1st Year vs. 6th Year of Youth Ministry

The early days at my first job as a youth minister was very unusual, despite the fact being newly married and out of state this was a very joyful and stressful time. I clearly remember one time stating to Jessica, "What am I supposed to do?" You see when one does not have clear direction, and a church does not have a clear direction, a minister can be left wondering what their purpose is on a daily basis during the 9 to 5 work week. I knew I had to prepare a lesson for Wednesday and Sunday, but I was not real sure what to do beyond this small window of time each week. 


Now after 5 years of working as a youth minister and transitioning into a new church here are a few things I would recommend a new minister do and this is what I am trying to do currently as I enter into my sixth year of youth ministry at a new church.

Communicate: At every level of the church you want to provide clear and concise information often, to the elders, ministers, staff, parents, and the students you are working with. You cannot communicate enough. Everyone is experiencing a change and transition, but if you communicate with honesty and transparency people are more likely to trust you.

Accountability: What are the goals for yourself during the initial months (3, 6, 9, 12)? If there are not any goals then set up a structure of accountability for yourself. Leaders are accountable for their actions and the direction they are leading. Place yourself around others who can help you achieve the goals and provide accountability. Ministry can be an ambiguous job for others to understand, but providing the right framework of accountability will help you monitor your job performance and responsibilities.


Strategy: You are communicating, you have accountability around your goals, but do you know your strategy to your your destination. Asking yourself what is the end result of everything you do will help you question why you plan and implement a specific vision for your ministry. Beginning with the end in mind will help you build a strategy on how to get to your destination.


Relationship: This is by far the most important area in any ministry related job. If you do not take the essential time building relationships at the beginning no one will care about your vision or desire you may be trying to initiate.


This is not a comprehensive list, but just a glimpse of a few things that have been on my mind.