The Big Ten

A Quick-Access Guide to Ten Youth Ministry Essentials

Scotty Gibbons

• Publisher: Salubris Resources
• Year: 2015
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781680670769
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Church

This quick-access resource is a must-have for your ministry! Scotty Gibbons draws on 20 years of youth ministry experience to cut out the fluff and give you an invaluable guide. Get the absolute best, most important thoughts on the top 10 youth ministry essentials. Filled with brief, practical nuggets of helpful information and insight, The Big Ten will help answer your questions and address your problems. Includes essentials to help you... - establish healthy communication with your lead pastor
- write sermon messages that move students to action
- create a safe place for students to find and follow Jesus
- plan unforgettable retreats
- make the most of any budget Whatever your role in your youth ministry, The Big Ten will be a valuable resource to you.

CHAPTER 1

LEADERSHIP

3 KEYS TO A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR LEADER

TOP TIP

Make sure there’s a clear understanding of how the lines of communication between you and your leader will flow on an ongoing basis.

No man is an island.” The familiar adage applies to youth leaders, as well. You and your ministry exist within your local church. So it’s important to understand the role of student ministry in the context of your church’s overall mission. That starts with a shared understanding between you and your leader about your role and the role of the student ministry. I get that youth leaders are passionate about making a difference. You want to impact a school, change a community, reach a generation—take over the world! But most don’t get excited about serving their leader. However as a youth leader, this is your primary role.

God’s Word tells us to serve our leaders as if we’re serving the Lord. As you do, keep these three critical keys in mind.

1. DISCOVER YOUR LEADER’S VISION AND MAKE IT YOUR OWN.

•God has called you to a person, not a place. As a youth leader, you aren’t primarily called to a city or a school or a particular group of students. First and foremost, God has called you to serve your leader.

•Find out what’s important to your leader and make it important to you. Engage and ask questions to discover where God is leading your leader and look for ways you can come alongside him/her to advance that vision. Your job is to get on your leader’s page—not to get the leader on yours. If you’re unclear about your leader’s priorities, ask him/her. Don’t make assumptions.

•The goals of your student ministry should work in conjunction with the church’s mission. Work together with your leader and his/her team to identify and develop the role the student ministry will play in the church and community—and how that role will support the overall vision of the church. When your ministry is competing with, rather than complementing, the big-picture mission, you’re off base.

•God blesses your obedience, not your brilliance. There will be times when you disagree with your leader. And there will be times you may very well be right. But unless it’s illegal or unbiblical, defer to your leader’s direction. God’s blessing comes with unity and a heart of submission. So even when you feel like you have a “better” idea, inform the leader of your perspective and then submit to, and support, his/her decision.

2. WORK HARD AT COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY WITH YOUR LEADER.

•Communicate in a timely manner. Ideally, before even accepting your role as a youth leader, communicate clearly about your job description and what’s expected of you. If you’ve already started, yet still don’t have clarity on your role, call a time-out and have that conversation sooner than later. If you delay, the mist of confusion will become a fog of frustration. When sharing a weighty matter with your leader, be sensitive to the timing. Right before the pastor speaks is not the best time to bring up an issue. You’ll just add to his/her stress load. Waiting an hour until after service ends is a great way to serve him/her.

•Communicate consistently. Make sure there’s a clear understanding of how the lines of communication will flow on an ongoing basis. Does your leader prefer the bulk of your conversations to take place via email or face-to-face? Once a week or once a month? In the absence of conversation, misunderstandings abound.

•Communicate honestly. If you don’t know how to handle a situation, admit it. Don’t cave to the pressure of pretending you have it all together. Eventually, time will reveal you don’t. Most leaders would rather you take five minutes to ask a question than two hours explaining to them why you made a bad decision. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and seriously wondering if you can carry your current load of responsibilities, talk with your leader. Speaking up now will help avoid future burnout.

•Communicate respectfully. There will be times when the conversations will be difficult. Perhaps you feel frustrated. It’s appropriate to be honest about that. But speak the truth—in love. If there’s a disagreement, seek first to understand, and then to be understood. Honor always wins.

3. KEEP YOUR LEADER APPRISED OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE YOUTH MINISTRY—BOTH THE GOOD AND THE BAD.

•Celebrate the wins. Don’t miss an opportunity to share a great report with your leaders. That’s the stuff they’re hoping and praying for in ministry.

•Tell your leader when there’s a problem. It’s human nature to want to share the highlights and hide the lowlights. In the long run, this kind of secrecy will work against you. Give your leader the opportunity to help problem-solve with you.

•Tell your leader about problems early on. Leaders don’t like surprises. For example, if a problem involves a parent, let leadership hear about it from you—before hearing about it from the parent.

ASK YOURSELF

1.What does my leader want to see happen in the lives of students and the student ministry in our church? In our community? Be specific!

2.What does success and a healthy ministry look like in this particular church environment? How will I know when I’ve hit the mark?

3.What three to five things can I do to communicate more consistently, honestly, and respectfully with my leader?

CHAPTER 2

SPEAKING

5 INSIGHTS FOR WRITING AND DELIVERING TALKS

TOP TIP

Wrestle with the text until you’re convinced the message is critical. If you’re not gripped by its importance, you can be sure students won’t be either.

Teaching students can be intimidating and overwhelming. Week after week, the task shows up on your “to do” list. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help reduce the pressure and actually make writing and speaking something you look forward to doing.

Consider these five insights before you tackle your next talk.

1. PREPARE AN ANNUAL SPEAKING CALENDAR.

•Start with prayer. Take a day to pray and plan for the upcoming year. If you’re following an annual calendar, schedule time in December to pray and hear from God about your messages. If you’re following a school calendar, set aside a day in July where you ask God to lead you as you map out the year’s topics to be covered.

•Make a list of topics. List ideas you feel are important in helping students find and follow Jesus. It doesn’t have to be a perfect list. Simply note any subject you consider critical for youth. Start with general ones (relationships, temptation, prayer).

•Plan a message series. Don’t overestimate what students will retain from one talk and how much you can cover. Focusing on a topic for several weeks helps them to “get” it. Nor do you want your series to drag on and cause students to lose interest. Target three to four weeks. Try to write at least an outline for all of the talks in a series before you begin it. Knowing where you’re going and how you’re getting there will give you confidence to present each talk. A few weeks before you start a series, share about it and build anticipation for it.

•Begin to plug topics into a calendar. Start with topics that make sense seasonally. February is an ideal time to speak on relationships. Halloween provides plenty of context for addressing fears, darkness, etc. Easter is ideal for a series on the deity of Christ. Thanksgiving is great for dealing with gratitude. Christmas is perfect for a series on generosity. Placing topics around the appropriate times of the calendar year provides natural reinforcement for your talks. From there, you can begin to fill in the other dates with remaining topics.

2. MAKE SERMON PLANNING A TEAM EFFORT.

•Recruit a creative team. Identify a few trusted people, including students, to help determine your topics and discuss creative ways to present the talks.

•Meet quarterly to flesh out the topics you’ve outlined. This will allow you time to develop creative elements and media to support your sermon.

•Discuss ways to make the message memorable. Brainstorm titles and illustrations that will stick with the students and help them better understand and retain the truth you’re presenting.

3. THINK ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE AS YOU WRITE.

•Know who you’re speaking to. Take time to consider any issues your students are currently dealing with (finals, graduation, a school tragedy, etc.).

•Know why this matters to them. Wrestle with the text until you’re convinced the message is critical. If you’re not gripped by its importance, you can be sure students won’t be either.

•Don’t assume students will be familiar with the Scripture and Bible illustrations you reference. Give them context. For example, “Paul used to persecute Christians before God showed up in his life …”

4. FOCUS ON ONE MAIN POINT....

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Leadership: 3 Keys to a Great Relationship with Your Leader
• Chapter 2: Speaking: 5 Insights for Writing and Delivering Talks
• Chapter 3: Pastoral Care: 14 Principles for Counseling, Weddings, & Funerals
• Chapter 4: Campus Ministry: 3 Ideas for Impacting Local Schools
• Chapter 5: Follow-Up: 3 Steps for Helping Students Find Their Place in Your Ministry
• Chapter 6: Discipleship: 4 Thoughts on Helping Students Grow Spiritually
• Chapter 7: Small Groups: 4 Steps to Making Small Groups a Big Deal
• Chapter 8: Planning Events: 4 Keys to Gatherings that Hit the Mark
• Chapter 9: Budget: 3 Insights for Making the Most of Any Budget
• Chapter 10: Youth Leader Volunteers: 3 Keys for Building a Great Leadership Team
• Appendices
• Acknowledgments
• About the Author