YOUTH MINISTRY GROWTH STRATEGIES | Jeanne Mayo

The core growth strategy for my youth groups over the years has been creating a youth church environment of AUTHENTIC FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE. Though your preaching, worship, and evangelism all play a big part in youth ministry growth...your strongest "drawing card" to this lonely young adult culture will remain a RELATIONAL ONE.

As I speak to youth pastors, people always enthusiastically nod when I begin to talk about the importance of friendship and love. Yet, I am often left with the feeling that those listening "nod" better than they live. Maybe that's because lots of us as leaders grew up in homes and youth ministries that didn't model that behavior very consistently in front of us. So, let me list a few specific ways that you can model genuine love and friendship to the teenagers in your ministry. All of us will agree that these simple suggestions are "right." The more strategic question is, "How many of these suggestions did I actually DO last week?"

1. If you've followed me for awhile, you've heard me talk about this one, but it's so important. Get out of your religious "Ivory Tower" and get into their world. When was the last time that you showed up at one of your teenager's basketball games...at their school lunchroom...or the local fast-food joint that your kids congregate at after school? You'll never grow your youth ministry...let alone convince teenagers that you really care about them...if you always connect with them on "church turf." Showing up in their worlds not only makes them feel cared for, it also gives you more authenticity when you connect with them in the normal church settings.
2. Make sure you spend lots more time actually connecting face-to-face with teenagers than you do sending emails or being on the internet! That sounds like such a shallow and simple point. But as I've scanned time management documents of many sincere youth leaders, it is really obvious that they spend much more time with their computer than they do actual teenagers! Perhaps you are one of those amazing volunteer youth leaders who work a secular job and lead the youth ministry during your "off hours." Whatever your own specific situation, don't put yourself on a guilt-trip as to how much actual time you spend with your teenagers. JUST DO THE BEST YOU CAN AND KEEP IT A HIGH PRIORITY. One of my favorite youth ministry mottos is: "He who spends the most time WINS!" Granted, teenagers are a little tougher to spend time with than your computer. But if you are out of the "people business"...you're out of the ministry!