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6 Jul 2022

How To Be Best Prepped For Summer Camp As A Leader

By |2022-07-07T10:40:30-07:00July 6th, 2022|Leadership, Training, Youth Ministry Hacks|4 Comments

Let’s pretend we already have all the physical and logistical things ready for summer camp. You’re packed. Planning Center is locked in. Transportation is a go. As a leader, how do you ensure you are prepped to minister through summer camp?

It’s easy to get bogged down by the details and prep before, but it’s important for us as leaders to be prepped personally for summer camp ourselves.

Are you spiritually ready?

Have you stopped and prayed? Prayed for the camp, your leaders, and students. Not the ones you did in meetings, but you personally, on your own time, with no one watching, prayed it up and gave it to God. For example, the other day, I scrolled through the entire camp roster and prayed over all the names. Simple, but I deem it powerful. We can fall into the trap that what happens at camp can depend on our work, but the real work can only be done by the Holy Spirit. Spend some time alone as you approach camp and get spiritually ready.

Are you mentally ready?

I don’t know if you know this, but ministry is taxing on the mind. Ha! I think it’s important to make sure you do whatever you need to do before camp to get your mind in a spot where you can take on whatever you need. We leave this Saturday. Friday morning, I’m going golfing. I always feel in a good mental spot after I get alone and spend a few hours talking to no one. What is it for you? It’s important to know.

Are you physically ready?

I don’t mean are you ready to dominate in rec games. I mean, are you rested? I know the excuse is there is too much to do before, but we need to make sure we are on a full tank going into camp because once we are there, we are waking up early to make sure kids get to breakfast, late nights talking and hanging, running around doing rec, it’s nonstop. If we are not careful, we will run out of juice towards the end. I cannot minister with grace as easily when I’m on empty. I get snippy and annoyed. I want to give my best the whole time.

Are you servant ready?

The mistake is falling into that camp is about you and your preferences. We all fall into it at some point. The food, the beds, the walk, the program, the songs… all, if not careful, can become distractions to our servant-hearted intentions for going to camp as a leader in the first place. We are leaders at camp to serve our kids and set up an atmosphere where they can know Jesus better and more intimately. Don’t let your preferences detour your heart.

Because we all know something happens at camp. Jesus tends to move in mighty ways. We get a front-row seat to life change. And we get to help play a small part.

Are you ready?

Justin Knowles

9 May 2022

Speaking Outside Your Ministry

By |2022-05-09T09:38:11-07:00May 9th, 2022|Leadership, Teaching|3 Comments

Let’s talk speaking and teaching outside of your ministry, such as at camps and conferences. I feel like this is one of the top 5 questions I get asked from other youth pastors and I have been asked about how to get in the speaking circuit quite a few times in the last 3 weeks.

Young leaders. Listen up. Old leaders. Listen up. Myself. Listen up.

Be called. Do you, and others who love Jesus more than they love you, affirm you are called to teach.

Don’t be a tool. When looking for someone to speak, a majority of the time I want to partner with someone with who I like. Character and heart trumps talent every time.

There is the networking side. You have to network and know people and put your stuff out there, yes, but there is a fine balance of REALLY putting your stuff out there and letting others know you feel a calling. I never have asked to speak anywhere. All have come from invitation because we were friends or I was recommended by a friend who thought I would be a good fit for someone else.

To start, say yes to everything. Nothing is beneath you. Christian clubs. FCA. Friend’s ministry. Do it for free. Doesn’t matter if it’s for 10 kids or 1,000 kids. Say yes (this is how you network organically). You’re not good enough to be picky when you begin. Ha

Get better. Have people pick apart your sermons. Give feedback. Know your ticks and nervous habits. Filler words. Practice your craft. Don’t be other teachers. Be you.

Stop trying to “make it”… people can tell. I tried to put my head down and loved my ministry, my leaders and students. Do well to minister at home and God can expand the reach outside of it. When we ask for the stage it usually means your not ready for it. We usually try to reach for the higher platform but it’s God who usually pulls us up to it.

The question is…
If you never were asked to speak anywhere besides the ministry you are in right now, would you be discouraged? Why? If it doesn’t happen, would you keep doing what you are doing?

My guess is probably so.

Minister well at home and leave your influence and exposure to God and your character and personal responsibility to you. Just be faithful to where you are at. And see what happens.

Thank you for loving and serving students the way you do.

@justinknowles3

Need some help figuring out how to talk to students? Specifically middle schoolers? Check out this resource in the DYM store!

7 Mar 2022

Mental Health and Family

By |2022-02-28T13:03:02-08:00March 7th, 2022|Leadership|2 Comments

As youth workers, I think we do a good job of talking about mental health and teens, although there are always ways we can do better. But what happens when those struggles hit too close to home and you find yourself coping with severe mental illness in a loved one? I’m willing to bet I’m not alone in that struggle, but unfortunately as ministry leaders, it’s not something that gets discussed enough. We struggle to keep up the facade that our lives must be in order and everything should be idealistic and happy. But for many of us, that just isn’t the reality. And for a long time, this has been my reality. A year ago my husband was officially diagnosed with severe mental illness, and it has reshaped my life. But through this journey, which often feels more like climbing Mt. Everest, there are some things I have learned.

  1. Be honest with your team and church leadership

The first time I took my husband to the hospital, and even before that, our church staff were some of the only people who knew what was going on behind the scenes. They were praying for me, jumping in where needed, and in general, being the support system I lacked, because dealing with mental illness in a loved one is lonely and isolating. I over communicate and have learned to be upfront and honest about when I need specific prayer, advice, or when I need support to maintain my ministry duties.

  1. Seek professional help for yourself

I wish I would have done this sooner than I did. I waited until things were so bad that I felt I was trapped in this new reality and was losing myself before I sought professional counseling. I told myself that because I was coping well and was maintaining everything I usually do, that there wasn’t much a therapist could teach me. I was very wrong. Going to counseling has been the single best thing I have done for myself. When you are taking care of a loved one with a mental illness, you often have to pick up the slack and take on many new responsibilities. This usually means that you will sacrifice yourself and put yourself on the back burner. That’s how you burn out, especially in ministry where burn out rates are already high. Seek professional help. Chances are, you’ll know pretty quickly if it will be helpful or not. And if the first person you see isn’t a great fit, don’t be discouraged. I tried two therapists before I found the one that was a good fit for me.

  1. Ask for help and let things go

This is the hardest one for me because generally, I have maintained all my normal duties. But there have been times when I couldn’t and felt very guilty for that. I felt as if I was failing as a pastor because I couldn’t make every meeting that week, or lead the weekly Bible study, or even preach some weekends. One of the things my senior pastor told me early on was that he is not a mind reader and if I need help, I need to ask for it. Recognize that you are not superhuman. You cannot do everything all the time, especially now.

  1. Take care of you first

This seems counterintuitive when you are living with someone with a mental illness. You are always worried about them, taking care of them, and taking care of everything else that needs done. But chances are, especially if it’s your spouse, there is no one to take care of you or put you first right now, so you need to sometimes. That means you need to make sure you are always safe, both physically and mentally. That means you need to take seriously sabbath time and days off. Prioritize healthy habits and self-care. You cannot care for someone effectively if you are not being cared for.

I could go on and list far more things I’ve learned, but I think as ministry leaders, these are some of the best tips I can offer. And remember above all else, you are not alone. There is a God who loves you and holds you in his arms. There is a God who sees your pain and knows how weary you are. And that God will never leave you, never abandon you, and will give you perfect peace and his strength. Lean into that. Know that you are seen, you are loved, and you are not alone.

Ashley Weyant

I’m the Children & Youth Pastor at Ebensburg UMC in Ebensburg, PA. I’ve been involved in youth ministry off and on, but have been a bi-vocational youth leader for four years. I love youth ministry and am passionate about seeing students grow in their relationship with God!

1 Mar 2022

The Importance of Student Feedback

By |2022-02-28T12:45:36-08:00March 1st, 2022|Leadership|2 Comments

Working in ministry is all about caring for people around us. We tend to treat this as a mind-reading game; we see what happened last week at youth group and adjust from there. We assume that whatever we are planning is what our students need. We assume that the trends that are happening in the bigger youth ministry-verse will easily transfer to our context. Or we generalize that what we learned when we were in high school ministries is still relevant today. But, often, this might not be the case. How are we supposed to figure out what our student ministries need? The easiest way to find out is to ask our students for their feedback.

When we ask our students what they are interested in talking about or doing or how events have gone, students will feel more invested in your youth ministry. Students will feel a sense of ownership over the space because their voices are being heard. This also builds a new sense of trust with you; students will know that they are truly being cared for in your space and be able to open up more.

Now, this doesn’t mean that you go and ask for every student’s idea every Wednesday night. To hear from students well, you will want to have a focus group of students. This can be your student leadership team or student council. These groups should be made up of students that show a wide variety of perspectives.
In your group setting, set some expectations; share how this is a space where you want to be open and honest and hear their thoughts and ideas. Let them know that they advocate for your youth ministry and explain how everyone’s opinion is valid. During these meetings, take some time to reflect on how things have gone and get their thoughts and ideas on future events.

Reflecting on the past can help you plan for the future (no shame in saving up a curriculum to redo later!). Some basic questions to reflect on are: what went well, what didn’t go well, what could be improved, and would you like us to talk about this again / do this event again.

Get their insight on future events! When planning, present them with an idea – ask them their thoughts on it and if it would be valuable or fun for them. Then, allow them space to brainstorm off of that; they may have ideas to improve your topic or step up your event. If it isn’t something they are interested in, move on and think of another idea!

I know what you’re thinking, “I’m the person who is paid to do this. I should be the one doing most of the planning”. I hear you and see where you’re coming from. There are certain things that we as youth leaders need to stick to (no, we can’t do lock-ins every weekend or only play games every week). Make sure that you know what those boundaries are and if students push on them, explain why those boundaries are in place. You are still the adult and can make the final decision on plans.

Hearing others’ opinions on your ideas can be very vulnerable – it can be nerve-wracking, especially with high school students! When they let you know that something doesn’t go well, it can feel devastating – especially if you put a lot of work into it. In those moments, treat it as a learning opportunity for everyone. Let them know that you appreciate their honesty and remind them that you aren’t perfect and will make mistakes. By being open about making mistakes and showing them how to healthily move on, you’re giving them permission to mess up and teaching them that leaders aren’t perfect, and that’s okay.

Overall, creating a space with open and honest dialogue between your students and yourself will open up a wide variety of new opportunities for your ministry. By being open and vulnerable, our students can do the same in the spaces we create, allowing for students to be more open to the way God is at work in their lives.
Happy planning!

Kayla Feil is the Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministry at Faith Lutheran Church in Glen Ellyn, IL. Along with her role, she is currently attending Luther Seminary to get her MA in Children, Youth and Family Ministry. When she isn’t at church or writing papers, you can find her practicing yoga, running, or adventuring around Chicago!

1 Dec 2021

Pro Lock-In

By |2021-12-01T12:16:27-08:00December 1st, 2021|Leadership, Youth Ministry Hacks|1 Comment

All-Nighters take me out for days. Sore muscles, foggy brain, exhausted body. Is it worth it?

I remember years ago reading a survey of thousands of teens from youth groups around the country; when it came to popular fun events, all-nighters were ahead of the competition by a landslide. Based on my experience, the results would be the same today if they did that survey again. And it makes sense; think back to when you were thirteen, fifteen years old – being able to say you stayed up all night was exciting, it was cool, it was something to brag to your friends about. It was a sort of test of endurance.

Why is it worth it? These events are over the top and exciting for adolescents. They’re cool, and the critical ministries we want kids in week after week become cool by association. Teens may not think of it in terms like that, but the over the top events like retreats and all-nighters do create a reputation of being the place to be – I want teens bragging to their friends about the events we do, I want them posting on their social media about it. All-nighters are an investment, both financially and physically, in our Wednesday night small groups and Sunday morning large group ties.

Here’s the thing, we do that same kind of attractional event for adults, don’t we? Concerts, picnics, holiday parties – we may use language like fellowship to explain their value, but at the core it’s the same, isn’t it? Our church becomes exciting to our adult crowd in part because of these concerts, picnics and parties. They may not be spelled out in the Bible, but we see the Biblical value in doing them. The same is true of all-nighters.

They’re not just about fun, there is real, ongoing value to doing them. They are a powerful investment in the critical ministry that happens in our small groups and Sunday mornings.

No photo description available.Matthew and Heather have been in full time youth ministry for twenty years. They have four sons ranging from 13 to 20 years old, which means the majority of their time is spent buying food and replacing broken furniture. You can find Matthew’s writing, resources, and podcast, on his website, www.MatthewMcNutt.com.

25 Oct 2021

7 Part Strategy To Recruit the Leaders You Need

By |2021-10-25T09:03:57-07:00October 25th, 2021|Leadership, Volunteers|3 Comments

I don’t think I have ever heard of any leader say, “You know what, I think I have enough volunteers in my ministry.” If you have ever said that, you should write a blog instead of me. Ministry is only as effective as the leaders you have and we are in a season of needing to being intentional about recruiting them. This is something I have shared with our teams in practical things to think through in recruiting volunteers for ministry.

  • Pray – Sounds simple but it’s so important. Lot’s of times it’s when we are are desperate is when we go to prayer. The truth is God cares more about your ministry than you do and we need to go to Him to provide the people He wants to move the ministry forward. I have found when we need people without prayer we get warm bodies instead of called bodies.
  • Build a pipeline – How deep is your bench? In our ministry we have 4 volunteer positions. 1) Ministry lead 2) Coaches 3) Service Lead and 4) Team Member. Our teams should have each one based on how many spots they need to make ministry happen. We need to make sure we have it written out and filled up and start building a bench of leaders to call on and to call up.
  • How can we make it easy to join? – We need to try and make it as easy as possible for people to jump on the team. How can you remove any obstacle people might have to jump on the team. How are you making it easy for people to jump into your team on the weekend? How is your ministry noticeable? How do they know that there is a need? How is your on-boarding process? Not really answers but questions you need to work through yourself.
  • Cast compelling vision – We are inviting them into something bigger than just serving. Give them the bigger picture. We should have a few back pocket stories that are ready to share of life change in your ministry that you can share instantly. People love stories. People want to hear about how they can make a difference and hear stories of others doing so.
  • Don’t say “no” for them – How many people are not serving in your ministry because they never physically told you “no” but because you said “no” for them assuming they could not.Just ask, even if you assume they will say no, still ask because they could say “yes”.
  • Leaders recruiting leaders – One of the the best ways is to challenge existing leaders to recruit leaders. When I come, people duck out of the way because they know what I am going to ask them. But when leaders are excited about what they are doing, challenge each one to recruit one by a date you set.
  • What are you inviting them into? – What’s your strategy? What are you doing? How are your doing it? How are you planning to recruit? Nothing great just happens. There needs to be a strategy in order to carry it out. What would it look like if you spent some time working through this next few months?

This list is not exhaustive but they are some things I have seen over time work on the intentional work in recruiting leaders. Hope it’s helpful.

@justinknowles3

14 Oct 2021

Students, Pastors, and Cell Phones

By |2021-10-14T13:23:12-07:00October 14th, 2021|Leadership, Youth Ministry Hacks, Youth Pastor Life|5 Comments

Students have cell phones. If they don’t yet, they probably will by Christmas. It can be a great way to communicate with them directly, but it can also be an overwhelming tide of communication. 3 am memes, anyone?

Setting some ground rules and boundaries for how you reach out to students is a great way to put safeguards around yourself and the students you communicate with! Here are some suggestions:

  1. Have designated “off” time! Set a 9 am to 9 pm boundary for replies. Did they text at 11 pm? Unless it’s a BIG emergency, it can wait until the morning.
  2. No more than a few texts. Use only as a way to briefly check-in or ask about something. If the thread is turning into something they want to have a conversation about, find a time to meet in person to talk about it. See if they can come early or stay a little later after your usual meeting.
  3. Avoid phone calls. Having a written record equates to the “have more than one person in the room while interacting” rule. It also helps to make sure you prioritize conversations for in-person times.
  4. Make sure your phone number is accessible to everyone, not just a few. Be willing to give it out to anyone. Be clear with rule number one from the get-go.
  5. Ask students for their numbers. If you need the student’s number but can’t find a good time to ask them, ask their parent so that they are in the loop. Parents should know that you are contacting the student! Another way is asking if another student can text a student about something. This could be a great way to serve!

Do you have any boundaries or ideas for contacting students? Let us know!

Kayla Feil

Kayla is the Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministry at Faith Lutheran Church in Glen Ellyn, IL. Along with her role, she is currently attending Luther Seminary to get her MA in Children, Youth and Family Ministry. When she isn’t at church or writing papers, you can find her practicing yoga, running, or adventuring around Chicago!

16 Sep 2021

Are You Proactive Or Reactive With Parents?

By |2021-09-15T20:11:04-07:00September 16th, 2021|Leadership, Parents, Small Groups, Volunteers, Youth Ministry Hacks|4 Comments

It really is interesting how many parents drop off their students and never meet the people they are dropping off their student to be with for two hours a week. It’s also really interesting for how many leaders have not reached out to know parents of their students.

We have an incredible opportunity to not only minister to our students, but their families as well.

We all have heard stories of students who first started coming to church, got saved and then their families started to attend as well. When we are intentional with our students families, we can really partner with parents/guardians because they are with their students the other 166 hours during the week compared to our 2-3 hours.

This is why in this season we have been really challenging those who lead small groups to be intentional about reaching out to, not just the student, but their families as well. We should be making the first move. We want to be proactive in making the first connection.

Here is the ask of our leaders: Make one connection per week with one family.

If you go on Yelp and look at reviews, most of the time you will see the negative ones. Why? Because when things are good, people don’t really write reviews because they don’t think about it. No one talks to the manager at a store when things are going well. People only tend to write reviews when they have a bad experience. People only ask to speak to a manger when something is wrong.

Same with parents. It could be all good and no one will say anything but far too often we are reactive with parents. When something happens, thats when we make the first connection with them. We are already starting in the negative.

When we are proactive, we can start to build relational equity, build up the positive and IF something goes down, we already know the parents/guardians. It will not only set your ministry up better but your volunteers to win with the families as well.

What could this look like?

  • For some families, they might come to church, so just physically meeting them and knowing their name and getting their cell phone number would be a win.
  • For some, just letting their parents know how awesome their kid is after group or through email throughout the week. Parents love to hear how awesome their kids are.
  • For some, you might be close to their family and be invited to dinners. Do it. Any time you can be with the family, it’s a good thing.
  • Take 30 seconds and send them a text asking how they are and how you can pray for them specifically. You will be amazed how simple and powerful that is.
  • Shoot an email updating them on what conversations and group has been like (obviously keeping the confidence of your students) but parents love to be in the know.
  • Connect with the parents/guardians via social media. Most of GenZ parents have it. It could be an easy way to share a story or make a connection with them.

As we have been pushing this with our small group leaders it’s been awesome to see the proactive relationships blossoming.

@justinknowles3

9 Sep 2021

The Pressure Youth Pastors Face in the Fall

By |2021-09-09T12:33:47-07:00September 9th, 2021|Leadership|0 Comments

Have you ever felt the pressure of being a youth pastor? Every single day, right? As we head into the fall season, there are a lot of pressures that all youth pastors will feel.

Do any of these feel familiar to you?

Numbers

Everyone who has done youth ministry for two weeks feels the pressure of numbers. It’s as innocent as “How many did you have last week?” to as dire as your job depending on how many students showed up over the last month.

In the fall, the pressure of numbers may either feel really high or really low. If your group really sets off in the fall, then you may be feeling fine! Your group is full and leadership is happy. But if this fall the numbers don’t look as good as “they used to” then you may be feeling the very real pressure of getting students in the door.

While number pressure is very real (and if all of your students stop showing up, it may cause some very real soul searching) you can “get ahead” of the number pressure by learning how to present them.

Instead of comparing promotion Sunday to a three day weekend in February, let your leadership know how THIS Spring’s numbers compare to LAST Spring’s numbers and you’ll have a more researched conversation.

Conversations

Speaking of conversations, do you feel like you are having constant pastoral conversations wherever you go. Starbucks. Walmart. Taco Bell. They can happen everywhere! 

If you live in a smaller community, you probably can’t go to a store without seeing at least one church member. And if you’re in a larger community, the reality is that word will get out that you’re a pastor. And people come to pastor’s for advice.

The constant pressure to “be on” can be tough! But it’s a part of taking on the mantle of being a pastor.

This can be cup filling, but also it can be really draining if you don’t take moment to recharge. Find yourself a safe place. Somewhere quiet or secluded where you can be by yourself and refill your cup. And if someone finds your safe spot, put on some big sunglasses and a hat and walk away very fast. Just kidding. Kind of.

Programing

You just finished this week’s youth group and it was epic! Your students laughed at your jokes, really got into your games, and even raised their hands in worship. It was an awesome night!

Now what are you going to do next week?

Yikes!

The weekly clock never stops ticking. Youth group is always just around the corner! Programming can be daunting. But that’s what DYM is here for. Not only are there resources for you to check out and use so that you don’t have to spend all of your work time messing with graphics or coming up with new game ideas, you can also steal what Josh did last week.

Just check out his blog posts!

Or, if you want to up your game, check out his training series “Becoming a Pro at Programming” to get some tips on how you can master this skill and not dread the day after youth group when you’ve got to come up with a whole new game plan.

Volunteers

Small churches like to think that big churches have all the volunteers because they have so many people! Big churches like to think that small churches are just like a family and pitch in whenever there’s a need.

The reality is that both big and small church youth ministries need volunteers. The big churches usually assume that they have plenty of people so obviously THEY don’t have to volunteer. And small churches usually think that they’re paying for a youth pastor, why should THEY have to volunteer?

It’s tough being a volunteer. They have jobs, families, hobbies, interests, and frankly lives outside of youth ministry.

But you need volunteers to make your ministry run. And there’s always turnover happening. 

Sometimes the problem is that you need to train your volunteers really well to help them feel equipped for the task ahead. National Day of Volunteer Youth Ministry Training is just around the corner! You also need to make sure you’re not OVER taxing your volunteers so that it’s a joy to spend time at youth group. 

What to do:

Feeling the pressure yet? Well, we can’t just put a nice bow on it and say “Alright, we’re all done here!” But what we can say is YOU’RE NOT ALONE!

Every youth pastor feels these very real pressures. And they are real! While DYM can help with some of these like training volunteers and showing you how to be a program ninja, the reality is you need to work towards remembering that no matter how heavy the weight of these pressures get, Jesus is there with you. 

And also, reach out to some other youth pastors in the area. Or in the DYM Facebook Community Page. Find people who you can talk with, pray with, celebrate with, and yeah, sometimes complain to.

You’re not alone!

We’re in this together.

Josh, Doug, and Jess talked about these on the DYM Podcast. Check it out here.

2 Sep 2021

Helping Your Students Be Welcoming

By |2021-09-02T07:04:26-07:00September 2nd, 2021|Leadership|0 Comments

This Sunday, I watched as a now 8th grader who, let’s be honest, used to be a big turd, do something awesome. She invited a 6th-grade student up on stage with her to sing for the worship band. This 6th-grade student had arrived early and didn’t have a place to serve. The 8th-grade student saw that and made space for her up on stage. She coached her through signing: how to stand, what to do with the microphone, and how to have a good stage presence.

It was the most encouraging thing I’ve seen in a long time, and it made my heart so happy to see it! 

After watching this, it got me thinking: How can we encourage students to be more welcoming and inviting? That’s what I want to break down today!

Make room for new Students

Consider your physical space. Are there enough chairs for new students, or are there only enough for the ones who are present? Are there couches that are reserved only for the “chosen few,” or are there spots for new faces?

Sometimes our students don’t see the need to include new students in things because there’s not any space for them. That can be physically, but it’s also a thing to remind students that a mindset of more space matters too!

Have you ever walked up to a circle of people in conversation, and they didn’t open up a spot for you to step in and begin talking? Man, that hurts! Encourage students to “open up their circles” for both new and current students so that there can be a more welcoming environment!

Create Opportunities for Current Students

I have one student who sits in a corner and draws. She’s not lonely. She has friends who hang with her. But she just chills and draws. In a youth group where only the extroverts get celebrated, she wouldn’t have a place to serve.

But I’m going to ask her to draw some things for our ministry. Like the logo in her own style. And something for the announcement board. Instead of just assuming that she doesn’t have a place because she isn’t bubbly and outgoing, I want to create an opportunity for her to be a part of the group in her own way!

Look at your students. Find their strengths. Then create opportunities for them to use those strengths within the group. Don’t pigeonhole your students. Once you start to do this, students will be able to see that every gift has a place and can be used for God’s glory!

See the Insider’s Value

Sometimes we rail against the Insider because we think it’s bad to have insiders—students who know every part of the ministry and could basically run the thing if we asked.

Instead of saying “THERE AREN’T ANY INSIDERS” until people think it’s wrong to have them, try to think of how to have insiders serve the ministry. They know just about everything, after all! Help them catch the vision. Let them see their value in bringing in new students or fixing something that’s broken.

These students might say, “You want this to happen, but it WON’T because…”

While their reasoning might not be thought out all the way through, you can create a starting point with their insider info and help to find things that aren’t working as you’d hope.

Connect the Outsider to Other Students

This is where we probably spend most of our time. We want the visitor to feel welcome. To find a group to hang out with. We can’t force them to fit into the group that’s already there. But we can encourage the students who are our regulars to find common ground.

That might be a shared interest, sport, activity, youtube binge, or just a love of coffee. 

Encourage your students (and small group leaders!) to help outsiders find a point of connection. If you know your students, you can help them connect with a new student by finding the dots to connect. Your small group leaders can be great at this too! By asking a few questions like “What do you like to do in your free time?” or “What’s your favorite sport?” you can connect Outside students to Inside ones. It takes work, but once your students catch this vision, it’ll pay off in big ways!

Like an 8th grade student who used to be a turd becoming much less of one and inviting a new kid on stage.

Questions to consider:

Is your group insider focused or outsider focused?

Do you have a place for a new student to fit in?

Are there places for current students to step up?

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