Why equipping youth leaders is so important

On Mt. Everest, 28,000 feet above sea level, humans are not designed to live. The brain is oxygen starved and the body is only a second from being freeze dried. In these conditions it matters not your good intentions or happy thoughts. It only matters how you have been trained and what you have brought with you. Thankfully youth ministry is not that brutal; but some days it sure feels like it!

In order to survive and thrive in discipling students to be disciple makers, we need to be properly equipped for cross cultural, sub-cultural ministry. So why is it so important to be equipped for youth ministry? There are three factors.

1. Youth need equipped leaders.

Today we live in a global culture that in many ways is driven by the teenager culture. However, throughout history youth have been seen as a world unto themselves. For instance there is a quote that may or may not be Socrates that goes like this,

“Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers.”

In other words, they need guidance and direction from those who understamnd their culture to mature in who they are in Christ.

In order for us to connect and build a faith sharing community of students we need to understand thier world and how to disciple them. For instance, in looking to recruit a volunteer youth worker look for someone who can "speak youth", one who can connect with teenagers in their world and love them unconditionally. Or better yet, develop a training program for prospective recruits to learn how to love teenagers and speak their language.

2. Leaders need mentors to train them.

To create a leader you need a leader to effectively train them. There are those that may have innate leader-like qualities, but true leaders are made not born. There is the need for attitude, skills, knowledge and relationships to be developed in the leader through the intentional encouragement of others. Each of us have strengths like our spiritual gifts or natural abilities. However, an effective leader is well balanced in their character, competence and connection. This is done through a process of life on life modeling.

3. Jesus models leadership training

Throughout His ministry Jesus actively searched out individuals to equip so that they could equip others. He spent a night in prayer and then chose his first disiples. he taught them and then sent them out in his name to share with others. He even commands His disciples at the end of His time on earth to "make disciples."

In creating a thriving ministry to students our primary focus needs to be equipping saints for the works of service (Eph 4:12). By following Jesus' example, we are developing mature multiplying disciples. As we focus our ministry on this process not only will the students grow but our leaders will as well.