Christ had a balanced ministry. At times He taught the disciples, mentoring them. Other times, he would teach to the multitudes. We seek to have that same balance between discipling and reaching out. To do this, we have a weekly outreach event called YAK (Youth Activities Knight). It is extremely low-maintenance and yet high impact.
You tell your kids up front that it is an evening designed for their unchurched friends, with only a short devotion. The teens bring snacks, drinks, and friends. All you have to do is provide the program. We usually do stupid games, $5 challenges, dumb songs, snack time, a crazy rendition of Craig Kilborn’s 5 Questions with questions like “Who is cuter? ET or Yoda?” Then at the end of the evening, a short devo and snack time takes place. It’s awesome because it gives your teens an open opportunity to bring their friends to a comfortable environment, plus it’s low maintenance for you. Your sponsors love it too, because they just get to have fun, laugh with the teens, and spend time getting to know them better. Our youth group has grown ever since we instated this program.