Dare 2 Share wants to help your ministry multiply so that the gospel will continue to advance both in and through your students. Developing and executing a plan for multiplication is what Value #4 of theĀ 7 Values of a Gospel Advancing Ministry is all about. Effective multiplication in your youth ministry is more than a commitment to an idea, itās a commitment to working hard and implementing strategies that will foster growth. Here are nine practical ideas that will help you multiply your ministry.
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1. Pray, Pursue and Persuade
As much as we want our students to be disciple makers, it really starts with us. We need to make disciples out of our students byĀ praying, pursuing and persuading them with the truth of Christianity and the joy of following Jesus. As we continue to set the example of what discipleship looks like, in turn, they will be able to replicate the process. A helpful way of doing this is by adoptingĀ THE Cause Circle in your youth ministry strategy.
As much as we want our students to be disciple makers, it really starts with us. Click To Tweet2. Be authentic
Present your best self to the worldājust donāt be fake. Students want you to be an authentic person; they desire it. Being authentic is another way of being open with how God made you. If you are a fun-loving, Star Wars-geeking, adventure-seeking person, then embrace it. When you are authentic with who you are, your students will be authentic with who they are.
3. Know your limits
āWell, it is ministryā¦ā is one of the most common statements I hear from burnt-out or nearly burnt-out ministers and youth leaders. Every youth leader struggles with taking care of him- or herself. But if you want to have a lifelongĀ Gospel Advancing Ministry, you need toĀ take care of yourself. Know your limits and learn how to say no.
4. Find the right leaders
A discipleship multiplication strategy is hinged onĀ finding the right kind of leaders. Leaders are the ongoing glue for your ministry. They help cascade your vision to the students and reinforce the culture that you are trying to establish. Donāt just recruit any warm body, be particular and prayerful about who serves in your ministry. Find leaders who have a high will to serve your students.
5. Jump on social media
Before social media was around, knowing what your students were up to after they left youth group was a bit of a mystery.Ā Social media is a great way to model gospel advancement by keeping up with your students. Figure out a medium, whether itās Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or any other platform, and start connecting with them daily. Have your leaders be a part of the process, that way the effort to engage your students will be split among the leaders.
6. Take pride in your youth room
Not everyone (including me) has a large enough budget to deck out a youth room. But while having a stellar youth room isnāt essential, it is still important to take pride in your space. After all, many of your students are encountering God for the first time in your youth room. If your youth room is in rough shape, try to get your studentsā parents involved. Take donations for paint and use the skills of your congregation to make sure the room doesnāt feel like an afterthought.
7. Plan catalytic events
Catalytic events like a Back-to-School Bash, Fall Festival orĀ Dare 2 Share events are great ways to draw in outside teenagers. It shows them that Christians arenāt as uptight as people paint us to be, and it gives them an opportunity to experience God in an unconventional or atypical way.
8. Hangout with your students
Hangout, hangout, hangoutā¦ Did I mention hangout with your students? The whole reason we are in youth ministry is to change the lives of the students we come in contact with. Youth ministry is more than delivering a good message or having well-developed programs, but being a part of your studentsā lives. Spend time with your students as much as you canāit is that simple.
9. Baptize everything in prayer
Ministry takes hard work, but it also requires the Spirit of God to move in our ministry. Baptize all of your efforts in prayer. Ask God to give you the strength to work toward His glory. Pray with expectancy as you try to fulfill His kingdom here on earth. God needs to be the fuel behind your ministry, because He is the one who changes hearts. Make sure you areĀ programming prayer.
While there are several other ways to encourage multiplication, this list serves as a great base. If you are interested in digging deeper, we invite you to sign up forĀ Dare 2 Share’s One Day training where you and your adult team will be given hands-on, dynamic training designed to help capture a vision and provide a roadmap for ministry that has maximum kingdom impact.
