I am always amazed and astonished by the Biblical story of the birth of Christ in Luke 2:1–39. I love to read it at Christmastime, plus I find myself reading it several other times each year. I love that account of Mary and Joseph’s trip to Bethlehem for the birth of the Christ Child. Humanly speaking, I am saddened that the birth of our Lord—the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and Creator of the universe—took place in a manger and not in a grand and gorgeous palace. I can intellectually appreciate the role that prophecy played in that location, but my heart hurts because of the place that the world had for Him.

It is for that reason that I tend to look at Luke’s account of this event as a masterful three-act drama that culminates with the response by the shepherds to the angelic pronouncement of the birth of Christ. Imagine with me the unfolding of this magnificent production.
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One major trend in today’s youth ministry is the development of small groups. Most larger youth groups are doing all they can to become small. Certainly many advantages of a small group ministry abound. It’s easier to build stronger, interpersonal relationships with individual kids, and those relationships help students feel a part of something significant. Small groups allow adult youth workers to develop a team-building ministry, and small groups usually help assimilate teenagers into the larger youth group community or the entire church.

Small youth groups already have these advantages going for them, but many small churches fail to recognize these benefits. As my friend Tim Ahlgrim says, “Small youth groups are small youth groups.” Therefore, youth workers in smaller churches should focus on the positive characteristics of their particular situations and avoid feeling helpless or trapped in a “small” mentality. The following four practical ministry tips will help youth workers in small churches accomplish those goals.
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