Leadership Archives - Blog | Download Youth Ministry Blog

12 Aug 2024

Setting Spiritual Goals for the New School Year

By Ronald|2024-07-22T13:34:49-07:00August 12th, 2024|Leadership|2 Comments

As the new school year kicks off, it’s a great time to help your students set meaningful spiritual goals. The start of a new year brings fresh opportunities for growth and reflection. Here’s how you can guide your students in setting and achieving their spiritual goals for the year ahead.

Begin by hosting a goal-setting workshop. Gather your students and provide a space for them to reflect on their personal faith journeys. Encourage them to think about what they want to achieve spiritually over the coming year. Whether it’s developing a daily prayer habit, reading through the Bible, or growing in a specific area of their faith, help them articulate clear and achievable goals. Provide resources and tools, like goal-setting worksheets or journals, to support them in this process.

Next, pair students with accountability partners or small groups. Having someone to share their goals with can provide motivation and support. Create a system where students can check in regularly with their partners or small group members to discuss their progress, share challenges, and celebrate successes. This not only helps them stay accountable but also fosters a sense of community and encouragement.

Finally, establish a system for tracking and celebrating progress. Regularly check in on the students’ goals and celebrate their milestones. You could implement a progress tracking system using journals, apps, or a bulletin board where students can mark their achievements. Host milestone celebrations or recognition events to acknowledge their hard work and progress. This will help keep students motivated and focused on their spiritual growth throughout the year.

By guiding your students in setting spiritual goals, providing accountability, and celebrating their progress, you can help them make the most of the new school year and grow in their faith. Here’s to a year filled with spiritual growth and achievements!

Need to set some goals of your own? New to Ministry? We’ve got a great conference for you!

15 Jul 2024

How to Do a Summer Check-In with Yourself in the Middle of a Crazy Season

By Ronald|2024-07-15T05:05:25-07:00July 15th, 2024|Leadership|6 Comments

As youth pastors, we know summer can be one of the busiest times of the year. Between camps, mission trips, and events, getting lost in the hustle and bustle is easy. Taking time for a self-check-in is essential to stay healthy, spiritually nourished, and effective in your ministry. You can’t serve from a place of complete burnout and exhaustion. It’s also near impossible to help others connect with God when you feel far from Him because you’re so busy serving.

Here are three steps to help you do just that:

1. Reflect and Reconnect with God

Why It’s Important: Your spiritual health is the foundation of your ministry. It’s challenging to pour into others effectively without a strong connection to God.

How to Do It:

Set Aside Quiet Time: Carve out at least 15-30 minutes daily to pray, read Scripture, and meditate on God’s word. This can be early morning, during a lunch break, or in the evening.
Journaling: Write down what God is teaching you during this season. Reflect on His faithfulness and any areas where you feel He’s leading you to grow.
Worship: Listen to worship music or sing your favorite hymns. Let the lyrics remind you of God’s goodness and sovereignty.

Pro Tip: Don’t see this as another task on your to-do list. It’s a vital time to refill your spiritual tank and hear from God amidst the busyness.

2. Evaluate Your Physical and Emotional Health

Why It’s Important: Your body and mind are instruments for God’s work. Neglecting your physical and emotional well-being can lead to burnout and affect the effectiveness of your ministry.

How to Do It:

Physical Health Check: Assess your current health habits. Are you getting enough sleep, eating nutritious meals, and exercising regularly? Small adjustments can significantly affect your energy levels and overall well-being.
Emotional Health Check: Reflect on your emotional state. Are you feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or joyful? It’s okay to acknowledge your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend, mentor, or counselor if you need support.
Rest and Recharge: Schedule downtime to rest and do things you enjoy. Whether reading a book, hiking, or spending time with family, prioritize rest.

Pro Tip: Remember, taking care of yourself is not selfish; it’s essential. You can’t serve others well if you’re running on empty.

3. Reassess Your Ministry Goals and Priorities

Why It’s Important: During a busy season, losing sight of your ministry’s overarching goals is easy. Reassessing ensures you stay aligned with your mission and make the most impact.

How to Do It:

Review Your Goals: Review the goals you set at the beginning of the summer. Are you on track? Do any goals need to be adjusted or prioritized differently?
Celebrate Wins: Acknowledge and celebrate the successes and progress made, no matter how small. This can boost morale and provide encouragement to keep going.
Delegate and Collaborate: Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks to your team or involve volunteers more. Empowering others lightens your load and fosters a sense of community and shared purpose.

Pro Tip: Keep a flexible mindset. Ministry is dynamic, and sometimes plans need to change. Be open to where God is leading, even if it’s different from your initial plan.

Taking time for a summer check-in can rejuvenate your spirit, mind, and body, enabling you to serve more effectively and joyfully. Remember, you’re not alone in this journey. Lean on God and your community, and take care of yourself to continue to pour into the lives of the youth you minister to.

24 Jun 2024

Help! The Parents Won’t Let Go!

By Ronald|2024-06-17T13:25:14-07:00June 24th, 2024|Leadership|3 Comments

Are you struggling with parents who won’t let their students attend youth group? Are you dealing with parents who insist on attending EVERY event and program meeting with their students? How can you minister to this family better? Here are some tips!

Meet with the parents

The very first thing I like to do is meet with new parents! You can always offer to take them out to Coffey or have them come to your office to chat for a little bit.

Parents who know more about your reason for ministry and your program and procedures are more likely to trust you. It might still be tough for them to let their baby attend, but meeting with them helps them get to know you better. The more they know you in the ministry, the more likely they will allow their student to participate.

Give them two weeks

I know that parents are the reason we have any children in the ministry in the first place. I always told parents they had two free weeks of observing and checking out the ministry without needing to do anything else. They are their kids, after all! Sometimes, giving them two weeks to observe lets them see everything they need to know about the ministry to let their son or daughter take part.

Remind them of the volunteer process

If a parent wants to continue hanging around after two weeks, I remind them of the volunteer process. Again, helping parents remember that we don’t allow anyone to hang out is a safety issue.

Having a formal volunteer interview process reminds parents that you formally vet every volunteer who comes into the ministry. This could include a background check, an interview with you, two references outside of the church, and an interview with their own teenagers.

I remember one volunteer who passed on everything I asked them to do until I met with their kids. They told me under no circumstances should their parent via youth ministry volunteer! I was floored, But it was one of my hard and fast rules.

You don’t have to let a parent know which part they pass on, but they should know that you are the ministry’s leader and can determine who hangs around students.

Challenge their beliefs

Why do they feel the need to be around their students 24/7? Youth group, at best, is two hours long. Letting their students have a little bit of independence and freedom might be good for them! I might help them grow and their faith on their own. It’s not taking away any personal discipleship, Student. You’re just asking for two hours a week.

Maybe the parents feel they need to be in constant control, make sure their students make the right kind of friends, and ensure their students are safe all the time.

These things can come from a good place, but they can also be unhealthy.

Challenge parents’ beliefs!

Let them make the call

We can’t change how parents disciple their kids. If they decide that youth ministry is not the best for their student, then that’s the parent’s decision!

As pastors, we have a unique role of coming alongside parents and helping them disciple their students. We’re not supposed to be the primary disciples, which means the final to the parent. The parent doesn’t have to dictate how your ministry works, but they can decide if their student will participate.

Did I miss anything? Could you add anything? I’d love to hear it!

20 May 2024

Launching Youth Ministry Seniors

By Ronald|2024-05-20T06:17:19-07:00May 20th, 2024|Leadership|8 Comments

May is a big season for youth ministries! Your seniors are graduating, and it can be a wild ride. These may be the students you’ve ministered to and spent time with over the last six or seven years. And you may be trying to figure out how to honor them and launch them into the next season.

And you’re also figuring out how to do that without making anyone upset or leaving anyone out!

What can you do?

Here are some ideas for honoring your seniors and even having them speak into the lives of the students who are coming behind them.

Have Seniors Speak at Youth Group

While not every senior can deliver a 30-minute message, you might be able to ask a senior to give the group following them some life advice. The high school pastor I worked with would do this regularly. He would schedule 3 to 4 seniors during a youth group program and have them offer advice to the next class. It was usually great to hear what the seniors would come up with and how they would take the lessons they learned in youth group and pass them down to the students following them.

Recognize Them on a Sunday Morning

On a particular Sunday morning, call up students who are graduating and have them stand on stage. It’s always a great moment to recognize them in front of the whole church! You can either hand them a microphone and have them go down the line saying their name, where they are from, and what their next season of life holds for them. Make sure you communicate in advance what this will be so that students and parents are prepared for it!

Get Them a Gift

Try to get students something to mark the occasion. Maybe it’s a Bible where their family and friends have highlighted verses to take them into the next season. Maybe it’s a devotional aimed at seniors so that they can enter this next season walking with God. Maybe it’s exclusive Youth Ministry swag that only graduates get. Whatever you do, think about how a student might look at this gift and remember their time in Youth Ministry fondly.

Set Them Up for What’s Next

Do your new seniors know how to look for a church? Do they know how to ask and get plugged into a new ministry? I know a youth pastor who would take his seniors to a couple of different churches during their summer after high school. He would have them learn everything they could about the new church on one visit and ask how to get plugged in. I love this idea because the youth pastor would go with them and help coach them through it! What a great idea to help students look for a new church since most of our seniors might be moving on to their next chapter in a new city and not know how to find a new community of believers!

How would you help launch seniors into the next season?

Want some help with having seniors tell their stories? Check out this resource!

6 May 2024

How to Change Your Culture to Something You Desire

By Justin Knowles|2024-05-06T03:50:50-07:00May 6th, 2024|Leadership|6 Comments

I have been in my current position for a few years now. Recently, during a conversation with one of our youth leaders, he remarked, “It’s like we have a whole new group of people and values.” Indeed, the atmosphere has shifted significantly compared to four years ago, and this transformation has been intentional. Throughout the year, we have diligently worked towards altering the culture of our Wednesday nights to one that actively seeks Jesus, embraces committed leadership, and fosters a spirit of enjoyment. Our efforts are beginning to yield results.

So, how did we achieve this? Reflecting on the steps our team took to implement change within our group, I’d like to share them.

Prayer: Our team dedicated time to prayer together. We gathered to envision and articulate our values and aspirations for our ministries, surrendering them to God. While individuals can influence culture to a certain extent, the profound change we sought for our students could only be realized through divine intervention.
Observation: Initially, I spent four to six months simply observing. I meticulously took notes, scrutinizing every aspect from technological setups and stage arrangements to program content, volunteer engagement, and job roles. After gaining insights into our existing systems and their outcomes, we systematically addressed areas for improvement.
Gradual Implementation: We began by making superficial adjustments to enhance the flow and aesthetics of our services. These changes involved aspects such as graphics, social media presence, sermon illustrations, music selection, and recreational activities. Changing culture is not a hasty process; it requires grace and patience as people naturally resist change. Once we achieved the desired service environment and struck a balance, we progressed to addressing personnel matters.
Volunteers: Recognizing that people differ from programs, we consistently communicated our vision from the outset. Some individuals naturally aligned with our vision, while others required candid discussions to reassess their involvement. Reiteration of the vision is crucial; when you feel fatigued from repeating it, your volunteers are just beginning to grasp it. While adjusting the vision for existing volunteers is possible, recruiting new leaders who resonate with the new direction proves invaluable. These leaders, fully immersed in the envisioned culture, serve as conduits for its transmission to students.
Relationships: Empowered by our shared vision and understanding of success, our leaders engage with students in purposeful relational activities. Events such as park outings, beach trips, and summer camps, led by vision-aligned leaders, have cemented relationships within our core student group. With this foundation, we are poised to establish small groups and expand our outreach to students seeking spiritual fulfillment.

The journey to reshape your group’s culture may entail various strategies, tailored to its unique dynamics. Nonetheless, I have found that prayerful, gradual, and intentional efforts can foster a culture where leaders inspire, collaborate, and empower others.

29 Apr 2024

Gradutation and Moving Up Gifts

By Ronald|2024-04-29T05:44:39-07:00April 29th, 2024|Leadership|8 Comments

May is just around the corner! That means seniors are moving on, 7th-grade students are going into high school, and 5th or 6th-grade students are getting ready to enter youth group!

With all this change? What should you get each grade or class to help them mark the occasion?

Bibles for Seniors

I love gifting Bibles to students moving out of the youth group and into the next season of life. Even better, though, is giving them a Bible with highlighted verses and notes written from the important people in their lives. You can do this all in one go at a Senior focused youth group night or hand the Bible to parents to have them run it around to family. Whichever direction you take, write your own note and highlight a few verses.

Those can be treasured Bibles that can help guide them to their next season! Just make sure you reach out to the seniors on your list and ask if they will be around for it. It never hurts to have a couple extra on hand, just in case.

T-Shirts for Incoming Students

Every student could use a Bible when coming into the youth group. So don’t hear me say DON’T get an incoming student a Bible. However, I love to help new students feel a part of the group and special at the same time. I would usually get a t-shirt made up special for the students coming into the ministry. It would be our logo on a t-shirt that ONLY the new incoming students get. That way they get some cool youth group branded stuff AND feel some connection to the other students moving in with them.

It’s been cool to watch students keep wearing those shirts over the years too. A little bit of class pride, yeah?

A Plant

Go with me here. Moving from middle school to high school is difficult. It can be one of the toughest moves a student makes. We don’t often recognize that in our ministries, which should change! I love getting my students something that symbolizes growing into the next season of life.

A succulent (read: a plant that doesn’t die very easily) can be a neat gift to show students you see them and remind they that they are still growing! It’s a little reminder that can encourage them to continue to make their faith their own AND, hopefully, encourage them to continue to grow in grace and love.

You can probably think of a few other things you could grab for a student moving from one season to the next. Celebrate the moves and the changes! Whatever you do, acknowledge that God is at work in their lives and that you’re excited about what He has in store for them!

23 Apr 2024

Encourage Your Volunteers!

By Ronald|2024-04-23T10:36:35-07:00April 23rd, 2024|Leadership, Volunteers|7 Comments

Springtime might be tough for a Youth Pastor, but it can also be difficult for a Youth Ministry volunteer! These are the people we rely on to help make ministry happen. We can’t do this thing by ourselves! So, how can you show volunteers appreciation and ensure they feel valued as a part of your team? I’ve got three quick ideas!

Send them a text

Sending a quick text message to a volunteer is a great way to show them you appreciate them! Normally, we text volunteers when we need supplies for a game or for them to put out a fire in the youth room. But if you spent the next 10 minutes texting your volunteer team, you could show them that you were thinking about them, appreciate their support, and give them a small encouragement that might carry them through the week! Something like:

“Hey Susan! Thanks so much for being on the team. I saw you having a great conversation with Samantha last night. I’m glad you’re doing Youth Ministry!”

“Hey Scott! It’s always great to see you throwing football and chatting it up with the dudes. Glad you’re on the Youth Ministry team!”

Grab Them a Snack

Ask your volunteers what their favorite snack is. And then next time you meet, have it ready for them. We do this with students all the time. Why shouldn’t we do this for our volunteers? It’s a great way to show them that we know them, we love them, and we were thinking about them. It doesn’t even have to be in the Youth Ministry budget for you to show this type of appreciation! Once you know their favorite snack, you can get it for them again! Think right before the retreat happens or at the end of the school year. You can show your volunteers appreciation just by running to the store real quick.

Sing Their Praises

Maybe not literally singing, but think of it this way: every time you get a microphone, it’s a chance for you to talk about how great your volunteers are. Maybe it’s when you’re making an announcement at church in service or before you break up for small groups. Make sure you tell your volunteers you appreciate them in front of people! It’s definitely not the only way to show people that you appreciate them, but it’s a great way to remind them that you are on their team and you are thankful for them! The next time somebody hands you a microphone, take 30 seconds to talk about how great your Youth Ministry volunteers are!

Did I miss anything? Is there anything you would add to the list? I’d love to hear about it!

26 Mar 2024

Exciting New Updates to This Year’s National Day of Volunteer Youth Ministry Training

By jessica|2024-03-26T00:10:31-07:00March 26th, 2024|Leadership, Training, Volunteers|3 Comments

This video-driven, fun, and momentum-building event, with practical youth ministry training for your volunteers, is back for it’s 6th year! And we’ve made some exciting updates to ensure it’s tailored perfectly for you and your team.

NEW: You get to CHOOSE the training date!
We’ll deliver the training to you on August 1st, 2024!
NEW: Customize the training how you want the day to go.
The training will be hosted on Coleader, which means you can customize it however you’d like! Lots of flexibility… you can choose to make it shorter or longer.
NEW: Gold/Gold+ Members get 35% off!
Only $161 to own exclusively for your church or $259 to host (before April 1)! Learn more about Gold and Gold+.
NEW: Gift it to your community or CHARGE for admission!
Those who host can charge whatever they want. You’re in control of the pricing. Use it as a fundraiser or invite people to come for FREE.
NEW: Platinum Members get the training included in their membership! Learn more about Platinum.
NEW: Training topics & NEW speakers just announced!

Doug Fields
Author, Speaker and co-founder of Download Youth Ministry

Kristen Lascola
Junior High Pastor, North Coast Church and creator/host of “The Ministry Coach” podcast

Josh Griffin
Junior High Pastor at Mariners Church, Speaker and co-founder of Download Youth Ministry

Oza Jones
Director of African American Ministries for The Texas Baptists Convention

Zach Luben
Director of Chapel, Seaver College, Pepperdine University

Brock Morgan
Associate Pastor of The Bridge Chino, Speaker and Author of 20 books including The Anxious Teen

Jessica Sanchez
Youth Worker, Spiritual Director and part of the Download Youth Ministry team

Sean McDowell
Author, Speaker and Biola University Christian Apologetics Professor

2024 TRAINING TOPICS

Why your Youth Pastor NEEDS your Teamwork

5 Secrets of a Veteran Volunteer

Effective Up-close Discipleship

The Power of Asking Questions

Navigating Youth Group Drama

Faith Formation to the iPhone Generation

When Interruptions Become Ministry Opportunities

The Anxious Teen: Ministry That Builds Resilience and Connection to God

Prices increase on April 1st, sign up now to save $50!

Have questions?

Reach out to our team [email protected] – we’d love to connect with you!

12 Feb 2024

Surviving the Spring Slump

By Ronald|2024-02-12T07:52:10-08:00February 12th, 2024|Leadership|4 Comments

Springtime is usually tough for youth pastors and student ministry. Somewhere in between the hectic schedule of spring sports and seniors getting ready to graduate, it seems like showing up for youth group becomes less and less of a priority.

So, as a Youth Pastor, how can you get through the slump and stay encouraged? I’ve got four tips!

Focus on who is there.

A big pet peeve of mine is hearing students ask “where is everybody?” or even worse, “nobody’s here!” Both of those statements signal that everyone who made the time to actually show up and be invested in youth group today isn’t worthwhile. I know that’s probably not how you feel as the pastor, but it’s an important thing to remember. The students who showed up are there! Minister to the students you have!

I would have small group leaders who only had three kids show up for a meeting. Instead of moaning that their regulars couldn’t come, they loaded up the car and went to Sonic! What a great way to encourage the students who made the effort to come!

Stay in touch!

Just because a student isn’t there doesn’t mean that they don’t wish they could be. Getting reminders from you or messages of encouragement for the big game they’ve got coming up can be really helpful. Make sure you stay in contact with students even when they’re not there. This way, you can let them know that they matter to you even when they don’t show up to youth group. It’ll give you something great to talk about when you do finally get to connect with them in person again!

Ask them for their sports schedule and put their games on your calendar so you can send them a text the day of and let them know you’re praying for them. It can be a really game-changing opportunity!

Go to where they are.

If students are really focused on getting ready for the spring musical, then you can show them how much they mean to you by going to watch their play. We ask students to come hang out with us at church all the time. If, in the spring, they find themselves really busy with their extracurricular activities, we can return the favor and go to where they are! When you show up at the student sport event or band concert, you let them know how much they mean to you! It’ll go a long way in the future.

Take care of yourself.

The spring can be a really tough time. You can feel discouraged and beat down. Take a moment to plan some self-care into your spring routine. Schedule a day where you get away from the office and pray for your students and your next season of ministry. Invite your leaders out for coffee and hang out. Spend some time cleaning out the youth room so you’ll be ready for the wild Summer months. Take some moments to read scripture and reflect on what God has done in your own life. Spring can be tough! But, if you work on these four things, by the grace of God, you’ll make it through!

Need an easy win for youth group this spring? Check out these games:

5 Feb 2024

How Do I Recruit Volunteers?

By Ronald|2024-02-05T08:34:06-08:00February 5th, 2024|Leadership, Volunteers|2 Comments

We can’t do this ministry by ourselves! While it might be possible to take a group of students on a trip in the church van alone, there’s always a high likelihood that you misplaced a receipt, got lost on the way, or somehow lost a kid!

And I know I’m not the only one who really wishes there were someone else in the audience to help keep students focused and on task when I’m teaching a message or leading a game. For crowd control and to prevent receiving as many angry parent emails, volunteers are an integral part of any Youth Ministry! So how do you get them? Speaking from the Sunday morning pulpit might not be your best bet. Instead, try these four tips:

Ask parents to help make student ministry better: Some youth pastors don’t like asking parents to serve in ministry. Maybe it’s because they feel like students can’t be themselves if mom or dad is hanging around. Sometimes it’s because a Youth Pastor might feel intimidated by parents. Odds are, they’re older than you, and it might feel weird having volunteers around who are twice your age or could legitimately be your parent.The real reality is that they are invested in Youth Ministry going well! These are their kids we’re talking about! Parents can make the best volunteers because they have an inside track on what’s going on in their students’ lives, and they want the ministry to thrive.
Ask students who want to help lead the youth group: You might be surprised about how perceptive students are. Or maybe you know that students can tell who they would like to be around. If you were to ask a couple of students in your youth group who they would like to see volunteering in the student ministry, odds are that they have some names from your church.They may not be the people you would’ve chosen first, but if you ask them to serve because students mentioned them by name, you might find yourself a really helpful ally in your ministry journey!
See who naturally hangs around: When you have a youth group, is there somebody who is hanging out with the kids throwing a football in the parking lot? Is there someone who pops in just to help set up chairs or ask if you need any more snacks? Are there people who ask to be involved in Youth Ministry? This might seem like an easy win, but the reality is people might not volunteer if they’re not asked.When you see people at church naturally gravitating towards students, they might be worth getting to know a little bit better, and seeing if they would be a good fit for serving in the student ministry! Make sure to watch out for older church members as well who take time out of their day to stop and talk to students. Don’t ever discount a volunteer because they might be too old! If they love Jesus and like kids, they might be a great volunteer!
Ask those already serving: Does your church have people who already like to help, maybe they cook in the kitchen or hand out coffee or open doors before service. People who like to serve usually are looking for more ways to serve! There might be some church members who do too much and need to take a break, but don’t discount people or try to be the Holy Spirit for them. Ask if they would be willing to serve in student ministry and let them pray about it!

Have I missed any ways that you’ve recruited volunteers at your church? I’d love to hear them!

And need some resources getting these new volunteers on board? Check these out: