This is my second year of leading a youth ministry. While there are thousands of things I have learned in the past year, I have had to look at how I communicate my messages in two different settings. We have services and life groups (cell, small, discipleship...you get the idea). I have loved trying to discover what style works best for me and my students. Everyone will have to find their own, but I want to encourage you that there is not just one way.
One of my best friends is completely anti-curriculum, and another buddy of mine is fully reliant on curriculum. Neither are wrong, but it could be wrong for you and your students. I tend to go both ways. I plan six months out if possible so sometimes I write my own and others I adapt curriculum to our crowd.
Currently, we are doing a Zombie theme for the month of October and we grabbed the inspiration of the theme from someone else (thanks Josh Griffin) but completely wrote the content ourselves. Our service went great as we keyed in on "The One Thing". Zombies love one thing and will not stop until they get it. The idea is explaining what the one thing students need (Jesus) compared to other things they make number one in their life.
This Sunday is our discipleship group is focusing on a Zombie like hunger, but not for brains. The main idea is that we sometimes starve ourselves spiritually but our we need bread and meat (exodus 16, matthew 5:6). I can't wait to see what God is going to do!
So, don't feel bad if you lean one way or another when it comes to curriculum. If you think about it, the Bible is curriculum and we all use that! Think outside the box when teaching, and if you run out of ideas, use others' ideas.
Which way do you lean? Where do you get most of your subject matter?
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