volunteers | More Than Dodgeball

Josh GriffinMore Posts Weigh In – Volume 29: Covering the Cost of Chaperones

From time to time I post a question that comes into the blog for YOU to answer. What advice would you give this youth pastor who is asking about violence and accidents that happen during youth group. Was hoping you could share your thoughts in the comments, too. Weigh in!

I was wondering, when it comes to youth trips, how are chaperones funded in your ministry? Does everyone pay out of pocket? Are all of their costs subsidized by the ministry budget or fundraisers? Is there a split between the two? I was just curious as to what your policies are. How many “trips” would an adult leader have the opportunity – or even be expected – to attend in the course of a year with your youth group?

JG

11 View Comments February 26, 2013

Chris WesleyMore Posts Build Your Minister Depth

It’s hard to recruit an adult into youth ministry; however, to keep them for the long haul is another story. I would like to say that everyone that served with me in my first year is still with me today; but, that would be a lie. In fact there is only one person that has stuck around for the last 9 years. Fortunately, that trend has changed and the turnover is much lower today. THE PROBLEM is that ministers were leaving because they did not feel value. They felt like they were treated like doers and not leaders.

If you want your ministry to grow, you need to take the volunteers you have and give them the opportunities to lead. You can’t just wait around for the perfect leaders because they may never come. Instead you have to look at opportunities to build your ministry depth. That’s done when you:

Take A Risk: Doesn’t matter if you ask them to hand in a resume or if you pick them out of a hat, when choosing a leader you are taking a risk. To take a calculated risk it’s important for you to develop parameters and steps that will allow them to grow as a leader. That means giving them room to fail.

Give Over Control: In order for a leader to grow, they need opportunities to lead. Give them a project, an activity or event to run. Not only will it give them confidence as a leader but the understanding to what you feel as the youth pastor. This will allow them to understand the work that goes into reaching the vision for your ministry.

Equip Them With Resources: You need to set your leaders up for success. To make that happen you need to give your leaders resources to educate them on ministry and materials that they need to perform certain tasks. This means understanding how and where they need to grow.

Step Away: You can be the biggest obstacle to your leader’s development. While you think you are giving them control you could still be micromanaging. Encourage your leaders to come to you with any questions and then trust that they will follow through on the invitation. This means allowing them to fail. It means giving them permission to run the ministry in “their” way. By stepping away and allowing them to lead you give them the most important gift as a leader, trust.

To build your ministry depth you need to equip, motivate and empower leaders. They will extend your reach and influence. They’ll help you create more capacity in your schedule. When you grow leaders you build momentum behind your movement.

How are you empowering and growing leaders?

Chris Wesley (@chrisrwesley)

Add Comment January 29, 2013

Josh GriffinMore Posts HSM’s Study Hall During Finals

Trying out a new idea (we undoubtedly stole from someone else – ha!) this week in our High School Ministry – HSM’s Study Hall. We’ve converted a room to a study area during finals week and promoted it as a serious option to come study, hang with friends and eat some snacks. We provide the food, free wi-fi, a few volunteers that can jump in with some basic tutoring and the room!

Students have totally eaten it up and are taking it seriously – great place to get to know them relationally hanging out during breaks. Fun idea!

JG

2 View Comments January 22, 2013

Josh GriffinMore Posts Old is the New, New

I love new. When someone starts a sentence with “We’ve never done this before” or “Here’s a new idea,” I get all pumped up. Yet I’ve been dealing with a lot of old lately.

I don’t have the new iPhone yet, and it’s been out for months already. It kills me to be off the pace of the upgrade treadmill.
My wife’s beat-up minivan has 171,000 miles on it, and I wish I could get her a 2013 Toyota Sienna tomorrow.
I just turned 38, so I’m not a spring chicken anymore.
I’m bored with our ministry’s summer calendar, so I’m trying to rethink it, gut it, and make everything brand new.

As we prepare to cross into the new year, I’m having a new thought: Maybe old should be the new, new. Maybe in our thirst for the latest gadget and “next best thing” type of programming, we’re missing out on some tried-and-true stuff that really works.

I don’t want to stand in the way of what’s next for youth ministry, but it doesn’t hurt to ponder some “new, old ideas” as we head into a new year.

1 – Build a team of caring adult leaders. Having the support of co-laborers in the faith has been a longtime tenet of youth ministry. This month, develop your inner circle of leadership—because the need for people who love God and love teenagers won’t ever change.

2 – Spend one-on-one time with young people. At the heart of ministry, past and present, is the individual. The church-growth movement has disproportionately fed the desire for the masses. But while large-crowd programs and events are fun, we must continually pursue and care for each young person.

3 – Rely on Bible-based curriculum and teaching. Styles and formats will come and go, and the size of groups will change. But the Bible has been and must stay at the center of youth ministry, no matter what philosophy we’re implementing this year or the next. Think about ways you can center your ministry more on Christ.

4 – Make sure a devoted follower of Jesus is leading the group. We can talk about leadership and experiment with the latest and greatest gadgets, tools, and core values. But if we aren’t in love with Jesus and devoted to him, our efforts (and ministry) will eventually implode.

Old really is the new, new!

Originally appeared in the Jan/Feb 2013 issue of Group Magazine. Don’t get the magazine yet? Hit this link to subscribe and get in on the action today!

1 View Comments January 18, 2013

Josh GriffinMore Posts 5 Things Every Youth Ministry Volunteer Needs to Know

Really enjoyed this post over on pastors.com from Greg Baird called 5 Things Every Kid’s Ministry Volunteer Needs to Know. Almost 100% of it transfers over to youth ministry easily – thought I would send you that way to read it today. Here’s 3 of them to get you started:

1. They are not babysitters.
Of course, most would agree with you about this. Unfortunately, many times they don’t act like it’s true. Volunteers need to truly understand that they are here to make an eternal impact in the lives of the kids they are serving.

2. Their ministry needs to flow from their relationship with God.
Following on from #1, it’s important for our team to understand the importance of their own relationship with God. And it’s important for us, as leaders, to understand that children’s ministry isnot just about discipling children, but also about discipling our volunteers. Are you checking on the spiritual health of your individual team members?

4. Connecting with parents is critical.
Volunteers need to know that, while what they do is critically important, it’s not what will make the biggest difference in the spiritual lives of kids. What the parents do will make the biggest difference. But parents often need (and usually want) to connect with what’s happening at church in order to make the spiritual investment at home.

JG

2 View Comments January 17, 2013

Chris WesleyMore Posts Before You Fire A Volunteer

I love my volunteers. I have a great group of men and women who give so much of themselves to the students, myself, the church and God. When I see them investing in the next generation I’m filled with joy. Unfortunately, I haven’t had a perfect streak when it comes to recruiting and keeping volunteers. I’ve had a few people who are full out committed at first and then never show up to a single small group. There have been grown ups who have said inappropriate things around the students because of carelessness. And then there are the volunteers who are consistently late and showing up unprepared. When this happens, something needs to be done.

Addressing a volunteer’s commitment and expectations can be awkward and painful. Your mind says, “Get rid of them.” Your heart says, “I need them.” And your stomach is in knots. So what do you do?

Before you decide whether to can or keep that volunteer, try these options:

Reassign Them: It’s possible a volunteer is serving in the wrong ministry. I’ve had large group ministers who should be small group leaders. People who were better with kids than teens. It happens all the time, someone responds to your invitation wanting to help you out not thinking, “Is this the right ministry for me?” Before you reassign a volunteer make sure you help them discern their transition. Walk with them through this journey so that they feel confident it isn’t about their lack of skill it’s just misplacement.

Give Them A Season Off: Even your volunteers need a vacation. Unfortunately, they might not recognize the need so they overcommit and burn themselves out. As a youth minister one of your main responsibilities is to oversee the health of your volunteers. If they are acting slow, or frustrated discuss with them about taking a couple of weeks or months away from the ministry. Be sure to check in with them during their Sabbatical.

Follow Up With A Review: Reviews and evaluations are done in the professional working world and the same should be done in your ministry. Reviews help the employer and employees reevaluate the position, productivity and address any serious issues they might see. Set-up a review process with volunteers who are struggling and you’ll find it easier to tackle the tougher issues before it’s too late.

Addressing volunteer concerns is never easy. You grow with these men and women who have sacrificed much of their time to be with you; therefore, it becomes personal. If addressing a minister about anything serious be sure to partner up. If it’s with someone of the opposite sex make sure your partner is too. In the end if you have to let them go, you know that you’ve given them plenty of chances and options.

How do you address minister problems?

Chris Wesley (@chrisrwesley)

1 View Comments January 15, 2013

Josh GriffinMore Posts POLL: Youth Group Volunteer Meetings

This week’s poll question comes from Steven (from GentoGenYM) and asks about how often you meet up with your volunteer team. There are lots of different strategies to this – I’ve heard people meeting every week before youth group to as little as once a year.

In my current ministry setting we’ve moved away from the formal meetings every month to quarterly, to now maybe 3 times a year. In between we make sure to stay in regular contact with our team and pour into those that need more coaching over meals or coffee. Vote now!

JG

1 View Comments January 14, 2013

Josh GriffinMore Posts How to Create a Winning Team

Was reflecting on this past year of ministry and how I’m so privileged to serve in our church and have a great group of people I work with on our church staff and amazing volunteer team. Probably lots of similar things have been written about building a winning team – but it has been fun and challenging to do these things in our youth ministry:

Love
Genuinely love your people. You can fake it for a while, but it eventually comes out that it is all about you. Make it all about them and all about Jesus and you win.

Laugh
The team that laughs together, stays together. Ministry is draining, challenging, and inspiring. Make sure you laugh along the way – it’ll double the life expectancy of your people.

Value
Make sure they KNOW they are loved. Make sure it is obvious you are thinking about them, promoting them, speaking highly of them. You shouldn’t have to say anything, they should just feel it. Typically when there is doubt in this area, they feel undervalued, ignored, under-appreciated, worthless.

Believe
Give your people real, audacious projects. Trust them with critical situations. Give them the ministry while you’re away on vacation, and don’t take it back when you return. Belief goes a long way when building people.

Would love to know what you do to build your team, too!

JG