Are you maximizing the relationship you have with parents?  Or, are they just dropping teens off?  Is the only thing you’ve ever asked them to do is serve or chaperone?  What if there was more?

Parents aren’t just potential volunteers or the occasional obstacle to serving teens.  They are investing in you and your ministry by sending their teens to worship with you.  If utilize that investment correctly it can take you to a new level.  So, before you focus on them as potential volunteers consider these three roles: 

ROLE #1 – COMMUNICATION ADVISORS 

Parents want clear communication.  Their lives are so crazy with all the activities that consume their kids that they rarely have time for themselves.  Surround yourself with a group of parents who can analyze your communication system by:

  • Giving you advice on best mediums (i.e. texting, Facebook)
  • Reviewing and giving you feedback on mass communication.
  • Developing a plan and timeline that gives parents enough margin to respond.

Make sure the group represents a variety of families (i.e. divorced, single, etc.) structures.   Ask them what works and what doesn’t.  Effective communication with parents leads you to trust and trust is a powerful gift to have.

ROLE #2: PARENT PASTORS

Parents need to know that they are doing a good job.  They need others to guide them and love on them.  While your small group leaders can do some of that you need people who are intentionally pastoring to parents.  Invite parents you trust to invest in parents who are:

  • Overwhelmed by certain situation.
  • New to parenting teenagers.
  • Looking for resources to better parent.

If you can create a team of parents serving other parents you’ll give them confidence.  Confident parents lead to healthy families.

ROLE #3: MINISTRY AMBASSADORS

If you want to reach more teens then your youth ministry needs to have a presence.  Use parents in your ministry to spread the word.  They can do that by:

  • Interacting with other parents.
  • Connecting you to educators, coaches and other youth leaders in the community.
  • Discovering opportunities for your youth ministry to be more involved.

Parents who advocate on your behalf will introduce you to new opportunities where your ministry can grow.

Change the way you approach parents.  Leverage the relationship you have with them so that you can continue to reach more teens.

How are you utilizing the relationship you have with parents?