Six Traits of a Successful Youth Leader

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 and they are 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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? Athletes, academics, alternatives, artisans, or atheists/un-churched?

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.

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.

Jesus said if we want a certain kind of ministry, prayer would do it. He said, "This kind only Comes out by prayer and fasting.”

The thing that you are looking to see happen in your ministry, will come when you learn how to pray.