Youth Ministry Volunteers

Should you involve volunteers in youth ministry?

Are you doing the work of ministry to youth by yourself or do you involve others? And what roles do you delegate to others? One of the common misconceptions is that you involve others to do those jobs that you don’t like to do – as a chance to lighten your workload of the meaningless and time consuming tasks so that you can focus on the REAL ministry! This is a big mistake!

1. You need to involve volunteers in meaningful ministry opportunities!
2. It’s likely that involving others will take as much time, if not more time, rather than less time.

So why involve others?

Today’s youth are multi-faceted, and come from a variety of backgrounds, family situations, and personal experiences. They have numerous interests and a wide range of needs. To meet these diverse needs and engage the varied interests of youth, you need a team of volunteers with multiple gifts, of various personality types, and with diverse life experiences -- all with a common love for God and youth. A successful youth ministry helps teens by building relationships with caring, growing Christians who can share God's love with them.

Too often we think that since we are the youth minister, we have to be the leader and do everything ourselves. Many churches have the same idea - that they hire a youth minister to take care of their youth with the expectation that he will do everything needed.

Moses had the same misconception. You can find him struggling with this same issue in Numbers 11:10-17. He complained to God because he felt overwhelmed with the responsibility of leading God’s people. The work was never ending and the time was never enough! It seemed his position demanded more than he had to give. If you have been in youth ministry for any period of time, you know how he was feeling!

Moses asked the LORD, "Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant… If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now…”

In Exodus 18:18-23, Jethro, the father in law of Moses” went to him and said, "What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. ..Select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men... —and appoint them over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens…That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied."

The needs in your ministry, no matter what size your group, will always exceed your ability to meet those needs. Our first reliance should be upon God’s provision. But it should not stop there…we need to involve others in meaningful ministry as well.

When you share the burden with others your load may not be lightened, but your ministry WILL be multiplied.