, there is need to give
them hope through a mentoring program. YET 4 Christ can be instrumental in
helping them to deepen their faith in Christ. This can be effected through
Bible studies, prayer sessions, life experience discussions, and evangelism.
The ministry will also partner with neighboring ministries in hosting some type
of youth outreach events, including field trips, concerts, conferences, and
college tours. Such activities get the youth involved while showing and
teaching them a practical Gospel.[3] Apart
from being useful to the youths who are in the church, YET 4 Christ can be
helpful in reaching other youths in the community who have not received Jesus
Christ as their savior. Thus, the ministry will make a significant contribution
to the growth and expansion of the Church.
Plan for Communicating the Vision for the Ministry
The vision for the YET 4 Christ will be initially shared through the word of
mouth. The founding minister of the ministry shall take the initiative of
letting the youths know about the new ministry. He will inform them about its
goal, and importance in their lives. To get the support from other church
ministries within the church, there is need for its founder to explain to other
church ministers the importance of the proposed ministry. He has to show them
how the ministry is going to nurture young Christians who will take the Gospel
to another level.
Many young people in the church today are tech-savvy.[4] They come to church with Smartphones and tablets.
Many are in social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp. Apart from
using the word of mouth in communicating the vision of the new ministry, it is
also important to make use of the technology opportunities. This can be
achieved through delegation of tasks to tech-savvy and outgoing youths. It is
as well necessary to ensure that the need for the ministry is broadcasted
through social medial platforms for effective engagement of the youths.
Invitation for Participating in the Ministry Launch
For effective launch of the ministry, the youth minister will secure
volunteers through identification and use of youths within the church. These
young people can play an important role in mentoring their fellow youths who
are also members of the church. This will be important for their spiritual
growth and development. The young mentors can also be influential in reaching
other youths in their communities. By doing so, they can contribute to the
spread of the Gospel among the young generation.
Apart from working with the youths in the church, there is need to establish
a long term partnership with other youth organizations. It will be necessary to
target organizations within the neighboring junior and high schools, and
colleges. This can be attained through establishment of a team of leaders who
can visit these institutions to solicit the help of youth organizations such as
Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Baptist Student Union (BSU), and Black
Student Union. It will also be vital to engage such organizations for them to
embrace peer mentorship programs.
Part 2: Purpose of the Plan
Positioning the Ministry
YET 4 Christ will be a ministry launched within an existing church ministry.
It is going to be based at the Strait Way Ministries church situated in the
rural area outside the City of Jackson, in Mississippi, United States. Since
the new ministry targets the youths, it will be based on the youth ministry.
The current youth ministry in the church comprises youths who are between 15
and 24 years old. Its mission is to engage young people for them to achieve
spiritual maturity. Youths require a genuine source of spirituality for them to
discover their true identities.[5] Without
this, many end up getting confused. This explains why proper guidance is
necessary for the young people in the course of their Christian journey.
For the youths to develop a positive sense of identity that is compatible
with their Christian faith formation, they have to be engaged through peer
groups. Peer groups based on mentorship relationships can serve as important
sources of both emotional and social support.[6]
They can play a vital role in enhancing the wellbeing of the young people as
they grow in Christ. Given the fact that the new ministry is going to cater for
the spiritual and social needs of the youths, it will be necessary to engage
the church leadership to create time for its activities. It also needs to be
pointed out that a ministry that is entirely dedicated to the youths calls for
constant traction because of its sensitive nature. Therefore, it will be important
for the minister who intends to introduce the proposed ministry to work closely
with other church ministers and leaders in order to ensure that it is launched
or implemented successfully.
Understanding the Value of the Ministry
The new ministry will be valuable to the youths in a number of ways. To
begin with, young people need a peer-peer Christian mentorship in their lives
for their faith in Christ to be deepened.[7]
Through sharing the word of God, YET 4 Christ can enable them to have a
personal encounter with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In their
Christian journey, youths need spiritual, social, and economic empowerment.[8] This can enable them to develop into
responsible Christians who can change the world for Christ. The proposed
ministry is an appropriate platform through which the empowerment can be
achieved. One of the main tasks of the church is to reach the lost souls in
order to win them back for Christ. This is in response to the Great Commission
that Jesus gave to his disciples about teaching people of all nations to obey
what he commanded them.[9] The planned
ministry will enable the youths in the church to reach other youths with the
Gospel. This can provide a good opportunity for their total transformation.
Just like other peer-based ministries, YET 4 Christ is an appropriate avenue
that can enable the youths to establish their identities. It has been
established that young persons’ spiritual formation and identity formation
complement each other.[10] As they grow
up, youths tend to grapple with questions about their own existence, their
purpose in life, and meaning of life.[11]
A Christian peer group can serve as a source of valuable information that can
help to answer such questions. The new ministry can also play a useful role in
promoting positive behavioral development among the youths. This is achieved
through a normative code that develops out of the realization of what defines a
given group and interconnects its members.[12]
Samples of Similar Ministries Elsewhere
Samples of ministries similar to YET 4 Christ exist within Mississippi and
in other parts of the United States. An appropriate example in Mississippi is
the Youth for Christ Ministry in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region. The
ministry provides peer to peer kind of mentorship to youths aged between 11 and
19 years. It gives the young people a good opportunity for them to share their
experiences through stories. Since this ministry is a Christian organization
based on discipleship relationships that derive from the teachings of the
Bible, it exposes youthsto the truth of Christ about life and the Kingdom
of God. This is what most young people in the modern society need for them to
get hope that can continue pushing them forward in their daily lives.[13]
Another good example of a ministry that resembles the proposed one is the
Youth Empowerment Program(YEP) of the World Vision. This is a ministry that
mentors and encourages young persons in the United States to be agents of
positive change in the society. It enables them to develop important
leadership, team building, and critical thinking skills.YEP targets young
people aged between 14 and 18 years. Participants in the ministry are required
to identify local problems in their respective communities. These include
issues like school dropout and youth violence. After the identification, the
youths are then asked to do research for the purpose of coming up with
appropriate solutions that can help to solve such problems. In the process,
they develop into confident and empowered individuals who can make a difference
in their lives as well as in civic life. They get trained to become community
advocates who help in addressing various issues affecting them and the people
around them.[14]
Part 3: Working Outline for the Plan
Assessing the Situation
Ministry Summary
As stated in the previous part of the project, YET 4 Christ is a Christian
peer to peer mentorship group that will be based in a church located in a rural
area within the outskirts of the City of Jackson. The ministry shall be part of
the church’s youth ministry. It will target youths in the church as well as
youths within the neighboring communities. In terms of age targets, it will
specifically involve young persons aged between 15 and 19. The goal of this
ministry shall be to shape young people’s spiritual perception and identity
from a worldly point of view to one that is consistent with the will of God.
YET 4 Christ will provide a useful platform through which the young people can
share Christ’s love and their personal experiences for the purpose of
developing their true identity as they grow into mature Christians of the next
generation ministry. The ministry shall endeavor to give the youths the hope
they need for them to overcome challenges in their daily lives.
Leadership Summary
The new ministry will be entirely led by a group of born again and committed
young people. These leaders shall form a council that will play an instrumental
role in mentoring peers within small groups based both in the church and in the
surrounding communities. Delegating the leadership of a youth group to young
people is important in the sense that they understand the issues affecting them
better than adults. This also gives them an opportunity to acquire important
leadership skills.[15] The founding
minister will serve as the patron of the ministry. The major role of the
minister shall be to oversee the different activities and programs of the
group. He shall as well provide the necessary guidance that the team members
require so that they can excel in their respective duties and responsibilities.
Defining the Problem
The process of faith formation among young people is characterized by
identify finding versus maintenance of the image of God. Identity finding
involves more than a mere transition from youth to adulthood.[16] The young people often struggle to answer questions
about who they are, and their purpose in life. If not answered well, such
questions can prevent them from having a strong Christian foundation in the
Kingdom of God. Although regarded as the next generation ministry, the youths
of the 21st century are facing a serious crisis that has led to
their disillusionment. They are exposed to poverty, unemployment terrorist
threats, and other problems.[17] Such
issues explain why most young people in the contemporary society lack Christian
affiliation, are leaving the Church in large numbers, and do not embrace
biblical literacy. It is also important to note that modern technologies,
culture change, and globalization have also contributed to the diversion of the
youths from the church.[18] Such factors
have motivated many to embrace secular lives.
Proposed Solution to the Problem
Since the current generation of youths will play an integral role in the
next generation ministry, there is need to change their attitude about
Christianity. It is necessary to let them understand that they need God in
their lives in order to conquer the challenges they are facing.[19] The best possible way through which this can be
achieved is through mentorship. YET 4 Christ will give the young people an
opportunity to share their different experiences and issues with peers in the course
of their growth in Christ. They ministry can enable them to get the spiritual
and social support that they need to thrive in their Christianity journey. It
is as well vital to note that the ministry will play a role in ensuring that
more youths are reached and converted for Christ.
Analyzing the Details
Demographic Data
As noted in a previous section, YET 4 Christ is going to be launched within
an existing youth ministry of the Strait Way Ministries that is located in the
rural region outside the City of Jackson, in the state of Mississippi.
Demographically, the church has over 400 members. This congregation is mainly
dominated by African Americans. Some white and Hispanic Americans also worship
in the church. The dominance of the blacks can be explained by the fact that
Jackson is inhabited by more than 78% of the members of the African American
race or cultural background.[20]
The Strait Way Ministries church is attended by people of different ages.
These include young congregants (grade school – age 40), those in the middle
age range (age 41-59), and the older members (60 years and above). Youths aged
between 15 and 24 years comprise about 30% of the church membership. This is a
good number. It shows why the youth ministry and the intended ministry are
necessary for the church. The ratio of male to female population in this church
is approximately 5 to 1. This suggests that majority of the church members are
females. In terms of education, most members of the congregation are educated.
Many have minimum formal education qualifications.
Although the church is located within a rural setting, the rate of crime in
the area is increasing at an alarming rate. This is due to the fact that this
region is adjacent to the City of Jackson. Being the most populous and largest
city of Mississippi, Jackson and its environs are dangerous places to live.
Some of the common violent crimes in the area include homicide, assault, rape,
and robbery.[21] The rate of property
crime in the area around Jackson is low. However, theft, motor vehicle theft,
and burglary are occasionally reported.[22]
SWOT Analysis Presentation
Strengths
There are significant strengths that the development of YET 4 Christ can
capitalize on. To start with, the ministry will be established within another
ministry that is in existence. It is going to be incorporated into a church
youth ministry. This means that the new ministry has a base from where it can
develop. It does not have to start from scratch. It is also important to note
that the proposed ministry will be overseen by a trained peer minister. This
can help to ensure that everything is done in the right way. It as well needs
to be pointed out that the church in which the ministry will be based has
enough youths. What this means is that this particular ministry is going to
have enough peer educators who can mentor other youths and help them to grow
morally upright.
Weaknesses
Despite the above strengths, there are some weaknesses that can affect the
implementation of the intended ministry. For instance, launching the ministry
requires a lot of financial resources. Without money, it can be difficult for
the ministry to successfully carry out its programs. The ministry will depend
on volunteers who can dedicate their time to the work of mentoring and helping
others through peer groups. In case the implementers of this ministry find it
difficult to get volunteers, nothing significant can be achieved. It is also
necessary to note that most mentorship activities of the ministry need time.
Yet the church has many other programs that can make it difficult to set aside
this time. The situation is further complicated by the fact that most youths
are only free during weekends when they are not attending classes in their
schools and colleges.
Opportunities
As a new ministry, YET 4 Christ needs to tap on some available opportunities
for it to be implemented in a successful manner. For example, most of the
youths who are going to participate in the ministry are church members. Such
young people can be used to reach other youths in the community with the Gospel
of salvation. Many youths living in the area where the ministry is going to be
launched are also tech-savvy. A number of them are on social media platforms.
Such youths can be engaged through the platforms. Moreover, the implementers of
the new ministry intend to work with other partners both within and outside the
church. These can include other church ministries, learning institutions, and
criminal justice systems. Good partnership with such organizations can help to
move the proposed ministry to another level.
Threats
Although the above opportunities are important for the development of the
proposed ministry, some threats also exist. Firstly, the number of youths in
the church is increasingly reducing at an alarming rate. Many seem to be less
interested in church programs. Secondly, the area where the ministry shall be
launched is prone to violent crimes. This can make it difficult for the
participants of the ministry to effectively launch the community based
activities of the ministry that mainly target youths who are outside the
church. Thirdly, most families living in the rural areas next to the City of
Jackson are poor. Youths from such families may find it difficult to fully
participate in the ministry’s programs that require their financial support.
Lastly, the area where the new ministry will be initiated has many churches
competing for members. Some of the targeted youths may end up joining the other
churches.
Defining the Target Audience
As stated earlier on, the ministry will target young people in the rural
area which is adjacent to the City of Jackson. The choice of the rural setting
was informed by the fact that most mentorship programs meant for youths in
Mississippi are concentrated in urban regions. This has led to the negligence
of rural youths. As noted earlier, the intended ministry will target young
persons aged between 15 and 19. This age group was chosen for two main reasons.
First, majority of the youths of this age are in their middle adolescence
years. This is the time when many tend to struggle with emotional and social
challenges associated with adolescence. Second, most young people at this age
have started maturing. As a result, they can express themselves freely. It is
also important to note that both male and female youths will be targeted by the
new ministry. Since the number of females in the targeted area is higher than
that of males, female members in the ministry will also be more than male ones.
Review of Other Faith Communities
Apart from Strait Way Ministries, the rural area around the City of Jackson
that is targeted by the proposed ministry has about 20 other churches. These
include denominations such as Pentecostal, Baptist, Church Of God In Christ
(COGIC), and Apostolic. Non-denominational churches also exist. While some of
these churches are large, others are small. All these churches stand a chance
to benefit from the YET 4 Christ ministry. They can partner with Strait Way
Ministries in conducting some of the activities of the mentorship program of
the new ministry. The churches can as well adopt the program to their own youth
ministries.
Asset Identification
Key Leader’s Required Strengths
As indicated in a previous section, the key leaders of the YET 4 Christ
ministry include the peer minister and members of the peer leaders’ council.
These leaders should demonstrate the following strengths:
High level
of commitment.
Great
sense of self-motivation.
Self-reliance.
Ability to
inspire.
Willingness
to serve.
Genuine
desire to help peers succeed.
A positive
attitude.
Ability to
build trust with mentees.
Ability to
serve as advocates.
Being
positive role-models.
Desire to
deepen their faith in God.
Possession
of thorough Bible knowledge.
Possession
of knowledge in issues affecting young people in the modern society.
Ability to
develop strong working relationships with peers.
Capacity
to maintain confidentiality with peers.
Responsive
to clients’ needs.
Respect to
other group members.
Awareness
of boundaries and limits.
Not being
judgmental.
Key Leader’s Required Skills
The following are some of the skills that the leaders of the intended
ministry require for them to excel in their various responsibilities:
Excellent
interpersonal skills.
Good
communication skills.
Active
listening skills.
Cultural
awareness.
Appropriate
organizational skills.
High
level of creativity.
Effective
teaching skills.
Excellent
problem-solving skills.
Team
leader skills.
Key Leader’s Required Experiences
YET 4 Christ ministry leaders also need the following experiences for them
to effectively perform their duties:
Minimum or
no prior work experience.
Prior
experience of working with young people.
Experience
of serving in both team and independent settings.
Experience
of handling unexpected, sensitive, and difficult work situations.
Experience
of working under minimum supervision.
Reflective Statements
Position Statement
YET 4 Christ is a Christian peer-peer mentorship ministry dedicated to the
development of young people for the benefit of both the church and the society.
The ministry aims at fostering spiritual, and social growth of rural youths who
are church members and those based in the community. It endeavors to enable
them to develop their true identity while deepening their Christian faith.
Mission Statement
The mission of the ministry is to promote real transformation and
empowerment of young people who have been disillusioned by the political, social,
and economic problems of the 21st century world. The ministry
provides a suitable platform through which these young people can encourage and
support each other by way of sharing their problems and proposing solutions.
Vision Statement
The vision of the new ministry is to create a better world that can give
youths hope for the future. This is out of the realization that these young
people need Christ in their lives as they strive to do way with various
challenges that interfere with their normal physical, psychological, emotional,
and social development. Without emulating the example of Christ, it can be
difficult to overcome such challenges.
Values Statement
The core values of YET 4 Christ include honesty, transparency, trust,
integrity, respect, dignity, mutuality, self-determination, stewardship, and
service. The ministry seeks to give young people an opportunity to get equipped
with these values. This can enable it to achieve its vision and fulfill its
mission.
Strategy Statement
The proposed peer ministry activities can be effected through life
experience sessions, prayer sessions, Bible studies, conferences, concerts, and
field trips. These activities are meant for both youths within the church and
those in the community who are not attending church. It is believed that such
activities can be useful in enhancing transformation and empowerment among the
young persons.
Proposed Team Members
The YET 4 Christ ministry will comprise different team members including, a
peer minister, peer leaders’ council, and other group members. Members of the
leaders’ council shall include the coordinator, group secretary, and peer
educators.
Peer Minister
The duties and responsibilities of the peer minister shall include the
following:
Serving as
the patron of the team.
Overseeing
the activities as well as the programs of the ministry.
Providing
guidance to the leadership council and other group members.
Being
a role model for team members to emulate.
Addressing
various concerns arising in the ministry.
Peer
Leaders’ Council
Coordinator
The coordinator of the ministry will have the following duties and
responsibilities:
Organizing
and coordinating ministry meetings, trainings, and other activities.
Supervising
the work of other members of the leaders’ council.
Approving
the recruitment of new members to the group.
Ensuring
that the work plan of the group is effectively implemented.
Working
with other council members to ensure that the ministry prepares regular
reports about its progress.
Secretary
The secretary of the group will have these responsibilities:
Ensuring
that ministry meetings are well organized.
Taking
minutes of the council meetings.
Updating
and maintaining the records of the ministry.
Handling
matters of correspondence and communication.
Peer
Educators
The following are the major duties of the ministry’s peer educators:
Facilitating
educational programs, training session, and other ministry activities.
Supporting
and empowering group members to take a positive approach to life.
Providing
relevant guidance that the members require to excel in the ministry.
Helping
to solve some concerns of the group members.
Other
Group Members
The other group members shall have the following responsibilities and
duties:
Supporting
each other socially and emotionally.
Participating
actively in various ministry activities
Adhering
to the group norms and rules.
Proposed Budget
The following is the budget proposal for the implementation of the planned
ministry. The proposal is based on the estimates of the projected income and
expenditure of the ministry. The ministry intends to raise its income from
allocations given by the church, contributions of members, offerings, fundraising,
donations from well-wishers, and established projects. This income will be
spent on administration, salary payments, worship activities, bible study
groups, gifts, Christian education, conferences and seminars, trainings,
concerts, field tours, office equipment, bills, transportation, advertisements,
and miscellaneous. The ministry’s projected income for the year 2022 is $8,835.
The projected expenditure is $8,098. Thus, the balance that will be carried
forward is $737. This means that the new ministry can be successfully
established without any financial constraints. Tables 1 and 2 below demonstrate
the comparison of the projected expenditure and income for the intended
ministry.
Strait Way Ministries
YET 4 Christ
2022 Budget Proposal
Uniqueness of the Plan
YET 4 Christ is unique in various ways. To begin with, the ministry will
play an important role in promoting the empowerment of young people. This is
going to be effected through social and spiritual empowerment of participants
based on biblical principles. Unlike most other peer ministries, the propose
ministry shall focus on enhancing youth transformation. God is holy. Those who
worship him also need to be holy. Youths can achieve this holiness through
total transformation. Ministry activities specifically meant for the
transformation of the young people include evangelism, prayers, and Bible
studies. Such activities can enable them to deepen their faith in the living
God.
The ministry will also target a vulnerable group. It aims to draw its
membership from the rural villages located outside the City of Jackson, in
Mississippi. This is unlike other ministries that go for urban based
youths. The age category itself that is targeted by the ministry is
critical. Youths whose age range is between 15 and 19 experience a lot of
challenges due to being in their middle adolescence stage. To overcome such
challenges, peer mentorship is the solution. It is as well important to note
that the ministry is unique in terms of how its leadership will be organized.
Leadership positions will totally be left to young persons who are going to
participate in the ministry.
Scriptural Foundation for the Plan
The scriptures show that Christian mentorship involves more than just
sharing the word of God. It entails helping people to know how they can love
God and serve Him better. In the Old Testament, God gave a biblical model of
mentorship at the family level for the purpose of ensuring that Israelites
maintained faith in Him from one generation to the next. Through Moses, He commanded:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These
commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on
your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the
road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands
and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses
and on your gates.”[23]
In the New Testament, Jesus extended the biblical mentorship from the family
to the community level. He further clarified the main purpose of the process of
mentoring. When asked to state the greatest commandment, he answered, “Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it:
Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two
commandments.”[24]
On his part, Apostle Paul demonstrated that one of the best ways through which
God’s commandments can be preserved is through establishment of close
relationships. In his epistle to the Ecclesiastes, it is stated that “Two are
better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of
them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has
no one to help them up.”[25]
Theological Foundation for the Plan
From the theological point of view, mentorship is generally a relational
experience whereby one individual empowers another one. This is achieved
through sharing of various God-given resources with the person. Thus,
relationship is central to the formation of Christian faith.[26] Therefore, there is no way that more youths can be won
for Christ without establishment of a close relationship with them. Some
scholars compare mentorship with other relational aspects such as counseling,
coaching, teaching and advising.[27]
Others opine that the process involves all these processes.[28] Whichever the case, mentorship is important in the
sense that it enables individuals to meet both their developmental and
spiritual needs. It also helps to ensure that their full potential is exploited
for their own benefit. Mentorship as well provides an opportunity through which
individuals can mutually benefit from one another by way of sharing
experiences, skill, and knowledge.[29]
This is important for positive behavior change among the young people.
As the divine mentor, Jesus himself found it necessary to establish such a
relationship with twelve men that served as his disciples. Among these, he also
had a very close relationship with three of them: Peter, James, and John.[30] Jesus and his disciples did a lot of
things together just like peers. For instance, they preached, prayed, ate, and
travelled together. This demonstrates that mentorship is not all about giving
people a given set of rules for them to follow. The process entails living with
the persons and doing everything to help them in the growth in Christ.
Christian mentorship should not be confused with secular mentorship. Christian
mentorship centers on the desire to lead a life like that of Christ.[31] Thus, Christ is the ultimate model who
is supposed to be followed. Therefore, mentors must always lead others to
Jesus.
Action Plan
SMART Goals
The aim of any action plan for a proposed project is to ensure that its
objectives are met. The following is a list of SMART (Specific, Measurable,
Attainable, Realistic, and Time Sensitive) goals for the YET 4 Christ Ministry:
Goal 1: To establish a peer-to-peer ministry that focuses on mentoring
youths.
Goal 2: To recruit more than 5 members every month.
Goal 3: To provide a platform through which youths can get social and
spiritual support.
Goal 4: To engage youths in the church and community.
Goal 5: To ensure that the ministry is fully established by the end of the
year.
Timeline
Table 3 below represents the timeline of the proposed ministry activities.
It shows what is going to be done, when, why, where, by who, and which
resources are needed.
Table 3: Timeline for Ministry Activities
Time
Action
Rationale
Responsibility
Place
Resources
April
Ministry launch
To officially begin the ministry
Strait Way Ministries church ministers, leaders, members,
and invited guests
Rural neighborhood near the City of Jackson
Financial resources, ministry hall, ministry office,
office equipment, records, etc.
May
Appointment of members of the leadership council
To get leaders who can coordinate the ministry activities
Peer minister
Ministry hall
Not specified.
June
Seeking potential partners that the ministry can work with
To get partner who can support the ministry.
Peer minister, and leadership council members
Not specified
Financial resources for transportation, communication, and
lunch expenses
July
Sourcing funds for ministry activities
To ensure that the ministry has enough financial resource
for its activities
Strait Way Ministries, peer minister, and leadership
council members
Not specified
Financial resources for transportation, communication, and
lunch expenses
August
Mid-term evaluation
To monitor the progress of the ministry
Strait Way Ministries project monitoring and evaluation
officer
Ministry office
Not specified
September
Trainings, workshops, and seminars
To promote team capacity building
External facilitators
Ministry hall
Financial resources for facilitation of the sessions
October
Concerts
To create awareness of issues affecting youths
Leadership council members, and other team members
Strait Way Ministries church hall
Financial resources for organization of the sessions
November
Field trips
To give youths an opportunity to meet other young people
and learn from them.
The whole ministry team
To be determined later on.
Financial resources for transportation, , and lunch
expenses
December
End-term evaluation
To monitor the progress of the ministry
Strait Way Ministries project monitoring and evaluation
officer
Ministry office
Not specified
Tasks
Apart from the ministry activities identified in table 3 above, there will
be weekly tasks. These include life experience discussion sessions, prayer
sessions, Bible studies, and evangelism. Life experience discussions will be
held on every Sunday afternoons. Bible studies shall be scheduled for every
Wednesday evening. There will be house-to-house evangelism on Saturday
afternoons. Short prayer sessions will be held on Friday evenings and Sunday
mornings.
Conclusion
Establishing a peer to peer ministry that provides mentoring services can be
a very important undertaking. Such a ministry can give youths a chance to
develop their true identities and solidify their faith in Christ. Modern youths
live in a hopeless world that has been crippled by poor economies,
unemployment, terrorism, pandemics, and other serious issues. These young
people need a platform through which they can support each other socially,
emotionally as well as spiritually. YET 4 Christ will provide such a platform.
Bibliography
Apostolides, Anastasia. Adolescent Spirituality with the Support of Adults. Hervormde
Theological Studies 73, no. 4 (2017): 1-6.
Atkinson, Harley, W L. Barnett, and Mike Severe. Ministry with Youth in
Crisis. Eugene: Cascade Books, 2016.
Aziz, Garth. Youth Identity Discovery: A Theological Journey. Pharos
Journal of Theology 100, (2019): 1-9.
Chiroma, Nathan Hussai. Critical evaluation of mentoring programs in
theological seminaries of the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA).
Unpublished PhD dissertation, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, 2012.
Cloete, Anita. Spiritual formation as focus of Youth Ministry. Dutch
Reformed Theological Journal [S.I.] 53, no.3-4 (2012): 70-77.
Donlan, Alice E., and Alicia Doyle Lynch. Peer Relationships and Positive
Youth Development. In book: Promoting Positive Youth Development,
(January 2015): 121-136.
Kocher, Craig T., Jason Byassee, and James C. Howell. Mentoring for
Ministry: The Grace of Growing Pastors. Eugene, Oregon: Cascade Books,
2017.
Nam, Vo Huong. Youth Identity in the Digital Age. Asian Journal of
Theology 35, (April 2021).
New International Version, Deuteronomy 6: 4-9.
New International Version, Ecclesiastes 4:9-10.
New International Version, Matthew 22: 37-40.
New International Version, Matthew 28: 19-20.
New International Version, Matthew. 17: 1.
Phillips, Peter M. The Bible, Social Media and Digital Culture.
London: Routledge, 2019.
Savolainen, Iina, Anu Sirola, Markus Kaakinen, and Atte Oksanen. Peer Group
Identification as Determinant of Youth Behavior and the Role of Perceived
Social Support in Problem Gambling, Journal of Gambling Studies volume 35,
(2019): 15–30.
Shapner, Samuel L. Demographics of the United States. Hauppauge,
NY: Nova Science Publishers, 2016.
Sugimura, Kazumi, Kobo Matsushima, Shogo Hihara, Masami Takahashi, and
Elisabetta Crocetti. A Culturally Sensitive Approach to the Relationships
between Identity Formation and Religious Beliefs in Youth. Journal of Youth
and Adolescence 48, (September 2018): 668–679.
World Vision. “Empowering Youth Voices.” World Vision. 2022. https://www.worldvision.org/us-work-news-stories/empowering-youth-voices
Youth for Christ. “Mississippi Gulf Coast Area.” Youth for Christ.
2022. https://yfc.net/chapter/mississippi-gulf-coast-area/[1] Craig T. Kocher, Jason Byassee and
James C. Howell. Mentoring for Ministry: The Grace of Growing Pastors
(Eugene, Oregon: Cascade Books, 2017), 23.
[2]Kazumi Sugimura, Kobo Matsushima,
Shogo Hihara, Masami Takahashi, and Elisabetta Crocetti. A Culturally Sensitive
Approach to the Relationships between Identity Formation and Religious Beliefs
in Youth. Journal of Youth and Adolescence 48, (September 2018): 674.
[3]Ibid, 677.
[4]Peter M Phillips. The Bible, Social
Media and Digital Culture (London: Routledge, 2019), 94.
[5]Anastasia Apostolides. Adolescent
Spirituality with the Support of Adults. Hervormde Theological Studies
73, no. 4 (2017), 2.
[6]Iina Savolainen, Anu Sirola, Markus
Kaakinen and Atte Oksanen. Peer Group Identification as Determinant of Youth
Behavior and the Role of Perceived Social Support in Problem Gambling, Journal
of Gambling Studies volume 35, (2019), 19.
[7]Harley Atkinson, W L. Barnett and Mike
Severe. Ministry with Youth in Crisis (Eugene: Cascade Books, 2016),
214.
[8]Ibid, 217.
[9] New International Version, Matthew
28: 19-20.[10]Anita Cloete. Spiritual formation
as focus of Youth Ministry. Dutch Reformed Theological Journal [S.I.] 53,
no.3-4 (2012): 73.
[11]Sugimura, 676.
[12]Alice E. Donlan and Alicia Doyle
Lynch, Peer Relationships and Positive Youth Development. In book: Promoting
Positive Youth Development, (January 2015), 128.
[13]Youth for Christ, “Mississippi Gulf
Coast Area.” Youth for Christ. 2022. https://yfc.net/chapter/mississippi-gulf-coast-area/.
[14]World Vision, “Empowering Youth
Voices.” World Vision. 2022. https://www.worldvision.org/us-work-news-stories/empowering-youth-voices[15]Donlan and Lynch, 130.
[16]Cloete, 74.
[17]Atkinson, 202.
[18]Vo Huong Nam, Youth Identity in the
Digital Age. Asian Journal of Theology 35, (April 2021), 112.
[19]Garth Aziz, Youth Identity Discovery:
A Theological Journey. Pharos Journal of Theology 100, (2019), 3.
[20]Samuel L. Shapner, Demographics
of the United States (Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers, 2016), 86.
[21]Shapner, 88.
[22]Shapner, 89.
[23]New International Version, Deuteronomy
6: 4-9.[24]New International Version, Matthew
22: 37-40.[25]Ibid, Ecclesiastes 4:9-10.[26]Kocher, 27.
[27]Apostolides, 6.
[28]Nathan Hussai Chiroma, Critical
evaluation of mentoring programs in theological seminaries of the Evangelical
Church of West Africa (ECWA) (Unpublished PhD dissertation, Stellenbosch
University, Stellenbosch, 2012), 78.
[29]Kocher, 27-28.
[30]New International Version, Matthew.
17: 1.[31]Kocher, 28.
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