Volunteer Training Series: "Empower the Leader"

(Oh, the things our volunteers get themselves into...)
Hello again! Just a recap from the last volunteer training series: we talked about sharing the vision of your ministry with your CORE team. When you do this, they’re able to know and understand their purpose in the ministry, and can fully participate rather than just observe in the background.
...And now that your volunteers know why they’re there,how do you get them to do something about it?
With my CORE team, one of the biggest obstacles I meet is not a lack of ability, but a lack of confidence. Most adult voluteers feel that thay are too old to relate, or have nothing to share, or don’t now know enough to be useful to the ministry and make a difference. As youth ministers, it’s our job to counter these insecurities and empower our volunteers to become the leaders God has called them to be!
One of the best ways to do this is go straight to Scripture. Remind them how God operates, and that the people He usually chooses to work through are not the mighty and powerful, but the open. Those who are willing to let God work in their lives and stretch them will be useful to His kingdom.  
Once we are willing to let God work in and through us we must begin to use the tools it takes to be leaders in our youth ministries. Author and speaker Tiger McLuen’s two rules for leadership are:
    It is NOT about you
    It IS about you
Confused? Let me explain. First, it’s not about you, so LIGHTEN UP! Helping your CORE team realize that this is youth ministry, with, you know, kids….it’s not only okay to be silly, it’s encouraged! Once we as adults realize that we need to lighten up and have some fun we are able to become leaders to the youth rather than babysitters. Second, it’s about you. Realize that you do matter. Your skills are needed. Preparing for the nights matters. Getting training matters. It matters if you show up late, just sit in the back, or skip a night all completely. You directly impact the ministry and the youth in their small group. As leaders, your CORE team members need to know this.
“Remind them that this is about transformation, not just attendance.” –Tiger McLuen
Fight your teams’ excuses, fears, and barriers and help them see how important they are to your ministry. Empower them, encourage them! If they do something great, let them know! As youth ministers we are not only called to be relational to our youth, but to be relational to our CORE Team. Help them know that you see when they step out of their comfort zone and reach out to the youth, and that you also see when they clump together and wait for the time to be up. Be sure to affirm your leaders and let them know how much you appreciate their hard work and the time they give to your ministry. A loved leader is a loving leader. Don’t make the mistake of ignoring your team and hoping they will one day get it. God has called them there for a purpose, a purpose that you as a youth minister CANNOT fulfill. No one else can fulfill that purpose but them. Maybe there is a youth that only they can reach, maybe they have a testimony that will change the lives of your teens. They are important. They are needed. They are essential. Make sure they know it.
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