Happy August! As we prepare for back-to-school rhythms in the coming weeks, we’ve compiled a “checklist” for youth ministers to consider before the fall semester begins. This list is neither exhaustive or mandatory, but we hope these suggestions help to ground you and your students in Christ at the start of a new school year.
Prayerfully Plan Content
A new year means a new opportunity to help students know and love Jesus in and through his Word, which is arguably one of the most important things you’ll do all year! Be sure to take some time before the school year starts to prayerfully consider what you want to teach through in small groups or Sunday school each semester.
Is there a part of the Bible you haven’t touched yet? Where might your students need to grow in biblical literacy? Is there a poignant struggle or issue with which you see your students struggling that Scripture speaks directly to? Taking some dedicated time to plan content at the beginning of the year reminds us that holding forth the word of life to students should never be taken lightly. Plus, it will hopefully generate excitement among you and your ministry team as you think about all that God might do through the teaching of his Word.
Host a Youth Leaders Meeting
As a youth minister, you not only shepherd the students in your care, you likely also lead a team of adults who join you in ministry each year. The beginning of each school year marks an important time to recruit and onboard new leaders and to inspire your existing team for another year of gospel-centered ministry to teenagers.
Most leaders will welcome a chance to get together and to hear from you about the year ahead, so lean into this enthusiasm by prioritizing a morale-boosting and informative gathering. Have leaders introduce themselves and share a little about where and how they serve in the ministry. You might consider giving a brief devotional that helps youth leaders to see the priority of the gospel in the work they’ll be doing with teenagers. Then you can present your church’s vision for youth ministry, helping leaders to see the importance of their part on the team.
At this meeting you’ll also want to clearly outline the personal and ministry expectations of each lay leader, such as regular participation in Sunday worship and any guidelines your church has for forming healthy friendships with teenagers. Review safety policies, re-up all background checks, and make sure to outline when and how leaders should communicate with you regarding concerns about students or the ministry as a whole. Lastly, make sure you give thought to fun and bonding as a team. This group of leaders will significantly influence the culture of your youth group, so it’s important they build friendships with one another that are rooted in the gospel.
Get the Parents on Board and Informed
Communicating with parents will be a key component of starting well. We suggest a well-publicized back-to-school meeting that includes an invitation to bring parents of potential newcomers to that meeting. At the meeting you will want to think about offering your parents:
- An overview of the mission and vision of the youth group.
- A brief talk about what gospel-centered youth ministry is and why studying God’s Word is the most important thing you will do in your time with students.
- An outline of the teaching plan for the year (or semester).
- An invitation for parents to get involved and a variety of ways they might do that (from serving as a leader to cooking for retreats to serving through prayer).
- A calendar for the youth group year. This doesn’t have to be set in stone, but planning ahead will indicate to parents that you take their busy schedules seriously and will help them prioritize youth events.
- A list of prayer topics for the youth group.
- An overview of what they can expect from you during the year. For example, if you plan to send bimonthly emails or to meet once a semester with each student, parents will appreciate knowing concrete ways you will support their child.
- As appropriate to your context, share your contact information and any other ways your church offers support to youth and parents.
Follow up from that meeting by sending all the parents (those who attended and those who did not) an email including all the information you shared. If there were any questions you could not answer at the meeting, try to offer answers in this email.
Keep in mind that parents of teenagers are often worried and stressed. To the extent that you can demonstrate your calm confidence and joy in the gospel, you will minister to these parents as you serve their children.
Consider a Fall Kickoff Event
It’s always a good idea to start off a new school year with a fun youth event that rallies your students back together and builds excitement for the coming year. This event can be as simple or as involved as you want it to, depending on your budget and the size of your group. In my former youth group, we would take a 24-hour retreat to a nearby farm right before school (and fall sports!) started. It was a fun and simple way for youth group friends to re-connect, and we used it as an opportunity to introduce our teaching theme for the year. While a small retreat might not be for you, the most important thing is to communicate to your students that you are excited for another year of growing in fellowship and love of God alongside them.
Gather a Prayer Team
Whether you’re going into the new school year refreshed and ready to go or running on fumes, inviting others to pray with and for you is vital. Consider making specific asks to specific people whom you know care about you and your ministry. One person can pray for students to make meaningful connections in small groups. Another can pray for your personal walk with Jesus or your family. Someone else can pray specifically for the trips and retreats you have coming up this year. Recruiting this team will not only help others feel connected to your ministry, but it ensures that others regularly bring you and your students before the Lord
Spend Dedicated Time with the Lord
Though we listed this last, every other thing on this list will be done in vain if the youth minister doesn’t first prioritize his or her own personal relationship with Jesus (2 Cor. 1:3). Therefore, it’s a great idea to have a plan to get away and spend concentrated time with the Lord. This could like a weekend solo retreat to a cabin, a phone-free hike, or a morning journaling in a coffee shop.
Since God calls you to minister out of the rest and grace of Jesus, these times of refreshment help ground you in the truth of the gospel before the year begins. Time with God reminds you that he loves and delights in you, not based on what you do, but because of what Jesus has done on your behalf. As great as retreats, parent meetings, and curriculum planning are, they pale in comparison to the most important reality of God’s love for sinners through Jesus Christ.
Whether you do all, none, or some of the suggestions on this list, we pray that God will fill your fall semesters with much joy, community, and growth in Christ.
For more gospel-centered youth ministry resources, we hope you’ll check out our youth ministry training videos on Rooted Reservoir
