bold moves
How To Be Bold
There I was on top of a telephone pole, sweating profusely trying to ignore the chants of “Jump, jump, jump.” from my classmates. Our high school had...
Last Sunday was fall kickoff for our middle school program and the energy was thumping. The feedback I got from some of our volunteers was a mix of excitement and being a little overwhelmed. When it comes to middle school youth ministry there can be a lot of chaos and to take it on you need to be bold.
Courtesy of Powderruns/Creative Commons License
Not only can youth ministry be messy it can be a little scary. You are embarking in a spiritual battle, fighting through the noise and trying to grow disciples. You know this as a youth minister; however, you need your volunteers to embrace the battle. You need them to be bold because it will help your ministry become a movement. To create bold volunteers you need to:
- Set Them Up For Success: You might overlook small details that can totally derail your volunteers. To make sure they are set up for success make sure you are overly prepared. Listen to their needs and if possible meet them. When you can make sure they are equipped and prepared they can walk into a room of teenagers feeling bold.
- Allow Them To Vent: When a volunteer feels isolated it can be dangerous. They are going to have nights that chew them up and spit them out. Make sure they have a safe place to vent, complain, cry and share. If they know they have your ear they’ll be bold in spiritual battle. They’ll know that they are not alone have you by their side.
- Rally Them In Community: Again, isolation can burn out a volunteer. Keep them connected in community by hosting gatherings and meetings where volunteers can just share life with one another. Remind them that they are working together and together they are a force.
- Love On Them Constantly: Set them up for success but let them know you care about them as individuals. Find out where they like to eat, what they like to do and what drives their engine. Invest in them not just as volunteers but as leaders. When you invest in your team you build them up in their knowledge and boldness.
Bold volunteers leads to a bold ministry. You will not only walk with the students that come into your ministry, you will be a presence in your community. Be bold by developing confident, equipped and team oriented volunteers.
What’s the biggest challenge your volunteers face?