We were created for relationships, and we all desire a place to belong. Sometimes it can be hard to know exactly where you belong and who your community is, especially when you are young. As a youth worker, you have such a unique opportunity to give young people a place to belong! So, how do you utilize your opportunities to create an authentic biblical community in your Youth Ministry?
Utilize Small Groups
It can be nerve-wracking for students to open up and engage in big groups when there are so many people and voices. However, smaller groups can give students the comfort to open up with one another and leaders about things they are walking through, how they need prayer, and also gives them the boldness to pray for others!
Small groups are a great way to start building a sense of community in your Youth Group! Students will have a safe place to open up and a core group of people that they can connect with!
Intentional Ice Breaker Time
You can encourage community in your Youth Group through simple icebreaker activities that require them to engage with people they don’t know. Before the service starts, through some icebreaker questions, encourage students to go talk to one new person that they haven’t talked to or someone they don’t know well.
Get creative! Find new activities that anyone could participate in and make them feel comfortable to open up about different topics, fun quirks, and secret talents to get to know one another and build a sense of belonging!
Community Nights
Community Nights can be a great way to focus specifically on growing community and relationships in your Youth Group! Specific nights simply to hang out, have fun, and get to know one another! You can have a game night with board games, card games, etc. Host a movie night with popcorn and candy. You know the students in your Youth Group, pick fun activities that they could all engage in and have fun!
When I was in Youth Group these were some of my favorite nights! We all could hang out and grow in relationships at the local bowling alley, or by watching the Superbowl, etc. It made the Youth Group feel like a group of friends, and when we went to Youth Group the following week, it was more comfortable to open up about different things!
Pray Together
Finally, spending intentional time praying together is a powerful way to grow a community. This could happen in small groups or at the end of a message. Encouraging students to partner up with someone of the same gender and pray for one another is a powerful way to grow in community and allow students to walk with one another!
Community is a powerful thing, especially for young people who are trying to find their identity. To have a community that will consistently remind them of their identity in Christ is so important in their walk with Jesus and Youth Groups are a GREAT space for students to build those friendships.
Aubrie Kimbrough
Campus Content Manager
📸Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash