Yesterday I began a series of posts sharing the strategy of Surge Youth Ministries. I will take the next few days examining each part of it. If you get anything out of it great…really I just like sharing it because it solidifies it in my heart.
The mission of Surge is to REACH the students, REDEEM the generation and RESTORE the family by RECOGNIZING our purpose and REVIVING our hearts through worship.
When I first got to James Island Baptist a few years ago Pastor Tom shared the quote that we were here to reach, redeem and restore a lost and dying world. I loved that phrasing. So I stole it, tweaked it and made it the cornerstone of my mission statement.
I believe we are here to…
REACH students – first of all that is at the core. We are a youth ministry. That is who are target is and who we strive to reach. That audience guides our environment, teaching, training…everything.
REDEEM the generation – We believe that we have a responsibility not just to the individual student but to reclaim the generation for Christ. We feel that we have the burden to speak to the widening cultural chasm between the the christian worldview and the secular worldview.
RESTORE the family – As much as I feel like a dinosaur in a world of twenty somethings as a youth pastor of 25 years I have earned the ear of the parents in my church. My goal as a family pastor is to bridge the gap as much as possible between teenager and parent.
RECOGNIZING – we keep the purpose in front of all that we do. Through God’s word and mentoring we constantly strive to keep our purpose as a ministry not simply an organization.
REVIVING – Great structure and organization is important…however burnout and scandal is sure to creep into our ministry if we are not powered by and led by the Holy Spirit of God.
Our mission statement shares what we are to do and how we should do it. It is a broad statement that helps umbrella our ministry. In the coming days I will share how we do it.
Sean Rheaume 