The term “tradition” in youth ministry can be defined this way—if your group has done something more than one time, it’s a tradition.  If you do a lock-in in September of 2009 and another lock-in in September 2010, then…”We’ve always done lock-ins in September.  It’s a tradition!”

Many youth ministry traditions are good and need to be repeated year after year.  Usually, those traditions are programming events—retreats, lock-ins, camps, fund raisers, etc.  Unfortunately, though, those events can drive the ministry to the point where the entire year—studies, spiritual growth ideas, leadership development, community building, and mentoring become tradition, too.  We fall back on the excuse that if it worked last year, then it will work just as well this year.  Nothing new happens.  We keep doing the same thing, over and over again.  We keep putting new wine (a new year) in an old wine skin (tradition).  Eventually, the wine skin with burst.

Consider using a new wine skin as you think about youth ministry.  The Search Institute, www.search-institute.org, has identified 40 developmental assets that help kids succeed.  They help families, schools, and communities make the world a better place for kids.

Many of these developmental assets, http://www.search-institute.org/developmental-assets/lists, are probably already being used in your youth ministry.  The list is not an earth-shattering, foundation crumbling list of assets we’ve never heard before.  It is a common-sense list of things you’d want all of your teenagers to have as they graduate.

Karl Barth told us to think with the newspaper in one hand and the Bible in the other.  When it comes to youth ministry in a new context, think with the 40 Developmental Assets in one hand the Bible in the other.  You will be amazed at how well they fit together!

David Woody