44 Youth Ministry Models

Ok, I lied: there are only really 11 here! Each one, however, will morph dramatically 4 different ways depending on whether your main driving focus is to bring people in, build them up, link them together or send them out.

These 11 (or 44) models of youth ministry are not exhaustive – but you’d be hard pushed to find one that doesn’t broadly fit into one of them. Usually we blend a few together with mixed success.

I’m not really critiquing or endorsing any of them at this point. They are, however, worth considering at both the creative and the strategic level, so have fun!

1. The Funnel Model

The Funnel Model – which was more recently made famous by Doug Field’s Purpose Driven Youth Ministry – has been around since the dinosaurs. The idea is to run several specific projects with different focuses and to funnel people through them as they mature and learn.

The idea is to slowly move people through the projects at a comfortable and accessible pace so they can first feel comfortable, then hear the gospel and accept it.

This is probably what most youth groups use. If you have three projects, such as a large youth club, a mid weak smaller group and Sunday morning Bible study, and you have a goal to eventually see youth club attendees come to the Bible study, then you’re probably using this yourself.

Take care to not play bait and switch by being honest in every stage with your intentions to share Jesus.

2. The Hour Class or Full Circle Model

This is a slightly more modern variation on the funnel model. As the hourglass shape would suggest, once you funnel them into the point you then equip them to be the evangelists and team leaders of the initial projects – thus taking them full circle.

The trap here is a closed circle that has only limited appeal and limited application – thus gets smaller over time.

3. The Incarnational Model

The incarnation was God becoming man in Jesus and living among us. In the same way the youth worker immerses themselves in the lives and culture of young people as a way of living among them.

This is a very widely used model in America and is driven by the compassionate idea that we need to be involved in every aspect of young people’s lives and look for every opportunity to speak gospel truth. Obviously watch out for safeguarding issues!

4. The Cell Model

Organic cells split and multiply – as do Cell Models of youth work. The idea is to start off with one small group and to put all your energy and resources into making that work. It inevitably grows (because of your care and attention) and gets big enough to split into two groups. These groups continue to grow and split exponentially, and your ministry grows.

If not fully committed to this model then it’s easy to end up taking a side road and end up blurring into another model. The key is to make sure that you are constantly multiplying resources and training people to take on leadership roles.

5. The Hub Model

All projects and ministries effectively flow into and out of one central hub. This could be a youth gathering, drop in club, or established centre. I used to run a high street youth cafe which did just this.

A Hub Model is one of the best ways of creating community, but it can also be a stretch on your resources when you inevitably need to branch out into other areas.

6. The Grassroots Model

Very effective in smaller churches! You simply pour all your energy into discipling and equipping a few young people who you are already connected with (most likely though church families), then train them to be incarnational peer evangelists in their schools.

Make sure that these young people are well supported, and be prepared to create something for them to bring friends to.

7. The Institutional Model

The institutional model relies on basing ministry around an already established institution. Usually this will be a school, but it could easily be a library, community centre, sports team or scout troop.

The idea is to serve the needs of the institution first, then sow into it with Gospel truths, thus cultivating a Christian culture from within.

Care needs to be taken that you are honouring the institution by being transparent and servant-hearted.

8. The Enterprise Model

These often work well as social enterprises or social projects. You take an easy business model such as cafe, charity shop or community service project and then develop a Christian ethos into it. You then use young people to staff it as a way of doing vocational training. You use Christian business principles and share the Gospel through the work.

If done properly, this can be an incredibly powerful self-sustaining model. Done badly, it will drain your resources and will not be able to compete in a local market.

9. The Equip Model

Ideally suited to rural areas where young people turn 18 and leave, The Equip Model is purely focused on preparing them for adulthood. Rather than trying to connect young people to the church community for the long haul, you teach them what they will need to successfully find a healthy church community later. This model has a lot of footfall, and can awkwardly need reinventing every year.

10. The Family Focus Model

Currently being trialed by a few large evangelical churches, The Family Focus Model is driven by the conviction that youth segregation is not biblical. Instead of running particular and specific youth projects, it runs things that work for the whole family unit and trains everyone to take care of each other.

This can create an incredible seeker-friendly family environment for a church, but can also make young people on the outside feel isolated and rejected if not watched carefully.

11. The Mentor Model

More charitably this is probably a blend of the Family Focus Model and The Grassroots Model. The idea is to pair up young people with committed individuals in the church that will specifically mentor them personally. You will create projects that get all of young people and mentors together, and you will do training and debriefing with the mentors themselves.

Watch out for safeguarding issues, and know that this will only ever grow as large as the available mentors.