Wow! It sounds like your student ministry is experiencing a revival,” a youth pastor friend said to me after I shared what’s been happening in our ministry.
Our student ministry recently experienced an incredible season of growth. After facing challenges that hindered us from gathering, we were able to come together again, and the results were remarkable. We began 2022 with just seven volunteers and a handful of teens in attendance, but over time, that number grew to an amazing 53 dedicated team members. Attendance also surged. Where we once averaged around 30 students in our Sunday gatherings, we began to hit triple digits in attendance.
It was truly amazing to witness this season of growth and momentum in our ministry.
“Daniel, that’s great, but you serve a bigger church. I don’t have the same level of support in my student ministry.” This is the response when I speak with many youth workers, where they often share that student ministry is becoming increasingly challenging and that the next generation seems harder than ever to reach.
While I can understand this perspective, I believe the trend is shifting. Revival is happening. Students are hungrier than ever to grow in their relationship with Christ. They have a deep desire to worship God and are eager to be fed with the Word of God, far more than with any secular content.
We often hear the term “revival” in discussions about Gen Z. Countless books, articles, and videos call them the “Revival Generation.” But what exactly is revival?
Shane Pruitt
“Many people think revival is a feeling where your emotions are stirred with lots of crying, and Holy Spirit goosebumps,” said Shane Pruitt, National Next Gen Director for the North American Mission Board. “Of course, tears may be involved. But true revival is God’s people getting serious and worshiping him above all and living out their true purpose of knowing him and making him known. Revival is God’s people awakening to their true calling.”
Pruitt is co-author of Calling Out the Called, and he speaks frequently at student ministry events. He will be a featured preacher at IBSA’s Youth Encounter November 22-23.
“Basically, the Holy Spirit empowers and inspires people to get serious about following Jesus and obeying the Scriptures,” Pruitt said.
But are they?
In February 2023, a profound spiritual awakening took place at Asbury University’s Hughes Auditorium. On February 8, during a routine chapel service, an extraordinary move of God began, leading to 16 consecutive days of revival. Much like a revival in 1970 that began there and spread to other campuses, students from across the nation experienced salvation, rededicated their lives to Christ, and gathered in worship and prayer.
This spiritual outpouring spread beyond Asbury, touching universities such as Cedarville, Lee, and Wheaton College. A Wheaton student shared with me, “Every night at 10 p.m., people gathered in our chapel auditorium, praying and worshipping all night until classes resumed the next morning.” The Asbury revival is a powerful reminder that God has not given up on the next generation.
“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” Psalm 85:5 says. Revival is a spiritual awakening that occurs within a group of people. The Bible tells us that there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7). Today, we are witnessing the powerful movement of God transforming lives in this generation.
Can student ministries open the way for renewal in the church?
What are some practical steps we can take to cultivate a culture of revival in the current generation?
Invest in volunteer leaders
You can’t run a student ministry alone; you need a dedicated team of faithful volunteers and prayer warriors. As pastors, it’s our responsibility to invest in the spiritual lives of our leaders so they, in turn, can disciple students (Eph 4:11-16).
In my first two years, I focused on building up our leaders. I met with two or three leaders each week over lunch or coffee, or by phone. Because these leaders were spiritually nurtured, they were able to invest in their students. As a result, God blessed us with growth in both leadership and student engagement.
Invest in worship ministry
Building a worship culture is worth the investment. I intentionally recruited college students who had a passion for worship. We were able to create a thriving, student-led worship band for our Sunday night services by mentoring student musicians.
Over time, this band grew to include more than 30 students and volunteers, regularly leading four songs each week. Through worship, students were able to engage with the gospel and respond to its message.
Invest in gospel-centered messages
As a storyteller, it’s tempting to entertain students with creative messages. However, my mission is to preach the Word. Paul’s advice to Timothy is clear: “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2). While stories may draw attention, it’s the truth of God’s Word that draws students closer to Jesus.
Invest in presence
The beauty of the gospel is that God initiated the first move by sending his own Son to earth. Many claim to have a heart for the lost, but too often, we find ourselves sitting at our desks, waiting for students to come to our ministry gatherings. If we want to reach them, we have to go to them. That’s why I committed to visiting local schools during lunch and after school, twice a week. I spent time with students, at lunch or at their games or shows.
Six months later, I started bringing my interns and leaders with me, creating a culture where our team goes the extra mile to be present in the students’ lives.
Invest in prayer
Our ministry starts at 6 p.m. on Sundays. So, I invited our leaders to gather at 5:30 for prayer. This time of prayer proved vital.
As the leaders began praying for one another and for the students, a culture of prayer started to grow among the students as well, especially in small groups. Just as Scripture is the bread of life, prayer is the water that sustains us. Create a culture of prayer within your ministry, and watch how it transforms lives.
Invest in media
The next generation is constantly on their phones or tablets, and it’s easy for us to view media as something harmful to our Christian journey. However, I believe it’s time to re-imagine our perspective and instead use media as an opportunity to share the gospel.
With that in mind, I assigned one of our volunteers to manage our Facebook and Instagram accounts, posting three pieces of Christian content weekly.
I also tasked our production volunteer with uploading video content on a regular basis. By increasing our media presence, we’ve seen students engaging more with our ministry through these digital platforms.
The past three years of investing in young leaders and students haven’t been easy, but I can confidently say it’s been worth every moment. I’ve witnessed students publicly declare their faith, launch Christian clubs in public schools, and boldly share the gospel with non-believers—all evidences of revival.
Pouring into the next generation is challenging, but the impact is eternal—it’s truly worth it. Revival is happening all around us. We saw it in the early church in the book of Acts, and it continues even now.
Daniel Kim is student pastor at Gospelife Church in Wheaton and Carol Stream, Illinois.