Here I Am: 5 Ways Your Youth Group Can Serve This Month

Young people often want to make a difference but are not sure where to start. Scripture gives a clear starting point: a willing heart. Here are five simple ways a youth group can serve this month, each rooted in a KJV passage you can read together before you begin.

1. Start by saying yes

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”Isaiah 6:8 (KJV)

Isaiah did not know every detail before he answered. He simply made himself available. Begin your month by asking each student to write down one way they are willing to say "Here am I" to God, at home, at school, or at church.

Try this: Open your next gathering with Isaiah 6:8 and a short time of prayer, asking God to show the group where to serve.

2. Feed, clothe, and visit

“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.”Matthew 25:35-36 (KJV)

Jesus names everyday acts of care. Your group could run a canned food drive, collect coats and socks as the weather turns cold, or make cards for church members who are sick or homebound.

Try this: Partner with a local food pantry for one Saturday of sorting and stocking shelves.

3. Carry someone's load

“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”Galatians 6:2 (KJV)

Some service is quiet. Encourage students to notice who is struggling: a classmate eating alone, a sibling under stress, a friend who just lost someone. A note, a text, or simply sitting with someone can help carry a burden.

Try this: Hand out blank encouragement cards and give students ten minutes to write to someone who needs it.

4. Remember widows and the fatherless

“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”James 1:27 (KJV)

Many churches have widows and elderly members who would love a visit. Raking leaves, carrying groceries, or sharing a meal can mean a great deal. Students might also support a local foster care ministry with care packages.

Try this: Ask your pastor for a list of members who would welcome help with yard work, and schedule a service afternoon.

5. Welcome the stranger

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”Hebrews 13:2 (KJV)

Hospitality starts close to home. Encourage students to welcome new visitors to youth group, invite someone new to sit with them, or help with a church greeting team on Sunday.

Try this: Assign a "welcome team" each week to greet visitors by name and introduce them to others.

Wrapping up the month

At the end of the month, gather to share stories. What did students see God do? Who did they meet? Close by reading Isaiah 6:8 again and praying for the next opportunity to say, "Here am I; send me."