Note regarding this post: Part of the purpose of this blog is to share helpful news of resources from Striving Together, and part of the purpose is to share ideas and thoughts on student ministry. This post falls under both of these purposes. Bear with me as this is more than a commercial for a Striving Together resource.
For the past two years, our student ministry has done something that’s been a blessing to the students and their families of our local church. We’ve purchased a quantity of the Striving Together Student Planners, gift wrapped them, attached a nice note, and then personally delivered them to our public school and home school students. (The Christian school students receive them from the school on the first day of school.) Here’s a few thoughts on doing this project:
Compile a list of the students that should receive this gift, assemble the gifts in a nice gift bag or wrapping with some ribbon, and attach a personal note or card (volunteers usually enjoy doing this). Then create a visitation card with a map of every student’s home address. During your regular visitation time, have your student ministry leaders and volunteers personally deliver the planners (or some other gift) to the homes of the students. The parents appreciate the loving thought, the students receive a personal visit and a helpful resource, and the youth staff enjoy the blessing of personally visiting the teens. Everybody is blessed by an project like this.
We use the planners because they are unique, cost effective, can be used for a full year, and they encourage spiritual growth and personal planning. For public school students they make a great “statement of faith” when carried around school. This effort would work equally well with other gifts or resources. If you’ve never done something like this, the end of the summer is a great time!
Consider putting a plan together to visit all of your teens before the new school year begins. Your youth group will be blessed by the project!
Click here for more information on the student planner.
Related posts:
- Youth Ministry Idea: Developing Leaders
- Boundaries in Student Ministry Part 2
- The Greatest Student Ministry Strategy
- Boundaries in Student Ministry Part 1
- Christmas is a Gift—Dr. Chappell’s New Book
- Ministry Idea: 3 Questions
- Lancaster Baptist Student Ministries Open House
- Boundaries in Student Ministry Part 3
