What specific contributions can “adult coaches” make in the lives of student leaders to increase their faithfulness & effectiveness to the mission of the group?
I chose this direction for the question because my coaches are always seeking the specific “how to’s” and “what to’s” of ministry. I can create the vision for them, get them inspired to work hard, but many still desire and need specific things to do. Rather than meaningless or less significant tasks for the sake of having something to do, it would be incredible to provide research-based action items that contribute to observable outcomes in the students that echo and materialize the mission our ministry.
The significance of the findings to the greater world of youth ministry is similar. Many adults are willing to give a certain block of time to invest in students and the ministry, and do so joyfully. However, having substantial ministry actions to carry out will greatly increase their own faithfulness and effectiveness. Perhaps the greater significance lies in the fact that students will have adults better equipped to invest and assist them in carrying our their God-give mission.
Although I’m sure the question needs a lot of work before research is ready to be formed around it, there is some intentionality to its structure.
First, I think concrete ministry action steps (contributions) need to be identified. Grant it, we won’t find a secret formula guaranteed to produce results, but specifics are still needed for focus.
I use the term “adult coaches” not just to kiss up to the professor, but because I think that is the clearest, broadest understood term that captures the role and heart of the adults we are targeting.
The “lives of the student leaders” is the subject of the contributions we seek, because we do / should value student leaders as people. Our approach must be holistic and value the student as a whole and not simply the tasks they do, no matter how Biblical they may be.
By choosing the word “increase” we capture the growing aspect of the student leader’s ongoing influence. There is no arrival implied. No matter the stage of faithfulness and effectiveness, it can be improved upon and increased.
“Faithfulness and effectiveness” reveals the impact my undergrad education has upon me. I buy into the essence of what we are after by using this phrase. We must be faithful to the One who has called us and effective in the task He has given us.
My final choice of words is the one I am most unhappy with, but can’t find a better way to say it. “The mission of the group” is intended to make sure that the findings of the research will be helpful to any youth ministry regardless of it’s ministry emphasis or niche. Whether I am in church or parachurch, affluent or poor, east coast or west coast, there must be some specific thing I can have adults do that will increase the student leaders faithfulness and effectiveness in the mission God has called us to.
Leave a Reply