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Are your leaders equipped?

December 17, 2014 by Chris Parker Leave a Comment

 

astronaut

When we launch a new leader into a small group, it’s just another day in our world. We forget too often that this is not just another day for this new volunteer. For this new leader, it could be the equivalent of  launching an astronaut into outer space, asking them to embark on a foreign journey. This journey will undoubtedly have unexpected turbulence and certainly new ideas and concepts never encountered before along the way.

A question I ask myself often, “If I were a leader or volunteer in my ministry, would I feel well equipped for my role?” And the answer I sadly give myself sometimes is, “no”.  When this reality sinks in for any of your volunteer or leader roles you need to troubleshoot, problem solve and strive to equip or you are going to lose this volunteer you worked so hard to recruit.

Leaders and volunteers step out of youth ministry every year for various reasons, but a big reason that I continually hear from not just my own ministry at times but from others as well, “I just didn’t feel well equipped for my role.” Wow. We worked so hard as a church to recruit this person we just had to have in this serving role and now they are walking out the door after 6 months of volunteering their time. They head back to warming pews during sermons as we eagerly look to “fill the gap” that volunteer left behind.

It’s your fault. No, not all the time but most of the time you can attribute someone’s reason for leaving because they didn’t receive the continual training, encouragement, and guidance they needed during their season of serving. It may not be your role to do all the equipping but it is your responsibility if you are the leader of the ministry.

We are always refining and re-thinking the way we equip our leaders in my ministry. I want to make sure a new leader is very well equipped and educated before stepping into a small group setting, but it shouldn’t stop once they start serving…they equipping should be tailored to the leader.

In the same way an astronaut would use various equipment from mission to mission, your small group leaders need various means of support and tools for the various groups and ages that they work with. It starts simply with a conversation and a few questions for those you lead to see how you are doing in this area, starting with the one for yourself “If I were a leader or volunteer in my ministry, would I feel well equipped for my role?”

 

Filed Under: Church Planting, Leadership, Student Ministry Tagged With: church, develop, equip, lead, leading leaders, lifeofayouthpastor, recruit, small groups, stumin, uthmin, young life, youthmin

Can two baptize one?

February 20, 2014 by Chris Parker 1 Comment

baptism

Last night was awesome.

As stated in my previous post about Young Life and my desire to partner with them… I had texted a few of their leaders yesterday and one responded by saying he was attending our churches baptism last night. Arriving at church I was introduced by one of my students to the local high school’s YL leader. We chatted for a bit and then discovered that we together were baptizing the same student! It was beautiful picture of the church and campus ministry partnering together to invest in the life of the next generation.

Our students need more than one positive influence and voice in their life. How can you cheer on those other positive voices that are outside your own independent church.

I hope to see this happen many more times in “our” ministry together reaching students for Jesus. What’s holding you back? How can you partner with your local school’s campus ministries. Do you have similar experiences to share?

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: baptism, baptize, campus ministry, church, leader, nextgen, small group, student ministry, young life, Youth Ministry

Partner with a campus ministry.

February 19, 2014 by Chris Parker Leave a Comment

YL_9251_Logo_PrimaryALT

I am super excited about something that happened last week. I sat down with a a former youth worker from my church who also participated on staff with young life. As we chowed down on breakfast tacos I confessed my envy of young life and their fantastic contact work/ministry they do with high school students. I also confessed my frustrations of feeling like I had to compete with this ministry, wanting to see more of these kids plug into the local church, selfishly my local youth group and not just attend a YL club.

After feeling like I revealed my deepest and honest feelings, I then proceeded to share what God had been doing in my heart. I know at the end of the day I will have to give an account to my maker for what I have done with the time given to me, the resources entrusted to me, and the people put in my path. For this season, God has placed almost 2,500 students right down the road not only in the churches path but also young life. We will both stand side by side one day to give an account for the students on that campus. We serve the same God and are both trying to reach students with truth in a relevant way.

So, what is the best thing a local church can do for a campus ministry like young life, FCA, Cru? Find those who are doing the ministry and simply ask the questions, “How can I partner with you?” “How can I serve you?” “What do you need?”

I began this conversation today and already something amazing happened tonight… more to come.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: campus ministry, church, high school, middle school, parachurch, school, student ministry, student pastor, YL, young life, Youth Ministry, youth pastor

Hey there, my name is Chris. I wake up every morning thinking youth ministry. If you are in the same boat, then I know you will identify with me, because you also live the life of a youth pastor .

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