Totally Catholic Youth Ministers Lounge

Are you in youth ministry and you've had it with crazed parents? Rollin' your eyes at the pastoral council? Tired of administration work? Love youth? Love the Church? Appalled at parish politics? Looking for some good games? For a creative ways to teach a lesson for Religious Ed? Just need a place to veg out and say "phew! Someone outside of the parish to talk to!"? Grab y'r Starbucks, turn the computer away from the staff's eyes, grab a seat on a donated dusty couch and let it all go.

Monday, October 16, 2006

How To Evangelize Youth

I had this question asked of me. Would love more input as well.

1. Pray to God for Grace every time you go out to evangelize
2. Realize that this work is not about you, it is about them. This means you cast off fear, because perfect love -or the love of God flowing from you to them-casts off fear.
3. Realize that they are more afraid of you than you are of them. Trust me.
4. Say hi to them at Church. Seriously. Even if they look surly. JUST SAY HI.
5. Say hi to them at their places of work. It can be tempting to pretend you just didn't see them, but they know. They know that adults avoid them.
6. Take a buddy and go to their school games/plays/band and choir concerts
7. Have a pizza and movie night-and don't even talk about God unless they bring it up.
8. Have game night, with the above same rule.
9. Introduce yourself to their friends. Their friends now think you are cool, which moves you into the cool realm. You are "cool" because you are confident and unfraid, not to mention friendly and approachable. You use your coolness to keep inviting them into a deeper relationship with God and his Church.
10. Don't feel cool? No worries. You need not wear the lastest fashions or know the latest dance moves. Know their music. Know their movies. Know their fears. Know their world. More importantly
11. Be yourself. Be genuine. Be available.
12. Prepare 4-6 conversation starters that cannot be answered with "Yes" or "No". For example:
a. Where do you go to school? How long have you gone there? What classes do you have? What extra-curricular activities are you involved in?
b. What did you do over break?
c. What kinds of things do you enjoy doing?
d. How many brothers and sisters do you have? What are their names and ages? Do they bug you sometimes? (this usually gets a story out of them, even tho it's a yes or no question).
e. What is your fav Christmas memory/summer event/birthday party/ etc


Anyone else?

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