Youth Ministry is a significant part of churches today. A thriving, growing Youth Ministry can greatly impact your church’s overall health and growth. It all starts with the Youth Pastor. John C. Maxwell says, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” So, the health of your Youth Ministry will be dependent on the leadership of your Youth Pastor. How will you know what to look for in a Youth Pastor? Check out these 11 essential traits of a great Youth Pastor:
1. Called by God
Ministry is appealing and interesting to many. If someone is not called, they will not succeed or survive. There are many pressures in ministry, so a great Youth Pastor has to be sure of God’s call on their life. So many Youth Pastors don’t last in ministry because they aren’t secure and confident in this. Sometimes things will feel impossible, but they must often remind themselves of the call. Calling cannot be underestimated.
Here’s a great resource to help you find your calling.
2. Love Teenagers
Perhaps this is obvious, but Youth Ministry is for teens. If you have a Youth Pastor who is not passionate about teens, they’re in the wrong seat. A great Youth Pastor, however, will not only love teenagers but will champion them fiercely. Keep in mind Youth Ministry is FOR youth, so you want someone who can champion and empower students. You don’t want a Youth Pastor who is simply a glorified babysitter and activities coordinator but someone who knows that teens are vital to today’s church. They aren’t just the future of the church. Their impact starts now and is so critically necessary.
3. Team Builder
Leaders must be team builders. It cannot be done alone but requires a team. A great Youth Pastor will not only do their job, but they will raise up leaders and empower them. The team shouldn’t just exist to complete tasks but should be fully free to walk in their own call. A great Youth Pastor will develop and really invest in those around them. That’s why it is imperative for leaders to develop and build teams to fulfill the full work of the ministry. A great litmus test is this: If you, as the leader, have to be there for things to function, then you haven’t built a strong team.
4. Be a Cheerleader
Most of us would probably say that we could use more encouragement in our lives. Teenagers are much hungrier for encouragement. Some don’t have stable home environments or parents who don’t call out the potential in them. When the Youth Pastor is a good cheerleader, it builds the confidence in students. Having this trait as a Youth Pastor allows you the ability to easily remind them of who they are in God. You really can’t encourage too much.
5. Strong Communicator
A great Youth Pastor also needs to be a great communicator. This doesn’t mean they have to be a well-polished, dynamic preacher, but they must communicate well. Students aren’t going to come if the Youth Pastor is a bad speaker or boring. There will also be little fruit if they aren’t learning and growing in your Youth Ministry. Communication and preaching are not what being a pastor is all about, but they are still important to the ministry. Students are entertained all day by social media and entertainment channels. Church isn’t about keeping them entertained, but you’ve missed the point if you can’t keep their attention.
6. Submitted to the Lead Pastor and Vision of the Church
The Youth Pastor is not responsible for the overall vision and direction of the church. That is the responsibility of the Lead Pastor. A great Youth Pastor will submit to the vision of the Lead Pastor and work towards that goal. They are aligned with the church’s mission, vision, and values as a whole. Youth Pastors can have their own vision for their ministry, but it must come into alignment with the vision of the whole church as well. As a Youth Pastor, siloing out from the church is not always healthy. Do what you can to connect back to the church as a whole and to the Lead Pastor.
7. Lifelong Learner
Never stop learning. There are so many opportunities to learn. Read books, listen to podcasts, and spend time studying the Bible. A great Youth Pastor will learn from other pastors and ministries. They will not see others as a threat but instead, view them as an opportunity to be inspired and grow! Another way a leader can grow is to read about the world around them. Read newspapers, articles, sports, politics, and pop culture. Understanding the world that students are living in will help you know how to speak to it.
8. Spiritually-Minded
Everything in your life flows from your relationship with Jesus. A great Youth Pastor will pray often, worship daily, and read the Bible. The ministry will follow that pattern if the leader is not spiritually focused. This is not something to brush over or put off until later. It is the foundation upon which everything is built. If this isn’t right, nothing will be! More than fun events or social gatherings, the spiritual climate of your Youth Ministry should be a priority.
9. Resilient
At times, being a Youth Pastor feels like being in the complaint department. Students want more fun events, parents aren’t happy with the comment made in last week’s message, and the volunteer leaders feel like things aren’t perfect. There is always a lot to be frustrated about. But you can’t please everyone. That is ok. Resilience is definitely required in those moments. Not everything is personal, and not all complaints are factual or absolute truth. A great Youth Pastor will take criticism and feedback, apply what’s good, and move on from what’s irrelevant.
10. A Visionary and Planner
Any good ministry needs vision. A great Youth Pastor will have a vision, communicate it often, and make it clear to understand. Leaders must remind everyone about the why behind the what. When God gives the vision, write it down, plan it out, and communicate it to the students and your team. A clear vision is never perfect, but if you don’t have a vision, you will be going nowhere quickly!
11. Servant Leader
“It’s not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant.” (Matthew 20:26 MSG) A great Youth Pastor is a servant of all. Perhaps you’ve heard the saying, “If serving is below you, leadership is beyond you.” This first started with Jesus’ words in Matthew because that is how Jesus led. Servanthood is not optional but is the most important trait of a great Youth Pastor.
So, whether you are a Youth Pastor, want to be one, or are looking for someone for your church, these 11 traits will help you differentiate between ok and great. Student ministry is an influential and critical area of any church; therefore, having a great Youth Pastor is also important!
