The movie, Field of Dreams, made this statement famous, “If you build it they will come.” I know the movie was about baseball but I believe this can be true about our youth ministries too. If we can start being intentional with our words and our programming, making our youth ministries more girl-friendly (building it), I believe they will come.

When we start to communicate truths that girls are desperate to hear because of the lies they are told by the world, we make our ministries a safe place for them. They will come…and they will bring friends.

We are digging into 4 messages that girls can’t hear enough from the men in their lives.

Part 1 – “I get it.” We communicate this by daring to bravely enter into and attempting to understand girl world. (Check out part 1 for more details on this first step.)

The second message girls need to hear from you is:

“You Belong.”

Everywhere girls turn they are told they are not good enough, that they don’t measure up to the standard. They are searching for a place they can belong and place that accepts them just as they are.

universeofbeauty

We can say it all we want with our words, but girls are watching for all of our non-verbal messages.

Can they SEE that they belong?

Do we communicate the same thing the world does? That in order to belong they have to meet the standard…does our youth room feel like a school cafeteria?

Does our youth ministry only showcase students who are “beautiful”?

When they show up to our programs do they see themselves? This is about what the program looks like as well as who is running it.

Consider allowing girls to be part of planning the programs in addition to leading the programs. Also, find a variety of female adult leaders who can help lead programs.

Every time you give them the microphone or give them leadership in the planning of your programs…you communicate in a way that’s louder than words that they do belong, that the youth room is a place for them, just as they are.

The world tells girls everyday (seriously, everyday) that they don’t belong. Will your youth ministry be any different?

What do you do already to make your ministry safe for girls?