I have a cool job. I get to do all kinds of stuff in the student ministry world. Part of my time is spent traveling and hanging out in a wide variety of student environments. So I’m confident that I can steal ideas from all kinds of places. 

So let’s get this party started, shall we? I’ll begin as practically as I possibly can.

Buy some jumper cables.

Yes, you read that correctly. If you’re a student pastor looking for a great investment, go to Autozone and pick up a beautiful set of battery booster cables.

But here’s the kicker (don’t get excited, it’s not much of a kicker): get the 20 footers, not the 12. It’s going to cost you a pretty penny, but trust me, it’s worth it. You never know when someone will be parked at an angle unreachable to commonplace cables.

Why, you may ask? Simple. A lot of people drive to your program. Many of you meet in the evenings, and in the winter months especially, it gets dark early. The last thing you want is a nervous parent getting a call from a freaked out 17-year old: “My car won’t start and I’m stranded in the dark at the church.” This is a better call: “I’m on my way. My car wouldn’t start, but my student pastor jumped off my car.” Not only did you save the day, you let the parents know that you’re truly responsible for their teenager.

I know you would never leave a student stranded at your church. And you may think, Surely there’s another leader or student who has jumper cables in their car. But why risk it? One of your biggest jobs as a student pastor is making sure students get back and forth to your program safely. As a side, that’s also why I’m pretty quick to cancel when there’s inclement weather—again, why risk it?

Here’s another added bonus: it’s great to have them when you’re out and about in the community—at the grocery store, basketball games, the movie theater. It’s one simple way for you to put the story of The Good Samaritan into action.

So what’s your one step? Buy some jumper cables.

Ben Crahshaw is the Director of XP3 Curriculum & High School Camp at The reThink Group. You can check out this resources on DYM right here!