Social media are indispensable nowadays in youth ministry, but what is the best way to use them and what are issues we need to take into consideration? In this new series on Social Media in Youth Ministry we’re going to dive deep into the phenomenon of social netwroks. We’ll have a look at facts and stats, we’ll do some analyzing as to what the future may hold and we’ll definitely discuss best practices. We’ll also look at several media in more detail and see how we could use these in our ministry. But let’s start with a look at social media in general so we’re all on the same page as to what they are exactly.

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If you delegate responsibilities to your students within your youth ministry, sooner or later they will mess up. Not because they’re incompetent or irresponsible, but because they’re students and therefore young, relatively inexperienced and yes, only human. How you handle their mistakes can have an enormous impact on them and can determine how they will serve not only in youth ministry, but in the whole church afterwards. Here’s seven golden rules to keep in mind when students make mistakes:

1. Confront them right away

If they have made a mistake, don’t delay in telling them. Pull them aside and confront them as soon as possible. Usually, they’ll know they have messed up and the agonizing wait for you (or any leader) to say something can be a huge stress factor for them. Obviously, confronting them in person is best. Never, ever deliver criticism via email, no matter how small it may seem to you.

 

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