Do You Know What Success In Your Ministry Looks Like?

We were running out of space. Teens were coming every week and engaged with the program. When you walked in there was an energy; yet, I didn’t feel like a success. Our numbers were growing, but the real question that lingered in my mind was, “Is this really making a difference?”

I battle a lot with insecurity, so I have to give myself some grace on the subject, but I do wonder, “How do I know if I’m really successful?” I know I’m not alone with this thought because many of the people I meet at conferences or coaching clients share that same thought. They want to know if there are other ways of measuring healthy beyond the numbers. While I think there are several ways of measuring the health of your programs, I think we have to go beyond the youth room walls and:

EVALUATE THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN OLD AND YOUNG

Youth ministry isn’t an extracurricular activity. It’s not a “perk” that churches who can afford it get to have. It’s a major organ of the church body that can’t be neglected. If the youth minister doesn’t have a healthy and working relationship with his or her coworkers and pastor then your success will be limited.

With poor communication at least three things will happen:

• There will be a conflict of space and resources. Important events and opportunities will collide preventing any momentum from being built.
• Passing along the faith will suffer. Youth ministry needs adult volunteers and adults need young people in their lives to challenge and inspire them in a way our peers cannot. Youth ministry links the two together.
• People will burn out. If your church doesn’t function like a team and collaborate feelings of isolation will increase. We were built for community.

Look at how your staff is working together. Does the liturgical ministry care about the youth ministry? Are people in children’s ministry working with the youth minister to equip teens to mentor small children? Where are the teens and the youth minister in the major discussions and initiatives in your parish?

LOOK AT THE RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT

Your numbers might be great now, but are you really growing disciples of Jesus Christ? The result of a child’s faith journey doesn’t just rest on your shoulders, but you can have an influence. A successful ministry will, of course, have a healthy influence and to measure it develop a plan to stay in touch with them.

That can be done simply by:

• Asking your small group leaders to take a year or two to stay in touch with students after they move away.
• Creating events during holidays where everyone can get together.
• Reaching out to individual students to grab a cup of coffee when they are in town.

By staying in touch you’ll not only continue to influence your teens but measure the work you put in during their adolescence years. When you connect with them ask them about their faith. See what they remembered and what impressions were made in their lives. Allow them to give you feedback and use that to improve the ministry. You might not like all the results but the feedback will be worth it.

FOCUS ON FULL IMMERSION

Youth ministry is more than just a program in your parish. It’s equipping, involving and commissioning teens to be the mobile church. A healthy and successful parish is one that has teens serving throughout the parish and in the community. They hold leadership roles just like anyone else. They are visible as leaders and participants because they’ve been taught that they don’t have to wait to be an active member of the church.

Their involvement and presence will inspire others to get involved because it means your church has a future. They’ll help the church grow because they won’t be afraid to try outside the box ideas. A successful youth ministry is one that knows how to go beyond the youth room walls to get the next generation involved.

I’m sure there is more to measure and at the same time, we can get stuck evaluating that we lose sight of the bigger picture. Don’t be afraid to go beyond the youth room, look at the entire parish. Focus on the vision God has given you and always listen to His call.

What tools or resources do you use to help you value success?

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