What do you buy your youth ministry volunteer leaders around Christmas that won’t break the bank?
In this episode we’ll answer that exact question. It’s also all listed out in part 2 of our MEGA Christmas Guide (linked in YouTube video description)
Only once in my 16 years of Youth Ministry have I heard a youth pastor say they had enough volunteers. The cohort we were running roasted him for it. Who says they have enough volunteers?
Most youth ministries are craving people to help out. But how do you get volunteers to show up and be vital members of the Youth Ministry?
Know what you’re asking them to do
If you asked me to help you move, there’s a pretty good chance I’ll say no. Am I going to pack boxes? Do you need me to move furniture? Is it going to be all day long? Do I need to bring my truck? Do you plan on feeding me lunch? These are all important conversations and questions!
You can feel like that in Youth Ministry.
When we ask people to volunteer in the Youth Ministry but don’t have a specific task in mind, it can be daunting for people who don’t know what they’re signing up for!
Make sure you have a specific task in mind when you are recruiting someone for your Youth Ministry.
Seventh-grade boys Small Group player.
Worship band rehearsal lead.
Head snack hander-outer.
You get the idea.
Have a specific period of time in mind
Sometimes people can feel overwhelmed when you ask them to volunteer. They’re not sure if they’re signing up for a week or a lifetime. And if you don’t communicate it to them, honestly, that’s on you.
Make sure you have a timeframe in mind. Whether it’s for a semester, a school year, or all six to seven years a student is in the youth group, say that up front. You want a potential volunteer to know what they’re getting into.
A second side benefit of asking someone to volunteer for a set period of time is, if it isn’t working out like you had hoped, you can say, “Thanks for serving!” at the end of their time and not ask them to volunteer for a second round.
Hey, you’re going to have to fire a volunteer eventually. This is just the easiest way to do it.
Make a list of everyone who could volunteer
I know often youth pastors say they just don’t have anyone who can volunteer. I want to push back on that!
If you take a moment and write down every single adult who could possibly be a Youth Ministry volunteer, you’d have a great pool of people to start reaching out to.
Think of the parents of your teenagers. You probably won’t have them being their son’s or daughter’s Small Group leader, but that doesn’t mean they can’t volunteer in the Youth Ministry at all.
And what about grandparents? They have a vested interest in these teenagers as well.
Then think about students who have graduated out of Youth Ministry but have already done a year or two of college. If they’re still around, they likely care a whole lot about the Youth Ministry as well.
See? Now you’ve got a big list of people you could ask for volunteers. And don’t play the Holy Spirit for anybody. Give them the choice to say no. Don’t say no for them!
That’s how I’d go about recruiting volunteers. Anything you’d add? Let me know!
Your Christmas party is rapidly approaching and you’ve got a budget of zero dollars.
Every list online is the same white elephant and wrapping-paper-mummy nonsense you ran in 2019.
These ten game ideas need nothing but stuff already in your building — welcome to the best 10 Christmas games for youth group Christmas Parties!
(Mega Guide Link in the YouTube video Description!)https://youtu.be/OVDMFwCcx_s
I was getting coffee with a friend the other day and they talked about teaching their employees to “lock-through.” I’m a millennial with Gen Z and Gen Alpha kids, so I know what “Lock In” means.
This was a new one for me so I asked him to explain it.
Channel Locks Control Water Heights
He told me that boats need to go from one body of water to the next where the water is at different heights. Instead of going on a wild theme park ride, ships need to go through a complicated process of entering into a hold, having two big gates close behind and in front of the boat. Then the water either rises or lowers to match the desired water level where they want to go. It’s actually a lengthy process to make sure the boat doesn’t get overwhelmed, the water stays calm, and the boat goes to where it needs to go safely.
Lock the doors behind you
When you go home, do you have a habit of taking work with you? Do you answer every text, work on your youth group lesson, and skip dinner to head to a student’s basketball game?
Ministry CAN be all encompassing if you let it. THere will be times when special events and emergencies happen, but if those occur all the time, they’re no longer emergencies or special. They’re just all the time.
When you leave or sign off for the day, lock the doors behind you. Let work stay at work. Do whatever you need to remind yourself that you’re “off the clock” and are heading home. Maybe it’s turning on “do no disturb” or just saying “Whatever is on my to-do list I can do tomorrow” over and over until you remember it.
Take the time to reset
Doug Fields talked about going from work to a local fast food restaurant to drink a soda and read the newspaper for about half an hour before heading home.
What could that look like for you? Maybe it’s heading out a little early to stop by a local coffee shop and get a drink. Or run by the grocery store to pick up something you need for dinner. Whatever it is, take the intentional time to reset.
I used to live 25 minutes from the church I worked at. I’d listen to an audiobook or podcast that didn’t have anything to do with work. It was a great chance to reset. When I moved only 5 minutes away from church, it was a lot more difficult for me to transition. I learned that I needed some time! Don’t rush. Make sure you can take the time to go from one space to the next in your head and your heart.
Be completely “there”
If the channel locks ever broke, there’d be a rush of water from one side to the next and a lot of chaos. The doors are locked on purpose!
When you’re home, be all there. Put your phone on a charger. Ask your spouse how THEIR day was. Get involved in your kid’s homework. Do the dishes. Whatever it takes to be fully home, commit yourself to it.
Don’t let the role invade your space. Be present with your family and your spouse. If you’re single, it’s just as important to not bring work home. Spend time with friends. Get involved in a hobby. Let your mind and heart be present where you are.
These things will help you last for the long haul in ministry. What can you start putting into practice to help yourself “lock-through” in the future?
In this week’s 5th & final Sidekick Pro episode, I sit down with DYM’s own, Josh Boldman! The brains behind Sidekick Pro
• First I quiz him on all things Sidekick, let’s see how he fares!
•Then I give him an opportunity to push back against some of my scores
•He adds one more “at large” feature to the final voting options
•And then, finally, crowns the ultimate Sidekick Pro feature.
It’s an amazing interview, full of fun, but also with a ton of behind-the-scenes information!
Including how to access Sidekick Pro for FREE for a month, all the way at the end of the episode!
Jump in with us!
You finally have a good group of volunteers who show up regularly and have been trained by you and the best in the business. Speaking of, you have taken your team through The National day of Volunteer Youth Ministry Training, right?
But now, how do you care for these volunteers? How do you make sure they stick around and our ministering from full cups?
The best advice I’ve got for you is to treat your volunteer team like your own small group.
What are the things that you suggest your volunteers do for your students on the weekly basis?
Communicating and Check-in
One of the easiest things you can do is send your volunteers a text message after you meet for youth group. It can be the day after so that you’re not texting them. Crazy late at night.
Ask him how they’re doing. Ask him how they’re Small Group went last night. Ask them if there was anything YOU could’ve done to make their night better.
Just checking in like this will help your volunteers feel supported and connected to you. If they feel like they have an easy way to communicate with you, then they will be willing to share their struggles and their victories!
And they’ll feel like they’re getting taken care of. A huge win.
Show interest in their hobbies and activities
You might be surprised to hear this, but adult volunteers are people too! Your volunteers have jobs, families, hobbies, and things they do outside of volunteering for you and the youth group.
If you have a note on your phone with every volunteer on it, make sure you keep a list of their interests and activities close at hand. This gives you something to ask them about so that you’re not just talking about that one knucklehead kid who keeps interrupting during Small Group.
This helps volunteers feel seen and cared for in big ways!
It also makes for giving them a Christmas present or recognition gift super easy down the road. Win, win!
Pray for them regularly
It makes such a huge difference. Pray for your volunteers. Set aside time each week to lift them up. Let them know you’re going to be praying for them and ask them for their prayer requests. If they talk about something that’s happening on a specific date, follow up when you’re praying.
Because they’re volunteering under you, you’re their spiritual leader. Lead them well and set the example by praying for them and letting them know you’re interceding on their behalf! Send them encouraging verses and remind them we’re caring for them just like they’re caring for students.
Did I miss anything? I’d love to hear about it.
Probably the most impressive feature of sidekick overall is in this final category.
This is the feature that made me say: “Our Pastoral Care Increased 100-fold” after we began using it.
Which one is it? Let’s find out!
The more I talk with youth pastors, the more I know that they usually group parents into three categories:
Obviously, we all want parents to be that last category. Who wants people who are actively working against the ministry you’ve got going on? And nobody wants to see parents being out of the loop, or worse, uncaring about their own kids.
So what can a youth pastor do to help move parents from the first two bad categories into the third really great one?
Connect.
Youth pastors who spend their time only focusing on students or volunteers and spend NO time trying to connect with parents are missing out on what could possibly be the best way to gain support and figure out great ways to minister better to the students in their ministry.
Even and especially if you don’t have kids yourself, or your kids aren’t teenagers yet, connecting with parents can be a great way to hear from them and see how everyday life in their house is going.
If you go out to have lunch with students and spend time attending students, activities, or events, you already know the best way to connect with parents. It’s the exact same thing!
When you’re at a student’s event, make sure you spend some time talking with the parents. More than likely, their student is playing the game or involved in the show. This gives you a great chance to talk to their parents. By showing their parents that you actually care about how they are doing, you show them you care about their family as a whole.
Also, invite parents to lunch sometimes. And not just the parents whose kids give you the most grief. Tell them you just want to catch up and get to know them better. If you do this just once a month, I promise you’ll find parent support growing over time!
Not sure what to talk about with parents? Here’s an easy start:
I find that these three questions can be a huge in roads with most parents.
Ask him how things are going on at home with the family.
Was your parents at church. We see their students at school. But we don’t see how things are going on at home. Asking how the home front is open a window into what’s happening.
Ask if there’s a way a ministry can be more helpful
You might hear suggestions that are outside of your control like how much camp costs, but you might also hear a suggestion that you can actually put to work! Bonus points with your senior pastor or boss when they ask you why you want to implement this new change.
Ask how you can be praying for the family
More than likely, this will be some combination of what you’ve already talked with them about, but it still lets them know that you care about them and want to spiritually support them. Always a win!
Connecting with parents and asking great questions will help you garner support for your ministry just because you show up for them!
Give it a try.
Now that we’ve wrapped up “Returning Legends” and “Staples” it’s time to explore the fun side of sidekick.
Some of these features, I truly believe, are some of the greatest youth ministry game innovations that I’ve ever seen in my career as a youth pastor!
In this episode we’re ranking the staples of sidekick. Now, don’t go to sleep on this, because these staples are what makes “sidekick” be able to be your full presentation software.
It’s no longer another software’s little brother, this is able to function as your entire church software for an entire youth ministry program, and I’m giving you the honest breakdown!