Eager to become a great youth pastor or church leader? All youth pastors want to be good at their job. In fact, we all want to excel at what we do. This applies to all occupations, both inside and outside the church.
Now, I don’t claim to be a perfect youth pastor. Way more people out there are better at the role than I am. I make mistakes…lots of them. But I’m working on six things to become better at what I do.
6 Steps to Becoming a Great Youth Pastor
Check out these 6 tips for boosting your effectiveness:
1. Prioritize your personal relationship with Jesus.
First is this most important step, which we often neglect to do. We get busy preparing sermons, planning events, meeting with students, working on discipleship methods. And we forget the need for personal discipleship.
So make time with just you and God every single day. This doesn’t include your Bible study time for sermons. Your time with God should be more valuable than any other relationship. When your relationship with God is right, all other relationships fall into place.
2. Commit to equipping the entire family.
Family ministry is much more important to me now. Your job as a youth pastor extends to the entire family. Many families reject this kind of thinking, but it’s the truth. Try reaching the entire family. Plan events and discipleship for families. Equip parents with resources to help them be more effective in today’s society.
3. Link the student ministry and church.
Often, youth groups tend to separate themselves from the local church. Soon, they become their own church. Look for opportunities to connect the two. Involve teens in the local church, not just in the youth group.
4. Making disciples should be your main objective.
Outreach is important and should always be on our mind. But the ultimate goal is to make disciples. When you’re effectively making disciples of Jesus, outreach and other ministries come together well.
