As a young believer, I used to assume that spiritual growth correlated with the size of the church you attended. I thought, “If this church has a large youth group, that means they are a growing, thriving church.” However, I was overlooking the internal side of growth which can often happen in ministry. We forget to approach this conversation with an outlook that is focused on students’ internal state of being. Instead, we focus on how we are going to change things externally.
So how do we measure non-numeric growth in the spiritual lives of students? We see it in how they choose to live their lives on a daily basis. Here are a few ways that we get a glimpse into who they are becoming as they grow in their ability to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
1. A change in heart.
Within youth ministry, you can see the difference between the teens who distance themselves and the ones who are open and receptive. The difference might be obvious, but youth go through these changing seasons of being receptive to the message or shielding themselves from hearing the truth. You can see the change in heart within the little things like praying before the big game or when having a meal with friends; they might offer to pick up their sibling after school or wash the dishes for mom without being asked; they could be more attentive in a Sunday service or more present at a youth group. These are signs they are becoming receptive to the presence of the Holy Spirit. God is impressing upon their hearts where they need to start laying down their burdens, worries, social pressures and allow him to carry their yoke.
2. Having a question.
Youth are growing spiritually when they start forming their own questions and begin seeking answers. They have this amazing ability to ask you questions you hadn’t thought of beforehand. They get you thinking, and they know how to spot the honest answers from the rehearsed ones. When your middle school and high school students want to hear what you think, don’t be afraid to be real with them. Youth crave authenticity, and hearing about the struggles you went through allows them to feel seen and know that they aren’t alone. When youth ask questions about their faith, it doesn’t mean they are doubting it all. They might be curious and want to have a better understanding of what it means to follow Jesus. They want to own a genuine faith and to not form a generic, cookie cutter faith.
3. A desire to serve.
Can you remember that passion you had to do something that would make a large impact or a strong desire to pour yourself into something that would bring change, give you purpose, and a sense of identity? Youth have a strong sense of motivation, which is remarkable when paired with their growing desire to know Jesus and a passion to serve. You can be encouraged by the spiritual growth of your youth group when they have willing hearts to serve Jesus, their circle of family and friends, and their community.
It is funny that spiritual growth is different than its physical side. When we physically “grow,” we get bigger, taller, stronger, faster, and tougher. In the process of our spiritual growth, God changes our hearts, drawing us closer to him by revealing himself to us. Then we begin to see the parts of ourselves we want to let go, lay down, and allow God to mend, renew, and fill. It takes vulnerability to see spiritual growth because it requires honesty in where we are with God.
When a church is growing, you’ll see a family being shaped from the people coming together to support each other, and the youth are part of that family. They might have their retreats or conferences full of all-nighters and craziness, but they are a part of the church family. In my Navajo upbringing, we see family as an interwoven part of our life. My brothers and sisters aren’t just my siblings; they include my cousins, friends, and relatives who are connected to me through clans. If you came to a church on my district, you’d have one of the másánás (grandmothers) greet you with a smile and call you her shi yazhi (little one). I love how my family allowed me to see that family is more than blood relations; it is who I am doing life with. It is those who have my back spiritually, invest in me, and love on me like Christ. So, if we want to be growing our youth spiritually, we need to model what it means to be a church family.
