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5 Mar 2024

How do I minister to parents?

By |2024-03-05T07:55:06-08:00March 5th, 2024|Parents|7 Comments

Parents are busy! They’re rushing their students around from one sports game to an extracurricular activity and trying to juggle all of their normal home life and chores as well. Oh, and they work full-time jobs. Additionally, one of their kids is probably sick, and youth group is going to happen in an hour, and they just remembered that their student has a really big project due the next day.

It can feel incredibly frustrating when we are trying to reach out to students, and their parents are all over the place. How can we, as youth pastors, minister to parents in a helpful way? I’ve got three quick tips that you might implement.

Plan a year in advance.

This doesn’t have to include every single detail, but you absolutely need to have events on the calendar at least one year in advance. Think of when schools hand out their yearly calendars. They’ve got spring break, fall break, the beginning of school, and the end of school all right there. Parents don’t typically plan a month in advance; they’re usually six months to a year out. If you don’t have the dates for the summer mission trip in their hands, their students are probably not going to go. Take advantage of some of DYM’s fantastic calendars and put them to good use!

Communicate frequently.

If a parent has 40,000 notifications on their phone, that’s their problem. You still need to regularly let parents know what’s going on in the ministry and what their students can do to be involved. Here’s some great news: you get to decide what works best for you and your parents! Whether it’s a weekly email where you explain the teaching series for the week and plug upcoming events, or Facebook posts letting parents know about upcoming deadlines, it’s essential to stay in contact with parents. Whatever you choose, stick to it. If you commit to delivering a weekly email, make sure you send it out. If you tell parents that the primary way you communicate is through your website, make sure it’s updated! You know what would be a really easy win? Making a podcast where you share what’s going on in the youth ministry on a weekly basis. You could share what you’re teaching, what parents need to know for the upcoming summer camp, and even tell a funny story or two. And parents can take in that information while they’re driving! Win.

Take them out to lunch or coffee.

Parents are busy, but they also have to eat food. Offer to get lunch sometime in the next couple of weeks with two or three families. You don’t need to have an agenda for your meeting; you can just ask them questions about their family and how things are going. If their kids haven’t been in youth group in a while, don’t guilt trip them; just ask them how things are at home. Ask them how you can pray for them. You would be blown away at how parents have reacted to me doing this; they feel so seen and supported when all I do is ask them to share how family life is going.

Ministering to students is a challenge! Ministering to parents can be a steep mountain to climb. But you can show parents how much you care about them by intentionally reaching out and communicating!

Did I miss something that you would add? I’d love to hear it!

Need a calendar to send to parents for the summer? Get ready with this fully editable calendar below!

23 Oct 2023

Go Outside With your Students this Fall

By |2023-10-23T07:40:33-07:00October 23rd, 2023|Youth Ministry Ideas|6 Comments

I love the fall, even here in South Texas, where we get some fall weather. After our first false fall, when it goes back up to 90 degrees for a few weeks, that is.

Once the weather becomes cooler, being outside is a lot more fun!

So why should you take your students outside once everyone has a pumpkin-spiced latte?

Nature is God’s

I personally love being outside and being in nature! I feel closer to God when I am observing what He has made. I know we can often be proud of our youth spaces and the room we have made for students to come together and experience God collectively. But there is something wonderful about being outside and experiencing God’s creation together.

I also find that the changing season makes me think about changes in my life. That’s something we can help students capture as well.

No Screens Means Connection

I love technology. I’m typing this on my computer as I look at multiple screens. I don’t know where I would end up without the Internet and a phone to connect with many friends throughout the day.

But there is something super special about being in a place without screens, and you get to look and see what God is doing outside of a screen.

Encourage your students to put their phones down and pick their eyes up! They may have a great chance to connect in person outside!

Creativity When You Shake Things Up

When you take away your normal tools, you have to get creative! Without my computer and my big screen and sound system, I have to think about what programming elements get involved in whatever event we’re going to do. I have to think outside the box. There’s something about that that makes planning outdoor events really fun for me. I get to be really creative! It’s also great to invite students into that creativity with me.

Need some inspiration for an outdoor activity? Check out these five great games for your students next time you get outside!

And plan some time outdoors with your students!

14 Aug 2023

Starting Off Small Groups Right

By |2023-08-14T10:47:41-07:00August 14th, 2023|Small Groups|3 Comments

As the leaves start to change and the air gets crisper (at least there’s a rumor cold air is happening somewhere around here…), it’s the perfect time to kick off small groups within your youth ministry. I’m excited to share some practical tips with you that will help you create an enriching and transformative experience for your students this fall. Let’s dive in:

1. Select Clear Topics and Themes:

Imagine sitting down with your small group, ready to dive into meaningful conversations. To make that happen, choose topics and themes that genuinely resonate with your students. Think about their needs, interests, and challenges. When you address subjects that matter to them, you’ll spark engagement and encourage everyone to actively participate. 

Want to make it a double win? Get on board with your church’s vision statement and show how what you’re talking about correlates to that!

2. Recruit and Train Leaders:

Leaders are the heartbeat of your small groups. Identify individuals who have a passion for mentoring and guiding others. These leaders don’t have to be experts; they just need a heart that cares. Equip them with training, resources, and ongoing support. When leaders feel confident and well-prepared, their guidance will inspire great discussions and growth.

Check out some of the resources down below for more info!

3. Define Group Guidelines:

Creating a safe and open space is huge for effective small groups. Sit down with your leaders and craft clear group guidelines together. Address behaviors, confidentiality, and mutual respect. These guidelines set the tone for an environment where students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, questions, and struggles.

Make sure students are on board with these guidelines and are willing to participate with these in mind!

4. Incorporate Prayer and Worship:

Picture your small group gathering around in a circle, connecting not only with each other but also with Jesus. Start or end each session with prayer and worship. It deepens the spiritual experience, reminding everyone that they’re part of something bigger than themselves. This practice also fosters unity and encourages students to explore their faith journey together.

Remind students they aren’t just here for fellowship! They’re here to experience the life changing work of God!

5. Celebrate Milestones:

We all love celebrating victories, right? Well, your small groups should be no different. Recognize and celebrate milestones—whether it’s someone’s spiritual breakthrough, a goal achieved, or personal challenges overcome. These celebrations create a sense of accomplishment and belonging, making your small group feel like a tight-knit community.

As you embark on this exciting journey of fall small groups, remember that you’re not just organizing meetings; you’re fostering a space for growth, connection, and transformation. Keep these tips close as you create a nurturing environment for your students.

Need some resources to get your fall in full swing? Check these awesome Co-Leader resources out!

24 Jul 2023

Ministering to Students Who Aren’t Showing Up

By |2023-07-13T13:16:16-07:00July 24th, 2023|Uncategorized, Youth Ministry Hacks|10 Comments

We just recorded a podcast for Youth Ministry Hacks (CLICK HERE to listen) about the importance of following up in youth ministry. Follow up is such an important aspect of ministry but something easily overlooked because it’s easy to miss to move on to bigger and better things. 

One of the things I get asked the most about in youth ministry is what is the exact system we have set up in order to make sure student don’t fall through the cracks? Below is what we have set up right now. Does it work? If I am honest, we don;t know yet. We only really started the whole process in all phases about 2 months ago. It seems to be doing it’s job. I do know we will be looking at it and adjusting  it as we go, but it seems to at least fill some holes we had noticed over the past two years of having lots of news students but not being at “sticky” as we have been wanting. 

We are in a season where we have the ability to track who is coming to our campuses and we want to make sure we are effectively following up with every student who walks through our doors throughout the year. 

We will run a weekly (new students), a monthly (this month vs last month) and a quarterly (CCB roster scrub) report. 

The following is how we need to be following up with each group of students that we can run reports on:

1st Time Student Follow Up:

When a new student comes to SCY for the first time they fill out a QR code with their info. The info gets put into a list where the youth network team will then create a new student profile and put it in a queue for the youth lead to follow up with.

Here is how the process is set up in CCB:

  • Thursday
    • “Glad you came” postcards get written up (cards have been provided) and addressed with a note and put in the mail. 
    • Follow up text from the lead. 
    • Follow up text from the group leader they were placed with the previous night. 
    • Parent email, introducing the lead and the ministry
  • Tuesday
    • Queue will prompt a follow up invite with a text from the youth lead to invite back to groups the following night. 
  • Thursday
    • Youth lead will check to see if that student came back to groups. 
      • If student did, connect with them and let them know they are so glad they got to come back and will help them get more connected in the ministry 
      • If the student did not, they will keep them in the queue and invite them back the following week for 3 weeks. 

Monthly CCB Report – Students who checked in last month but not this month

We have the ability now to run a monthly report of every student who checked into a group the previous month who has not come back the current month. This is a good way to follow up with kids we have not seen in a bit and a good way to see if any of the first time students have been plugged in. 

Follow up should look like the following:

  • All follow up should happen within two weeks of receiving the roster by campus. 
  • A “We miss you” postcard addressed with a note from the lead be sent in the mail. 
  • A call or text to the student
    • “Hey! We have noticed you have not been here in a few weeks. Just letting you know we miss seeing you! We hope you are good. Is there anything that we can be praying for you about or do for you and your family? We hope to see you soon!
    • Something along those lines. 
  • An email to the parent with a very similar text. 
  • If the CP knows the family, they can reach out to the parents. 

Quarterly CCB Report – Students who have checked in this year, but who have not come this quarter

We have the ability to run a report to see students who we have not checked in at youth for 3 months. This is a great opportunity to reach out to youth and parents to let them know we notice, to check in and invite back. 

Follow up should look like the following:

  • A “We miss you” postcard addressed with a note from the lead be sent in the mail. 
  • A call or text to the student
    • “Hey! We have noticed you have not been here in a few weeks. Just letting you know we miss seeing you! We hope you are good. Is there anything that we can be praying for you about or do for you and your family? We hope to see you soon!
    • Something along those lines. 
  • An email to the parent with a very similar text. 
  • If the CP knows the family, they can reach out to the parents. 
  • That student should be removed from any CCB group roster so we can have accurate information in regards to youth rosters as they are a leading indicator for the success of youth at Sandals. 

Whatever church management system you have, it really doesn’t matter, you can take this process and apply it. If your group is small or if it’s massive, the important part is being intentional with the process of follow up to make sure you are covering all bases and making connections with students. 

Hope this is helpful. 

@justinknowles3

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