Youth
Almost three-quarters of those who decide to follow Jesus in Britain do so under the age of 20. That makes young people an amazing mission field.
Research shows well over half know someone who is a Christian. And almost one in five are actively interested in finding out more about the Christian faith.
That means millions of young people are waiting to be invited to a youth group or church to explore faith in Jesus for themselves.
Youth and the National Weekend of Invitation
The Weekend creates a platform for the whole church to step out and invite. Youth groups can be part of it – inviting friends and making an impact across the nation.
Social media is creating more virtual connections between young people. But research shows they are more physically isolated than ever. The National Weekend of Invitation is an ideal opportunity for youth groups to reach out to a generation on their doorstep.
Getting ready
Although young people tend to be less reserved about inviting than their elders, they still have to face the issue of fear. And need to be helped identify who God may be prompting them to invite and to nail down a commitment to do so.
To meet this need use the following video resources or teach the content yourself –
Then hold your own Invitation Cross activity based on How to run an Invitation Cross Sunday.
Your invitation event
If you have an existing youth group that’s accessible for non-Christians, this is the perfect place to begin. For the Weekend, think again about how you make people feel even more welcome.
Help your young people identify the kind of activities they would most like to invite their friends to. Then work with them to create and shape an event they would feel comfortable inviting mates to.
If you do not currently run anything for unchurched young people, the National Weekend of Invitation is the perfect launchpad. You might like to consider:
- A youth café
- A games night
- An open mic night
Other resources
The National Weekend of Invitation partners with Youth for Christ who have resources to help you with this initiative:
SYNC – Sync is a Youtube channel and series of youth sessions to inspire and equip young people to share their faith in an easy relational way.
Youth for Christ resources – These offer comprehensive children’s and youth ministry ideas for outreach and discipleship sessions from ages 7-18. They are perfect if you’re looking to start an outward focused group.
Alpha for young people – This series of films communicate the Christian faith over 10 weeks and is ideal to run off the back of the Weekend.
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