What would happen if we turned over leadership of our ministries entirely to our youth?  Really, the whole shebang – weekly planning, retreat planning, mission and service and outreach projects.  Sure, there would probably be more games of dodgeball, more trips to amusement parks and laser tag, more ice cream sundaes.  But if you’ve involved student leadership at any level of ministry, you also know that there would be tremendous potential for creativity and initiative, room for the Holy Spirit to do amazing things in the lives of young people, and through them our communities.

I came across this article from a Youth Worker Journal last year that talks about the imagination and creativity of youth, which made me think of all the amazing things that happened in our ministry when students took the lead.  For just one example, a young woman in our congregation saw a homeless man at a grocery store looking at a blanket on display, and with the support of a pastor in our church created an outreach project that raised 1000′s of blankets and financial support for homeless ministries in downtown Indianapolis.  A fifth or sixth grader at the time, all she needed to create a fruitful and impacting ministry was the support and encouragement of a mentor.

I love the idea in the article of Launch, a ministry that provides mentoring and funding for youth with innovative and creative ideas for mission in the world.  The articles states, “What difference could it make in the lives or our youth if we re-invented youth ministries to invite them to imagine and launch new ways to have a kingdom impact in their communities, congregations and God’s troubled world?”

As you plan ministries for this coming Fall, how are students involved?  How could you empower them to respond to God’s call in their lives through the passion and gifts they are given? What would happen if you unleashed their imagination and creativity?