Episode 24
RYM 024: Why Graduation Is Not The Finish Line (With Kara Powell)
In most areas of ministry, there’s a finish line. There’s a finish line for that weekend retreat. There’s a finish line for that message you’re writing. And if we’re not careful, we tend to apply that same mindset to the students in our ministries as they graduate. But should graduation really be the end of our influence in a teenager’s life? This week, join Kara Powell joins ministry leaders for a conversation about equipping and walking with students long after their high school graduation.
Voices In This Episode
EPISODE RECAP
About half of youth group graduates drift away from God and the Church when they graduate from high school. (3:00)
Only 1 in 7 youth group graduates felt prepared by their youth ministry when they entered college. (6:00)
When asked what advice they would give to their youth group leaders, college students said they would want to be prepared better for what they would experience after high school. (7:00)
The biggest mistake youth leaders make is that they prepare their students too little and too late. (10:30)
We make the mistake of identifying a finish line for our students in so many areas. (12:00)
What do you do with a graduate who keeps coming back to youth group? (12:30)
Are high school students being set up well to integrate into the adult congregation of the church once they graduate? (14:00)
A lot of times we think doubt is inherently bad. However, there is a correlation between doubt and faith maturity. (23:00)
Doubt isn’t toxic to faith—silence is. (24:00)
We need to equip our leaders to engage students in a conversation where they can ask questions, debate, and express their doubts. (25:00)
“I don’t know, but . . . ” is a great response when students ask questions you don’t know how to answer. (27:00)
If you want to give your seniors something for graduation, give them a gift card for coffee and tell them to invite an adult in their life out for coffee. (41:00)
QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE
“The biggest mistake youth leaders make is that they prepare their students too little and too late.” - Kara Powell Click To Tweet“Doubt isn’t toxic to faith—silence is.” - Kara Powell Click To Tweet“As youth pastors, we need to equip our leaders to engage students in a conversation where they can ask questions, debate, and express their doubts.” - Ashley Bohinc Click To Tweet
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