"How to Build a Lasting Student Ministry "

by Scott Aughtmon (with various contributors)

Reviewed by Murray Brown

“You are snatched from your current church (or other current job) and put at a church in the suburbs where you have to start all over again. There are five kids there. Two are the senior pastor’s kids. There are three boys and two girls. Two are in high school and three are in Junior High. You are asked to build a ministry that will continue on after you leave. You have one year to do this. You have a limited budget.”

This is the scenario behind this ebook (only available online) which invites 14 experienced youth ministry practitioners to reflect on what they would do. As some point out, the scenario is not a healthy one but this line of reasoning masks the true purpose of the ebook, namely to answer three important questions:

• How long will the results of your ministry last?
• How will you build a student ministry just to see it die if/when you leave?
• Will your students keep following the Lord after they graduate?

If you are looking for a nice clear unanimous answer from all these youth workers which you can dutifully apply to your own ministry, prepare to be disappointed! It's true there are common themes such as the need to build a team but there are also great variety and even contradiction in the answers. While some advocate an attractional model others argue for a more incarnational approach, and one is unashamedly family-based.

But rather than being a confusing weakness these differing opinions are the ebook’s greatest strength. Instead of giving us a straight answer it causes us to think and reflect, identifying priorities and deciding what fits our unique situation and what doesn’t. As Scott Aughtmon himself says in his “last piece of advice”:

“There is more than one way to lead a group. God’s given us different ways, because each leader and group of students is unique! Find a way from this ebook that works with your personality type. Find a way that works with your unique group of students and your local culture. Prayerfully implement what you learn.”

This ebook is an easy read without being simplistic. There is a good deal to chew on. For more information, a free sample and to purchase online, check the pic below.