To be successful sometimes you just need to know what NOT to do.
Here are nine never’s of Youth Ministry.
1. Never yell at one of your students.
In those cases when a student is acting up or causing trouble, raising your voice will not help help the situation. In fact it will generally make it a lot worse. Stay in control. You are the one in charge. Look them in the eye. Speak to them firmly but never yell at them.
2. Never "wing it" when you are speaking.
Here are a few reasons why you should never just get up there and start speaking with out preparing your message before hand. 1. You are not that good. 2. God word deserves your best effort. 3. You are not that good. (I know I said that twice ... but I just wanted to get the point across).
3. Never use slang words around them.
Shoot – Dang – Darn – can easily be misunderstood or cuss words. Don’t use them around your teenagers.
4. Never be alone with the opposite sex.
Say this out loud as you read it – “IT IS NOT WORTH IT” – never be alone in the car, in the hallway, in a room with a teenager of the opposite sex, I don’t care the reason why … IT IS NOT WORTH IT.
5. Never expect them to obey a rule you have not explained to them.
What are your rules? If they don’t know them, they cannot obey them.
6. Never make a promise you cannot keep.
Don’t be a people pleaser – let your yes be yes and your no be no – if you can’t do it – don’t say you will.
7. Never expect them to get into your world until you have gotten into theirs.
Jesus came to our world so that we would want to come to HIS. I think we should do the same with the people we want to reach.
8. Never think of a students parent as the problem.
The only reason you have the ability to be in this teenagers life is because their parent is allowing you to. Parents are not the problem they are part of the solution.
9. Never preach to them until you have prayed for them.
There are four P’s in Preaching. Plan – Prepare – Pray – Present. Never forget to pray.
10. Never spend more time on what your wearing than what you are teaching.
There are two things you need to know about how you dress. 1. Stylish clothes never saved a soul. 2. The kids already think you are old, so just be yourself, know your stuff, and give them Jesus!
Those are some things to NEVER do in student ministry.
To help go to a whole new level in making disciples, building teams, and making an impact check out our one year online training platform - YOUTH MINISTRY UNIVERSITY. It is only $75 for an entire year of training!