Tip Number 1
A Youth Pastor should always give solutions, not problems.

Youth need a Pastor or Leader who is not afraid to preach the Word of God. They need to hear the blessings of God and Moses, not the evils of Guns n' Roses.

. . .be wise concerning that which is good,
and simple concerning evil (Romans 16:19)

Youth need a youth pastor or leader that preaches from his Overflow, not Underflow! In other words you need to hear what God spoke to you for them and over them. They don't need to hear what happens to tick you off about today's topic on CNN.  (Which I call Constant Negative News.)

Preach God's Word, not your experience in personal convictions. Pastor Lynne Hammond once said; "Personal convictions will minister to a few, but God's word will minister to everyone."

Remember!
When a Child of God
looks into the Word of God
and sees the Son of God,
He is Change-duh!
By the Spirit of God
into the image of God,
for the Glory of God!
 

Tip Number 3
Youth Pastor's should be in there for the long haul!

Kids need relationships, not rapore! The average Youth Pastor in a Charismatic Church stays in one place only 9 to 11 months! Oh boy!

Now think of this, it takes 2 years to even start to build trust in teens - let alone a relationship - and we're only with them 10 months? Give me a religious break! They need stability - give it to them in youth ministry! We only have 4 to 5 years of their lives with us, let's give them our best!
Here's an example of the volunteers that work with me at the ROCK. (We call them CarePastors.) Currently we have around 50 CarePastors. Out of those 50, nine of them have been there 10 years! About 40% of them have been there more than 4 years and about 80% have been there more than 2 years. That is commitment! That is what teens really need, STABILITY!

Tip Number 4
Give 'em a Place to Go!

Again - Environment! Create a safe place. Kids hang out at malls, parking lots, arcades, houses - it's inevitable, they're going to hang out. In fact, it's the number one thing teens like to do - HANG OUT! Hey! Let's give them an awesome, irresistible place to hang out!

If you don't have a youth facility and can't, or unable to at the time - at least let them know that their welcomed at the church and always be excited about them being there.

All too often adults from a church have the attitude; "There's a teenager: Hide the offering!" or "There's a teenager: Lock the bathrooms!" or "There's a teenager: Call the Police!" No! Let them know that they are welcome to hang out at church!

I know of one church in California that put up a huge screen, with big speakers, outdoors in their parking lot and invited the kids to come and hang out. The evangelism team and ministers showed them a movie. (Christian one of course.)

Give em' a Place to Go!

Number 5
Be Prepared to Minister to the Whole need!

Don't become a referral station but a renewal station! Your Youth Ministry should have activities that the Youth enjoy not what adults enjoy. Need examples? How about renting the local Laser Tag arena? ALL NIGHT! We did that just a few weeks ago. It was a great success. How about Splat Ball Teams, Volleyball Teams, Basketball Teams. You may say; "Pastor Steve, girls would not be interested in those sports." You would be surprised!

Your Youth Ministry should include discipleship programs. We give our teens opportunities to join different ministries at the ROCK. Audio/Visual, Music, RadRock Cafe, Streetlight Drama, and the TeenPastors. The TeenPastors are those teens that we know are the hardcore, rock solid teens that are the leaders of the other teens. These are the teens that we know are grounded in God's Word and have the ability to help reach and teach others.

Your Youth Ministry should encourage social outreaches. Our vision here at the ROCK is to be able to send teams to the High Schools, the skating rinks, the local malls or arcades to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. The first Wednesday of every month we have "Rec Night" The whole night is volleyball, basketball, video games, pool and foosball. Do all of the kids want to come for this? NO! Many go fishing! They go out with teams to share the gospel locally. Is that kewl or what?

We make every effort that we can to Minister to the Whole need.
 

Number 6
Have well Planned and Prepared Holy Ghost Services.

Don't let the spiritual level of your kids dictate the spiritual level of your goals. (2 Timothy 4:2) Allow the Holy Ghost to Move! God never changed His laws just because people didn't like them.

Make your messages anointed (By seeking God regularly.) Exalting (By you being stirred up.) Challenging (Give them something they didn't know.)

Keep messages short. (The average attention span of a teenager is 20 minutes.) Follow the anointing and leading of the Holy Spirit.

Make your messages full of the Word of God and action packed. Use examples, situations, drama, music specials, video production.

If you want to keep the flow going for your Youth Ministry be prepared EVERY week! Don't ever just show up and say, "Well, what should we do tonight?"
 

Tip Number 7
Spend TIME with God to get Specific Directions for Your Ministry.

Formula vs. Father - It's okay to gleam, from other youth pastors and ministries but, the best for you is to get before God and let Him instruct you!

If He says to do what Joey Youth Pastor does, great! If not, don't just do it because it's successful there! What works for us might not be what God wants you to do. I'm just trying to offer help and ideas.

Check out 2 Samuel 5:17 -- Make sure that you listen the Spirit of God. If He says "Go up." You had better go up! If He says; "Go down and around." You had better follow God's leading.

Creating an Effective Youth Ministry will help TEENS get a proper Concept of God. The teens will only get that proper concept if their Church has the proper concept, and if their Youth Pastor has the proper concept. And that happens only if they (The Church and the Youth Pastor) follow through and give the proper concept!
 

Tip Number 8
PRAYER

It doesn't matter if you are a Teen, Youth Worker, or a Youth Pastor, your first priority for your Youth Ministry is Prayer. Get on your face and suck rug Be4oRe God! Anyone could give you all of the "Tips for Creating an Effective Youth Ministry" in the world and have a specific diagram laid out for you but if YOU did not pray the plan of God for your Youth Ministry it will all be for nothing. NOT! Zip, Zero, Worthless!

A few months ago I ran across a diagram that I had sketched out on paper. The drawing was from almost 20 years ago. I looked at that sketch in amazement. It was the exact floor plan of our current Youth Ministry facility. Don't tell me God does not show you things in advance by His Spirit!

Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. (Isaiah 45:11)

Well you have been commanded! To get the plan of God all you have to do is ask Him! Ask what you can do to help your Pastor. You are an important part! God says those who are "willing and obedient" will eat the good of the land. (Isaiah 1:19)

So. . . engage! Make it so!

Steve Munds
Youth Pastor