* Relationships are the first steps for students to meet Jesus
Students want to be known. Relational trust has to come first, for students to ever care what you say or believe. Why should they believe something from someone they don't like, or who doesn't like them? Do NOT fall into the build relationships as a means to an end. The relationships must exist as their own end. You need to love students because they are God's kids, not because you want to move them to some other place in their life. Think of it like this; would you have a relationship with a student who told you they would never, ever go to church or love Jesus? Do they have value to you simply because they "are"?
* Relationships are the biggest group of students.
You will always have more students in this phase of your ministry than any other. Jesus tells us that the number of people who follow Him is small. In His own ministry, you see a movement from large crowds, to a few, to one or two of those closest to Him. Ministry is the same paradigm. This entry point of being known and knowing others is the easiest to be a part of, requires the least of students, and is very attractive to a lot of kids. As you evaluate your group, you should consistently have more students at this level than any other. If you don't, either you aren't being generous enough with your love as a group, or you have watered down the upper tiers of the pyramid too much.
* Some students will never leave this level.
While we hope to see every student advance up to a deeper love and relationship with Jesus, it won't always happen. Some students who you genuinely love will stay at level 1. They just will. It's God's job to draw them, to move them, to change them. It is not our job. It IS our job to love them faithfully, and speak His truth to them consistently. But simply doing these things doesn't mean a student must move up the levels. You are not failing if they stay at level 1. Pray for them, do what is right, and patiently wait for God to work. Don't force students to be what they actually are not.
* No one completely leaves this level
You will have students grow, follow Jesus, and become amazing levels. They will always need the relational piece of ministry, and it will always be the foundation you build on. When you forget this, you turn ministry and mentoring into business meetings, and it stops. Love your core kids, spend time with them laughing and being silly. They are amazing teenagers, but they are still teenagers. Relationships always matter. You don't move from one level to the next, you simply build one on the other. Never forget that.
Next up, we'll discuss level 2; Evangelism.
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