12 Feb 2024

Surviving the Spring Slump

By Ronald|2024-02-12T07:52:10-08:00February 12th, 2024|Leadership|26 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:

30 Oct 2023

Spooky Season is Here!

By Ronald|2023-10-30T10:22:48-07:00October 30th, 2023|Youth Ministry Ideas|1 Comment

Hey youth pastor!

This week is Halloween. You probably already knew that from all of the social media posts with your students going around and hitting every trunk-or-treat in the tri-county area.

But what are you doing for your students this week?

DYM has got you!

If you’re hoping for a night with some Halloween themed games, check these out with some suggestions on how you can play them with your whole group!

Give your students or a small group a whiteboard and a dry erase marker and see who can unscramble the word the fastest! Throw candy in the general direction of the winner!

Put up a spooky looking 1, 2, and 3 around your room and have students move to the answer they think is correct. Or, if you’ve got a huge group, have them hold up their fingers to answer. Either way get every one standing up! They sit down when they get an answer wrong. The winner could get their own pumpkin to carve.

This is a great ice-breaker to have students moving around the room. I love to go and quiz students on their answer and why they chose what they did. Give them a handful of bubble gum if they’ve got a decent answer!

Need to show your senior pastor that not everything you do on Halloween is “of the world”? Use this game to have a conversation about the WILD stuff that’s in the Bible. This could be an upfront game with students holding signs that say “Old Testament” or “Scary Movie”. Hand out a copy of a bargain kid scary movie you found at a thrift store.

Need a way to get everyone involved? Crowd Charades is a great game to get people moving! Give the winning team a shower of candy. Should be loads of fun!

Need a great lesson on not being fake and wearing a mask? This one will be an EASY win for the week of Halloween! Make the stories your own and have a great discussion with your students!

And that’s it!

Have a great week and spend time with students and way less time planning games and the lesson.

We believe in you.

You’ve got this!

9 Oct 2023

Encouragement for a Youth Pastor

By Ronald|2023-10-09T08:52:21-07:00October 9th, 2023|Leadership|5 Comments

October is a special month in the church calendar designated as Pastor Appreciation Month. This is a time when congregations express their gratitude and love for their pastors, and youth pastors play a vital role in the life of the church. As a youth pastor, you might wonder how to navigate this season with grace and humility. Here are four tips to encourage you during Pastor Appreciation Month:

Embrace the Love and Recognition: It’s easy to underestimate the impact of your work as a youth pastor. However, during Pastor Appreciation Month, it’s essential to accept the love and recognition that your congregation wants to shower upon you. Embrace the kind words, gestures, and gifts with gratitude. Understand that you are making a difference in the lives of the youth you serve, and your congregation recognizes and appreciates your dedication. Even if they don’t recognize you, remember the impact you will have!
Reflect on Your Ministry Journey: Take some time during this special month to reflect on your ministry journey. Consider how far you’ve come, the challenges you’ve overcome, and the growth you’ve experienced. Reflecting on your calling and your passion for youth ministry can rejuvenate your spirit and remind you of the reasons you chose this path in the first place.
Connect with Your Youth Group: Pastor Appreciation Month can also be an opportunity to connect with your youth group on a deeper level. Encourage open and honest conversations about their spiritual journeys, challenges, and aspirations. Spend time in prayer with them and let them know that you appreciate their presence in your life as much as they appreciate yours.
Seek Encouragement and Support: Being a youth pastor can be rewarding and challenging. During this special month, don’t hesitate to seek encouragement and support from your fellow pastors, mentors, or friends within the ministry. Share your joys and struggles with trusted individuals who can offer guidance, prayer, and a listening ear.

Pastor Appreciation Month is a time to remember that your congregation values and cherishes your role as a youth pastor. Or, at least we hope that’s the case! Embrace the love and recognition with humility, reflect on your journey, connect with your youth group, and seek the support you need to continue serving with passion and dedication. Your ministry is making a lasting impact on the lives of teenagers, and you deserve all the appreciation in the world.

Need some added encouragement and fun? Join Doug Fields and Josh Griffin as they unpack their week in youth ministry in real time! Learn from their mistakes and years of experience doing youth ministry. Fun, practical, and interactive!

Click here!