Yesterday at my son’s high school baseball game, something simple happened that stuck with me.
A few of his travel coaches showed up. No heads up, no announcement—they just came to support him, another player on the field, and one of their fellow coaches.
I walked over, we caught up for a bit, and you could tell they were genuinely happy to be there. After the game, they spent a few minutes talking with my son about how he played. Nothing long, nothing formal—but it meant a lot to him.
It wasn’t complicated. But it mattered.
And honestly, it got me thinking.
That’s the kind of ministry I always loved doing… and if I’m being honest, the kind I wish I had done more consistently.
There were seasons where I was better at it than others. Going to games, sitting through concerts, showing up to a school play or an afterschool club. None of it felt big, but it always felt worth it.
The problem wasn’t knowing this mattered.
The problem was every time I left the office, I felt like I was falling behind somewhere else.
Every time I stepped out, I knew there were emails waiting, programs that still needed to be finished, meetings I hadn’t prepared for. There was always something else I could have been doing.
But when I actually showed up, I was doing the kind of ministry I cared about most.
I don’t regret those moments. I knew they mattered.
When you show up in someone’s world—when you take an interest in their life outside of your program—it builds trust. Not always in a way you can measure right away, but over time it sticks. I still see the fruit of those relationships now, years later, in young adults who are still connected to their parish.
We all know this matters. The challenge is figuring out how to actually do it… without everything else falling behind.
Reframe what it means to go out
Showing up in the community isn’t extra. It’s not something you do if you happen to have time.
It’s ministry.
When you go to a game, a performance, or a school event, you’re not just “being nice.” You’re practicing pastoral care. You’re stepping into someone else’s world and reminding them they matter.
If we keep treating this like an add-on, it will always get pushed aside.
At some point, we have to decide that this counts.
Build it into your calendar
You may not know every schedule months in advance, but you usually know enough to get started. Sit down with a few parents or teens and ask, “What are a few events this year that I shouldn’t miss?”
You don’t need a full calendar. Just start with a handful.
Put those dates in early. Protect them as best you can. Ask people to remind you as they get closer.
You don’t need to do more. You need to be consistent with a few.
If you’re not sure where to start, pick one student and one event this month. Put it on your calendar now. Don’t overcomplicate it—just go.
Invite others to come with you
You don’t have to do this on your own.
Let your pastor, staff, or volunteers know when you’re going to be out at something. Invite them to join you.
When more than one person from the parish shows up, it says something different. It’s not just you—it’s the Church showing up.
It also makes it easier to follow through. There’s something about knowing someone else will be there that helps you actually go.
Don’t try to cover everything
If you start thinking you need to be at every game, every concert, every event, you’ll burn out before you begin.
You’re going to miss things. That’s just reality.
Start with a few students. Be intentional. Let it grow over time.
Sometimes the moment you show up to what feels like a small thing ends up being the moment that really matters.
You don’t have to be everywhere. You just have to be present somewhere.
Be honest about what’s getting in the way
If your schedule is so packed that you can’t leave the office, it’s worth asking why.
Yes, your programming matters. But if it constantly competes with the lives your teens are already living, it’s always going to feel like you’re pulling against something.
This doesn’t mean cancel everything. It might just mean creating a little margin so you can actually be present.
When you start by showing up in their world, things shift.
You begin to understand their rhythms. You connect with parents more naturally. And when you invite them into something at the parish, it doesn’t feel like one more obligation—it feels like a continuation of a relationship that already exists.
That kind of ministry might feel slower. It might feel less efficient. It will definitely be messier.
But it’s also more human.
And in the long run, it’s more sustainable.
If you want young people to care about your ministry, it starts with showing them that you care about them.
Before you move on, take two minutes and ask yourself:
- Where am I already being invited into someone’s world?
- What’s one event I could show up to in the next two weeks?
- What would I need to move or say no to in order to make that happen?
Start there.