Stage 4: Framing the Second Floor

Stage 4: Framing the Second Floor

Appendix B

Sustainable Youth Ministry Builder’s List

Though the building of every church’s youth ministry is unique, some foundational steps must be taken in almost every church to make its youth ministry sustainable. The Sustainable Youth Ministry Builder’s List is a starting point, a diagnostic tool that can serve as an accessible outline of the first steps in building a youth ministry that lasts.

Stage 1: Creating the Blueprint, Preparing for the Process

Control Documents

Youth directory

Twelve-month major event calendar

Recruiting needs list (partners)

Number of different settings:

Number of volunteers needed:

Number of groups:

Number of volunteers needed:

Number of different settings:

Number of volunteers needed:

Number of volunteers needed:

Recruiting pool list

Names: (behind the scenes, with kids, or both)

Rating: (A, B, C)

Job descriptions

Visioning Documents

Mission statement

Values

Three-year revolving goals / one-year benchmarks

Organizational chart: Including who will play the role of the architect, the general contractor and the craftspeople

Stage 2: Laying the Foundation

Recruiting a partner volunteer team

Gaining buy-in/approval for the visioning documents from key stakeholders, including the senior pastor, elders and so on

Contacting every student in the youth ministry

Learning the names of every student in the youth ministry

Contacting every parent of youth in the youth ministry

Selecting a “good enough” curriculum for the rest of the year

Developing a youth ministry communication plan.

Stage 3: Beginning to Build

Scheduling regular volunteer leader gatherings

One-on-one or one-on-two face-to-face meetings with all volunteers

Long-term staffing plan (to provide capacity to achieve the three-year goals)

Developing a recruiting needs list (helpers)

Web

Bulletin board

Church publications

Youth ministry manual

Curriculum template (six- or seven-year plan)

Compliance documents: music and video copyright licensing, background checks, child protection policy

Major-event notebooks

Stage 4: Framing the Second Floor

Student apprenticeship process

Parent engagement events

Game plan for integrating youth into the life of the larger church

Executing one high-impact/high-visibility program

Developing a game plan for launching small groups

Updating youth ministry facilities

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