Theological Reflection in Training for Youth Ministry – by Jon Coombs

This week, youth pastor and blogger Jon Coombs helps us consider how we relfect on what we do from a theological perspective.

Theological reflection, the idea of being able to reflect on our experiences in life and ministry through the lens of faith, can often go missing in youth ministry. It takes effort to stop, think, and articulate what God might be doing within our own lives, let alone through the ministry we might be involved in. We can find ourselves more focused on ‘doing the program’, or ‘getting the task done’, than taking the time to reflect on the ways God seems to be working in our midst.

In my last post I outlined four reasons why you’re not wasting your education by seeking to work toward a rigorous theological degree for the purposes of youth ministry. If there was a fifth point, and possibly of highest priority, then this is it.

In the pastoral situations we find ourselves, and through ongoing work in youth groups, camps and retreats, God is at work. Often, we need to deal with the immediate, and this is the reality too. However, it is still important to step back from time to time and observe where God is working in the hearts and lives of our young people. We, as youth ministry practitioners, are able to highlight God’s work to our people, to our leaders, to the parents, and to the wider church.

In some respects, no formal theological training is necessary for this. After all, through the interaction of the Spirit, the Word of God, prayer, and listening to others, we are given the tools and ability to understand God’s divine action. Yet as it happens, the deeper training I took part in through my Master of Divinity degree taught me to be more reflective upon the way God works through his people. In learning more of God’s action through the Old and New Testaments, and his continued power through Church History, I’ve found my ability to reflect theologically strengthened.

Applying this to my local church setting, and particularly in the youth and young adult ministries I’m the leader of, I find I have to be intentional in asking the questions of myself and other leaders. Questions like, ‘Where did we see God at work tonight?’, ‘What seemed to connect to the hearts of our young people through the talk or discussion groups?’, and even ‘Did we have any significant conversations with others today?’. One could argue these questions aren’t particularly difficult; but in the context of seeking to observe God’s divine action they become meaningful, intentional, and important for the people of God to reflect on.

And so, if there is anything to take away from this post, and in combination with my previous one, then it is this: continue to do the work of God through the youth ministry opportunities you’re involved in and keep seeking to grow through the training opportunities you are able to undertake.

All the best.

 

Jon Coombs is the Associate Pastor for Youth & Young Adults at Rowville Baptist Church in Melbourne, Australia. For over 15 years he has been working with youth and young adults in churches, schools, mission agencies and not-for-profit organisations. He holds an MDiv from the Melbourne School of Theology and writes regularly at joncoombs.com. You can find and connect with him on Twitter or Facebook.