Collaborative Community Strategy

Here’s the challenge. If we take the YFC mission seriously we realize that the change that we seek to bring about in young people is of the supernatural variety. Unless we cooperate with the Spirit of God our best efforts to develop lifelong followers of Jesus will fall short.

When it comes to biblical truth, creativity is not nearly as important as discovery. All innovative program methodologies should submit to—and not overshadow—timeless biblical principles. The 5 ESSENTIALS are means to help us be faithful, attentive and responsive to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of young people.

ESSENTIAL: Collaborative Community Strategy

We intentionally work together with local churches, agencies and other partners to provide sustainable youth and family ministry in the community.

As earlier identified, the love of God breaks down barriers and harmonizes relationships. One important additional truth is that when God’s love gathers God’s people into otherwise unexplainable communities, the expression of unity actually reveals, or glorifies, God in our world (John 17:20-23). Unity itself is a force to be reckoned with and has been since the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). And nowhere is this power as clearly evidenced as in the days of the early church, when being together was a normal precipitator for unleashing the power of God (Acts 1:12-14; 2:1-4, 42-47; 5:12-15). It is safe to say that when we focus on unity our young people will benefit from a powerful force of transformation.

But there is a rub that makes this as challenging as it is obvious. Many youth ministries practice what might be called program unity. That is, for all of those who choose to participate in the activities of the group, unity may be a goal that is pursued. It makes for a nice experience for those young people who are in, but the truth is there is not much extraordinary about unity if it’s possible to define the population as those who are like us. Is this an accurate description of YFC?

Program unity certainly falls short of the more radical biblical unity that is the subject of so much admonishment and instruction in letters to the early church. Of that unity Paul made it clear that party affiliations must be set aside, a collective dwelling of the Holy Spirit is being built, and extraordinary preservation efforts should be exerted (1 Corinthians 1:13-15; 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:19-22; 4:1-6, 11-16). To the Colossians alone he provides a connecting arc from the supremacy of Christ through the subjection of cultural and ethnic distinctions so that the believers might weave the smallest details of their life together into a unified tapestry that honors the name of God (Colossians 1:15-20; 2:1-3; 3:11-17). John even wrote a small, personal letter to encourage a friend to hold together the coalition in his church dedicated to hospitality and love in spite of the disruptive threat of one person’s love for power (3 John).

Far from being a descriptor of internal group health, biblical unity will force most of us in YFC to get beyond ourselves in order to practice oneness with those in our communities who are also part of the body of Christ. Youth for Christ staff are asked to intentionally work together with local churches, agencies and other partners to provide sustainable youth and family ministry in the community. The vision of the kingdom of God that young people acquire as a result of investing in biblical unity is exciting, compelling and worthy of sacrifice—a far more fruitful outcome than might be expected from lesser versions of unity.
(Section adapted excerpt from a Christian education book chapter in publication for Zondervan, edited by Dr. Ron Habermas)

Why Unity is Bigger Than YFC

When we practice unity as Jesus taught we build the Kingdom of God, a guarantee that our work won’t be wasted.

“Come let us make…Come let us build…Come let Us go” In the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11 these three word are used three times, twice by the people who were attempting to build, and the third time by the Triune God. Notice in verse seven the word Us is capitalized. Generally when words are repeated in a portion of text, it is to drive home a point. There was unity among the people of Babel, but they were unified with their own agenda and not a Kingdom advancement agenda. The words spoken by the people were:” Come let us make bricks and bake them hard” the verse goes on to say: So they had bricks to build with and tar to hold them together.” Often this text is preached with a focus of the people being of one race and tongue, which is true, but let’s look at it from a different vantage point.

Earth science teaches us much about bricks and tar. They are both man made substance. The people had to bake them hard hoping they would hold together. Could it be the people took matters into their own hands, wanting to build their own way? We must be a people who will first be of one race, “…a royal priesthood, a holy nation…” (1 Peter 2:9) remembering we are saved by grace and not by race (people group). Paul challenged the saints at Philippi to be of the same mind, the same spirit united in love, intent on one purpose (Philippians 2:2). So what is that purpose? To see God’s kingdom spread throughout the earth.

When the people said, “Now let us build a city with a tower that reaches the sky, so that we can make a name for ourselves and not be scattered all over the earth.” They were actually building a temple that had a shrine to the local deity. What are we holding to and depending on that doesn’t allow us to build together with God? We must be willing to lay down our traditions, idols of culture, religion, pride and methods, and be willing to live together, learn from one another and yield to the Spirit of God together.

It was God who said Come let Us go…This is what God tells us in the great commission: Go make disciples of all the nations! The only way we will see true community collaborative strategy is if we will allow the Lord to lead us together to reach the every. “You also as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

(1 Peter 2:5)

How Collaborative Community Strategy is a Dirt Practical YFC Expectation

If unity and partnering are important to our jobs, it’s worth being held accountable for how well we’re doing.

Here is the metric standard that we will use to help us achieve the goal of Collaborative Community Strategy. At each ministry site we will ask the following simple question, providing the three categories for collecting answers: With how many of the churches, like-minded Christian ministries or youth-serving agencies located in the community of this ministry site does YFC collaborate?

What are some things you can do to make sure you are always improving in Collaborative Community Strategy?

First, get near others who are reaching out to youth. In every city and every county God has His people placed and mobilized to do His will. Seek them out, spend time with them, buy them a cup of coffee, ask them about their plans, bring kids to their thing, or organize a youth network for your community. The possibilities are nearly endless. Building trusting relationships with others in your community who are seeking the lost is huge in improving Collaborative Community Strategy. A regular part of your weekly and monthly schedule should include time with other youth ministry people.

Second, get comfortable with the fact that we are not trying to get kids to commit to the kingdom of YFC! One YFC ministry has brought dozens of kids into the Kingdom even though YFC may never receive “credit” as their connection point. Jump on board with something that someone else is doing, and thank God you get to join in with what He is doing!

Openly and publicly support the efforts of other ministry groups at your banquet, with your paid and volunteer leaders, and in your letters. Yes, they do things different than us. Yes, they seek contributions like us. Yes, they don’t always make us feel welcome. Yes, yes, yes. It doesn’t matter. If they are a part of God’s Kingdom, they are our brothers and sisters. Promote them, love them, and build the Kingdom together. Your Heavenly Father is pleased when He sees us support and encourage one another and when we work together to see lost young people become citizens of the Kingdom.

Points to Emphasize When Teaching Collaborative Community Strategy

Ø  Why biblical unity is a necessity for us to work at, whether or not it ever results in programmatic partnerships.

Ø  How a truly collaborative community strategy for youth and family ministry demonstrates biblical unity and appreciates our respective roles in the Body.

Ø  How a 3Story approach to discovering others’ stories and perspectives first positions us well to establish relationships of respect needed for collaboration.

Ø  How true collaboration is validated when all participants agree that they have been heard and have contributed to a shared vision or mission.

Ø  CORE TEAM: Teach how to best accomplish this metric standard with each of the different entities, though the lion’s share of instruction should be directed toward local churches.

-written by Rahn, Rochester & Ringenberg (Spring 2007)