Working with visiting speakers – 9 tips

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Over the past twelve months I’ve been on both sides of the visiting speaker divide. I’ve been touring my book, and running events that needed outside help.

Some churches have policies and budgets for speakers, but in youth work land, we easily neglect these in the wake of enthusiasm and last minute planning! I’ve had some truly wonderful, and some frankly weird encounters as a visiting speaker, so I thought I would share some top tips and little stories to help you get the most out of your visiting speaker.

1. Do your homework

Don’t just go for the biggest names as it’ll cost your whole budget, and they might not actually be the best voice for your groups. You could even end up compromising  ideal dates and venues to fit their busy schedules. You should look instead for what a speaker values; ask for feedback and listen to some of their recordings. Match the speaker to the people they are speaking to, not the topic.

I was asked at one event last year to talk about inner city ministry to disadvantaged urban teenagers from ethnic minorities. I winged it but there are so many people more qualified than me to talk on this topic.

2. Show your working

When sending an invitation to a speaker, specifically point to why you have asked for them. Share what traits they have displayed, or topics they have spoken on which you think will find synergy with your group. This is not about flattery (although it couldn’t hurt, right?), it’s about starting a conversation on the right track.

I’ve had people ask me to speak purely because they know I’ve written a book – but had no idea what the book was about. This proved awkward when the theory of youth work I proposed was dramatically different to events I was asked to speak at. Whoops!

3. Clearly communicate

Most visiting speakers are in some kind of full-time ministry, thus will have an ongoing calendar to juggle. For me that means I really appreciate a few months (not weeks or days) notice, and will want a reasonable picture of I’m speaking to, and for how long. Don’t just drop a speaker into a context they wouldn’t normally work with without very clearly defined and properly communicated expectations.

At another stop last year I was given forty minutes to talk, however, twenty-five minutes in it was clear that the room was confused and restless. Apparently fifteen minutes was the usual length but the person who mediated my visit wasn’t a regular at this service and hadn’t checked!

4. Give value

Use a speaker for what they are good at and are passionate about. They shouldn’t feel like a spare part or just another volunteer. Make sure it’s worth their time.

A vocational speaker puts a lot of heart, effort, and personal energy into a talk, and it’s harder for them because they don’t know the people they’re speaking to. Make sure they know that they have been used specifically, and picked with careful intention.

5. Decide on remuneration

This should at least cover expenses for travel and board, but it’s also important to consider a financial gift for their time. If I’m speaking for 30 minutes then I’ll probably put 5-8 hours total work into it. With this in mind when I’m running an event, I try to delegate 15-35% of the budget for speakers.

Some speakers have more established expectations than others. it’s better to ask in a frank and clear way early on – but with the attitude of wanting to bless, not wanting to save.

Note: If you plan on recording their talk and selling material with it in afterwards, then you need to get their permission to do so and factor that into your gift. I’m always frustrated when I discover a talk I gave is being sold when I didn’t even know I had been recorded!

6. Be realistic with your expectations

If your event starts at 6pm, don’t ask your speaker to be there with the setup team at 3pm to ‘meet people.’ If you want them to meet people then put on a dinner beforehand. There’s nothing more awkward for a speaker than wandering around a hall, trying to find ways to be useful (or just stay out of the way) for 90 minutes while it all gets set up. This is time your speaker would rather have been with their family.

With this comes realism and honesty. I attended several events last year where I was assured a large number of people, but only a handful would actually make it. 10 and 100 people are very different things. I would still have spoken at these events, but I would have changed my approach or format if I knew beforehand.

7. Ask for their requirements

Sound, projection, computers, adapters, tables, pens, seating arrangements, or helpers to hand things out are all helpful to discuss before a speaker arrives. I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve arrived somewhere that didn’t have even a music stand for my notes. A speaker shouldn’t dictate the shape of your event, but you should talk clearly about what is available and how they usually work.

8. Say thank you

It’s important to value your speaker. You can give some helpful feedback, but mostly show your gratitude for their work. Visiting speakers are professionals so they can work with feedback and understand that people have different needs.

I try and give the ‘triple whammy’ of thanks: First, say thank you in the event publicly, which gives the whole group an opportunity to be a part of it. Second, say thank you to them personally, as the event organiser, when walking them to their car or dropping them off at the train station. Third, say thank you a day or two later, over email, highlighting the specific ways you think it was useful to the audience.

9. Don’t let them be a diva

You should value your speaker, but if you have given clear expectations in a timely fashion, then you should expect them to work within those parameters. You can’t change the shape of your whole event to fit them, and you can’t throw out your theology play book to accommodate something they’re playing with at the moment.

I once worked with a visiting speaker who was given 20 minutes, but spoke for almost an hour (mostly crying), until we interrupted and moved him off stage.

A speaker should ideally be there for the whole session to settle in well, understand the vibe, and talk to people afterwards. They shouldn’t nip out the back when their bit is over. Be clear and upfront, and hold them to the expectations you have agreed on.

 

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How to pick a youth ministry training course

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Since writing my post on why you should train for ministry, I have had a couple of emails asking my opinions on various courses. With that in mind, I thought I’d write this.

There are three basic things to look out for when you visit potential training courses: Curriculum content, community support, and outside opportunities.

Curriculum content

Whatever the particular focus, each youth ministry curriculum should include these four areas. They might be labelled differently, or be mixed into various modules, but I think the core should still be there:

Theological foundation

How to handle the Bible, think theologically, and grapple with historic doctrine. There should be exegetical training, along with time spent on the fundamentals of systematic theology. This should not be reduced to only include things obviously pertinent to youth ministry. You might also want to make sure they sign up to mainstream creeds, or are members of something like the Evangelical Alliance.

Youth work theory

How does youth work interact with the disciplines of theology, psychology, history, education, sociology, and politics? Evaluation of various models, and time spent on things like contextualised mission, vision and strategy, and church integration. This should ideally include a little bit of counselling theory too.

Youth work practice

How to operate a youth ministry in safe and legal way including developing a team, managing volunteers, safeguarding, data protection, and health and safety law. How to create projects, evaluate, and change them, and how to work in tandem with the wider vision of the church. This should also include self-care, crisis response and reflective practice.

Ethics and apologetics

How to facilitate healthy conversations and manage discussions around complex areas. How to respond appropriately to the most frequently asked questions by teenagers. How to talk with nuance and subtlety, learning to think critically in an emotionally complex tapestry of personalities.

Community support

Some courses will offer you more of a community environment than others. There are three things I’d be looking for.

Spiritual engagement

Is it common practice to pray during lectures? Are there regular chapel services, prayer meetings, and compulsory student support style groups? Do students have personal tutors, and is there an emphasis on spiritual growth in those times? Are families encouraged to get involved? Are you going to grow your heart in tandem with your head? Linked with this is how accessible and open are your professors?

Student body

It’s important to look at things like age and gender spread, but also consider if there is a particular theological leaning, church background, or class type. Will your connections be superficial, or strong and lasting? On the flip side could you be too comfortable and not challenged? Is there a student union with reps, social events, and recognition by a national body? An NUS card is a wonderful thing!

Partnerships

Are they in an ivory tower, shouting at the world and never interacting with it? Who do they run events with and what projects do they share? Who else uses their buildings? Which visiting speakers do they regularly invite? Is the course actually accredited and recognised?

Outside opportunities

The best degrees are supported by relevant experience that you can get locally. The following are all ways of making sure you won’t be living in a bubble for three years.

Volunteering

Are the churches and organisations nearby that you can volunteer for beyond any official placement scheme? Can you develop your experience in a personally crafted way?

Social

Are there places like sports clubs, bars, cinemas, and gyms that you could meet non-Christians? Can you continue with your hobbies? Will you be able to let your hair down outside the confines of the course?

Employment

Is it possible for you to hold a part-time job in the area? Does the course allow for working alongside studying?

Conclusion

There’s always a X factor to these things, and you have to follow where God leading you, but I hope these three areas are a good place to start.

You can go further and delve into things like lecture delivery style, chances for further study, how epic their library is, what bursaries are available, what the accommodation and food is like, is there adequate study and social areas, the climate, and how employers view the place etc. – but I hope these three essential areas will start you on the right path.

Check out the websites, visit the colleges, and ask lots of questions. Most of all be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit and have lots of fun!

 

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Why train for ministry?

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Because you should.

I’ve written several posts now about the pros and cons of training. I’ve tried to gently and persuasively spell out why it’s a good idea. If I was to be a little bit more honest and franker however, that I’d say you actually need a really, really good reason not to train.

Ministry is not about you. It’s about Jesus and it’s about those that you serve. If you’ve got the opportunity, therefore, then you should give God that intentional time to shape you to be ready for those people. You owe it to your future congregation to spend less time playing trial-and-error, and more time building intentionally on a solid foundation.

Why would you not train if you have the opportunity?

If you want to take ministry seriously as a calling and not just a vocation, then you’ve got to think of your life in terms of decades and not years. This means portioning out serious time for ministry training.

You can always build experience later, but you can’t build a foundation later, especially not when you’re already several floors up.

Why train?

Because you’ll learn how to handle the Bible.

You’ll learn how to preach better.

You’ll gain an understanding of different learning styles.

You’ll start to ask better questions.

You’ll play test ideas.

You’ll examine things that have already been done.

You develop practices critically without responsibility – which means you won’t hurt anybody if you get something wrong.

You’ll meet a band of brothers and sisters to grow with.

You’ll learn to engage more critically, developing nuance and subtlety.

You’ll be evaluated by people who know more than you do.

You’ll learn in community not just isolation (which is how the Bible was designed to be read).

You’ll do more reflective practice.

You’ll receive formal recognition that you have reached an understood standard – making you more employable.

If you feel a call to ministry then don’t see training as only one potential option. See it as the obvious main path, and only choose a different one if God lays it clearly in front of you.

Training is so important. I believe that one of the main reasons so many youth ministers quit after just one contract period, is simply because they weren’t trained to hit the ground running in the first place.

Training can be better, and it certainly could be cheaper, and you might even end up picking the wrong place for you and then need to change. But this doesn’t make training a bad option. Please, if you’ve written it off, think – and then think again.

 

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Youth Ministry training and the battle for professionalism. Is it worth it?

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In the red corner, weighing in at -£30,000 (debt that is); a youth ministry professional with certificates, training and qualifications. They boast a long list of module credentials, and a mental catalogue of praxis, quotes and bibliographic data. I give you… the qualified youth worker.

In the blue corner, weighing in at 12 years; a veteran youth worker with three positions under her belt, a plethora of personal stories, and the blood, sweat and tears from more youth camps than you can swing a weasel at. She is… the experienced youth worker.

Let’s get ready to rumble! ‘Ding.’ And there’s the bell, fight!

Who would you put your money on? In what corner would you side?

In a world of middle-grounds, we know that the balanced approach is to do both – to gain as much experience as possibly while sitting some formal training; or at least remaining actively teachable while on the job. In reality, however, very few Christian youth workers in the UK are trained to degree level, most having worked their way up through the volunteering ranks without academic accountability. Are they missing something?

Breaking inside the bubble

To those outside the formal training bubble, a degree is little more than ‘a bit of paper.’ They can’t possibly know what they’re missing, however, because they’re missing it. I’ve met youth workers who strongly feel the absence of training and regret missing out, and I’ve met resentful youth workers who have been passed over for better jobs because of their lack of training.

It’s this latter group that tend to get under my skin, because there is an inherent arrogance to assuming you know something without actually studying it. There’s also a mean spiritedness to assuming that those who did chose to study did so only to tick a box, and didn’t actually have to work hard.

The problem, of course is that those who say you don’t need formal training tend to be those without it, and those who say you do, tend to be those with it.

I’m going to see if I can list off some pros and cons of training when applied to the youth ministry work world and see where it fits in alongside developing experience.

There are some anomalous factors that I’m not going to be able to factor in here. For instance, some training centres are just better than others, and some jobs provide far broader contexts for experience-based-learning too. I’m hoping, however, that by the end we’ll see a little bit more of the value of both perspectives and – all cards on the table – I hope we’ll consider formal training options more seriously than statistics would say that we do.

Qualifications and Training Pros and Cons

Pros

You look at topics objectively outside the realm of responsibility – so you find yourself safely out of your depths. I.e. nobody gets hurt if you get it wrong!

You are encouraged to critically engage with a wide range of different ministry opinions. By being presented with a spectrum of views, you will be able make clearer decisions on what works and what doesn’t. As a result, you become less likely to simply run after the ‘new thing’.

All practice becomes reflective practice. Everything you do and experience gets put under the microscope of analysis, making you more considered and careful in your approaches.

You do much of your thinking in community. You learn to measure voices in a room and be sharpened by others. Being taught in community simply makes you more teachable – which means that you’ll learn more!

You learn to ask more questions. Without asking questions, formal study just doesn’t work. You learn to become analytical of both your own thought-processes and the ideas that surround you. Granted, sometimes this is just to get a higher mark, but a higher mark means more critical engagement, better understanding, and clearer, more coherent communication. It’s worth it!

You learn to ask better questions. You start to draw a straight line between the information that you need and the best way to get at it. You are able to dig deeper, find roots, and simply be a clearer thinker as a result.

You get formal recognition. Having a degree is not simply ‘having a piece of paper.’ Anyone who says that simply doesn’t understand the accreditation process. A degree means you have been held accountable to a strictly measured standard, so you actually leave with a base level of learning. This is why a degree is so valuable – it tells your potential employer that you have been rigorously tested and have hit the mark.

You stick at it! Because you invested in a foundation, you’re much more likely to stick around the long haul.

Cons

You act like a jerk. Ok, not always, but I often talk about ‘First-year At Recognised Theological-college Syndrome’ or FARTS. When you have spent a year with people far smarter and more considered then you, you then it’s easy to adopt their approach verbatim as if you had actually spent the all years developing it yourself. You start to sound cocky, but without the substance to back it up. Real people become theological targets for you to practices your swings, and the heart gets clogged up in ‘doctrinal accuracy.’

You can become arrogantly unpliable. Some training (although usually truer for non-accredited courses) only teaches you their method – and subtly inoculates you against all others. You see things in isolation and therefore don’t allow for the possibility of how a given context could need you to change your approach. This is even more difficult if that approach is something your college told you was wrong.

Debate becomes the de facto way to discuss. There are many human skills that you can unlearn when in a vacuum of people who debate theology and practice all day. Normal friendly conversation with different types of people is one of them.

You become prepared theoretically without being prepared practically. When I left Bible College for the first time, I was ready to write a Bible study, but not lead one; I was ready to prepare a strategy, but not execute it; I was ready to think about death, but not sit in hospital with a bereaved parent. There are some things that training just doesn’t train you for.

It’s expensive. You’ll be paying for training for a while, and I’m not connived that colleges really need to charge all that they do. Saying that, with less people choosing training options, the price does tend to suffer for the few who do.

So, is training worth it?

I absolutely think it is. Experience will round and shape you over the years, but a foundational time of rigorous study is a gold-mine. Very few people who say they will study ‘later’ actually do. Also, of the many youth workers who begin their work career without formal training, even fewer stick around after their first contract.

Training fills in gaps that you wouldn’t otherwise know need filling. Training teaches you a way to think critically and in community. Training also helps you focus your efforts during the building of experience. I believe that experience post-training builds into helpful experience quicker, with fewer mistakes, than experience without training. There’s just less running around in the dark!

Training is not the same as experience, and it cannot replace it, but securing a solid foundation is going to be gold when you have the experience to go with it. It’s both-and not either-or, but if you have the choice, don’t skip training.

 

Photo by Victor Freitas on Unsplash

 

Find this interesting? Check out let’s stop telling future youth ministers to skip training, for a slightly rantier version!

What to do in the first three months of a new youth work job

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This won’t be a popular answer, but you should do nothing. Well, almost nothing.

I was recently at a conference where I overheard a new youth worker tell another youth worker that she was struggling in her brand-new position. The second youth worker’s advice was ‘change as much as you can as quickly as you can.’ I felt like banging my head against the wall… or I felt like banging someone’s head against the wall anyway.

One of the main reasons that youth workers don’t find traction in new positions is that they fly in like superman with brand-spanking new shiny ideas and a completely out-of-context, duck-out-of-water leadership style to boot. Whereas some will see this as a novelty and will try to get behind it, most will treat the over-excited new guy with a healthy level of scepticism.

So slow down puppy.

For your first few months you need to build.  Build credibility (no your CV did not do that), build trustworthiness, build respect, build confidence, and – of course – build relationships. You’re also building up information and research, so the actual changes you’ll make later will sit on something much more like solid ground.

So, here’s my short list of what you should do in your first three months instead:

1. Watch everything

Go to each ministry project that the church or ministry runs. Visit all the homegroups and services. Attend training and meetings. Don’t get stuck into to serving, just watch. Watch, look, listen, and take notes. You’re trying to breathe the culture in, put your finger on the pulse and find the heart (or hearts) of the ministry. Don’t waste this time of watching as a relatively objective outsider – you won’t get it back later.

2. Keep a journal everywhere

Note down some thoughts after every event. Ideally do this under four headings. 1. Who did what when and where? 2. What did I like/do I think worked? 3. What did I not like/do I think didn’t work? 4. Anything else of note? Keep this journal private but do fill it in regularly.

3. Talk to everyone

Accept every dinner invitation and go out for so many coffees that you start to shake. Ask impertinent questions, get people to tell you their stories, and listen actively to what they say. Talk to local schools and government. Talk to other churches and project workers. Make notes in your journal afterwards and reflect. Ask lots and lots of questions – of everyone. Try to withhold judgement and keep the pieces in tension. You’re trying to sense a flavour of people, not just gather facts.

4. Change nothing

Don’t just jump in with your new ideas, learn to listen for the heartbeat. This will build you a foundation that you’ll be able to build solidly on for years to come. Not only does this build you some much needed trustworthiness, but it also gives you the space and information that you’ll need to plan healthily.

How to do this in reality

This starts at interview! You need to make clear that this is your plan for the first quarter, so the ‘interim’ staff or volunteers can’t just pack up and leave in lieu of the new guy coming in. Make sure the pastor or team leader communicates this to the church, teams, and eldership before you start. Then you can hit the ground running by not actually having to run. Winner.

 

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The trap cause we really need to remove from our youth work contracts

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Endemic in the youth work world is employers who don’t really know why they want a youth worker. Most churches know they want someone to work with young people – running Sunday schools, keeping them entertained, organising camps, and doing some measure of discipleship – but beyond this, it all gets a little fuzzy.

If a church can’t answer the question ‘why do you want a youth worker’ with anything more than generic broad generalities, then my suspicion is that they don’t really know what youth worker does, and how a youth worker will need to spend their time.

With such a limited understanding of a youth worker’s working week, and with pressure to justify the cost hiring one, a sneaky clause gets added into job descriptions. It usually runs like this:

‘Any other duty or duties that the pastor or elders deem necessary.’

And it’s everywhere!

I recently asked some professional Christian youth workers whether they have a similar clause in their contract – all of whom did. Here’s what it looks like for them:

‘Other duties as assigned’

‘Other duties as found applicable.’

‘Yes and it’s been crazy trying to say no. It’s a trap clause.’

‘Oh yeah! And I’ve realized that can entail so much.’

‘We have the other duties as assigned clause as well. They include hospital visits, handy work around the church, senior adult outings, and many other things that don’t always equal youth ministry. Throw in to that mix the fact that I am children’s pastor as well, and yea, time can be sparse.’

‘That or, “Youth and Associate Minister.”’

‘Ah, yes… youth pastors can wear many “hats.” … I don’t mind doing other things so long as they don’t begin competing for time where my focus needs to be… youth ministry. Learning to say, “No” is big!’

In all my time helping churches hire youth workers, I’ve not seen a contract that did not have this clause. It’s everywhere!

So what’s the problem?

When I was working my first full-time youth work position, this sneaky little cause in my contract could easily account for between 40% and 60% of my working week. I had three-hour staff meetings every Monday morning with the two Ministers, which required my input for maybe 20 minutes at most. This met in my office, and set the tone of my whole week. Off the back of this, I would often have to you organise prayer meetings, home-group gatherings, music, lifts, and sometimes with no warning or preparation time. This very often bleed into my days off – which, as you can imagine, were rarely taken.

Because I was still trying to do my youth work job, this stuff was piled on top of what I was supposed to be doing. This meant that I was regularly working 70 hour weeks. After a year of this, I raised it as an issue with my senior pastor. His slight impatient response was this:

‘Well, we all do that Tim. That’s just ministry!’

As a result I was always tired, always forgetting things, always navigating conflict, and spiralling quickly towards burnout. After nearly four years of decreasing health, and acting on the advice of a doctor, I sought another position – and almost quit youth work all together.

Now this was nearly ten years ago, and it is a particularly extreme example. It should be nuanced by the fact I was too young and inexperienced to battle for my time properly, and I actually wasn’t line-managed in all the time I was there.

It does, however, flag up the potential dangers of the ‘any other duties’ clause.

How to fix it

Some of the youth workers that I spoke to saw the necessity of a clause like this when working for small churches with under resourced teams. Some even enjoyed the added experience that came from these additional jobs. However, all of these said that it should be for a specific, pre-agreed, maximum amount of time. For instance, they said that the ‘other duties’ clause should account for ‘no more than 5% of working week.’

This is not a bad idea, however, I have a slightly different answer:

Just take it out!

The ‘other duties’ clause is a trap cause, as someone said above, and as such is a recipe for abuse. It demonstrates a lack of understanding by the church of their youth worker’s week, and gives contractual, legal permission to burn out a fellow minister of the gospel.

This is not ok.

I do believe that youth workers should be actively involved in their church outside of youth ministry; but that it should be voluntary and given as an act of service. It’s a pastoral issue, therefore, and not a contractual one.

If you hire a youth worker properly, and line-manage them clearly, then you won’t need to dictate their priorities. A quality youth worker will develop ministry that integrates, and supports the wider church. Making sure they’re in line and supportive of the church ethos and mission will work without needing to leave a hook in.

So, let’s please please please get rid of the ‘other duties’ clause – and see if we can’t extend the health and longevity of our youth workers by a few years, eh?

Thanks 🙂

Let’s stop telling future youth ministers to skip training!

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(Sorry – slightly ranty post)

Over the past decade, Bible Colleges in Britain have really started to struggle getting people to apply. This has been most clearly seen in youth work courses. Not only have several large and well-established youth work training centres now closed, but many of the biggest Bible Colleges in the UK don’t even have a dedicated youth work teacher.

I find this really weird, because also over the past decade, loads of deep-thinking books and resources have come out on youth work. There is a plethora of relational practice books, education theory journals, and new Phds published on youth work theology released each year. The knowledge base is constantly growing – I thought we were just starting to get it?

Ministry Lite?

Youth ministry has been seen as ministry lite for a while now. From the outside it looks like underpaid, entertainment driven purgatory – waiting for ‘real’ ministry later. Only a cursory glance into the youth work world, however, would reveal just how many areas youth ministers need to be carefully developed in.

They need to be trained theologically for sure; but they also need to understand HR, safeguarding law, project management, working with additional needs, and a mountain of other very specific, and vocationally professional areas.

Youth ministry is no joke. Done badly it can bring down a church, done really badly it can bring the  entire Gospel into genuine disrepute. And it’s now easier than ever to make huge mistakes without even being aware of the issues.

So why are we so blasé about formal training?

Paediatric doctors will train for years. As will mental health nurses, psychiatrists, counsellors, sports coaches, and of course teachers. We see these as professions which require putting real effort into training. We take these seriously because they are involved with the care of vulnerable young people. But wait – isn’t that exactly what we do in youth ministry?

Taking Youth Ministry Seriously

Youth work is no joke. It involves holistic care and theological security. Youth workers – especially those in lead ministry positions – need training. Experience alone simply doesn’t cut it; theological illiteracy is too epidemic, laws change too quickly, and young people vary too widely.

I’m not saying for one second that youth workers need to be more intellectual or more academic – but come on! A little hard effort into understanding complex issues and deep truths about young people goes for miles in youth work.

In most of my posts I’m totally on the youth worker’s side – but in this one I’m asking the impertinent question: What are you doing to show that you take your own ministry seriously? Are you enrolling on courses, reading books, going to training regularly, and asking for a bigger budget to do just that?

I really believe that youth workers should see their role as a calling – something long term. If you believe that’s you, then taking a few years (yes years!) out to do proper foundational training should be seen as an obvious thing to do.

Training doesn’t replace experience of course, nor should it eclipse your own reading, but you can build concurrently and afterwards. It’s much easier to gain experience while training than it is to train while working.

Why would you not?

There are several routes into youth ministry, and many of them don’t require any formal training: Internships, apprenticeships, or graduating from voluntary work are often the most regularly travelled paths.

I love these options and I’ve seen some great youth workers come out of these routes too. However, there are often (if not always) signifiant holes in their ministries that need to be plugged.

When someone asks me about youth work training – and specifically about getting a degree – I always ask: why would you not? Yes, some people hate the classroom and really don’t do well with traditional academic methods – but there is now so much choice in the UK for youth workers who feel just like this. There is also a wide range of funding options, distance learning courses, and timeframes to consider. You can usually discover a good fit if you put the effort into finding out.

There is a lot of criticism levied against formal theological training: It’s not worth the money, universities are too hampered by their awarding bodies, youth don’t need another pasty-faced academic, I’d rather just be doing it, I can get all the same information from books. However, I’ve only ever heard those arguments from people who decided not to train. The Dunning-Kruger effect comes to mind.

The fact remains that the best youth workers I’ve ever met are both well-experienced, and formally-trained. They didn’t feel like they we’re already ‘good enough’ to skip it and move on, and they didn’t feel like youth work didn’t deserve the time or the effort. They are doing amazing work today that will long outlast them!

Is it always necessary to get a degree?

It probably sounds like I’m saying that right? Well, no it’s not… but I’d like us to start seeing degree-level-trained youth ministers as the norm rather than the exception. At the moment there are a lot less formally trained youth workers out there, and I’d really like to see the balance tip.

So there are genuine ways you should be able to go into youth ministry without getting formally trained – but I’d love to see that as the exception, not the rule.

There are experiences, information, and learning environments that you just cannot get any other way – from people who are paid to stay up-to-date and informed – in a space designed for you to make lots of mistakes and ask lots of questions. Why would you not see that as the first option?

So get on it!

Formal theological and practical training in youth ministry is worth every minute.

Rather than asking ‘what else could I do’, start looking at training as the first option. You wouldn’t want a doctor working on you without proper training, or a mechanic working on your car with big gaps in their knowledge. Lets take youth ministry at least as seriously.

:P That is all.

Rant over.

Are our employment practices driving youth workers away? (Research write-up by Jonny Price)

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I am deeply passionate about youth ministry. I believe that through Christian youth ministry, we can see lives transformed, chains broken, and bring people to fulfil what they were created to be through the redeeming love of Jesus.

To do this, I believe that relationships are key. The relationships we build during our teenage years can shape the beliefs and values that we hold for the rest of our lives. Youth and children’s workers are essential in leading ministries which allow relationships to flourish.

These relationships, however, take time to build. If our approach to the employment of youth workers doesn’t support this, then the relationships won’t get built, and the lasting impact with be negligible.

The Research

While studying theology, I spent some time researching the employment practices of Youth and Children’s workers by churches. I did this to discover if we are, in fact, negatively affecting the long-term relationships needed for healthy young people.

I have been working in youth ministry for a while and during that time I have seen several skilled and talented youth and children’s workers walk away from ministry, and some the church altogether, because of the way they were treated while employed by churches.

I got in touch with 17 Anglican Diocese (the ones who replied to me), the Methodist Connexional Offices, and Baptist’s Together. I had an online questionnaire, which gathered nearly 100 responses, and I interviewed 12 people who were either youth and/or children’s workers, had been youth and/or children’s workers, or who had managed youth and/or children’s workers.

There were many interesting things that came up in the research. With all the usual disclaimers about sample size, researcher bias etc, here are the six things that stood out most to me that we should all be aware of.

The Results

  1. Too much/not enough freedom

This is a two sided coin, and boils down to the way we are managed. Many of us will be placed under the supervision of the minister of the church/es we work for, and this can be an awful arrangement. For one thing, many ministers have no formal training or experience of supervising staff, which often means they do one of two things:

  1. a. They have no idea what they or we should be doing, and so go completely hands off.
This can mean that the worker has no clear idea what their role entails, particularly if this is their first experience of employment, and so can drift from one thing to another with no plan. This can lead to disillusionment, purposelessness, and very little to do. Add to this that churches will pay for a worker out of their giving, it can lead to serious guilt.
  2. b. The minister goes to their only experience of supervision: training.
I spoke to several youth workers who had been managed in the same way a trainee minister would, despite being experienced workers. This led to overly specific aims and goals, micro-management, and a sense of being patronised with no creative freedom to approach ministry in their own way.
  3. Working to different goals

Generally, church ministers work to a bounded-set model, where membership is based on certain pre-set commitments. For example, church ministers would see attendance on Sunday as a sign of membership. Youth workers, however, often to work to a centred-set model, where membership is defined more by closeness to the centre (Jesus), than attendance at certain events. This can mean that there will be a communication breakdown between church ministers and youth workers, which will inevitably lead to frustration as they will be pulling in different directions.

  1. The move to “proper” ministry

Many youth workers go on to make very good church leaders, but that doesn’t mean we all want to do it! There is an assumption, which I am sure we have all experienced, that we will move on to church leadership.

This came out in my interviews with diocese youth advisors, and some ex-youth workers (though interestingly, not children’s workers). Even in church literature about lay ministry, youth or children’s ministry is rarely mentioned. All of this serves to undermine youth and children’s work as valid ministries, and leads to workers in these areas feeling undervalued.

  1. Lack of spiritual support

Church ministers, particularly in established denominations, have access to support from wider bodies, as well as having things like sabbaticals and retreats built into their working agreements. These are rarely, if ever, thought about for youth or children’s workers. One interviewee mentioned that they had asked if, as they were entering their seventh year in post, they would be entitled to a sabbatical, as clergy are. They were laughed at.

If we are to avoid burnout, we have to build spiritual care into our employment practice in the same way we do for church leaders. 

  1. The longer we are in post, the longer we are likely to stay

As part of the research I looked at the amount of time people stayed in posts, the number of posts held, and their attitude changes over time. This was fascinating.

There was a definite trend that showed the longer a person stayed in ministry, the more problems they saw with the approach of churches to it, but the longer they saw themselves staying in it, and the fewer roles they averaged. Of those who had been in this ministry 7-10 years, just under half had done this in just 1 role. The average time in any one role was 2 years.

I believe this points to parts of the workforce with a strong vocational calling to this specific work, who will continue in it despite the problems they see, because they see the value of this work.

  1. Continued professional development, or the lack of it.

Across all the research there was a repeating theme that Churches are unwilling to spend either the time or money on proper training for youth and children’s workers.

In some ways this is understandable if short sighted. If youth workers are only going to stick around for a couple of years, then why train them? The simple answer: if you train them, they may well stay around longer! They will feel empowered in their ministry, more capable and confident in what they are doing, and will know how to take more care of themselves and their young people.

In short, we will develop a workforce that is more motivated, more capable, and with greater longevity.

Conclusions

Let’s really work this problem together! There is a clear correlation between poor youth and children’s workers management and poor youth and children’s work. Our employment practices (or lack thereof) are driving quality people away who might otherwise have been totally committed to the long haul.

  • Youth and children’s workers need to be treated as independent workers, not trainees. They need clear goals and accountability, with the freedom to creatively pursue the best in their work.
  • There needs to be clarifying conversations between minister and youth/children’s worker about what constitutes success and what models they are working to together.
  • Youth and children’s workers are genuine lay ministers and need to be referred to, celebrated and supported as suck.
  • Further to this, youth and children’s workers need the same levels of spiritual support built into their contracts including training, sabbaticals, and retreats.
  • Youth and children’s workers need to be encouraged and supported to stick to single posts, rather than moving around every two years.

Proper training and professional development is essential for youth and children’s workers. This should be generously budgeted for and expected.

7 Ways To Keep Enjoying Your Youth Work Job

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I’m sat in Nero with a caramel hot chocolate working though my calendar and emails, thinking to myself “I have a great job!”

Two weeks ago however, I was sat at this same computer, at this same table feeling tired, bored, demotivated and bitter about this very same job.

The circumstances in both instances were very much the same but my attitude and perspective make a universe of difference! There are of course many reasons to love a youthwork job – not least growing young people into holistic disciples of Jesus – but I know just how hard the job part of it can be!

Here’s a few very simple perspective lessons that I’ve picked up that have made an enormous difference to me in my job as a youth worker.

  1. I enjoy my job more when I actually do my job.
    No brainer right? Well no. Sometimes I get into places where I do the minimal amount needed to get through my work load and run my projects. I don’t boundary out my time, I don’t create breathing spaces for prep and I don’t approach a work hour as a problem solver. I spend those hours between activities ‘resting and recuperating’ thinking that’s what I need. I’m actually just cultivating demotivation.

The mission is not to make yourself ‘busy’ but to plan time and space to prepare, be creative and be ahead of the game. The view is so much better when you’re not throwing down the tracks in front of you.

  1. I enjoy my job more when I take my time off.
    Another apparent no brainier. Well seven years into full time youth work and I still don’t consistently leave my emails closed and work phone silent on my day off. If my days are planned then my days off are not covered in the shadow of the to-do list.It’s the same with holidays. Plan them ahead, enjoy the planning and take them off! It’s amazing how much a week every three months and a day a week can genuinely refresh your energy and your character as well!

“There are of course many reasons to love a youthwork job – not least growing young people into holistic disciples of Jesus”

  1. I enjoy my job more when I’m clean & healthy.
    Having a morning hour ritual of up, pray, read news, eat, exercise, shower brush teeth and choose clothes makes me feel a foot taller, more at peace, more full of confidence and much more able to tackle spontaneous problems. Having a good meal in the day and developing good sleep pattens too are well worth the effort!
  2. I enjoy my job more when I enjoy my wife more.
    Steady now… If my God-Family-Home-Job priority train is on track and I’m giving good time to date nights, random chats, food together and family problem solving then my life priorities and perspectives simply feel more together.
  3. I enjoy my job more when I cultivate gratitude.
    The most important thing I’ve ever learned about prayer is to ‘be thankful in all circumstances’ (Col. 3:17). Thankfulness simply breeds good perspective. It’s the yeast that makes the prayer dough rise. The more I thank God the more I become thankful – which is an absolute game-changer in my attitude towards life and work.
  4. I enjoy my job more when I serve more.
    There’s usually (not always) a strong correlation between grumpiness in my job and a strong inward focus. Finding small ways to serve and improve the lot of others redirects that focus and gives me a much clearer perspective on my own condition. Serving with a thankful heart cultivates joy – period.
  5. I enjoy more job more when I enjoy God more.
    Last, but obviously not least. The more I come into contact with the living God through meditation, worship, fellowship and reflection the more my holistic delight as a person grows and covers everything. ‘Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart’ (Psalm 37:4).

5 Questions to ask in a youth work interview

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Christians are rubbish at the ’employing’ bit

Youth Workers are ministers, pastors and missionaries – absolutely. However, they’re also employees. We all too easily forget this!

It’s easy in the light of ‘Gospel partnership’ mentality to let clear employment ethics slip in our churches and organizations. This leads to mess, unhappy people, mess, awkward conflict, more mess, and it’s largely responsible for why Youth Workers quit only a couple of years after starting.

There are a few questions you should ask at every youth work job interview. Good interviews will be a relatively equal split between their and your questions so you can effectively interview each other. If you can’t find a way to ask the questions you need answers to, then don’t take the job until you can.

Question Number 1: Who will my line manager be?

There needs to be someone who is clearly responsible to you as an employee. Ideally they should not be the main pastor or chairperson, as their responsibility to the organization may at times conflict with concerns for you as employee.

Followup 1: Who will my mentor be?

This should not be the line manager. A mentor is someone responsible for you as a developing spiritual person unrelated to projects, ministries or employment. It’s not vital for a church to provide this but it is important that they understand you will be looking for someone somewhere.

Followup 2: What will my relationship with the Pastor / Chairperson look like?

Where will you fit in broad strategy discussions and what will accountability to the leader look like? It’s important that everyone understands that you are not another assistant minister and it’s not your job to fill all the creative, messy or skivvy-esq jobs in the church.

Run for the hills if…

If they don’t give you thought-through answers to these questions then they clearly don’t understand the accountability needs of a long-term youth worker. Check that your role is defined specifically within a healthy management structure.

Question Number 2: What does success look like for this role?

You’re looking for the key values that led them to create this job in the first place. Are they looking for bums on seats, relationships with the unreached, developing community work, deeper discipleship & integration, school links? – What will show you as doing well at your job?

Followup 1: What will success look like after 3 months?

Do they have realistic objectives for your settling in period? Are they person or project based? Will they evolve to work with your character and gifts? Is there a transition team in place to see this work though?

Followup 2: What will success look like after 1 year?

Same as above but thinking about the end of the honeymoon period. You could always ask the ‘after 10 years’ question too – but good luck!

Run for the hills if…

If their view of success does not match up with yours then you will need to tease out exactly why. If you can’t get together on a ‘job well done’ then you will be neither happy nor effective. Also, if they don’t have a realistic and personal view of transition, numbers, connecting relationships and intangible returns then leave them be.

Question Number 3: What – other than the salary – do you offer to help me grow in this role and as a person?

The main thing you’re looking for here is a training and reading budget with some specifics thrown in. Do they value this and are they going to support your growth? A key poke might be ‘is there time you expect me to take to be with God and deepen my skills that’s not holiday time?’

Followup 1: What local youthwork or ministry networks are there that I should belong to?

Are they aware of any? Hopefully they should be! You’re looking to see if they unknowingly plan to isolate you.

Followup 2: What other churches / organisations would you encourage me to partner with on ministries and projects?

Same as above. This also speaks volumes of the church’s ethics regarding others and themselves.

Run for the hills if…

If they respond negatively or noncommittally to you needing training, support or partnership then move on. If they are confused about these needs then it’s probably a sign of a church that doesn’t understand the dangers of isolation. I’d tend leave any caviler organisations alone.

Question Number 4. How do you expect my family to be involved?

Are they looking for a ‘2-for-1’ deal with your spouse partnering with you. Are they looking for a boost to Youth Group numbers through your children?

Followup 1: How do you see my spouse supporting me?

If they expect more than being a loving partner for you then you’ve probably got some grounds for worry. Some churches expect spouses to be actively involved in youth clubs or Sunday schools which is just begging for work and conflict to be bought home. My wife once needed to take a few weeks out of the Sunday service for a personal spiritual MOT away from community pressures. This led some people to question her mental heath and commitment to the church… which led me to feel very Old Testament about them!

Followup 2: How do you expect my children to be involved?

Same as above really. Too many young people grow up bitter at God because of the extra pressure of having pastor-parents. Does the church expect more from them than other local children?

Run for the hills if…

If they’re looking for a package deal – don’t give them a second look. It will be terrible for your family, terrible for the distinctions between work and home life, and you’ll simply be a rubbish youth worker!

Question Number 5. What do you see as my working hours?

Contracted hours and clear expectations for timetables are really important in youth work because of the inherent chaos and spontaneity involved with the job. You need to talk about anti-social hours, prep time, prayer time, and anything else time-wise that will affect your role.

Followup 1: What would you say if you found I was working on my days off – or regularly working over my contracted hours?

You’re looking again for an understanding of the pressures of youth work. They should be pretty clear that you are expected to take your time off.

Followup 2: What happens if I book a holiday but can’t find cover for my roles?

The organisation needs to have thought about this as it is a regular problem in volunteer based youth work. The best resourced places tend hire an interim youth worker, but at least the other staff and team should pool together to make sure your holidays are covered – just like any other organization would. The bottom line is if you don’t have the team one week then activities shouldn’t happen that week. The world and your ministry will survive (and your spouse will thank you).

Run for the hills if…

If they don’t have a strong, healthy opinion on hours and holidays then leave it be. I once told my pastor in a previous job that I was regularly working 70 hours a week – his response was ‘me too, we all are, that’s comes with the job!’ If I knew that in the first place I never would have accepted – and neither should you.