A. Enlisting

1. Pray (Matthew 9:37-38).

2. Build and develop the trust and confidence of the adults in the church.

a. Be dependable.

• • • Keep your word regarding departure and arrival times.
    • Honor their requests.

b. Give them information via newsletters and announcements.

c. Become a specialist in your field but not a know-it-all.

d. Look at things from the parents’ point of view. Remember that parents are the key to building a youth group.

e. Never cancel anything.

• • • Do not announce dreams. Announce facts.
    • Do your homework. If you cancel anything, it is your fault—not someone else’s.

f. Have good discipline on your youth activities and trips.

g. Be organized in your overall youth program, activities, and youth visitation.

h. Be grateful.

i. Evaluate and correct.

• • • Ask questions.
    • Listen to comments and answers.
    • Make a mistake once but not twice.

j. Build confidence by your outward conduct.

• • • Dress and appearance
    • Talk
    • Behavior
    • Appropriateness
    • Maturity

k. Do not act like a kid (all the time). Parents should be able to say, “That’s what I’d like my son to be like.”

3. Build your case—the importance of the youth group.

a. Build it in public and private conversations.

b. Use facts and examples.

c. Share your vision. (You do have one, do you not?)

d. Talk to everyone, both official and unofficial leaders.

e. Do not get a reputation for all talk and no action. All talk must result in timely action.

4. Love others (children, young people, and parents), and show it.

5. Endure year after year. Make being a youth leader your life’s calling.

6. Establish convictions and standards.

a. Be biblical.

b. Be honest.

c. Be reasonable.

d. Be consistent.

e. Be teachable.

f. Be loyal.

g. Be simple.

*Require more of your leadership than of your general youth group.

7. Draw people into your core of workers using their strengths. (Examples: bus driver, nurse, cook, bookkeeper, and construction worker)

8. Know what you are looking for.

a. Establish levels of qualifications for the following positions:

• • • Driver
    • Cook
    • Phone caller
    • Activity sponsor
    • Visitation driver
    • Counselor

b. Work with and train adults to move up your ladder of qualifications.

9. Recruit your help personally.

a. Always be on the lookout for new prospective helpers.

• • • Do not take just any volunteer.
    • Check out each person’s reputation, background, reference, and testimony.
    • Build a list of prospects: parents, young adults, and senior citizens.
    • Use caution when choosing new members or non-members.

b. Make the enlistment process important.

• • • Do not ask for help from the pulpit or in the church foyer.
    • Go to the individual’s home, or make an appointment to meet him at the church office.

c. Make the meeting important and Christ-honoring.

• • • Begin and end with prayer, stressing the spiritual and eternal value.
    • Share your overall goal and vision for the youth ministry.

1) How it fits with church

2) How it fits with home

• • • • Present the duties and requirements clearly and completely and as a challenge, not as a “cinch.”
      • Recruit at the level of responsibility you are sure the person can perform (i.e. driver, chaperone) without implying any “glorious” duties (counselor).
      • Clearly present the qualification and job requirements.
      • Do not put high pressure on the individual or make him feel guilty if he says, “No.”
      • Be sure that kindness and gentleness prevail during the conversation.
      • Let the person know that you will always be there to help him if necessary.

9. Remember the following considerations.

a. Schedule your adults to help at least once a month, let them know the times several weeks in advance, and remind them often.

b. There are times when you will have to just keep on asking.

c. Do not be easily offended.

d. Do not burn them out.

B. Training

1. Start where they are and take them as far as you can at this time. (They need to keep learning, and so do you!)

2. Give them time, something which is necessary for real growth.

3. Teach by example (Philippians 4:9). They will learn best by watching you do it.

4. Teach by word.

a. One-on-one

b. Sunday school classes (substitute or special class)

c. Other small groups

d. Youth sponsor training seminars

5. Build a library of resource materials.