6 Traits of a Healthy Youth Leader

Do you remember playing on a Teeter-Totter? Simple. You could even play on it by yourself. There is a point when you are on a Teeter-Totter when you move past the center. It’s called the fulcrum.

It only takes a little shift to make the Teeter-Totter work. It's called the Tipping Point. I think there are six tipping points or traits of a healthy youth leader. Characteristics that help the youth ministry to be more successful.

There are 6 traits of a healthy YTH leader. Let's take a look at the concepts that create great YTH leadership.

The first Tipping Point is a Campus Presence

Too many youth pastors and leaders are standing on the doorsteps of the church asking for students to come to the youth room. While at the same time, students at the school are standing on the doorsteps asking for the youth pastor to come to the campus. And the two never see each other.

Here are two ways to reach the campus quicker.

The first way to reach the campus is to train campus missionaries. There is no such thing as a closed campus. Because our students are there everyday. Our students must be taught a burden for their friends and learn how to share their faith. Every youth leader should develop an apologetic plan to reach the campus with their campus missionaries!

The second way to reach the campus is by attending or working with the extra-curricular events. It could be attendance at the football game on Friday night (where the city comes to meet you), or, by helping coach or volunteer with a sports team, the choir, or even tutoring.

Unconditional love should get a leader past their fear or inadequacy of the campus. It can be intimidating. But, unconditional love will help every youth leader find answers to be on the campus in that excuses to be off it. There is no closed campus. Only a closed vision.

The second Tipping Point is building an atmosphere of Acceptance

Maybe the ultimate viral movement. Love. It is THE characteristic of Christianity. Partly because it is missing in a society that is performance based. With the family in the situation it is in, when a Youth Ministry exhibits Godly love, there is a magnetic culture-builder set.

In a father-less (and motherless and siblingless) generation, a Youth Ministry that models an atmosphere of acceptance will quickly become a force to deal with in a region. I truly believe unconditional love is the greatest Avenue to see students flock to the youth ministry.

I believe God will send you young people if you are willing to love them. His kingdom is all about the child. And if we are, then He is pleased. If we move the heart of God for his children I believe he will send them to us.

The third Tipping Point is Leadership Development

A healthy leader will produce healthy leaders who then build healthy youth. It takes all kinds of people to reach all kinds of people. Every type to reach type. Superman and Wonderwoman ministry doesn't work because Superman and Wonderwoman have a weakness.

However, when you build a team of SuperFriends or Justice League or Team Marvel, there is no weakness. A plurality of leadership under a singular vision will reach more people than you can imagine. There may not be a better way to naturally reach more people than to train more people.

Every Youth Ministry should have AT LEAST a monthly meeting. Don't worry, if the meeting is valuable, the leaders will make it a priority. Eating, storytelling (wins), prayer, training and development, and relationship are all vital parts of a successful meeting.

As far as content, present your own material, or invite a local leader, youth pastor, or, assign articles, or books, or podcasts to leaders to listen to before a meeting. That will assure greater success and purpose in the meeting.

The fourth Tipping Point is Contextual Outreach

Context is setting. What is your setting? Urban, Metro, Suburban, or Rural? Are there more J-highers or S-highers? More boys than girls? What is the make-up of the students?

Athletes, academics, alternatives, artisans, or atheists/un-churched? What works for one church may not work in the next. Finding the events, programming, or activities in your setting is vital to drawing interest from students. Play off seasonal marketing to help build momentum throughout the year.

Make sure that you are having 'neutral site' events also. Don't have every event at the Church. The students need to know that their faith works in their setting. A Back to School event, Homecoming ideas, a Halloween weekend, New Year's event, Valentine's emphasis, Prom alternatives, Graduation celebration, and Summer mystery events in and out of the Church.

The fifth Tipping Point is Intentional Prayer

What will set your youth ministry apart? Events? Hype? Social media? Or prayer? I’ve been telling youth leaders for years that if you want to have a youth ministry different from everyone else, have a youth ministry of prayer. Because not everyone is doing it.

This would not be pre-service prayer. That is not sacrificial. Youth Ministry can choose to be 'this' or 'that'. 'That' is normal. 'This' is super-natural.

Jesus said if we want a certain kind of ministry, prayer would do it. He said, "This kind only comes out through prayer and fasting." (Mark 9) Organized and intentional prayer will do more for a Youth Ministry than anything else. By far.

Two ideas to implement prayer:

-Assign prayer partners in the Youth Ministry. Pair the students up and watch them grow.

-Schedule a Youth Prayer meeting weekly, monthly, etc.

The Sixth Tipping Point is Comprehensive Preaching

Preaching and teaching are sorely missed in youth ministry. Just look at the stats…

Only 4% of Gen Z in America have a biblical worldview, only three in 10 Christian teenagers in America can name half of the 10 Commandments, and eight out of 10 Christian students believe that Jesus is the only way.

We need to stop doing whatever we’ve been doing in youth ministry the last 10 years. Because it’s not working.

Trust me, comprehensive preaching and teaching is one of the key communication models of Christ. Parables. Stories. Declarations.

With this in mind, remember that there are two worlds in the mind of our generation as they listen to us;

First, the 21 st century or the one teens live in, and,

Second, the 1st century or the one they’ve heard about in the Bible.

We need a comprehensive approach to preaching and teaching that introduces the 21st century to the first century. Making sure that this generation and alpha Jen to come understands theology.

Comprehensive means complete. From the inception of the scriptures in the 1st century to its presentation in the 21st century. The 10 Commandments, the Proverbs, the Gospels, the sermon on the mount, the gifts and the fruit of the Spirit, and an understanding of the end times.

Preaching and teaching is powerful. It takes time and resources to connect yourself, but if it’s not done you will lose your audience. The difference is in the relationship with people and not just the understanding of their culture. You’ll be able to say anything to students if you have a relationship with them.

If you want to reach this generation, you will do whatever it takes. And you’ll have to give them what they do not have. That is a complete understanding of God. Because the only teenagers who do not serve God are teenagers who do not know God.

FINAL THOUGHT

Each of these are culture-setters and viral movements in a Youth Ministry. You may have a lot of methods or philosophies in your mind. But, I'm not sure any of these should be forgotten or neglected.

Apply the six traits to your life and become a healthy youth leader.

Walking up the 'Teeter-Totter' of Youth Ministry can be scary. But, the closer we get to the fulcrum or the center-point, the easier the momentum becomes. Sooner than later, you are running downhill