Effective Youth Ministry Strategies

Effective Youth Ministry
Strategies: 10 Keys for Impact

By Terrace Crawford

When the topic of effective youth ministry strategies comes up, I think back to a testimony I
heard years ago. A missionary shared how he felt God’s call overseas to a group of people

who needed Christ. He shared candidly how he nearly gave up after ministering for 16

years (!) without seeing any fruit.

I’ve felt like that missionary so many times. And I consistently hear from other people in the
trenches who are so close to giving up. Bottom line: Youth leaders often don’t feel as if
we’re being effective in ministry. As a result, we want to quit.

That’s why I want to share these highly effective youth ministry strategies. Throughout the
years, they’ve helped me maintain maximum impact.

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1. Prayer

Unlike many lists where prayer lands at the bottom, I’d suggest it’s the master key. Without
prayer, you can’t be effective and remain in ministry for the long haul. Don’t ever
underestimate the power of prayer. The conclusion of the missionary’s testimony was
powerful. After a 16-year wait, God brought revival to those people. Hundreds accepted
Christ because of this person’s faithfulness and prayers.

2. Vision

In every ministry I’ve been part of, I’ve been more effective when I’ve clearly communicated
my vision. This involves communicating to the people I partner with and to those I minister
to. As the scriptures say, “Where there is no vision the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). If
you want to be effective in ministry, make sure you communicate where you’re going and
how you plan to get there.

3. Disciple

One of the very last commands of Jesus before leaving Earth was for us to “go and make
disciples” (Mattnew 28:19). If we follow this command and reach those who don’t know
Christ and disciple them, we will be effective because we are doing what Christ told us to
do.

4. Share

Look for opportunities in your church or organization to create intergenerational
experiences. Bring youth and adults together for Bible study, fellowship and worship. Also,
don’t hesitate to lend yourself to other ministries within your church or community. Sharing
your gifts and heart with others outside the student ministry only helps you.

5. Team

When they work as a team, youth workers increase their effectiveness. You may have
heard it said “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, I believe it takes a village to make an
effective youth ministry. This includes volunteers, student leaders, parents, etc.

6. Research

Knowing your audience and their culture helps bring clarity to your vision and work. Today’s
teens are in a subculture all their own. For you to be effective in ministry, you need to
understand it. Help bridge the gap between their world and the world of youth ministry.

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Researching the culture helps you stay relevant. Plus, it equips you to teach students how
to reach their friends.

7. Administration

Youth workers are leaders. The work requires that you lead, manage and give vision to the
ministry. It doesn’t mean your greatest gift is “administration.” It may mean recruiting people
around you to help you manage the ministry God has given you. That, in turn, will position
you to be effective.

8. Mentor

One of the best decisions I ever made was to ask someone to mentor me. You need
someone to be your coach, cheerleader and prayer partner. A great mentor will do this for
you. And you’ll be better for having that person in your life.

9. Network

I often worry about youth workers who aren’t connected with other people in the trenches.
Youth ministry isn’t a field for lone rangers. Trust me on this. If you’re connected with other
youth workers and regularly share ideas and pray for each other, you’ll be more effective
than going it alone.

10. Development

If you want to be effective, you must become a lifelong learner. A healthy youth ministry
requires a leader who invests in personal development. So read books and blogs, interact
with others, acquire new resources, and learn new ways of practicing ministry.

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