Innovative Ways to Encourage Learning

The Choice: Choosing a Life that Matters

There’s a looming shortage of ministers. Fewer and fewer young people are answering a call to ministry. Many churches are already experiencing the affects of this shortage, and it’s likely more will in the years to come. As a result, some churches are taking a fresh look at the environment created for people to hear and respond to a call. How do we talk about our career choices and our faith? How do we highlight and celebrate ministry as a vocation?

The Choice is a six week study for youth that helps them explore the ways faith can and should have an affect on their choice of career. Whatever path a person chooses, that choice is hopefully made through prayer and with the realization that we are all ministers—regardless of career. Some people may also realize an openness to the call of God to Christian ministry and service.

While the youth are engaged in their study, there are many things your church can do to create an atmosphere that is helpful to their learning.

Below, find information on the youth study and also a list of ideas for how your church can strengthen its focus on vocation.


The Choice: Youth Sessions

The Choice leads teenagers to explore their purpose, the choices they face, their ministry gifts, and how to discern God’s call. Young people are then challenged to consider what action they will take in light of God’s call upon their lives. The Choice can be used in youth Sunday School, in Wednesday evening meetings, across a weekend retreat, or on Sunday nights. Check out ideas for using the study on pages ii and iii of the Teaching Guide (see “Resources Available” below)


The Choice offers six sessions:
• One: I Am a New Creation
What are we made for? What is life about?
• Two: Making Choices
Who decides the big questions for me?
• Three: Ministry
What is ministry? How is it different from “church work”?
• Four: Giftedness
What can I do? What are my gifts? Why is it important for me to name my own giftedness?
• Five: Discernment
How do I know where I fit into God’s work? Is God calling me?
• Six: Action
What will I do?


Resources Available:
The Choice kit is available from Smyth & Helwys Publishing, and includes a Teaching Guide, 10 Youth Guides, and a Resource Kit (additional Youth Guides can be ordered from information in the kit). Call 800-747-3016 or order online at: http://helwys.com/samproj/.


The Choice: Involving the Church

During this month, while youth are involved in their special study, your entire church can play an important role in their conversations. Your church can create a thought-provoking environment where issues of vocation, purpose, and calling are present in several areas of the church's life.

Idea 1: Your pastor or one of the other ministers on your staff can write an article for the church newsletter raising the issue of the continued need for people to answer the call of God to ministry.

Idea 2: Use Wednesday night prayer meetings as an opportunity for highlighting various areas of ministry. Your pastor, music minister, and age group ministers can share their stories—how did they hear God’s call, how did they respond, and where have they found blessings, challenges and purpose in their ministry?

Idea 3: Provide a time in morning or evening worship for laypersons (not professional ministers) to offer a brief testimony of how they feel that their career is an expression of their faith and an opportunity for ministry. Invite persons from a wide variety of fields.

Idea 4: Over this month, set up a schedule where youth can participate alongside your church staff in doing ministry. Some youth might assist in organizing choir music, while others pay visits to shut-ins with the pastor, and others help in planning or preparing a singles or senior adult event. The point is to get young people involved in the ministry of your church.