Most rural parishes do not have active youth groups.
I don’t have the stats to prove it, but based on personal experience, I’m pretty sure it’s true.
There’s myriad reasons for why this is the case, but in this post, my goal isn’t to dispel the reasons why parishes don’t have active youth groups, it’s to explain how they can have an active youth group. And, like everything we do here at RCYM, it’s going to be simple and it’s going to sustainable. So here goes…
🙋♂️STEP 1: FIND THE CALLED
Here’s the deal: there’s probably someone in your parish who feels called to serve the youth of your parish. Maybe they’ve never approached you about it, and that’s probably because they have a million hesitations that prevent them from doing so, but I can almost guarantee there’s someone in your parish that wants to bring kids to Jesus.
And maybe you’re a priest or parish staff member and you really can’t imagine why someone would want to work with kids, especially in youth ministry. But like so many other calls – whether secular or religious in nature – youth evangelization can be really appealing to some, and really not-appealing to others. I mean, let’s face it, Father: people look at your calling and wonder why anyone would willingly take it on 😅(thanks, btw). So first, it’s a good idea to assume that there is someone out there who would be interested in leading a youth group in your rural parish.
That might mean you need to make the call.
From the pulpit, at a pancake breakfast, at a KC’s meeting, via text, via email, or in whatever context you find yourself in depending on your state in life! Again, callings are funny; sometimes they are only activated when the call is made. How many people found their vocation or some other fulfilling service role simply because someone asked the world in general if anyone would be willing to step into the breach?
So, ask.
Ask Jesus to send someone. And then put out the call or even ask specific people. Think outside the box; I’ve seen everyone from recently graduated high school students to empty-nesters to 70-year-old priests be effective youth ministers!
Then, wait.
Someone will step forward. And when they do, move on to step two…
🧑💻STEP 2: ENROLL THE CALLED
This is actually the easiest step!
Now that you’ve found the called, it’s time to get them to a place of confidence. Here’s what I’ve found: people often want to start a youth group, but they just don’t feel confident enough to do so.
And that’s where RCYM steps in.
Our flagship course, RCYM 101: Equip the Call, is designed to take anyone from just called, to called AND confident. Registering is super simple, whether you’re the enrolling student or enrolling a student on behalf of the parish.
If cost is a factor, consider three things:
1. Is it worth it to invest in your parish’s youth? (Yes)
2. Do you easily fund projects that are far more expensive? (Yes)
3. Is there an individual, family, or organization that would gladly fund the training and support of volunteer youth minister? (Yes)
💪STEP 3: EQUIP THE CALLED
Just like the name says, RCYM 101: Equip the Call contains 7.5 hours of video content chock-full of youth ministry wisdom that will give your youth minister-in-training everything he needs to start a “simple and sustainable” youth group. Here are just a few things covered in the course:
- The “why” of youth ministry, based upon our founding principle that Jesus was a small-town kid.
- How to create a youth group schedule.
- How to recruit adult helpers.
- Sustainable youth ministry that will last for years vs. the classic pitfalls of “start-and-stop” youth groups.
- Youth group promotion hacks.
- Discipleship basics and how to “elevate” your youth group.
- Fun, easy, and budget-friendly games to play.
- The importance of developing a prayer life and how to do it.
- And so much more!
And I know how it is with volunteers: time is limited. They’re busy. Which means finding the time to take the course is tricky, both because it’s easy to put it off, and also because there is often limited time-frames in the day in which a volunteer is even available. That’s why RCYM 101 is a limited-access asynchronous course: you can watch the lessons whenever you want, but you’ve only got 6 months to do it.
Procrastinators: you’re welcome 😁
It’s pretty exciting to think that in just six months and for less than it costs to pay your parish utility bill, you could be making disciples and investing in your small parish’s future! My goal is help parishes like yours not only start a youth group, but sustain that youth group for years to come. And why? Because…
Jesus was a small-town kid.