Youth Ministry Resources and Ideas
Youth ministry can be an overwhelming job.
It is a thankless job that involves sacrifice, effort, time, attention and love.
It is in fact a labor of love.
Building a successful youth group requires many things, but most of all prayer.
Your priorities must first be straight before you do anything.
A ministry is better if it is blessed than stressed.
Nothing that youth pastors do that is self motivated will succeed the way that something will that is planned and ordained by the Lord.
As for building a lasting and effective youth ministry, the principles are simple: Connect, unite, develop, equip, send.
Those five steps will turn every youth into a minister of the gospel.
Connect with youth by listening to their problems, preaching relevant messages, hanging out with them when you don't have to and praying for them.
Once they are connected with both their youth pastor, they are more likely to return week after week.
Unite kids with each other to create a support system.
Dissipate cliques in favor of group gatherings such as lock-ins, retreats and hang out nights.
Develop the kids with discipleship tools for spiritual growth.
Teach them the foundational principles of the Bible and encourage them to not only come to church to be filled, but to seek God during their daily lives.
Equip youth to minister the Word of God to others.
Hold corporate prayer meetings, encourage them to lead classes in youth church and place them in positions of leadership within the youth ministry.
Send the kids into active ministry.
No, they may not be able to go into full time ministry, but they can create prayer groups at school, street ministry teams and conduct special outreaches.
One of the biggest mistakes that youth pastors make is investing their money and resources into ministry.
Though this seems innocent enough, any youth ministry can thrive with little to no money at all.
Instead, invest your kids into your resources.
They are your greatest tool for ministry.
Youth do not need a babysitter.
They need somebody that believes in them and will push them to be all they have been called to be.
Even the top youth pastors in the country know that a youth ministry will follow its leader, and that leader needs good training.
That leader needs to absorb himself in good books and surround himself with people who love teenagers.
There are several good books and resources that effectively ignite passion within the hearts of youth pastors.
It is a thankless job that involves sacrifice, effort, time, attention and love.
It is in fact a labor of love.
Building a successful youth group requires many things, but most of all prayer.
Your priorities must first be straight before you do anything.
A ministry is better if it is blessed than stressed.
Nothing that youth pastors do that is self motivated will succeed the way that something will that is planned and ordained by the Lord.
As for building a lasting and effective youth ministry, the principles are simple: Connect, unite, develop, equip, send.
Those five steps will turn every youth into a minister of the gospel.
Connect with youth by listening to their problems, preaching relevant messages, hanging out with them when you don't have to and praying for them.
Once they are connected with both their youth pastor, they are more likely to return week after week.
Unite kids with each other to create a support system.
Dissipate cliques in favor of group gatherings such as lock-ins, retreats and hang out nights.
Develop the kids with discipleship tools for spiritual growth.
Teach them the foundational principles of the Bible and encourage them to not only come to church to be filled, but to seek God during their daily lives.
Equip youth to minister the Word of God to others.
Hold corporate prayer meetings, encourage them to lead classes in youth church and place them in positions of leadership within the youth ministry.
Send the kids into active ministry.
No, they may not be able to go into full time ministry, but they can create prayer groups at school, street ministry teams and conduct special outreaches.
One of the biggest mistakes that youth pastors make is investing their money and resources into ministry.
Though this seems innocent enough, any youth ministry can thrive with little to no money at all.
Instead, invest your kids into your resources.
They are your greatest tool for ministry.
Youth do not need a babysitter.
They need somebody that believes in them and will push them to be all they have been called to be.
Even the top youth pastors in the country know that a youth ministry will follow its leader, and that leader needs good training.
That leader needs to absorb himself in good books and surround himself with people who love teenagers.
There are several good books and resources that effectively ignite passion within the hearts of youth pastors.
