It can be a struggle to get your ministry noticed by the rest of the church. As a youth minister you know teens can contribute and have an impact. The challenge is getting other people to see it too.
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If your youth ministry isn’t noticed it can feel like an afterthought. So, how does a ministry rise to the surface? How do you start getting others to invest and advocate for you? It begins by:
A healthy youth ministry is one that gets noticed. To do that you need to stop planning events and start creating a ministry with a sustainable format.
Getting healthy takes patience and a vision. Take time with your team to talk about what a healthy youth ministry looks like. (4 Components Of A Healthy Youth Ministry, click here)
You need to make sure everyone, not just teens and parents, know who you are. Best place to be seen is on Sundays helping out and serving at Mass.
It will give you opportunities to talk to parents who usually just drop off and drive away during your youth programs. Being present on the weekends will also communicate that you care not just about youth ministry but the rest of the parish.
The tendency is to get teens involved in youth friendly events. While there is nothing wrong with that you need to go beyond the youth room. Plug teens into serving opportunities alongside of adults. Whether it’s in the church building or in the community make their presence known.
When you give adults the opportunity to get to know the teens in your church they’ll respond. You’ll not only create a healthy church, but a powerful youth presence.
Your parish is full of leaders. Reach out to them and let them get to know you. Cast vision and let them know why you care so much about youth ministry. With their connections and their influence they’ll be great at advocating for your ministry.
Your most important advocate is the pastor. The relationship you have with him matters whether or not the youth ministry will ever get noticed. Lead up by investing in him as your leader. Ask, “What can I do for you?” and build his trust.
If your pastor trusts you he’ll help you. He’ll see you as an investment worth taking and will want you to succeed. You just need to make sure your relationship with him is a priority. (For more on the relationship you need with your pastor, click here)
To get your ministry noticed takes work, but it is doable. You just need to remain patient and keep persistent. The more you can turn that wheel and get the word out, the more buy in you will have.
[reminder] What have you done to get your youth ministry noticed? [/reminder]
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