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Tips for Welcoming a New Youth Pastor

May 24, 2021
Tips for Welcoming a New Youth Pastor
  • Communicate excitement
  • Encourage students tell their friends about the “new youth pastor” and give them the information to help that effort
  • Be positive

 

  • Does anything need to be updated and improved before the new minister gets here  (in other words, clean up)
  • Sound stuff needs to be ready to go
  • Visual stuff needs to be ready
  • Office needs to be ready
  • Let the person get the things he/she needs to be successful

 

  • Give extra time to adjust
  • Don’t expect him/her to come in and be ultra-prepared.  It’s a huge transition for his/her family.
  • Remember, your new youth pastor may be leaving a church and community and friends
  • Give time to know what is going on in the lives of the church members
  • Don’t assume the new youth pastor knows anything about health issues, crises, situations, etc. that may need to be addressed

 

  • Don’t be hypersensitive or critical
  • He/she may not remember your name immediately
  • He/she may not respond in the way that you would expect
  • Learn each other and learn each other’s personality
  • Don’t always go with your first impression
  • Be patient, there is a lot to learn in a short amount of time

 

  • Be the new youth pastor’s advocate, friend
  • Invite him/her to community events or school activities
  • Be a host, introducing him/her to people
  • Don’t leave this person out on an island to be by himself/herself at school/community events
  • Help him/her get engaged in conversations and in events

 

  • Don’t manipulate the youth pastor’s “newness” to try and accomplish something you have wanted for a long time

 

  • Wear name tags the first few Wednesday nights

 

  • Shower the “new minister’s family” with gifts and helpful items
  • Restaurant cards
  • Gift cards
  • School activity pass
  • Local school clothing
  • Gifts that would help them fit into the community

 

  • Be willing to be led
  • He/she doesn’t know the sacred cows, the sacred traditions
  • He/she will have a fresh set of eyes and fresh set of ideas.  Work together to determine the Lord’s will for the student ministry.  It’s a new day. 

 

  • Jump in and be ready to work
  • Having a new leader can be one of the quickest and strongest momentum creators in your ministry. Be ready to go.

 

  • Give grace.  We’re all growing
  • Understand that neither the new youth minister nor you will be the same a couple of years from now.  You are both being transformed by God’s grace and growing in Him.
  • Before you expect him/her to be something, find out who he/she is first.

 

  • You have a new start with this minister 
  • Any old grievances, any old reputations, any former divisions you may have had with former leadership are gone.  Count this as an opportunity to start fresh and new.

 

  • Pray for the new minister and family