Our coaching approach centers around 5 key areas that we consistently observe in excellent youth ministries. We refer to these areas as the 5 smooth stones.
5 Smooth Stones Approach
- Power – Growing the soul and skill set of the youth pastor
- Plan – Defining your youth ministry strategy
- Playbook – Programming for ministry success
- Partners – Identifying, recruiting and equipping your ministry team
- Playing fair – Administration for ministry success
5-Stone Self Evaluation-
Pay attention to your “NO’s” below. More than two no’s in any section means you could benefit from a relationship with one of our youth ministry coaches.
Power – Growing the soul of the youth pastor
- I regularly pray
- I regularly read scripture
- I regularly read Christian resources that develop my ministry skills
- I regularly keep a Sabbath
- I feel adequately spiritually “equipped” for ministry
- Ministry gives me joy
- I am enlivened by my work
- I rarely feel alone in ministry
- I am confident in my ministry decision-making
- I rarely obsess over the opinions of others related to the ministry
- I speak with other youth pastors on a weekly basis
Plan – Defining your youth ministry plan
- I am confident in the principles that guide our ministry
- I can identify key steps along the Christian growth journey of our teenagers
- My ministry calendar is set at least 12 months from today
- Our ministry activities can be directly connected to an intentional growth plan
- I consistently communicate our ministry through multiple channels
- Our ongoing ministry plan in maintained with project-planning benchmarks
- The “momentum” of our ministry is positive
Playbook – Programming for ministry success
- Our programs are enthusiastically attended
- Our programs are creatively communicated
- Our programs have consistent meaningful content
- Our programs involve our students in planning and execution
- Our programs challenge our students to grow in their faith
- Our programs are enthusiastically supported by parents and guardians
Partners – Identifying, recruiting and equipping your ministry team
- We have met or exceeded a ratio of 1 adult for every 5 participating youth
- We consistently identify folks with gifts to serve in the youth ministry
- Our volunteers consistently return year after year
- Our volunteers “brag” on the ministry
- Our volunteers receive yearly training and quarterly check-in times
- Our volunteers are given time off
- Our volunteers receive curriculum with adequate time for planning
- Our volunteers enjoy being with one-another
- Unsolicited, folks ask how to be involved in our ministry
Playing fair – Administration for ministry success
- Our work week is planned upon arrival on Monday
- Our ministry needs are scheduled well in advance (Rooms, vehicles, etc.)
- My church administrator likes me
- We are consistently within budget
- Our budgeting priorities flow from our ministry priorities
- We return church vehicles in better condition than we left
- We clean up after ourselves
- We communicate well internally
- We anticipate collaborative needs among our church staff and prepare accordingly
- The youth ministry is considered a team player
- We offer ourselves and the youth to serve in other ministries in the church
Our coaches provide loving accountability and consistent successful results that YOU define. Click “Our Process” below to find out more!
Our Process