Youth Ministry Growth Strategies
The core growth strategy for my youth groups over the years has been creating a youth church environment of AUTHENTIC FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE. Though your preaching, worship, and evangelism all play a big part in youth ministry growth...your strongest "drawing card" to this lonely young adult culture will remain a RELATIONAL ONE.
As I speak to youth pastors, people always enthusiastically nod when I begin to talk about the importance of friendship and love. Yet, I am often left with the feeling that those listening "nod" better than they live. Maybe that's because lots of us as leaders grew up in homes and youth ministries that didn't model that behavior very consistently in front of us. So, let me list a few specific ways that you can model genuine love and friendship to the teenagers in your ministry. All of us will agree that these simple suggestions are "right." The more strategic question is, "How many of these suggestions did I actually DO last week?"
- If you've followed me for awhile, you've heard me talk about this one, but it's so important. Get out of your religious "Ivory Tower" and get into their world.
When was the last time that you showed up at one of your teenager's basketball games...at their school lunchroom...or the local fast-food joint that your kids congregate at after school? You'll never grow your youth ministry...let alone convince teenagers that you really care about them...if you always connect with them on "church turf." Showing up in their worlds not only makes them feel cared for, it also gives you more authenticity when you connect with them in the normal church settings.
- Make sure you spend lots more time actually connecting face-to-face with teenagers than you do sending emails or being on the internet!
That sounds like such a shallow and simple point. But as I've scanned time management documents of many sincere youth leaders, it is really obvious that they spend much more time with their computer than they do actual teenagers! Perhaps you are one of those amazing volunteer youth leaders who work a secular job and lead the youth ministry during your "off hours." Whatever your own specific situation, don't put yourself on a guilt-trip as to how much actual time you spend with your teenagers. JUST DO THE BEST YOU CAN AND KEEP IT A HIGH PRIORITY. One of my favorite youth ministry mottos is: "He who spends the most time WINS!" Granted, teenagers are a little tougher to spend time with than your computer. But if you are out of the "people business"...you're out of the ministry!
The core growth strategy for my youth groups over the years has been creating a youth church environment of AUTHENTIC FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE. Though your preaching, worship, and evangelism all play a big part in youth ministry growth...your strongest "drawing card" to this lonely young adult culture will remain a RELATIONAL ONE.
As I speak to youth pastors, people always enthusiastically nod when I begin to talk about the importance of friendship and love. Yet, I am often left with the feeling that those listening "nod" better than they live. Maybe that's because lots of us as leaders grew up in homes and youth ministries that didn't model that behavior very consistently in front of us. So, let me list a few specific ways that you can model genuine love and friendship to the teenagers in your ministry. All of us will agree that these simple suggestions are "right." The more strategic question is, "How many of these suggestions did I actually DO last week?"
- If you've followed me for awhile, you've heard me talk about this one, but it's so important. Get out of your religious "Ivory Tower" and get into their world.
When was the last time that you showed up at one of your teenager's basketball games...at their school lunchroom...or the local fast-food joint that your kids congregate at after school? You'll never grow your youth ministry...let alone convince teenagers that you really care about them...if you always connect with them on "church turf." Showing up in their worlds not only makes them feel cared for, it also gives you more authenticity when you connect with them in the normal church settings.
- Make sure you spend lots more time actually connecting face-to-face with teenagers than you do sending emails or being on the internet!
That sounds like such a shallow and simple point. But as I've scanned time management documents of many sincere youth leaders, it is really obvious that they spend much more time with their computer than they do actual teenagers! Perhaps you are one of those amazing volunteer youth leaders who work a secular job and lead the youth ministry during your "off hours." Whatever your own specific situation, don't put yourself on a guilt-trip as to how much actual time you spend with your teenagers. JUST DO THE BEST YOU CAN AND KEEP IT A HIGH PRIORITY. One of my favorite youth ministry mottos is: "He who spends the most time WINS!" Granted, teenagers are a little tougher to spend time with than your computer. But if you are out of the "people business"...you're out of the ministry!
Related Items
I've always loved sports because I think sports captures a microcosm of life. I've always looked at my youth ministry as a team that I was coaching and the same dynamics that puts a winning sports team on the map, helps put a winning youth ministry team on the map.
Listen in as we extract some pragmatic keys from a high school coach who led his team to championship meets 30 times in 31 years. Let's jump in as we parallel breeding track champions to champions in our youth ministry.
Lovingly coaching from a distance,
While we all know numbers are not the only factor, or even the strongest factor, in determining the health of your ministry, it is also true that we can't make an eternal difference in an empty chair. In this Youth Leader's Coach we are talking about one of youth ministries' most puzzling topics, "How To Hold On To Numerical Growth."
So grab your coffee and join me as we talk about a few key pragmatic ways to get kids in the door and keep them.
Still Growing 1% at a Time,
I am so excited about this Youth Leader's Coach entitled "Explosive Growth Strategy And Pragmatics Of PROJECT 4:19." It launched of a new and exciting era for us in Oxygen. One of the most commonly asked questions I get about youth ministry is how to grow numerically. And though numbers should not be our focus for the sake of numbers, we also cannot minister to empty seats. I have found this program to be the most proven means of growth over the years in every one of my youth groups. Let me share with you the nuts and bolts of how to make this outreach take off for your own group!
Refusing to let even one slip through,
I recorded this Youth Leader's Coach quite some time ago, but I'm including it in the Playbook because it marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter in my ministry. We had just recently made the move to Sacramento, CA and I had accepted the role of "Director of Student Ministries." So even though I was over 50 at the time, once again, I started from "ground zero."
Charting the growth of a youth ministry from the beginnings can definitely be an overwhelming charge, however there are some simple concepts that can make the journey much easier and effective. As I started this new season, I paused to reflect on some basic, but essential, principles that I put into action in Sacramento.
Even if you're not starting out in a new youth ministry, you can still apply these concepts to your current youth ministry. All of them serve as guidelines to take any youth ministry to the next level. As you take this hour just to listen and reflect on these principles, may you be captured once more, by God's "heart" in reaching this generation of youth. We really do have the greatest "job" in the world!
Lovingly,
Youth Ministry Basics is eight pragmatic teachings with informative "how-tos" that have consistently made significant differences in my youth ministries over the years.
One of the most commonly asked questions I get about youth ministry is how to grow numerically. And though numbers should not be our focus for the sake of numbers, we also cannot minister to empty seats. I have found this program to be the most proven means of growth over the years in every one of my youth groups. This Youth Ministry Basics Resource will walk you through each step of how to make this outreach take off to grow your own group!
Lovingly,
