Youth ministry is a unique calling, and it’s no secret that staying in it for the long haul isn’t always easy. For many youth pastors, what starts as a passion-driven role can sometimes turn into a temporary position—a stepping stone to other church roles or even a path out of ministry altogether. There are a lot of reasons for this: lower pay, challenging church cultures, demanding schedules, and yes, burnout. But while some of these factors may feel out of our control, there is one strategic choice we can make that directly influences our longevity in ministry. Leveraging a great, gospel-centered youth ministry curriculum can be the key to sustainable youth ministry.

The Burnout Problem

Youth ministry can be an all-consuming job. We plan events, disciple students, train leaders, manage budgets, resolve conflicts, and often create teaching materials from scratch. On top of all this, we still need to maintain healthy relationships with our own families and stay connected to God ourselves. The frenetic pace of ministry can be unsustainable, especially when unexpected challenges arise—like a volunteer stepping down, a crisis with a student, or a late-night call from a parent.

A major reason youth pastors burn out is that they try to handle all these tasks on their own. When everything feels urgent, it’s only natural to spend more time on what’s immediate (lesson prep, event planning) and less time on what’s important (relational discipleship, rest, and spiritual renewal). Eventually, the imbalance takes its toll, leading even the most passionate youth pastors to question whether they can keep going.

What Makes Youth Ministry Sustainable?

Ministry sustainability comes down to managing two things well: time and energy. The reality is, you can’t control everything about your church’s culture or your compensation package. You can’t control how often parents need to meet with you or when emergencies arise. But you can control how you structure your weekly workload. Practicing a Rhythmic Week to prioritize your spiritual, personal, and family life is a good place to begin the journey of sustainable ministry. One of the best practical ways to reclaim time and energy is by using a strong gospel-centered curriculum.

A quality curriculum isn’t just a set of pre-made lessons—it’s a tool that systematizes what can be systematized. It gives you a head start every week. The sermons are prepped, the game is set, the graphics are ready, the small group guides are written, and even resources for parents are included. When you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every single week, you create margin. And margin is where longevity lives.

The Research Backs It Up

Dan Navarro, in his annual Youth Pastor Compensation Report, shared a fascinating statistic: Youth pastors who’ve been in ministry for 15 years or longer often have budgets that allow for paid curriculum resources, conferences, and coaching. Now, correlation doesn’t necessarily mean causation, but the implication is clear—those who make wise use of teaching resources seem to stick around longer.

The reason is simple. When you financially support youth ministry, allowing for the continued growth of the leader and streamlining weekly lesson prep, you create space to focus on the non-negotiables of ministry: building relationships, investing in volunteers, and meeting the unique needs of your students. You’re not just surviving week to week—you’re thriving.

Imagine What You Could Do With More Time

Depending on your experience and gifting, you might spend anywhere from five to fifteen hours a week preparing for youth group. And yes, some of that time is invaluable. There’s no substitute for digging into God’s Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide your teaching. But what if you could cut your prep time by 60-70%? What else could you do with those extra hours each week?

Preventing Burnout Through Systematic Support

A good curriculum doesn’t replace your voice—it amplifies it. It gives you the freedom to focus on what only you can do: being present, building relationships, and responding to God’s Spirit in real-time. When the routine tasks are taken care of, you have more to give in the moments that matter most.

Burnout often comes when we feel like we’re constantly pouring out with nothing left to give. But when your teaching prep is simplified, you find yourself leading from a place of rest, not exhaustion. You can show up fully present—not just as a teacher but as a mentor and a shepherd to your students.

The Investment You Can’t Afford to Skip

I know the reality—many churches feel they can’t afford to invest in the youth ministry. But I’d argue the opposite: churches can’t afford not to invest. The cost of replacing a youth pastor—financially, relationally, and spiritually—is far greater than the cost of a quality curriculum.

If you find the right curriculum, one that is deeply gospel-centered and designed to equip you rather than replace you, it could change the entire rhythm of your ministry. G Shades Youth Ministry Curriculum is one curriculum that creates resources to make your life easier while keeping the gospel central. The goal is to give you the tools to lead well without burning out. 

Sustainable youth ministry isn’t about doing less—it’s about doing the right things well. By focusing on your growth and spiritual health, and leveraging a strong, gospel-centered curriculum, you’re not cutting corners—you’re creating margin. And that margin allows you to thrive in ministry for the long haul, offering your best to the students, leaders, and families God has entrusted to you.

Mike Haynes is a youth ministry veteran and the creator of G Shades Youth Ministry Curriculum. A vibrant contributor to the youth ministry landscape, Mike’s passion is to help students and youth pastors alike see life through the lens of the gospel. He and his wife Anna have five kids spanning elementary, middle, and high school.

The post Gospel-Centered Curriculum: A Key to Sustainable Youth Ministry appeared first on Ministry Architects.

• If you have limited time and simply want a free downloadable resource to help with planning ahead, click here.
• If you have a couple of minutes to learn why we encourage this ministry strategy, keep reading. 

When I was a kid, I loved getting our family’s mail. Most days after school, as soon as my mom put the car in park, I would jump out and run to the mailbox to see what had arrived that day – and for whom. Call me nosy, helpful, or hopeful, but one thing’s for sure: I consistently believed that our mailbox was full of possibilities. Every single day.

And the BEST day to get the mail (for me) was the day the church camp catalog arrived. See, I grew up in a denomination that invested thoughtfully into providing all sorts of camps, each and every summer, across multiple campgrounds. So. Many. Camps. And searching through all the options was like Christmas round two.

But what I didn’t realize until I was an adult is how early in the year one has to start summer event planning for camps like these.

If the goal for volunteer leaders is to be a part of a complete team, able to be fully present with children and youth throughout camp… (or VBS or a mission trip or whatever multi-day, multi-layered event is happening)…

And if the goal for parents is for them to experience a well-organized approach where logistics and expectations are clear… Where they feel confident their child will be safe in your care…

And if the goal for children and youth is to be able to spend concentrated time with a faith-filled community, experiencing what it means to follow Jesus…

Then planning can’t just “happen” a few weeks ahead of time. Solid summer event planning starts with worthwhile winter work. Work that isn’t characterized by angst or last-minute prep. Work that might just look something like this…

Step One: Kickstart Your Summer Event Planning

Six months before your summer event, schedule a day away from the office where you can invest a full set of hours solely focused on your camp, VBS, mission trip, or event. (If you’re serving in a role that is planning multiple events, gift yourself a set of multiple hours for each.)  

• For this first step, we’d recommend staying small. This is a time for just you, or you and one teammate, to list ALL the logistics that will make your event successful. (You might even need to start with defining what “success” looks like.) Then, break down each big responsibility into bite-sized tasks.

• Before the end of this day, be sure you’ve clearly identified the first five things you need to do next. These could be inviting additional teammates to take ownership of parts of the big list, blocking out your next day away, or ensuring your families are communicated with sooner rather than later so they can save the dates and their kids can participate.  

Step Two: Finish Five in Fifteen

Diving back into the routine demands of daily ministry after your day away has the unintentional potential to undermine the work you’ve mapped out. DON’T LET IT.

• Sit down for 15 minutes on your next day back, look at those first five things you earmarked to do next, and go ahead and schedule 30-60 minutes for each one over the next 15 days. That’s right, give yourself two weeks to tackle those first five tasks. “Finish five in fifteen.” Because, if you haven’t completed them in that time frame, you’ll know you need to call in some help. 

Summer won’t wait, and neither will all the stakeholders relying on your summer event planning efforts.

You already know – families begin signing kids up for spring sports in January and some summer camps fill up before February. The calendar can get so full that some households have to hire a project manager just to find a free week for their family vacation! (Alright, maybe not. But maybe…)

• Thus, we’d recommend prioritizing these steps as a part of your first five:
  • Organize your big list into categories that are a manageable size for one person.  
  • Make a list of people who you want on your core team. These are high-capacity volunteers who can take on a category. (Remember: don’t say someone’s no for them.)
  • Confirm the dates and location(s) of your event with the larger church calendar and any other organizations you’ll be partnering with. 
  • Craft a communication plan to ensure your congregation, ministry families, and community know what they need to know to participate. (dates, cost, location, age range, etc.).

Step Three: Gather your Summer Event Planning Go-Getters 

Once you’ve invited your core leaders to their specific areas of oversight – and they’ve said yes –  plan a meeting to plan a party.

• These core team leaders will need others by their side, along with resources and supplies. (Some of which you may have already identified). So plan a meeting where this smaller group gets clued in on ALL the details. From the broken-down version of the big list to the overarching goals of the event, bring these folks up to speed on the big picture. 

• Then, create multiple call lists together. Rather than you being the one who calls everyone else, or these 4-5 leaders rushing to call all the same people, spend some time talking through who to invite to which teams. Each leader should leave with their tasks, a call list, and a clear invitation to the next: a planning party.  

Step Four: Throw A Party, Not A Meeting

Raise your hand if you want to attend 7 different evening meetings at church for the same event.

Now, raise your hand if you want to come to one big planning party where the whole team knocks it all out at once!  

You know your people better than we do. But this is a fun and different take on tackling the enormity of that big list. And while we know there are a variety of ways you can empower others, troubleshoot questions, and knock out prep, organizing one big party can help prevent the procrastination and siloing that so often happens with a piecemeal approach to planning.

So here’s a sketch of what that day can look like:

• Schedule the party for March or early April (because, you know, May gets crazy). Invite the full event team, maybe making it mandatory.

• Every party needs food, fun, folks– and a focus.
  (And, of course – you’re allowed to delegate these out, too, if that’s helpful).
  • FOOD: coffee and donuts may suffice for the morning, but providing a hearty lunch and ensuring there are snacks throughout the day will be thoughtful.
  • FUN: this isn’t just a logistical checklist event. This team gets to be a part of planning an incredible set of days where all involved can grow closer to one another and closer to the Lord. So aim for interactive vs. solely informative. Incorporating fun, funny, and light amidst the work that needs to get done will be a gift to many.
  • FOLKS: Make it easy for people to say yes to being a part of this day. Devoting a full Saturday can be a big ask. So consider providing childcare or, at least, try to attend to any potential hurdles that may hinder someone from showing up. 
  • FOCUS: This party is a multi-purpose party that can include prayer, worship, games, and fellowship – and should definitely include the sharing of the event’s theme, introduction of team members, the overarching goals, and breakout groups led by your core leaders (to discuss those big list breakdowns.) This is also a perfect time to provide the necessary safety training and emergency procedures review so that all volunteers are equipped and ready to go.

• Last but not least, the party shouldn’t end until these are accomplished:
  • Everyone knows their roles, responsibilities, and any next steps.
  • A giant (or multiple) “to-buy” list(s) has been created, and the way purchases and reimbursements will be managed for this event is clear to everyone. 
  • There’s closing prayer and growing excitement to see what the Lord will do with all that’s planned.

Step Five: Do it all again next year

Lest you think I came up with these ideas all on my own, I didn’t.
This is simply my version of one part of the genius that is The Ministry Architects Preventative Maintenance Calendar. (Yes, this is the same free download link from above.)

What is a Preventative Maintenance Calendar and How can it help with Summer Event Planning?!?!

A PMC (for short) is a proactive approach to ensuring we don’t waste winter, or any other months. Instead, this tool helps us pace our days in a sustainable way. Put another way, the PMC is a month-by-month guide that maps out a thoughtful rhythm of how to attend to those non-daily responsibilities that often get forgotten or delayed. In a nutshell, it helps make sure things don’t get missed.

Why add one more tool to my toolbox? The others work fine…

For leaders who are already strategic planners, a PMC is still useful. You can combine a few of your hyper-focused guides into one comprehensive behind-the-scenes calendar. And, for leaders who feel great angst around event planning, the PMC is a game changer! You don’t have to let the phrases “last-minute” or “after-hours” characterize this work. The PMC outlines an earlier start to all major event planning and helps you have more control of the pace. 

Ultimately, the PMC is one more resource that can strengthen the sustainability of your ministry and help care for others in your community more intentionally. 

And who wants to miss out on that?

As a big fan of summer camp, parties, mailboxes, and well-paced ministry days, Renée would love to talk. She’d be happy to help your summer somethings be exactly what you hope they will be. Just click here to send her a note and she’ll connect with you soon.

Renée Wilson will tell you the best advice she ever received as a volunteer in youth ministry was “prepare well and love ’em to Jesus.” And that’s exactly why she’s a part of our team. Through her 20+ years of mentoring and ministering with children, youth, and young adults, Renée knows the value of building healthy teams and loves creating approaches around the vision of seeing more and more people come to know Christ.

The post Don’t Miss Winter: The Ultimate Summer Event Planning Guide appeared first on Ministry Architects.

As I’ve been having lots of conversations, facilitating focus groups, and leading seminars, I’ve noted many common themes. The one that stands out most starkly is this:

Kids, teens, and parents are all hurting in so many ways. 

The pressure to perform, the strain of relationships, and the overall stress of life seems to be bringing people down at an increasing rate. It seems to be harder and harder for people to embrace the hope of Jesus and the belief that a life with God, while not perfect or problem free, will offer a freedom and joy that can overcome the world.

This overall feeling is well-summarized by a quote from a recent conversation I had with a high school student at my church: 

“Stress levels are enormous. I used to love school, now I stare at the clock until the bell rings. I play sports as well which means I miss some class but have to make it up later. My parents aren’t any help either. They are part of the problem. “You better watch that 93 in science. It’s getting a little too close to an A-” They don’t get it. Keeping perfect grades while playing 3 sports a year is difficult. But don’t let them see me too sad, or too stressed, or too much of any negative emotion or they’ll blame it on my phone and snatch it right up until I cry at the dinner table about it. Someone has to tell adults that we will crumble without some sort of relief.”

That last line really gets me and, in some way, has become a rallying cry for me.

“Someone has to tell adults that we will crumble without some sort of relief.”

Kids and teenagers today are crumbling. We, as adults, have to pay attention to what is going on in more ways than ever. We must be in the fight with them, equipping and encouraging them as they navigate the world. This desire to help parents and ministry leaders truly see what is happening and be proactive in the fight has led me to create a few resources that I hope will help.

In 2022, I released the book Bags: Helping Your Kids Lighten the Load. This book comes from years of watching young people pack and carry some tremendous emotional baggage. On top of that, they have no idea how to deal with it. The book identifies eight common “bags” that kids pack as they grow up. I talk about things like comparison, rejection, disappointment, and the pressure to perform. Each chapter offers practical things those parenting and doing ministry can do to help kids not pack these bags. We can give them a lighter load to carry through life.

I believe that we, as parents and ministry leaders, can have a tremendous impact on the way our kids view the world and how they learn how to be healthy along the way. 

Speaking of health, that has become an important word to me as I have thought about the state of families today. Everyone has a picture of what we think “success” looks like. I don’t know about you, but when it comes to my kids and how they turn out–

I have changed the target when it comes to success. 

For me, success no longer looks like good grades that lead to the right college or job that helps them achieve financial success. The idea that my kids need to earn awards and climb whatever ladder is in front of them, be a good citizen and live in the right social circles, is no longer important to me. (We all know people who have achieved the “American Dream” and are miserable.)

I simply want for my kids to get to their young adult years and be healthy. I want for them to be healthy emotionally, mentally, relationally, and spiritually. If my wife and I can get our kids to their mid 20s and they are healthy in these areas, I don’t care where they work, where they live, how much money they make, or what social circles they run in. I obviously pray that they will have a real relationship with God that leads them every day. And I believe that if they do, they are much more likely to be healthy in the four areas I’ve mentioned:

– Emotional Health
– Mental Health
– Relational Health
– Spiritual Health

As adults who are raising and leading kids and teens, we can make a tremendous difference in their lives. We have the opportunity to equip and encourage them along the way, pointing them to a God who loves them and a faith that can lead them. As we lead, we have to both pay attention to what is happening to them and be proactive in what we want for them. As anyone who has worked with or raised kids and teens knows, this is a dance. Sometimes we stumble and fall, and we sometimes move into a beautiful expression of life and love.

In my opinion, it all hinges on one thing: Relationships

We have to work, not just on the mechanics of life, but on the connections we all crave. If we, as adults, focus first on the relationships we have with the kids and teens in our homes, or sphere of influence in our neighborhoods or ministries, instead of just teaching the things we think kids need to know, we will have a much better chance at actually seeing the “bags” they carry. Then, we can help them lighten the load and move towards the health they so desperately need. 

So, hang in there. Keep fighting. Focus on health, for both you and the kids and teens you love so much. Pray for their hearts. Offer encouragement. Build relationships, lead well, and trust that the seeds you are planting and watering will grow into what God wants them to be.

Additional Resources

Want more helpful resources? Check out these free downloads!

• Five Mistakes Churches Make In Family Ministry
• Whole Family Ministry Conversation Guide

Chris Sasser (a.k.a. “Sass”) is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Port City Community Church in Wilmington, NC. He has served in full-time ministry since 1993, working with children’s, middle school, high school, college, and parent ministries. He has a passion for equipping and encouraging parents and leaders to help the next generation walk with God. Chris shares thoughts and ideas at www.equipandencourage.com and loves to share with students, leaders, and parents. He is married to Karin and they have two children, CJ and Kylie. Chris is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and has done some graduate work at Fuller Theological Seminary and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.

The post Kids Are Crumbling appeared first on Ministry Architects.

More than ever, pressure is being put on ministry leaders to “bring people back” to church. As I’ve spent time with youth ministry leaders over the past year, I’ve noticed that the idea of large-scale youth ministry events being the fix-all solution has seen a resurgence amongst churches of various denominational backgrounds and sizes. 

The encouragement to organize something big and far-reaching is often rooted in the belief that such events will be a momentum-building way to revitalize a youth ministry, post-pandemic. However, many peers in ministry (and you might be one of them) have been asked to put together a [hope-filled] silver bullet event without being told what, exactly, that means or what the expectations are, beyond the event. 

Sound familiar? Check out this recent article by Rob Dyer:
“They’re Not Coming Back”

Because youth ministry is so much more than simply hosting a couple of pizza parties during the year for your congregation to see on social media, it’s important to ask yourself these 3 questions before planning the next youth ministry event at your church.

1. Would a parent move their calendar around to get their child to this event?

I begin with this question as someone who has written and spoken at great length about reaching out to modern families and understanding that not all youth have parents in their life who are working together to plan a cohesive calendar. Also, not every family’s priorities are the same – one family may be chasing year-round sports in hope of a one-day scholarship, while another may be so busy working multiple jobs to make ends-meet that planning ahead feels next to impossible. It will take some time for your team to think about families in your context and what kind of an event would feel worth moving their calendar around in order for their child to attend. With that said, your most effective youth ministry events will be the ones where youth and their parents guard that day on their calendar because they see the value in it.

Your most effective youth ministry events will be the ones where youth and their parents guard that day on their calendar because they see the value in it.
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When marketing a youth ministry event, keep in mind that you’re often marketing to the students in the family and their parents. Until they’re in their last years of high school, most teens aren’t driving themselves anywhere. Parents need to be a primary audience when it comes to some of your messaging, as do their kids. Churches tend to struggle at creating events that youth want to go to and parents understand the value of. If you’re planning an event that you want a student to show up at and you cannot name why a parent would move their calendar around for their child to attend, you should start your planning over.

2. Why would a student bring a friend to this event?

Our churches should never be just for those who are already in attendance and our youth ministry events should keep that idea in mind, as well. Aside from thinking through how you’re going to equip students to invite their friends to your events, you should also be asking yourself why a student would want to invite their friends to attend with them. If your events are announced in front of the congregation during your weekend services, consider naming this during that time – “This is a great event to bring your friends to because…”

If you’re unable to name why a student would want to invite a friend to your event, ask them. Ask your youth what kinds of events they’d definitely want to invite their friends to. We know one of the answers could be that large events provide a chance for visitors to take a first step into church life, outside of the intimidation of a worship setting. But that might not be compelling enough for your middle school gamer or high school athlete. So, as you consider the event’s purpose(s), ask your students what they think, too. 

Whatever your answer is – make sure that you can name why a student would want to invite a friend to your next event. Because if they don’t know why they’d invite a friend, chances are they won’t.

3. What’s the next step for a student who attends?

It’s easy for those of us in church work to feel as though we’re becoming cruise directors at times; we run so many events that it’s easy to forget that we’re actually in the business of seeing lives changed by the Gospel of Jesus. So, before you plan your next event, consider what the next steps are for a student who attends. Are you creating a clear path from this event into your next weekend worship gathering? Do you have specific invitations available for camps, retreats, or small groups that you want to direct youth toward?

We run so many events that it’s easy to forget that we’re actually in the business of seeing lives changed by the Gospel of Jesus.
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Students won’t know what your objective is unless you’re intentional about making it known. Every event that you host at your church should lead a student toward the next step in their journey of faith – even if that next step is simply to go home and send a text to someone that night about where they’ve seen God at work in their lives during the week. As you plan your next event, make sure you’re putting just as much time (if not more!) into what you’re inviting them to next as you are investing into the planning of this event. What comes next matters just as much as what comes first.

Identifying what motivates parents to prioritize events, compels students to invite friends, and intrigues guests to return will narrow down a list of options that fits your specific community well. Even though youth ministry is SO MUCH MORE than running events, you can also do SO MUCH MORE than simply host a party. You can answer these three questions and plan an event with purpose.

The post 3 Questions To Ask Before Planning Your Next Youth Ministry Event appeared first on Ministry Architects.

CLICK HERE for Ministry Architects Youth Ministry Resources FREE!

At Ministry Architects, we have a ton of great resources for your church and youth ministry. But we know that we’re not the only ones with great tools for youth pastors. So, here is a round up of some of our favorite free youth ministry resources:

Looking for free youth curriculum resources:

Maybe you have a complete curriculum plan for the next 3 years or maybe you like to piece together your messages for youth month-to-month. Either way, Covid-19 has taught all of us that sometimes you just need a little extra. A lot of curriculum companies offer one trial message series for free, which can be AWESOME. However, some websites offer free curriculum materials year-round. Check them out below!

• Ministry to Youth– https://ministrytoyouth.com/youth-group-lessons/
• LIFE.CHURCH Open Network– https://open.life.church/categories/267-6-12th-grade
• The Meeting House– http://kidsandyouth.themeetinghouse.com/
• NEWSPRING NETWORK– https://newspringnetwork.com/resources/students

Looking for free devotionals resources:

Are your students looking to go deeper with their faith? If a devotional for every student isn’t in your budget right now, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered! Check out these free downloads!

• fervr– https://fervr.net/teen-life/
• For Ministry Resources– https://forministryresources.com/category/devotioinal/
• YM360– https://youthministry360.com/collections/free-stuff/products/3-free-student-devos-plugging-connecting-what-gods-doing

Looking for free apps:

Social media has kept most of us pretty busy in the last year (or years). But that’s not the only thing your phone is good for. In fact, the apps below are two of my very favorites on this list, and here’s the best part… THEY’RE FREE!

• Grow Games & Ice Breakers– https://games.stuffyoucanuse.org/
  • This is the only thing I will editorialize on. THIS APP IS AWESOME! Seriously, it’s a life saver with games and ice breakers you can use at a moment’s notice. If you need something during check-in, standing in line, on the stage, outside, on a screen– WHEREVER — this app has got you covered! I love it. I’ve used it. And you NEED it in your life!
• YouVersion Bible App– https://www.bible.com/

Looking for free volunteer recruiting resources:

Fall is on its way and you know what that means… It’s time to start recruiting. But it’s daunting. Is there anything out there that can make it easier to find the right volunteers? Why yes, I’m glad you asked! Check out these great volunteer recruitment and onboarding resources!

• Ministry Architects– Volunteer Recruitment Process and Script
• Ministry Architects– Volunteer Megaboard
• Nick Blevins– https://nickblevins.com/resources/

More Volunteers. Guaranteed. Check Out Ministry Architects NEW Volunteer Accelerator with a FREE DEMO!

Looking for free summer resources:

So many people think youth pastors take off for summer… LOL! We at Ministry Architects know that couldn’t be further from the truth. You have a LONG to-do list. So, here are some great summer resources. Download them today and use them tonight!

• YM360– https://youthministry360.com/collections/free-stuff/products/25-rec-ideas-for-youth-ministry-summer-camp
• For Ministry Resources– https://forministryresources.com/summer-youth-ministry/
• dare2share– https://connect.dare2share.org/5-outreach-ideas-for-summer-for-youth-ministry?_ga=2.232451551.13074778.1624565281-172423612.1624469725
• Ministry Architects– Summer Trip Coordinator Job Description

Other Youth Ministry Resources FREE:

That was A LOT of free youth ministry resources… BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!! If you just LOVE lists of free stuff, we’ve got you. Check out more great resources at the links below!

• Ministry Architects– https://ministryarchitects.com/free-tools-and-resources-category/
• YM360– https://youthministry360.com/collections/free-stuff
• dare2share– https://www.dare2share.org/resources/
• Tansquared Youth Ministry– https://www.tansquaredyouthministry.com/ultimate-youth-min-resource-kit/
• Nick Blevins– https://nickblevins.com/free-church-resources/

Friends, the internet is BIG. On the other hand, these free youth ministry resources were worth the search. We hope this list helps you ROCK OUT this summer and beyond, and that you are able to reach MORE STUDENTS because of these awesome free tools and resources. However, you might find this list overwhelming. If you feel like you’re doing less swimming this summer and more drowning, we’d love to bless you with a free 30-minute coaching session. We’ll help you take a deep breath and get your bearings. Seriously, you don’t have to do this alone!

Brandi Kirkland loves what she does every single day. She has led children’s ministry in both single-site and multi-site churches. As a result, she believes that each church has its own, unique offering that it brings to the cause of Christ. Click here to connect directly with Brandi.

The post Best of Ministry Architects: Youth Ministry Resources FREE! appeared first on Ministry Architects.

Youth Ministry is tough, and can often be really lonely. As youth leaders, we face challenges that are unique and different. It’s all too easy to feel alone and powerless, and that’s exactly where the enemy wants you to be. I’ve been serving in youth ministry for over 13 years now, and I can’t tell you the amount of times that I’ve sat in my car after an event and asked the question “What am I doing?”

It’s easy to wonder if you’re really making a difference after a middle school lock in. The weeks after youth camp are prime time for a season of depression to set in, and we all know that conversations with angry parents can drain the joy right out of you.

So what do you do to stay in youth ministry and stay healthy for the long haul? I believe the key is to have the right types of people around you. From my experience, there are five types of people that every youth leaders needs to have around them. When you have these people in your inner circle, the tough times of youth ministry are just speed bumps.

When these people are missing, tough times can easily become multi-car pile-ups that either damage or kill your ministry. Simply put, every youth leader needs these people around them if they want to have a healthy ministry that impacts the next generation. So let’s take a look at the five types of people you need around you and how they can help take your leadership next level.

1) PEOPLE WHO PRAY WITH YOU

Every youth leader needs people around them who will pray with them. Without people who pray for you and with you regularly, you don’t stand a chance. Ministry will get tough. That’s a given. The difference in youth leaders who make it and the ones that don’t is often prayer.

Who is standing in the gap for you spiritually? Who do you have around you who intercedes for you on a daily basis? Who in your inner circle is lifting you up in prayer when you feel beaten down and unqualified? People who pray with you are essential to leading well, so who’s praying for you today?

2) PEOPLE WHO PUSH YOU

Great leaders need people to push them. Every great leader I’ve met has someone behind them who is pushing them to greatness. This is a person who reminds you that you CAN when you buy into the lie that you can’t. This is a person who believes in you and loves you too much to let you get by with less than what you are capable of. It’s the type of person I think the author of Hebrews had in mind when they wrote that we should “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

The truth is we won’t always like these people when they push us, but they love us too much to let that stop them. Who is walking with you and for you that pushes you toward your best? Who in your inner circle calls out the greatness inside of you? We all need people to push us as leaders, so who is pushing you?

3) PEOPLE WHO PRAISE YOU

The fact that the people who push us can push so hard is one of the reasons we need people to praise us. If you’re like me, this one may feel a little awkward. I don’t like to talk about people praising me. It feels almost prideful. However, I know that I desperately need people to encourage me. This is the praise I’m talking about. My top love language is words of encouragement, so this is huge for me. The truth is it’s huge for all youth leaders!

In 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Paul writes: “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” We need people to encourage us. It’s part of God’s design! I think those of us in youth ministry need a little more of it than other people! Dealing with angry parents is just part of youth ministry, but it can really tear you down. Students will often say hurtful things without thinking. Other volunteers and leaders can get extremely critical at times. All of these things tear us down, so we need to people to encourage us by giving us praise when everyone else tears us down.

Who is in your corner and always encourages you? Who affirms you when you’re down? Who always has a way of making you feel a little better when they walk into the room? Every youth leader needs someone in their life to praise them.

4) PEOPLE WHO PARTNER WITH YOU

No matter how talented you are, you can’t do ministry alone. Leaders who try don’t stay in ministry very long. Either that or their ministry never grows. The larger youth ministry gets and the more students you reach, the more people you will need to partner with you.

These are practical people who will roll up their sleeves and work with you. They don’t have to be asked to do something because they see what is needed before you ask and jump in to help. They are your co laborers.

We all need people to partner with us. Heck, even Paul knew this. Paul wrote the majority of the New Testament and is the father of church planting, yet he almost always traveled and ministered with partners! Think about people like Timothy, Titus, Barnabas, John Mark, Priscilla and Aquila, and Luke. Paul knew that he needed partners in ministry to finish strong, and we do to. Who are the people in your life and ministry who partner with you?

5) PEOPLE WHO PROP YOU UP 

Last of all, every youth leader needs people to prop them up. This is more than encouragement. These people are rocks in your life and ministry. When life feels like it’s falling apart and you don’t think you can go any farther, these are the people who are present and prop you up. When you can’t stand on your own they hold you up.

These people are with you no matter what, and at some point, we will all need someone to prop us up. Who are these people in your life? When you face trouble and heartache, who is right there with you to lend support?

Who are the people filling these roles in your life? Are one of these people missing from your inner circle? If so, begin to pray and ask God to show you the right people. Perhaps nothing will make a greater difference in you ministry than the people you choose to do ministry alongside of.

The post Five Types of People Every Youth Leader Needs appeared first on Ministry Architects.

I’ve seen youth ministries grow and others implode. I recently saw a youth ministry go from 85 to under 15 in six months! So what happened? The youth leader did these five things that break youth ministries.

5 Steps to Breaking Your Youth Ministry in 90 Days or Less

1) Change everything.

Students, like most humans, aren’t big fans of change. For one reason or another though, many young leaders take over a ministry and immediately change everything.

It’s almost like these leaders think any idea of their predecessor was a bad idea. They change the room and environment. They change meeting times. They change the mission and strategy. Then, when students struggle and stop coming, they wonder why.

Think about it with me. When do youth workers generally make the most changes? It’s usually after a transition between youth workers.

One pastor or volunteer leaves and another takes their place. The new leader wants to hit the ground running and put their stamp on the ministry, but the students are still hurting. They’re still processing the loss of a trusted adult.

When students are struggling like this, they don’t need a lot of change and new ideas. What they need is a leader who will listen to them, love them, and walk through the process with them.

Want to break your youth ministry in 90 days? Change everything.

2) Focus on response instead of relationships

Another way to tank your ministry is to focus on response instead of relationships. Here’s what I mean. Your focus begins to shift to how many students are coming and tracking numbers. You’re concerned about students having fun and if they posted on social media about your sermon. This will always lead you backwards.

When we focus on response over relationships, students pick up on it. They feel manipulated instead of motivated. The emphasis on response makes them feel devalued, and then they respond even less.

Students engage in youth ministry for relationships. Relationships with each other, adults who care, and with God. When we focus on response instead of relationships, it’s like hanging  an exit sign over the door.

The funny thing is, response comes naturally when we focus on relationships. By focusing on relationships first, students feel loved and valued. These are catalysts for growth. It’s through the relationships students build that we see response in the way they live.

Focusing of response over relationships is a great way to break your ministry. Relationships should always be the priority!

3) Lead as the Lone Ranger.

“Who needs help? Not me, I’m a stud.” These are the words of a soon to be unemployed youth pastor. Want to break your youth ministry in under 90 days? Do everything on your own.

Have you ever heard this phrase? “If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.” Odds are you have, and the odds are even greater it came from a poor leader. Good leaders know that doing everything yourself is the death nail of growth.

Great youth ministries have great teams! They have teams of people who work together to accomplish more than any one individual. Many struggling and declining youth ministries, however, are led by extremely talented youth workers. The problem is their talent keeps them from trusting a team!

If you want to shrink your youth ministry and impact, lead like the lone ranger. It’s a quick and guaranteed way to break your ministry and make students disappear!

4) Pursue ministry more than Jesus.

This one is simple, and we all know it’s dangerous, but we all have a tendency to do it anyway. Youth ministries grow because of Jesus. Period. Jesus is the reason we do ministry and is who we desire for our students to pursue!

However, the monster of ministry looms large and can tend to take over. The day to day expectations and ministry grind can distract us from the only thing that matters. Jesus.

Perhaps the easiest way to derail a youth ministry is to pursue ministry more than Jesus. I know this is a real danger because I’ve been here before. At one point, I realized I was doing ministry for Jesus and not with Jesus.

Jesus has to be our pursuit more than anything else. Students don’t need a perfect youth ministry or a hip youth pastor. They need a leader who loves them and loves Jesus.

The best way to impact your students is to pursue Jesus in front of them.

5) Over celebrate yesterday’s success.

“The greatest enemy of tomorrow’s success is today’s success.” -Peter Drucker

A simple recipe for a declining youth ministry focusing on what God did yesterday instead of what He’s doing today. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with celebrating! Celebrating what God has done is a good thing. Just don’t let the celebration get in the way of what God is calling you to today.

Many youth workers experience decline because of over celebrating yesterday’s successes. If your best stories are from years ago, you’ve become the victim of yesterday’s success. Good youth workers are leaders who can celebrate what God has done with one eye on the future.

Youth ministry doesn’t stop while we celebrate. Don’t take your eyes off the present to stare at the past! Thank God for what He’s done and celebrate the past, but do so with the belief that the best work is still to come.

Odds are you want your ministry to grow. You want to reach as many students as possible. To get there, avoid these five pitfalls, pursue Jesus, and love students well.

The post How to Break a Youth Ministry in 90 Days or Less appeared first on Ministry Architects.

I learned a powerful youth ministry lesson from watching other youth ministries. As I’ve traveled and met youth pastors across the country, their ministries have all been different. Some are healthier and have better results than others though.

So here is the question I began asking a few years ago: What makes the best youth ministries the best? It’s not the size of the crowd or their budgets. It’s not the talent and ability of their youth pastors. I’ve found the single greatest measure of success to be what type of ministry you have: for students or by students.

Here’s what I’ve found separates and defines these two types of youth ministries.

Youth Ministries FOR Students:

1) Teach Students

Ministries for students teach. They usually teach really well and are incredibly creative. Students from these youth ministries know a lot of truth about following Jesus.

2) Entertain Students

Ministries for students usually place a high value on entertainment. These ministries work tirelessly to have the best environments and to make sure students have fun. Students show up because they know they will have a good time at youth group.

3) Minister to Students

Youth ministries for students are great at ministering to students. To minister is defined as attending to someone’s needs or providing something helpful. Most youth ministries do this well. They love on students, teach them important truth, and help them navigate through life.

None of this is bad. These are all great things that most youth ministries by students will do in some way as well. A by students ministry doesn’t value these things less, they simply value more than this.

Youth Ministries BY Students

1) Disciple Students

Ministries by students don’t just teach, they make disciples. A disciple is a person who accepts and helps spread the teaching of another. These ministries don’t just teach students about Jesus. They enlist them to do ministry and give them opportunities to serve in meaningful ways.

2) Engage Students

To engage someone is to involve them in the process and let them participate in it. Youth ministries by students aren’t content to simply entertain. They value involving students in the process of ministry and invite them to participate in it. Entertain students and they will eventually get bored. Engage them and they will get involved!

3) Minister with Students

Ministries by students realize the best way to minister to students is with students. Youth workers can only minister to 6-8 students well before people start falling through the cracks. Your ministry’s potential has no limit when students take on the mantle of ministry.

We can choose to minister to students or to minister with them. The last time I checked an army marches shoulder to shoulder, and so does a thriving student ministry.

In my experience, ministries for students and ministries by students will get different results as well.

Youth Ministries FOR Students

1) Have attenders

2) Are driven by adults.

3) Graduate students from church.

Youth Ministries BY Students

1) Have bringers.

2) Are driven by students.

3) Graduate students into ministry.

To be candid, this is an area I struggle with. Building a ministry of students doesn’t come as natural to me as ministering to students. I had to get intentional about leading ministry this way, but it’s definitely worth it!

I’ve led multiple ministries to students. However, my ministry impact multiplied exponentially when I began to lead a ministry by students. It’s not easy, but it’s worth the investment.

There are a lot of benefits that come with a ministry by students. Leadership development and passing the baton of church growth are just a couple. However, leading a ministry by students isn’t about leadership development or church growth. It’s about advancing the Kingdom!

The kingdom of God will advance most powerfully through God’s people. Pastors won’t reach the most people, parishioners will! Our role as youth pastors is to equip those we lead to do the work God is calling them to. I believe we advance the Kingdom best when we empower students to do ministry.

What would happen if youth leaders embraced the role of coaches? You see, coaches lead from the sideline and win through their players. I believe it’s time we learn to lead from the sideline and not the field. It’s time to let the players play the game, their potential to win is greater than ours anyway.

So where do you stand? Are you leading a ministry of students or for students? How can you empower students to do ministry?

The post The Youth Ministry Separator: What Makes the Best Youth Ministries Best? appeared first on Ministry Architects.

Many a youth ministry struggles with retention – retention of middle schoolers as they enter high school, retention of young teens who complete confirmation experiences never to be seen again, first-time visitors who never again darken the door. But many, many churches miss the boat as high school seniors graduate, casting graduates into the “outer darkness (of college and/or young adulthood) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” disconnecting from graduates because they are “done.”

You know the old youth ministry joke:

Question: What do you do if you hurt a graduating senior’s feelings?

Answer: Who cares!

This kind of thinking is particularly present in youth ministries that exist in silos, operating largely separate and distinct from the local church as a whole, caring little for what happens with students after graduation or what happens in the church outside the youth ministry.

Every Youth Ministry Needs an Alumni Relations Department (or At Least a Plan for Graduate Retention)

Of course, youth ministries and churches have a tremendous opportunity to make a long-term impact upon the lives of their students by taking a long-term interest in their spiritual formation and discipleship development  into adulthood, a terrific chance to go well beyond concepts of exam care packages and annual college worship observances (though these are good, of course, in the context of an intentional larger plan).

Here are some bigger ideas that might be part of a larger graduate retention effort:

Go deep with your students.

It will take more than gimmicks. They might show up for your notepad or game system giveaway, but that won’t keep them interested when a relationship is falling apart or they’re flunking out of college. They will want to know that somebody cares enough to stay in touch in an intentional way over the long haul, even after they’ve graduated from high school.

Better yet, connect them to Jesus.

Well, okay … duh! But if they’re connected to Jesus, they have THE source of light and joy that will guide them when life is falling apart, even when their local church fails them.

Give them a roadmap.

Place an emphasis on longer-term relationships as part of youth ministry curriculum. Help them explore what it will mean to make decisions as an adult, what it will mean to be a person of faith and integrity, and how that might look in a relationship with a local church. Why not offer a six-week emphasis that lays it all out for seniors during that big last year of high school.

Lead your church toward a whole life discipleship pathway.

Children’s and youth ministries are the most likely to have intentional discipleship pathways in place, but what about adults? This is probably the most ignored yet most important task of ministering to young adults. Why not lead your church in addressing the discipleship needs of young adults, offering valuable input about a population of young adults which you likely know better than anyone else. You don’t have to take responsibility for making it happen (though you could), but you can be a big part of seeing that it does happen.

Pave their way.

Graduating seniors can go in dozens of different directions and pursue dozens of different goals. Many times they go to isolated places or on isolating journeys, and they need our help in connecting with ministries and people along the way. One of the best things we can do is to contact local church or college ministries in the places they are going or to contact friends in those place that our graduates are going to create moments of hospitality in new strange places.

They Graduated a Month Ago; The Time Is Now

They are about to scatter to the winds, if they haven’t already. This is your chance to have a lasting impact that will have a great effect on your students’ lives and on the life of the church.

Don’t let it slip away again this year…

And… check out Reimagining Young Adult Ministry, by Mark DeVries and Scott Pontier, to help you in this adventure!

The post AFTER GRADUATION: Stay Connected for Long-term Impact appeared first on Ministry Architects.

What do you think of when you hear about setting goals? Many think of resolutions, especially this time of year, but goals are much more than that! Resolutions don’t stick, but goals do. We also think of goals as a personal thing. We think about setting goals as an individual, but not for our ministries.

Setting ministry goals may be a foreign concept to you, and it may be a little uncomfortable. However, it’s well worth the discomfort! Setting goals is often the only difference between those who reach them and those who don’t. If you’re new to setting goals, here are five reasons your youth ministry needs goals this year.

5 Reasons Your Youth Ministry Needs Goals This Year

1) Goals Clarify the WIN

Here’s the deal, it’s hard to win if you don’t know what a win looks like. When I ask youth workers what a win is for their small group leaders, many look at me with blank stares. If we don’t know what the win is for our volunteers, neither do they!

In leadership, clarity is kindness. Clarity of what you want and expect is one of the best gifts you can give to your team. Clarity isn’t just a kindness for those you lead, it’s also kindness for your own self! The best way to win in ministry is to clarify the win and pursue it relentlessly.

Setting goals helps to clarify the win. When you boil down everything your youth ministry will do in the next year to 3-5 things, it clarifies what’s most important. Written goals clarify the path for you, your volunteers, and the entire youth ministry!

2) Goals Push to Performance

Good goals are a little scary because they stretch you. While they excite you on one hand, they are a little uncomfortable on the other. A new year’s resolution to lose weight will mean less than a goal to lose 20 pounds in 12 months. The first is easy to hope for while putting off making practical changes. The second will push you to get in gear! It won’t happen by accident, so you know performance is required for progress.

We all have a few things we’ve been wanting to do in youth ministry. You may have been wanting to do some of them for years! So why haven’t you done them?

If you’re anything like me, it’s because you never set a written goal to get there. Putting a goal on paper with a deadline changes it from a hope to something you are pursuing.

3) Goals Provide Accountability

Written ministry goals bring accountability with them. Why? Because once you put a goal on paper, the people around you can hold your feet to the fire! When volunteers, parents, and students know what you care about most, they can care about it with you!

You see, you can’t hide from a clear goal set in ink. Good goals don’t just give you an end in mind, they give you a measurable path to get there! They make progress clear to an outside perspective, and you can’t hide from progress or lack there of. Good goals bring accountability with them, and accountability is always a good thing in youth ministry.

4) Goals Require a Plan

If you’re going to reach your goals, it’s going to require a plan. Losing 20 pounds will require a plan to exercise, eat fewer calories, or take out a second job to pay for liposuction. In the same way, growing your ministry attendance by 10% will require a plan to do something different. If you don’t do something different, you can’t expect different results!

Communicating with parents bi-monthly or recruiting five extra volunteers will take similar plans. Putting stretch goals on paper always requires a plan on paper to go with them! What are the tactics you will need to reach the goals you have set? The answer to this question is the beginning of your action plan for the year.

5) Goals Galvanize and Synergize Your Team

Setting goals is one of the best ways to get your youth ministry team on the same page! As a paid youth worker, I eat, breath, and sleep youth ministry. My volunteers have careers and families of their own though. And it can be hard to get everyone focused in one direction and working as a team.

Setting goals will help everyone realize what 3-5 things are most important for the next 365 days. Anything outside of these things is extra, but not the primary goal. When your team knows the direction you’re heading and that everyone is pulling in the same direction together, it will energize them to serve at a whole new level!

These are great reasons for setting ministry goals this year, but let me give you a bonus. It will put you ahead of 99% of student ministries. Nothing else you will do can offer that kind of return!

Only about 1% of people have written goals. The number is probably less for youth ministries. This means that by simply having written goals, you put yourself in the 99th percentile! I believe it’s a way for you and your youth ministry to have your best year yet!

So what will your goals be for the next year? Will you take the plunge?

The post 5 Reasons Your Youth Ministry Needs Goals appeared first on Ministry Architects.