Emphasize Relationships, not Rooms
A pastor friend of mine recently experienced a fire that destroyed virtually his entire church facility. During the process of reconstruction, he said, “I’d almost like to do without our building permanently. Our people were closer, the fellowship seemed to be more genuine, and church seemed to be real.” I’m convinced sometimes our buildings and facilities get in the way of real ministry.

In my early days in ministry, there were times when I taught teenagers in church buses; in basements where I couldn’t even stand up straight; even in closets under the stairs. I really don’t think Christ would have been overly concerned with data projectors, smart boards, or Bose sound systems. Sure He made use of visual aids. He wrote in the dirt on the ground and referenced objects in nature, but, mostly He concentrated on people. That seems like a good model for ministry with teenagers today.

Build Trust Instead of Technology

My college-age son recently said, “You’re the only dad who has cooler toys than his kids.” Yep, I love my laptop and my iPod, and I carry my smart phone religiously, but I am careful not to let my electronic gadgets isolate me from people.

I remember the days when Walkmans were the great evil in youth ministry. Youth workers feared that kids who listened to portable tape players would not have healthy conversations with other people. They made rules that wouldn’t let kids bring those devices on youth trips. Are you old enough to remember those days?

Now we are all hearing that modern technology actually helps kids connect with each other. One recent research organization reported that today’s teenagers would be willing to do without almost anything they owned, except for their cell phones.

I’m sure that technology can help us stay connected to our students, but let’s be careful not to send text messages, e-mails, or IM’s to kids when we should be spending time with them in person. You can do that very well in a smaller church.

Emphasize Mentoring over Methods

Youth ministry is always “method” crazy. Countless conferences and seminars tout the latest and greatest “what-works” technique for ministry. Methods are fine, but we must never forget that real youth ministry focuses on the concept of godly adults impacting students through practices of discipleship and mentoring.

Mentoring needs to be intentionally implemented into the fabric of our ministries. It’s the concept so aptly described in Titus 2. Older men and older women should take the initiative to develop intentional growing relationships with young people. And I believe it is more likely to happen in smaller churches.

Train, Don’t Just Teach

I have spent the majority of my life involved in various educational endeavors. I believe in the importance of preaching as in the proclamation of truth, but we must emphasize training, or equipping, not just the verbal presentation of fact. Our students need to see how biblical principles apply to life. I love the account in Luke 24 of Christ’s post-resurrection appearance to some of His disciples. Remember the two walking to Emmaus? Christ taught them the Scriptures while He accompanied them on their journey. What was the result? Verse 32 (NKJV) says, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

Perhaps that is an apt description of what real ministry is all about: showing students that God’s Word relates to life! Youth workers are probably more likely to have that opportunity in a smaller youth group.

After looking at all these factors, youth workers in smaller churches may have an advantage when it comes to impacting kids. Come to think of it, maybe size does matter.

1 See “Small Church Struggle to Grow Because of the People They Attract"