I’ve been serving in Bridgeway Student Ministries for nine years. Just like our Director of Student Ministries, Cody Michener, I grew up in this same youth ministry when I was in middle and high school, and it’s such a blessing to get to pour back into the ministry that poured into me.
The best things about youth nights are seeing students grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus, make new friends, and feel safe to ask questions– all while having fun! That’s what this ministry is all about. But the second best thing to me as a leader is the relationships built with the students.
There’s nothing quite like greeting a quiet, shy student at the start of the night and chatting up a storm by the end. I love hearing how their week has been, a high and low from their day, and then bonding over a light game of UNO– actually who am I kidding, a very intense game of UNO! Those DRAW 4’s ignite some friendly competition! 🙂 By the end of round one, we’re talking, laughing, and creating a safe space for students to just be.
For the past three years, I’ve led the middle school girl breakout group after the message. We’ll form a circle, begin with a fun ice breaker question, and then pass around a talking piece so that each student has a chance to respond and reflect on what they’ve heard. We’ve had great discussions on how the message relates to school, friends, hobbies, and more. They bring such authentic and honest questions, and their curiosity encourages my own faith and walk with Jesus. We’ve gotten into a rhythm and I enjoy the rapport and connections built with one another during that time.
…And then a plot twist was sent our way– breakout group leaders were going to swap groups! As for me? I was switching from middle school girls to high school boys. Say what?! I was so curious to see their reactions and how a group of high school boys would respond to three female leaders leading their discussion. We had heard they were a quieter group and may be slow to open up. Would they stay quiet? Would they feel comfortable sharing with us? I was nervously excited, but ready and open to how God was going to use this moment.
The message ends, new group leaders are announced, and we head to the lounge to start our conversation. To my surprise, the group was SO energetic, engaging, and eager to answer questions. The energy in the room was so high, we had to regroup a few times to make sure we could get to the next question on the list. They talked about their individual takeaways from the message, posed questions to their peers, and encouraged others to share. Now, I’ll keep it real with you– was it a bit chaotic at times? Yes. Was there laughter and jokes throughout the conversation? For sure! But the substance of the conversation was there. The connection was building. And God was present. We even ended our group with one student encouraging another to pray who hadn’t done so before. God was moving, and I was blessed to be a part of this time with them.
One student on their way out of the breakout said, “I’m not sure what’s going on here or why the switch, but this was great and I hope we get to see more of you guys.” Wow! I was totally caught off guard in the best way. You know the feeling when someone surprises you with a thoughtful gift? This moment felt like that. Totally unexpected. Overwhelmingly heartwarming. After talking with a few more students from the high school boys group, word on the street was it was one of the best groups they’ve had.
The following week, I noticed new connection points were made between me and the high school boys during free time that weren’t there before. And I look forward to more meaningful moments that God will create from our breakout group experience.
You never know what God is up to. He used a spontaneous breakout leader switcheroo to foster new connections and create another space for students to ask questions and explore their faith. God can use you in ways you never expected, so stay ready! He’s up to something. And it’s going to be good.