What A Healthy Youth Ministry Looks Like
A healthy parish is going to have a healthy youth ministry program. Without the next generation, a church loses its appeal for families. It lacks in...
At a certain point your leadership will reach it’s limits. It can be confusing because you will work harder and longer only to plateau. To take things to the next level you need your volunteer ministers to step up.
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Your volunteer ministers are priceless. The problem is that we don’t know how to maximize their value. If we did then we would see our ministry grow bigger and stronger. To get the most out of your volunteer ministers you need to:
ASK FOR THEIR FEEDBACK
Give your team the chance to chime in. Not only will they feel like you care about their opinion, but you’ll gather some great insight.
The best way to gather feedback is to have your volunteer ministers do a S.W.O.T. (Strengths. Weaknesses. Opportunities. Threats) analysis. This is especially valuable with new volunteers because they’ll have a fresh perspective.
GIVE THEM OWNERSHIP
It’s one thing to give them responsibilities, it’s another thing to give them ownership. Allow your volunteer ministers to create, organize and lead different components of your ministry. It will build confidence and give you margin.
Start with people you trust and give them achievable tasks. Use the momentum from small wins to take on the big challenges.
FEED AND FUEL THEM
Youth ministry is going to be a marathon for you and your ministers. They are going to go through periods where serving the next generation is rough. You need them to give them the fuel to keep going by:
- Building a resource library.
- Taking them to conferences and trainings.
- Share wins and stories of life change.
When you feed and fuel your volunteer ministers you build a healthy culture.
GET THEM ON THE PASTOR’S RADAR
It’s one thing when you thank your team, it’s another when praise comes from the pastor. To get your pastor to give a shoutout you need to let him know who they are.
Take time to sit down with your pastor and tell him about people who are taking the reigns and leading. Then find time to introduce him to your team. It boost their ego and give your pastor insight into your ministry.
Make your volunteer ministers a priority. Content, events and programs can only go so far on your own efforts. To take them to the next level you need to invest in your volunteer ministers.
What do you need most from your volunteer ministers?