If you want to make a difference in the lives of youth, it all starts with relationships. Youth don’t care what you know until they know that you care. And as you spend time with youth you will discover that more is caught than taught. Christ always focused on the needs of the people rather than programs. Too often today I think we have flipped Christ’s priorities upside down focusing more on programs than people.

We have programs for Bible Study, programs for church membership, programs for the elderly, programs for evangelism, missions programs and a program for worship. The list of programs goes on and on. Everything has a program. And programs are good when they help us to systematize the processes, knowledge and skills that make a difference in the lives of the youth we care for. But not everyone fits into a program. Not every need can be touched by a program. Not all knowledge is transfered through a program. People don’t feel the love of God through a program. They experience the love of God when people care for them on a deeply personal level.

Programs can never replace a personal relationship. God set up a program of worship for the Israelites. Each tribe had a program and a role. He placed a system of laws to guide them and direct them. He created a program for people to repent and get right with God. The Israelites took his program and it became legalism. Pharisees followed the program. Worship followed the program. But God’s intention was never the creation and maintenance of a program. His intention was a relationship. Forgiveness and Restoration. A day to day walk in intimacy with the Creator. Ultimately God revealed himself most fully not in a program, but in a person!

Jesus walked among us. He cried for us, hurt for us, poured himself out to us. His sole desire —- a relationship. That we might be reconciled with the Father. That we might walk with Him. That we might experience the fullness of his love and his compassion.

Jesus called the masses, preached to them, healed them and walked and taught among them. But he focused on a few disciples.

Youth ministry is a primarily a relationship, not a programme. This applies to each aspect of youth ministry, such as Sunday School or Friday nights. They are not programmes – they are part of the strategy. The “programme” is to influence the lives of young people towards a relationship with Christ. Youth programmes must be designed to foster relationships between young people and their friends, the youth leaders, and other significant adults, who can have an input into their lives and help them toward the greatest relationship – that with God himself.