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The making of an effective youth worker

Derrick Mueller

Churches today face many problems in regard to youth ministry – including too few workers; unsupportive parents and church members; youth workers who are ineffective or who experience personal burnout or moral and spiritual compromise; overscheduled teens; and the frequent transition of youth workers (most youth workers stay only between one and three years). The reasons for these problems are many. One is that ministry to youth keeps changing because society and youth themselves keep changing. Some problems stem from the different expectations and ongoing tension between the various stakeholders in the youth ministry. Lack of knowledge on the part of the church as to the skills, qualities and characteristics needed for youth ministry can result in the hiring of youth workers who do not have the skills that are needed.

As a result of a four-year study which involved interviewing, surveying and interacting with youth pastors, youth groups, teens, pastors and parents, I have discovered several factors necessary for a successful youth ministry.

Youth workers must be proactive in their faith formation. Paul Borthwick notes that youth work is hazardous to one’s spiritual life and youth workers must at all costs avoid sacrificing their personal spiritual development in an effort to run a “successful ministry”. Careful attention must be given to the youth pastor’s own faith journey because effective youth ministry requires effective role modelling – the youth worker is to become a vehicle for giving a glimpse of the person of God. There is need for ongoing personal assessment. Assessment needs to be formal and informal. The leadership team of the church should conduct formal assessments yearly or even quarterly. These assessments should include areas of strength and areas that need to be developed. Ongoing assessments allow for mid-course corrections and strengthening of ministry, and they can prevent surprise terminations. Informal assessment takes place through ongoing conversations with peers and parents and through personal reflection. Formal assessment can include doing a gift analysis or personal inventory of talents, measuring the achievement of goals, having one-on-one conversations and having regular spiritual accountability sessions. The key of any assessment is not to find fault but to build up by encouraging and by identifying goals for improvement of the youth pastor and his/her ministry. Attention must be paid to the relational component of youth ministry. Youth workers must make a concerted effort to maintain relationships with parents, church members and the church leadership. Young youth workers have tendency to shy away or even be threatened by parents. They need to develop ways to visit with parents, incorporate them into the ministry and treat them as a valued resource. On-the-job training is to be expected. In my brainstorming with youth workers, it became evident that many youth workers lacked training. All youth workers involved in the process echoed the need for personal development. Therefore, churches need to invest time and money in training opportunities. They also need to recognize that experience is part of the learning process: One will learn as one is engaged in ministry to young people. Moreover, like any other ministry, youth ministry is a continuous learning experience. Youth leaders need to constantly update themselves on the changing needs and lifestyles of youth, as well as on new concepts and effective patterns of ministry. Mentoring and discipling those who work with youth should be a priority for the church as a whole. Church leadership needs to be actively involved in mentoring, guiding, nurturing and helping their youth workers obtain the qualities and characteristics deemed important to minister. Senior pastors must not neglect their responsibility to disciple their staff and give informal guidance and formal direction to those who work with youth. If it is true that “The key ingredient of an effective youth ministry is an effective youth leader”, then churches need to be proactive in not only assessing their youth ministry program but also in encouraging and developing their youth workers.

Derrick Mueller is a youth ministry specialist and an instructor at Bethany Bible Institute in Hepburn, Sask.

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Last modified February 14, 2002.

© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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