Communication
Should You Have To Work Weekends?
Should you have to work weekends to run a healthy youth ministry? YES. I didn’t always think that way because I didn’t want to think that way. I...
Remember when communicating was simple? If you wanted teens to come to an event you sent home a flyer. If you wanted people to join your volunteer team you shot them an email. Sadly, those days are long gone.
Courtesy of _MaRiNa_/Creative Commons License
To get people to move and accept an invitation takes more than an email. It takes a strategy, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. If you want to recruit more volunteers, invite more teens and get people on board with your vision you need to:
EMBRACE THE POWER OF FACE TO FACE
Nothing is more powerful than a personal interaction. Your chances of recruiting a minister, or engaging a teenager rises because you develop a connection with the other person.
While face to face doesn’t always end with a yes you are more likely to get a response quicker. Email, and voice messages do not communicate urgency.
DEVELOP ADVOCATES
Find people who can communicate on your behalf. This will extend your capacity physically and relationally. You cannot connect with everyone, a variety of personalities will lead to more relationships.
To develop advocates find people who understand the vision and are great at networking. Encourage them to speak on your behalf and introduce you to people that are outside your circle of connections.
BE CREATIVE AND CLEAR
It’s difficult to move people into action if you communicate in the same way over and over again. After a while they’ll assume they know what you are saying and take it for granted.
Change up your mediums, modes and make sure that you are clear with what you want to say. Creative doesn’t mean abstract it’s about hitting people logically and emotionally.
CONTINUOUSLY ASK
As a youth minister you need to continuously build relationships. Some of those relationships will have immediate results and others are investing in the future. When you continuously ask you build a bank of relationships that you can tap into when the need is greater.
Communication is a huge part of leading a ministry. Never underestimate it’s value. Look at different forms of communication, and pick up resources that will improve your methods (Check out To Sell Is Human by Daniel H. Pink HERE). When you can communicate clearly and effectively you will be able to create a movement with your ministry.
[reminder] What’s your most effective mode of communication? [/reminder]