Rural Youth Ministry
Recently I had the opportunity to lead a conference on Rural Youth Ministry. In preparation for this I ask some youth ministers in Kentucky that are working in rural areas to tell me what they were doing that was successful in reaching students in rural areas. And as always, I am amazed by what God is doing in youth ministry here in Kentucky. Let me share a few of the insights gleaned from the conversations we shared.
Keith Abrams, youth minister at Westport Baptist said, “I have kids that get to youth group by horse back, tractor, and 4 wheeler...so I guess we are rural.” He continued, “I think a big part of why our group works is because I grew up just like them...hunting, fishing, farming, cussing, chewing, dirt-biken, 4 wheelin. So I have common ground with them.”
Jay Montgomery, Associate pastor at First Baptist Carrolton said, “In rural areas, school events are their social life.” The “rural areas are big on family (birthdays, holidays, special events that everyone celebrates aunts/uncles, cousins, etc.).” Also high school “graduation is one of our biggest events in the community. As is the County Fair and local festivals-everyone attends to see who else is there!”
“Bus ministry is a necessity”, commented Wayne Yeager from Immanuel Baptist in Pikeville”.“ I can tell you that we have our pre-bus ministry numbers and post-bus ministry numbers. We practically doubled overnight. When I was at Crittenden, KY, I could tell students to meet me at church at a certain time or that our meetings were on Wednesdays at 6 and they would come. Here, I have to go get them. In fact, I don't do an event anymore unless I have a bus and time to go and get students. It impacts our numbers that much.” He continues, “ We pick up kids as far as 30 minutes away from church and my bus run goes about 1 - 1.5 hours each Sunday and Wednesday.”
Montgomery concurs saying, “Bus ministries work well because of there not really being a centralized town/city/demographic area. Our route for taking home kids, about 10 middle schoolers, takes about 90-100 minutes. These kids would not come otherwise.”
“Hard work is important to rural people”, said Ryan Coffey, youth minister at Eubank Baptist in Pulaski County. “Two years ago I had a deacon that wouldn’t support anything I did. His son was in my group and the deacon constantly was a thorn in my side. One day they got in a bind with their hay crop. His son called and asked if I would help them put up hay. I worked about 8 hrs in the hot sun and when we finished he tried to pay me. I wouldn’t let him and I told him to make a donation to the youth fund instead to help pay for students to go to camp. The next Sunday he gave me a personal check of $100 and gave an additional $100 to the youth fund. Since that day, he has been one of my strongest supporters. Hard work is important.” Keith Abrams agreed saying, “They” (the students) “like to work. They do great with mission projects. They love it when you jump in and get your hands dirty with them.”
On doing events in the rural communities, Tree Akers, youth minister at Northside in Elizabethtown said, “With some of our activities, we would use the resources they had (farm, fields, etc.) to pull off events (hayride, bonfire, yuck day, etc.). We took youth ministry to them, and didn’t wait for them to come to us.”
Yeager commented, “Travel is REQUIRED. We don't have a lot of places we can take students. No fun centers. No malls. No amusement park nearby. We have a bowling alley, Mr. Gatti's and a movie theater. If you want to go to a baseball game, amusem ent park, etc, you have to travel at least 2 hours.” Which means, he continued, “Creativity is REQUIRED. When everything is a good distance away, and you have students who can't afford a whole lot, you need to get creative on how to have events that will impact students and get them out on a budget.”
Abrams said, “My kids aren't impressed by fancy or big show type events. My best-attended event every year is a hay wagon ride to a huge bonfire. We cook hot dogs and smores. The kids just like hanging out”
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posted by: Joe Ball on October 7th, 2008
