Every year youth ministry plays a little game. We’ve burned out the adult leaders we managed to convince to stay for that year, and go on a quest to lure in enough leaders to cover the next season. The high turnover isn’t ideal for effectively ministering to students, and the pressure of finding a new team every year is impossibly challenging. There’s got to be a better way!
What if we focused our energy, not on recruitment (although that still won’t totally go away) and focused on keeping the volunteers we already have on our team. What if we celebrated, loved, encouraged and trained the leaders we already have in such a way that they stayed longer than a year. What if we worked hard to create “lifers” that outlast us and at the same time intuitively mentor the new leaders that are attracted to serving in your ministry.
Who’s already on your team who you could connect with this week? Who do you see as a long-term player in your youth ministry inner circle that might not see that above themselves? What are you doing in your ministry to keep the keepers? I want to be a part of a place that pours into volunteers, caring for them in such a way that they stay on the team for years, not months. I know that still not all make it and we will still have to recruit this Fall, but at least we’re not playing the game anymore.
JG
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Josh Griffin has been in youth ministry for 15+ years and serves as the High School Pastor at Saddleback Church. [
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Geoff Stewart serves the Jr / Sr High School Pastor at Peace Portal Alliance Church in Surrey B.C.
Josh,
Love your heart that comes through in this entry! Amen!
Josh, I think you’re right on with this. I spend a lot of time trying hard (not always as successfully as I’d like) to build into my leaders. And it works. I’ve got leaders on my high school team that have been around for 10+ years of my 15 years here. And middle school leaders who have been around all 15 of my years here. These are the majority. Are we always looking for new folks who love God and love students and want to share their lives and the Gospel with kids? Sure. But I think you’re right about where we should be focusing our energy. When you can keep volunteers around, the impact on students lives grows exponentially. And our job becomes so much easier.
Great post.
Hey Josh,
Loved this thought, and TOTALLY agree. I served for six years at a church in the south hills of Pittsburgh. 4 years ago we left for a new ministry. I visit the old group periodically. I am so proud; the leaders who served with me then, are still serving today, and they are more in love with the students and ministry then ever!
Loving leadership beyond the burnout point is crucial. You need to love them, serve them, build relationships with them just as you would with your students. (Only, they’re adults.) When they know that you are real and committed, they catch your passion and make it their own.
I am now in my 2nd year of my current ministry. Our leadership team has will turn over this year. The leaders who have served well and served for years are stepping down and new, fresh leaders are coming forward.
I hope and pray that I can love them in a way that passes along my passion for students AND leaders! I want them to know that I am as committed to them and their spiritual growth as I am our students. Thank God for the lifers who make us shine because they love students just like us!
jay
Great stuffs.
I have the same team (with some additions) that I had a couple of years ago. It’s been a while since I’ve lost a volunteer on the youth ministry team. I think when partners discover their shape and included in that shape is a heart for students they tend to stick around a lot longer.
We also make sure they get some weeks off throughout the year.
The team I serve with are a blessing to me. I’ve been on sabbatical since mid Feb and the team has totally taken care of the youth ministry. I’m really looking forward to joining them “in the trenches” again in a couple of weeks.
Josh – It’s great to see you thinking in this direction. Our church recently went through a change in youth pastors after having the same one for over 15 years. Not ONE of those that were on staff left the youth ministry program and I think I can offer a little insight into why that is.
First, the pastor of this group spent a good amount of time (1 Sunday per month) meeting with his volunteer staff, training them, and encouraging them with good information. What this did was actually prepare the volunteer staff with all of the resources we needed to take the group and run with it while there was a search for a new pastor. Little did we know that it would take a year!
In that year we obviously lost some effectiveness due to losing a good friend and pastor. We were able to see some of our students step up big-time to make the group something worth attending and usable by God. From my perspective, now, I see many aspects of the ministry that were invisible to the eye of the volunteer. I have much more appreciation for the youth pastor and the many hats they wear, and as much as I love youth ministry, there’s no way you’ll talk me in to taking it on full-time!
Some things as a volunteer that help us to be able to focus on the ministry and not burn out so fast are these things:
- Know your vision for ministry, share it with your staff and students, and lead us in that direction. Nothing frustrates more than lack of direction
- Plan ahead and let us know what it is.
- Be open and honest with us, but don’t be a complainer
- Listen to our ideas, many of us have poured ourselves into ministry and think about it constantly. If you don’t like the idea or have reservations, let’s talk it out, don’t just ignore it.
- Know us well enough to use us where we can really shine. Don’t just recruit any person to fill any spot.
- Invest into our development. Many of us “miss out” on adult-level teaching in the church and crave that aspect.
- Food is good. We all like a good BBQ to unwind once in a while! This goes along with getting us together outside of church just to build the community / unity between the volunteer staff.
Thanks for these encouraging thoughts!