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.
