The Commuters
Most of our leaders are commuters. They are adults with an ability to drive a car. If they have a car and they are willing to put teengaers in it, they do that. Commuters are people who help get teens to church. We can’t have a middle school youth group without a carline.
The Players
They bring the fun. They join the fun. They facilitate the fun. Sometimes our gamers are teachers because they’re so great at commanding attention, giving instructions, and participating with students. Sometimes our players are more free spirited, wild and “all-in”. We need all types of players on our team.
The Communicators
Communicators are bringing us together, give us instruction, lead us. They are pastors, they are worship leaders, they are artists and writers. They are the support who sends emails and texts. Another layer are the students themselves who share, post, tag, like, and tweet the message we are trying to send.
The Teachers
Our teachers are adults who care about and like teenagers. They lead our small group ministry. They ask great questions. They make a weekly commitment to be mindful of a few. They follow up. They recall truth. They observe needs. The are the first responders.
The Builders
Our brains. Our friends who find strategic planning pleasurable. They have ideas. They bring thoughts to the table. They are implementers. They ask questions. They give advice. They do something more than talking. They are volunteers in action. They can’t let things sit for too long. They bring healthy change.
The Hosts
Men and women who provide a lawn, a home, a paintball gun. They might bring breakfast on Sunday or set up pizza on Wednesday. They are always looking for ways to make others feel like guests.
The Formers
They are sensitive to needs and respond in prayer. They work together with connectors to gauge the temperature of groups and meeting spaces. They are make sure spiritual formation practices are being implemented often. A former will notice when we are out of balance. They’ll push for intergenerational ministry. They look for ways for teens to grow into healthy and whole adults. They make lists. They share them with others. They feel valued when they instill spiritual value.
The Support
They know you better than you know yourself. They can almost read your mind. They know what you’re going to ask for before you ask it and why. If they don’t know why they will know quickly and they will help you off the ledge or help you achieve your goal. The support role is my favorite because they are close enough to see my boogers and don’t mind it so much. Because of great support we are able to go far together (boogers and all).
