How to Recruit Youth Ministry Volunteers

How to Recruit Youth Ministry Volunteers

Most adults, including parents, are apprehensive about interacting with a group of youth in “ministry”.  That’s because most think it requires them to be knowledgeable (experts) about the Bible and be able to answer all the youth’s questions.  That’s the first misconception that has to be explained away as a starter in any recruiting discussion.  They need to understand why you need them as a volunteer. What do most youth need today?  Adults to be present, to ask them about their lives, to listen, and to “see” each of them.  This lets the youth know they matter.  Volunteers can show them this because they know their names and ask about what’s going on in their lives.  Adults that show up … Read more

The Value of Adult Volunteers in Youth Ministry

importance of adult volunteers in youth ministry at church

It’s convenient as a Youth Ministry Director to try to do it all yourself.  Because, that’s a quick fix to getting things done.  And it’s your job, right?  You have the passion.  You have the energy.  But the long term result of this approach is burnout and a small group of youth that rely only on you.  That’s limiting. Doing it yourself is an approach that has you ignoring the Way Jesus modeled.  If doing it yourself was the Christian model, then why did Jesus call and equip disciples? Jesus invited disciples to join him in his ministry.  Why did he do it?  Why should you invite adult volunteers to join you in youth ministry?   Make a list of the … Read more

How to Grow the Youth Ministry at Church

Growing a youth group ministry adding new students to your church ministry

All student pastors should want to grow their youth group program. But how can we attract more teenagers to participate in our student ministry? What are the things that cause a youth program to grow? This post will help you make a list of ideas and inspire your own creative thoughts. Ultimately, growing the student ministry means reaching and helping more teenagers to grow spiritually. It’s about making room for the Holy Spirit to work in in the lives of more High School and Middle School students in your community. Hint!  One source for ideas is to ask the youth. Sometimes if the program is small the youth might want to keep it that way!  It can have a comfortable close … Read more

Small Church Youth Ministry: 6 Benefits of Smaller Youth Groups

As youth ministry leaders, it can be easy to fall into a pattern of looking at numbers as a sign of success. After all, this is how much of the world seemingly operates. The sports team with the most points wins; the restaurants that make more money stay open; sold-out concerts attract attention… It can be frustrating when efforts to increase participation in youth group seem to falter and students don’t attend in droves. In the church, however, we must value quality over quantity. Relationships count more than head counts. If you find yourself working with only a handful of teens, don’t lose hope! There are wonderful benefits to ministry programs with fewer numbers. Even as you pray for growth, … Read more