Lessons Learned As A Rookie (2)

The continuation of advice for that first youth ministry position.  Of course this stuff is timeless, meaning it is very relevant all along one’s ministry.

Establish good habits and patterns early. The first impressions we make on people will last longer than we care to admit. Habits and patterns we develop early are more likely to last. So, it only makes sense to focus on a few habits or patterns early in ones ministry career.  First would be the daily devotional.  A new position can throw off any older patterns that we had.  It’s time to figure out when is the best part of the day to devote to prayer and personal Bible reading.  Second would be the sabbath.  We get a day off each week in ministry for a reason.  We need it to rest our brains and bodies.  Find fun ways to enjoy that day and make it a virtual non-negotiable on the calendar. Third, I would add prayer with and for others. This is extremely important to me personally as it really feeds and orients my soul. Fourth, would be regular staff meetings or meetings with your supervisor.  A pattern here will help immensely.  It rather stinks to be in a job situation when you only meet with your supervisor when you have a problem.  The relationship needs to be developed in a healthy way instead of a crisis or problem solving way.  I could add more to this list including date nights, exercise, etc but won’t babble on here.

Start out right in relation to parents.  Parents need to be allies with us in youth ministry.  We need to serve them and be supported by them. Fairly quickly you will get a sense about who is most excited by your presence at the church.  Enlist their support as advocates, encouragers, evangelists (as in seeking to get other parents enthused) and a few even to run interference with other parents. The real danger being young in youth ministry is that we end up at odds with parents unless we are intentional about creating the right relationship. In our mid twenties, we can easily be intimidated by parents and that is not helpful.

Seek out key leadership in the church and get to know them. Make it your job for them to know your heart for ministry. Meet with them to share your vision, bounce ideas off them, and learn about the church and local culture from them. When questions or concerns arise, and they will, these leaders will already know your heart and will assume the best rather than the worst.  They will already be excited about you and your passion for ministry. Some of these leaders will be parents, but others will not be and need a bit of extra effort to seek out and get to know.  This investment will pay off massively in the long haul.