Equipping YOUTH as witnesses

We have about 24,000 year 9-13 youth in New Zealand’s 1,200 youth groups. But there is a problem. Here is how we could fix it together.

73%

of youth groups discuss outreach

23%

of youth groups equip for outreach

15%

equip 3 or more times out of their 52 weeks annually

3,600

youth are equipped to reach 324,000 youth in 544 High Schools

While there are 471,000 youth of intermediate and high school age, only 324,000 are high school age. With only 23% of youth groups equipping for outreach, 8% do this 1 or 2 weeks of the year – which data showed to make little difference.

With just 15% of youth groups equipping 3 or more weeks per year, that leaves 3,600 NZ youth equipped to reach their 324,000 peers in 544 High Schools. This is clearly deficient.

The irony is that there are clear ‘health markers’ that correlate to groups who intentionally equip their youth for outreach 3+ weeks. (1 to 2 weeks equipping made minimal difference in the data.) The leaders of groups with 3+ weeks equipping are 23% more likely to value local youth leader unity, 57% more likley to have a young adults group, and 24% more likely to have an intermediate group. Furthermore, as could be expected, their groups were attended by a stunning 22 more young people on average.

Significantly, this 15% who equip 3+ times annually also have an 88% correlation to school groups. This is to say, if youth are equipped they’ll begin to BELIEVE they can make a difference, and will then ATTEMPT new things!

The solution is clear. We need 100% of youth groups (not just 15%) equipping their youth for conversational outreach every year. We could achieve this together. The results might be surprising.

Resources

Discussion amongst national youth leaders resulted in a summary page: 

Here are some resources to consider.

Including outreach equipping, and also the encouragement of annual habits to build an outreaching culture (very similar to Godtalk.nz), Dare2Share also comes with staffing support via Word of Life Ministries. who can make themselves available to equip any group of youth leaders to be the difference.

Best accessed via the free monthly e-updates, this NZ-made outreach-enabling resource for youth groups includes 5min conversational outreach equipping videos with discussion guides, and a series of 5min youth leader training videos covering the essentials for any youth leader on ‘building an outreaching culture’.

Available online, this NZ-made resource from Catalyst includes 3 x 15min videos, purposed to equip youth and young adults for evangelism.

Invite a speaker who can bring quality equipping

Have over 20 staff spread throughout the geography of NZ, who are employed specifically to be available to youth groups to help with outreach equipping, and also with events if help in reaching more youth is desired. Contact them to invite their help:

They are energetic and active, with a team who travel extensively. They bring amazing equipping and motivation — as is seen in their above-noted equipping videos. Contact them to find out when they’re in your area:

 Luke Collis — With 15 years’ experience and numerous creative combined youth group events behind behind him, Luke can bring passionate equipping and motivation to any group — while specialising in creative gospel events run in partnership with combined youth groups in different regions. Invite him:

Ed Bamford-Bryant – Previously youth leader at Arise Church in Wellington, Ed’s passion for the gospel compelled him to specialise. While focusing on gospel events he can bring motivation and equipping for groups of youth or youth leaders also! Invite him:

Neville Bartley — with decades of experience, Neville can bring training in a wide range of areas — including gospel communication, witness and outreach. Invite him:

⇒ Or consider denominational leaders and speakers – Many exist who are more than willing to bless another movement or region. Boldly ask!