Quick Tips

How do I balance my own discipleship while leading in ministry?

As leaders in youth ministry, balancing our own discipleship with leadership responsibilities can be challenging.

How do I maintain my social life when it feels like ministry takes all my time?

Working in ministry is a calling that comes with blessings and challenges.

I’m not pastorally trained. How do I cope with my imposter syndrome?

Focus on what you have, not what you are missing.

How can I build community with other youth leaders?

You have a lot going on. So do other youth leaders! But a community is important.

How can I support teenagers in their own faith journeys when I’m deconstructing my own faith?

Deconstructing your faith can be challenging and isolating, especially as a youth leader.

What are some simple spiritual practices I can incorporate into my busy schedule?

In a world like that, it’s no wonder that we may feel we can’t see God moving in our lives.

How do I cope when a scandal happens?

How was I supposed to lead others to Jesus when other Christian leaders were doing harm and contradicting the gospel by their actions? How could I cope with the scandal?

When should I consider going to therapy?

Jaime grew up in a church world that messaged, “You need to be resilient.” All of the church leaders around him seemed to be able to pick themselves up when they fell, and some of them never even seemed to falter.

How can I grow spiritually when I am exhausted?

The first time I met Sam, he was a brand new youth leader trying to figure out how to lead a youth ministry - in the middle of the pandemic. He had been asked to create three different ways pandemic-isolated young people could connect without being in-person.

How can I set healthy boundaries in my ministry?

Carla answered the phone, knowing who was on the other end. “Hello,” she said, exhaustedly. “Are you busy?” came the question of the same youth who had called at 11:30 p.m. the night before. Carla always answered their phone calls and texts because she knew how much trauma her young people endured, and felt like they really needed her.

How do I navigate burnout?

Some time ago, I found myself in tears during what should have been a routine meeting. Over the previous six months, I had felt increasingly underwater. Increased work responsibilities, parenting transitions, ministry upheaval, and vocational disappointment had worn me thin.

How do I know if I need to leave ministry for my wellbeing?

There are many stories of people who loved God and who stick with their communities through difficult situations. But there are also stories of those who left.

What should I prioritize in my limited time?

Youth ministry has the strangest, most diverse to-do list out of almost any profession. You can be buying 30 pool noodles, submitting expense reports, and comforting a teen as they cry—sometimes all in the same 24-hour period.

How can I practice a balanced ministry to prevent burning out?

Navigating burnout can be tricky: we are often tempted to isolate ourselves, stop performing, and may even become resentful.

What do I do when a young person tells me they can’t stop feeling sad?

We must balance offering spiritual support with practical advice, ensuring that the young person feels heard, supported, and guided toward appropriate resources.

How can I get adults in my church to give young people more ownership in church ministries?

Adults who take ownership of church ministries are a gift. We should be grateful and acknowledge faithful leadership.

How can my volunteers build authority with youth when young people would rather listen to their peers?

With all those opinions and ideas floating around, how could a volunteer even begin to build an authoritative voice with young people?

How do I walk with a young person going through a hard time?

Helping teens going through a difficult time is also difficult for adults.

How do I guide my volunteers to handle hard questions from young people?

By fostering thoughtful consideration, we can help young people navigate their faith more deeply and authentically.

How do I ask an adult volunteer to move on from my ministry?

Navigating the delicate task of asking an adult volunteer to step down can be challenging.

How do I encourage essential relational skills in my volunteers?

Being a volunteer isn’t just about setting up chairs, teaching lessons, and giving up your Friday nights.

How do I encourage essential relational skills in my volunteers?

Being a volunteer isn't just about setting up chairs, teaching lessons, and giving up your Friday nights.

How do I guide my volunteers to handle hard questions from young people?

Young people now have access to vast information and diverse opinions, leading to more profound and challenging questions as they seek truth amidst the noise. They look to mentors for answers, but what if we’re unsure?

How do I navigate volunteer disagreements?

Every team seems to have one—a dissident, contrarian, somebody who never agrees. Our team had Rob. Rob, a youth volunteer, and parent, loved Jesus, but I was never quite sure if he liked me.

How can I find new volunteer leaders?

My entire time at that ministry, I was hurting for volunteers. I feared that being an introvert would make it even harder for me to recruit qualified adults.

What do I do if I don’t speak the same language as the parents of one of my students?

Language and cultural differences can sometimes feel like barriers in youth ministry, especially when trying to connect with parents.

No one reads my emails. How can I help families know what’s going on in our ministry?

As a youth leader, you understand the importance of keeping families informed, but it can be frustrating when traditional methods like emails aren’t effective.

When do I tell a parent about something concerning going on in their child’s life? What are the boundaries of confidentiality with a student?

Navigating the delicate balance between maintaining a student’s trust and ensuring their safety can be challenging

How can I better engage with parents?

As youth ministers, we are excited to involve parents and caregivers in programming, but often end up disheartened when turnout is poor and interest is low, no matter how great the offering. Well, there is some good news: this is not a new problem.

How can I support parents as they disciple their children?

It’s hard to describe the sheer panic I felt the first time a parent asked me how to talk to their teen about faith. I was single, in my early twenties, and had significant imposter syndrome in my first youth ministry job.

How can parents serve in ministry with me?

I know how hard it is to get volunteers to commit to the bigger tasks. And many parents don’t feel qualified or comfortable leading at church. What if we flipped our perspective on parent involvement?

How do I talk to a young person who says that they find the same values of the Church in other places and don’t know why they need the Church?

Faith communities are an important reminder to participants that Churches are communities filled with the Spirit, called to be the body of Christ in the world.

How do I help young people navigate and build peer relationships?

Young people need intentional time together to help build peer relationships.

How Do I Connect With Students Who Are Shy?

When connecting with shy students, you are playing the long game, and patience is key.

How do I respond when a young person decides to leave the church?

Completely cutting teenagers from your support may solidify their reasons for leaving. However, trying too hard to get them to return to faith will likely push them further away.

What Do You Do with Hyperactive (or Neurodivergent) Teens Who Don’t Do Well in a Class Type Environment?

While most teens have an excess of energy, our neurodivergent teens have a particular need to balance energy, movement, and novel experiences—elements not often in traditional teaching and preaching models.

How do I welcome young people in foster care to my ministry?

In working with and ministering to youth in foster care it is important to remember that they have the same spiritual needs as our other youth

My church is very traditional... How do I help teens connect with our style of worship?

Traditional styles of worship provide a rhythm that is different from more contemporary styles.

How can I help young people feel they belong in the church?

As a part of our current sermon series on the Psalms, church members are sharing songs that are meaningful to them. As a way to invite teenagers into this, I focused on the Psalms at youth group and invited them to create their own playlist of meaningful songs.

How do I help youth use their gifts in the larger church community?

As a teen, my youth minister might have described me as “passionate” and “driven.” In hindsight, I would say I was “pushy” and “stubborn”! Regardless of descriptors, she saw in me a love for Jesus Christ and a desire to be involved in the church.

How do we set the right rules for our youth ministry?

Every time I make a list of rules, no matter the audience, #1 stays the same: “Don’t die.” Half joking and half genuinely concerned for safety, I have repeated it so often that former students still mention it to me.

How can I grow my small youth group?

I stood in the hallway, waiting for anyone else to show up. It was policy to have at least three people present in any gathering involving young people, but only one girl had arrived so far.

How much do I need to know about pop culture trends to mentor a teenager in faith?

Pop culture and social media trends have a huge impact on our young people’s sense of identity.

How do I handle conversations around hard topics?

Handling conversations around hard topics can be tricky, but it need not feel impossible.

How do I help other adults understand the importance of ethnic culture to a young person’s identity in Christ?

Helping adults recognize how ethnic culture shapes a young person’s identity, in Christ can be challenging and rewarding.

How do I help an adopted child grow in their identity in Christ?

While every adoptee’s story is different, it is sometimes difficult to establish a personal identity, let alone one in Christ.

How do I help other adults understand the importance of ethnic culture to a young person's identity in Christ?

Helping adults recognize how ethnic culture shapes a young person's identity in Christ can be challenging and rewarding.

How do I talk to youth about their identity in Christ?

When John started as a teen in our youth group, he knew about Jesus, but he truly encountered Christ on a retreat. Over the next few years, he began to read the Bible and seek out what it meant to be a committed disciple.

How should I respond to my students doubts and questions?

Two of the teenage girls attended the same Christian school I did as a teen. While I love our shared alma mater, it has a way of presenting information in a one-size-fits-all manner, not leaving much space for nuance or disagreement.

One of my youth is passionate about an issue. How can I empower them to explore further?

It can be challenging to balance encouragement with providing practical steps for youth to take on something they are passionate about.

How do I lead service or justice work that isn’t harmful to those we serve?

In the pursuit of justice and service, it’s essential to approach our efforts with humility, awareness, and a desire to learn.

How can I help young people understand the Church is bigger than our local community?

Help encourage youth to learn the Church is larger than their own community.

How can I help youth understand purpose beyond school & career?

In a world focused on achievements and productivity, it’s easy to get caught up in defining ourselves by our academic and professional successes.

What do I do if a kid doesn’t know how to read the Bible (or anything about the Bible at all)?

When introducing a young person to the Bible, it is imperative to understand a few things: reading level, faith background, and resources.

How do I align my faith with my goals & dreams?

We all have hopes and dreams for our lives. So how do we surrender our goals to God and align our faith with our biggest dreams?

How do I help young people navigate election season?

"Why does it feel like we can’t address political issues with respect and kindness? And why does it feel like those who engage with politics are tearing each other apart? What would Jesus say about all this?"

How can I help young people understand the Church is bigger than our local community?

Develop a plan on how you can invite your young people to learn more beyond the existing ministries at your church.

One of my youth is passionate about an issue. How can I empower them to explore further?

Sometimes, it can be challenging to balance encouragement with providing practical steps for them to take on issues they are passionate about.

How can I prioritize justice and serving others?

Justice can be difficult because there are times we are slow to act because the problem feels distant from us. One reason why teens shy away from service is that the needs in our world can feel overwhelming when viewed through the foggy lens of our own challenges and limitations.

How do I help my youth understand their purpose?

My son wants to be a professional soccer player. When he’s done with that, he wants to be an engineer. Or maybe an architect. Some days, it’s both. Like many pre-teens, his career dreams are still emerging.

How do I address moral failure in the church?

One of the deeper struggles youth can wrestle with their faith is often the moral failure of the Church.

How do I know when it’s time to leave my role in youth ministry?

Serving in youth ministry is a profound and often deeply personal journey. And situations change.

How can I celebrate Black culture with young people?

Black culture has deep roots in this country which have sustained the faith of Black Americans and strengthened them to overcome many struggles. There’s a lot for Christians to celebrate in Black culture!

How can church leadership understand and embrace our diverse youth?

When the teens in our youth ministry started using slang like “rizz” and “no cap,” I knew that I, an elder millennial, had officially moved into full adulthood.

How do I work with a small budget?

When I was starting out as a youth minister, I was always aware of how much it cost to have teens participate in the “fun” events. I generally assumed that in order to be successful in my role, I needed a bigger budget.

How do I help other leaders prioritize youth discipleship?

As crucial as youth leaders are in a church or faith community’s discipleship, it’s so much better when the entire church is committed to young people. That happens best when senior leaders are actively encouraging and prioritizing youth discipleship both publicly and privately.