It's the Monday after spring break. This day marks the beginning of spring craziness in youth ministry. It's the time of year when our students (even the core kids) push and test the boundaries a little more. They are a hot soupy mess some nights and I want to throw ice water on all of their heads and sit them in front of a classical symphony orchestra to mellow them out.
Raaawr! Take that. (insert sinister youth pastor laugh that is borderline cuckoo)
I really do want to speak life over our students and believe that this year will be different. But one night on a middle school retreat last weekend has already convinced me that this season will repeat itself until Jesus returns and rescues us all.
It doesn't matter if you work with middle school students, high school students, or both. We need a little encouragement. A little training. And possibly some extra love and tender care from our support leaders and parents. Here's the advice I gave them this morning as we prepare for Wednesday night.
Spring Training for Leaders | 5 Things
1) Look for loners and talk to them.
2) Look for loud ones and help them to see how they can be leaders instead of being distractors.
3) Look for lovers and remind them that there is no purple at youth group (girls are pink, guys are blue, purple is not an option.
4) Look for low blows and help mean spirited conversation by interceding and redirecting. It may mean buying a student a coke and having a mentoring conversation.
5) Look for lifters. When you see the uplifters in our group, praise them publicly.
I hope this helps someone as they head into spring everything. It's helped me today.Labels: Brooklyn Lindsey, HPNY, leadership training, ministry leaders, spring training