By: Crystal Mazzuca
NextGen Ministry for the Whole Church
When you hear the term “NextGen Ministry,” what comes to mind? Do you picture a space devoted to kids and students where they can be loud, messy, and have fun? Do you think about staff and volunteers who are specifically trained and equipped for engaging young people? Do you envision a strategy for helping birth through high school or college, helping them feel like “one” ministry for kids and their families?
While all of these are incredible ideas and approaches to reaching young people and their families, NextGen Ministry is incomplete if it lives in one space with one team.
NextGen Ministry is whole church ministry.
Begin By Being United
Getting the whole church passionate and involved with the next generation starts with unity around a common vision and passion. “One generation will declare your works to the next and will proclaim your mighty acts.” (Psalm 145:4) The whole church has the amazing privilege and honor of sharing the good news of Jesus with the next generation. This isn’t a job reserved for a certain pastor or team of volunteers. This is a job for everyone.
We can start by helping our pastors, staff, leadership, and congregation understand this
church-wide calling. God has called each of us to reach the next generation simply by the fact that we ourselves know, love, and follow Him. And we can reach them by authentically and enthusiastically sharing our experiences and wisdom. We don’t need degrees, trendy vocabulary, or bottomless energy. We just need to obey God’s commands to declare His works to the next generation.
Break Down Barriers
Often, students and kids are relegated to certain areas of the church. While NextGen-specific spaces help young people feel welcomed, this can unintentionally build barriers between kids, students, and adults within the church. If the only place kids and students see and experience church is within their own ministry-specific spaces, then kids and students aren’t learning what it means to be a part of the church as a whole. Moreover, adults who aren’t directly involved with these ministries aren’t building relationships and influencing these young people.
Breaking down barriers looks like getting everyone involved everywhere. Kids and students can participate in worshiping side by side with adults. Adults can be invited to teach and share with young people in many ways. All generations can serve alongside each other in almost every area of the church. We can plan events where kids, senior adults, and everyone in-between are engaging, learning, and building connections together. The more we intentionally bring together all ages and stages of life, the more we will see older generations influencing younger generations.
Build Belonging
When we get the whole church on board with reaching the next generation and we strategically plan for generations to develop connection, we help the next generation build a sense of belonging in the church. Kids and students don’t see it as their parents’ church—it is their church. Kids and students don’t think in context of kids’ church, youth group, and “big church”—it’s all one church.
Kids moving up to student ministry are excited because they’ve already spent time with students in a variety of ways. Students who are graduating are ready to get involved in church life because it’s what they already know. And the families of these young people feel seen, known, supported, and engaged.
The best NextGen Ministry involves the whole church.
Crystal Mazzuca is the Content Editor and Resource Specialist for Lifeway’s NextGen resource Hyfi. With an MA in Christian Education Administration, she has a passion to encourage and equip leaders to impact the next generation for Christ. She’s spent the last 20 years in Kids, Student, and Family Ministry and loves serving both the big C church and her local church in Olympia, WA. Crystal loves reading, going to the beach, and playing video games with her 3 sons.
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