3) Servant Leadership
Great student pastors are leaders, not event planners with theological degrees. And the best student leaders are servant leaders. They show humility, get along with teammates and demonstrate the ability to submit to the senior pastor’s vision.
I was a student pastor in a small church a long time ago. I remember having my own ideas of how to grow a church, but somehow possessed the notion that the pastor who hired me gave me an opportunity to serve not rule. I’m confident that was God’s grace in the form of the Holy Spirit guiding me, because my natural bent is to do it my way. Great leaders can follow their leader and possess a heart to serve.
4) Relational Savvy
Student ministry is not easy. Not only does every leader of student ministry need to know how to relate to and connect with a wide variety teens (from artists to athletes and academics etc.), he or she must also connect and gain trust with parents.
From a troubled teen to a stressed-out parent, a great student leader possesses relational skills that allow her to listen well, gain respect, offer encouragement and instill confidence.
5) Love for Students
The charisma of a magnetic personality is an asset in student ministry, but nothing trumps genuinely caring about and loving the students.
This authentic love comes from carrying God’s burden for the students. While leadership drive helps propel the vision to reach more teens, a burden for students ensures that each one is seen as a person that matters. A soul that needs a shepherd.
6) Organizational Competence
Organization is critical. Leading a student ministry is like leading a church. A student pastor is the point person for casting vision, providing engaging teaching, worship, discipleship in small groups and events. This is no small organizational feat and includes considerable recruiting, training and delegating of responsibility to a large number of volunteers. It’s a big job.
In addition to the organizational elements, the student ministry environment should be fun, but the primary focus is the transforming truth of God’s word and subsequent life change of the teens.
7) Passion for God and Biblical Wisdom
A great student leader is dependent upon God. He or she realizes that without God’s favor and blessing no amount of activity makes an eternal difference. But with God, all things are possible and true life change takes place.
The best student leaders have a close and intimate relationship with Jesus, seeking his voice through prayer and scripture.
I’m very grateful to all student pastors who wholeheartedly dedicate their leadership to spiritually better the lives of teens!
Their investment is truly a gift!
