Advice to Youth Pastors from a 22 year Youth Pastor veteran
Pray- This is the first instinct God develops in ministry. You need to find partnership, strength, and validation through your personal relationship with God.
Humility- When we humble ourselves, we won’t need to be humbled by God or others.
Politics- There are SO Many pitfalls here. SO Many reasons to throw in the towel. SO Many things to take personally. Ask yourself “Why am I here?” “What is the reason that I started doing this?” “Is this issue stopping me from accomplishing what I’m here for?” If you can keep your heart in the right place, then all the other stuff will work itself out.
Read the Bible- Don’t just copy someone else’s sermons. Spend time studying and preparing for your messages. It will get easier over time.
Have a plan- Someone once said, “If you don’t have a plan, the students will come up with one.”
Calendar- Determine your schedule, then stick with it almost to a fault. This will create trust with the families, and an ability for them to plan in advance. Once something’s been publicized and you change it, you loose people or allow for confusion.
Communicate- follow this algorithm to accomplish successful communication. Set Reminders on your computer or phone.
1. Quarterly Newsletter (website, print, & email).
2. Monthly email & social media posts (include links to permission forms)
3. Flyers two weeks out. (send follow up email with same info the next day)
4. Weekly Verbal Announcements (use an "advertising funnel")
5. Reminder Email or Phone Calls (two days before)
For Leading Small Groups- One Rule: Only one person talks at a time. Sounds simple, but you’ll need to gently and consistently, request that when one student is talking, that the others respect them by listening. They need to take turns, not talk all at once. Everyone should get a chance.
Be On Time- You’re the one making the schedule, so map out the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the trip and make sure to return on time for the published schedule. If you make a parent wait in the parking lot for you to get back, you will be waiting for that parent every event till their student graduates. Tack an extra 1/2 hour onto the return time and get back early, toss the football around, hang out.
Personal Finances- Be conservative. Small expenses add up quickly. That $4 Frappe is really about $1200 per year if your going every day. Cut out unnecessary expenses, or you’ll eventually find yourself looking for a “real job.”
Connect with the community- make a commitment to visit the same school at lunch once every week for a school year. You can build relationships with the school administration, community students, and bring a redemptive lift to the campus.
Purity Nights- If you’re going to be specifically talking about sex and personal relationships. Email your parents (two days ahead of time) with a “warning” about the topic for the night. It’s a very important topic and needs to be discussed, and Yes, I know what the students are watching on their own, but trust me, you will be sorry if the parents get surprised by it.
Faith- Works without faith is dead. Well, to put it another way, we won’t always see the fruit of our labor. So, if you are focused solely on end results, and not on trusting in God’s sovereign process and timing, then you will quickly grow weary of doing good. This. is. a. faith. walk.
"Faith is the evidence of things not yet seen…"
Church Involvement- Personally Initiate the process of students volunteering in your church. While you can’t help everywhere, there are normally lots of opportunities for them to use their gifts and talents for the Lord. Examples: serve in the children’s church once a month, annual church work day, ushering… (maybe that’s stretching it)
Camp- Yes! Summer, Winter, whenever. Take them. It’s worth it!
Senior Pastor- No surprises. Tell him when crazy things happen. He needs to hear the news from you first. Keep him up to speed even if you don’t want to. Communicate clearly and Take responsibility.
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