You are a parent of a teenager and you don't take that responsibility lightly. In fact, it sometimes causes fear and it often keeps you in continual prayer. Not only for your child's well-being and faith but for your handling of your child's well-being and faith.

Modern youth ministry (often referred to as relation-based youth ministry) has often set up a place in the church ministry for youth to share and grow in their faith. It is often done with wonderful adults who form relationships with these youth to provide that important significant other adult relationship as teens' explore their faith through tumultuous adolescence.

Most often parents have been left out of this process of youth ministry, unless you decide to serve on the volunteer staff. Whether your church has a youth ministry or not, it is you who is ultimately responsible for your child.

After sixty-plus years of this sort of youth ministry, ministers are finally starting to realize that parents are the number one influencer in their child's life and a faith that lasts into adulthood most often happens with the influence of the parent. That is you. Did you know that? Did you know that as your baby child is pulling away emotionally from you as a normal part of adolescent development that you are needed as much as when they were babies and needed to be fed? It is true. Every adolescent study says so.

In all truth, successful youth ministry comes from helping parents raise their own children.

Maybe you've already been frustrated that your church youth ministry doesn't completely reflect what you would like your child to learn. Maybe you've been wanting to be that spiritual trainer of your child but you feel incapable, especially when you compare yourself to the talented youth worker at your church.

Family-based youth ministry is a new model that includes parents in the youth ministry. Not just to serve food and chaperone but to also be taught alongside your child. To be given opportunities to pass on your faith to your child in a church setting. To have the youth ministry be a resource for the you and your teen.

This website is full of articles and resources of others changing their youth ministry to this model. Get informed. Bookmark this page. This is a working website adding new ideas and new resources from people who are trying out this new youth ministry model. Borrow the ideas. Submit ideas. Ideas from actual parents are respected here. They are desperately needed. Talk to your pastor and youth worker. Be a part of changing your church's youth ministry to one that helps you do your God-given role better.