Home Youth Leaders Articles for Youth Leaders The 2 Questions You Need to Be Asking Your Team

The 2 Questions You Need to Be Asking Your Team

I can’t believe another ministry year is starting already. After a summer of rest, our team is ready to step back into the game and serve hard for another season. Some of the faces are familiar and others are new this year, which is always exciting as new people bring their unique gifting to serve our students.

As we dive into the year, we have so many different people taking on a multitude of different positions in our ministry and it is my job to help them understand what they are doing, but more than that, why they are doing it and why it matters to the spiritual growth of our students. People serve because they want to make a difference, so do they know if they are or not?

I am constantly in awe of our team, they are so loyal, loving and compassionate toward our students, and I have so much respect for them and their time. I know that when they say yes to serving our students, they are saying no to their families, friends and responsibilities that they could be taking part in while they are at youth. So if they are going to give up five to eight hours a week of their personal time, they need to know that what they are doing matters to the students and is having a Kingdom impact, and to do this we need to do two things.

Why does my role matter?: Some positions in the ministry have fairly obvious purpose and impact, and leaders in those positions like small group leaders and worship team members have a pretty clear understanding of the impact their leadership has. But what about tech teams, set up people, hosts, games leaders. They have a huge impact on the ministry, but it’s up to us to help them understand why it does.

Example—Last week I had come into the church late one night to find a young guy that had just finished high school and being in our ministry sitting in the teach booth. He was setting lighting cues for the main services that coming weekend. I asked him to show me a few things, which of course he was excited to do. Before I left, I pulled him aside and thanked him. I said because of you doing this work, you are creating an engaging environment where people can come and Worship God and what you do matters, so thanks for doing it.

The look in his eyes was incredible, for someone to hear that what they do is going to impact people meeting God, that is so empowering. The same goes for people hosting at the doors, being a friendly face welcoming people, or games leaders who get kids involved and make them feel welcome and at ease. It all matters, they just need to know why.

What are we accomplishing together?: Whenever possible, it is vital to get all the volunteers together, to encourage them, cast vision and celebrate. Share stories of life change, stories of walls breaking down, students being set free from their past. Testimonies are encouraging and Popeye might have spinach, we have encouragement and it will build your team up to know what is happening in their midst that they might not know.

While each person might be doing something different, it is vital for them to know how they fit into the bigger picture of the ministry and what effect the whole is having.

They all matter; it is our job to tell them why.