August 7, 2025 • 26 mins
*** Want a Student Leadership Team Starter Kit? (featuring Application, Job Descriptions, Reference Form, etc.) Email us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com and put "STUDENT LEADERSHIP STARTER KIT" in the subject or description and we will send it over to you!*** Is your youth ministry getting ready to launch it's student leadership team and you want to build excitement for it? Today we will be going over 3 ways to encourage your youth group to join it!
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A lot of teenagers view church as something that exists to serve them—great games, cool worship, and hanging with friends. But what happens when we challenge this perspective and invite them to become contributors rather than consumers? In this practical episode, we unpack three game-changing strategies to recruit students for your leadership team.
Whether you're launching your first student leadership team or revitalizing an existing one, these proven strategies will help you transform participants into passionate leaders who serve in your student ministry, your church and in their community.
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You may also enjoy these episodes:
(#040) How to Start a Student Leadership Team in Youth Ministry
(#203) Create a Student Leadership Team that your Youth Group WANTS to Be a Part of!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Today we're talking about three ways that you can
encourage your youth groupstudents to join your student
leadership team.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Welcome to the Ministry Coach Podcast, where we
bring you weekly tips andtactics to help you fast track
the growth and health of youryouth ministry.
If this is the first time we'remeeting, my name is Jeff
Laskola and this is.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Kristen Laskola, and it is student leadership season.
We're like in the last stretchof summer and if you want your
student leadership team tofollow the school year having
your first meeting in September,ending your last meeting in May
it is time to do your studentleadership presentation.
Get those applications out andinto the hands of kids so that
(00:50):
they have time to fill it out,talk to their parents about it,
turn it in, and so today we'regoing to be talking about how
can you encourage your studentsto join your student leadership
team.
A lot of youth groups that Iwork with this is a new concept
and they're kind of getting itoff the ground.
Maybe this is the first orsecond year that they're doing
(01:10):
it and people might not reallyknow what it is, so they might
not be really interested becausethey haven't seen it play out
enough.
So how can you encourage kids?
That might be kind ofquestioning ah, is this just one
more thing to do, you know, tomake it so exciting, because it
really is a super coolopportunity.
(01:31):
Our student leadership team iscalled SOS, which stands for
students of service.
So while it's a leadership teamtechnically, we lead through
serving.
So it actually is a servingdiscipleship type of team at its
core, which that's whatleadership is biblically right
it's serving others, taking careof people, taking care of God's
(01:54):
family, of God's house, of allthe things so, and those outside
of God's family too.
So we're going to talk abouthow to do that.
So today I have three ways.
The first one is to not justisolate the student leadership
presentation to one weekend.
So it's like, okay, we've beentalking about, like at our, in
(02:14):
our youth group, we justfinished a series on doubt, and
then it would be like, okay,let's talk about serving or
let's do the SOS presentation.
It's like, well, the betterstrategy would be to embed that
into a serving series.
So a lot of times when we doseries we don't have a super
clear action item for students.
(02:36):
You know it might be achallenge at the end of the
sermon.
So this week, you know, find away to love your enemy.
You know, pray for them or dosomething nice for them.
You know you might give them achoose your own adventure type
of action item.
What I love about embedding thediscipleship leadership team
(02:57):
into a serving series is thatsigning up for the leadership
team becomes the action item.
So it's like we've been talkingabout the importance of serving
.
Some key talking points would beto teach the students the
difference between being aspiritual consumer versus a
spiritual contributor, andprobably they've never thought
(03:18):
about spirituality in that waybefore.
You know, I always will saysomething.
Like you know, when I was yourage, I thought church was for me
Like I just came, received,criticized what I liked and
didn't like, and then left Right, and then I did it all over
again the next week.
But I failed to realize thatthe church does not exist for me
.
I am the church and the churchexists for the world.
(03:42):
So you're shifting the way thestudents think about what church
is.
It's not just here for it to beyour favorite games, your best
friends and your favoriteworship set Great if all of
those happen.
But the church has a muchbigger purpose besides filling
your preferences.
It's to serve the world and youcan be a part of that.
So have you been a spiritualconsumer for far too long?
(04:04):
Is it time to change the wayyou think and interact with
church?
Another key talking point islike teaching students that
we're all made to serve.
We're all meant to serve.
God has gifted each one of usto contribute to and in his
kingdom somehow and this is youropportunity to actually do
(04:26):
ministry with us Like not justbe like the kid who comes and
leaves and sits down, gets upand you know.
But it's like is there more tochurch?
Like how does all of thishappen?
Or what?
What can I be a part of?
And I think sometimes studentsneed to hear that.
It's like you don't have to waituntil you're an adult Like you
(04:47):
can do that now, and so all ofthese things kind of would be
key talking points in yourmessages to start to point
students to a now what?
Well, hey, if you've beenlooking for an opportunity, I
have a thing that we do hereit's amazing called SOS.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
It's a student leadership team, you know, and
Do you sprinkle that inthroughout the series or is it
like the one hit, like at theend it?
Speaker 1 (05:14):
would be like probably a bigger hit at the end
.
But you could sprinkle itthroughout like, hey, and on the
last week I'm going to talk toyou guys about a super cool
opportunity, if you're like okay, yeah, I want to serve.
I just don't really know how orwhere to start.
I have something coming yourway, you know.
I hope you guys will be here onthe last week because I think
the SOS presentation needs itsown time because you have to
(05:36):
talk to them about how do yousign up and all of that, and so
I just think embedding it inthere just gives that extra
level of understanding andmotivation, because if you
deliver the series right there,you're answering the question
that they should be asking.
You know well how, how do I dothis.
You know what do I do?
(05:56):
Just plan a like.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
I'm going to paint the church or do landscaping.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
You know, like how does one just decide to serve at
church?
This is probably the first timefor a lot of them that they're
sort of owning their faith,owning like, hey, what do I want
to do here?
And so number two one otherthing that I think is super
effective is sharing your owntestimony of what serving has
(06:24):
done in your own life and Italked to the students a lot
about like, and for anyonelistening it's like obviously
serving is a part of your lifeand it started at some point.
And to tell students that, like, who were you before serving
and who are you now?
What did serving do for you andyour understanding of who God
is?
Because it's this whole otherdimension of our faith that when
(06:48):
you aren't serving and you'rejust receiving, you miss out on.
So, kind of dive into your ownstory and tell students like I
tell them a lot of times guys, Idon't even think I'd still be
here if someone didn't invite meonto a serving team.
Because I had kind of like beengoing to church since I was four
years old and I'm like, yeah,okay, I know the gospel, I guess
(07:10):
we're all supposed to be likegood people and then we go to
heaven someday like cool, like Ifeel like church would have run
its course for me and I wouldhave missed out on so much,
because in my it wasn't true butmy understanding was heard it,
seen it, know it, blah, you know.
But then, entering this worldof serving and connecting with
(07:34):
people and giving of yourselfand giving of your talent and
giving of your gifts, andwatching life change and being a
part of something bigger thanyourself, it was like, oh my
gosh, like this is exactly whereI need to be, no-transcript.
Like ministry, like who savedwho kind of thing you know?
(07:58):
It's like, yes, I was able touse my gifts for, you know,
junior high students and leadthem to the Lord, and all of
that.
But what it did for me thefirst time I stepped into it at
like 18 years old, was, oh mygosh, I didn't realize how at
risk I was until I saw how far Ihad come.
So, telling them those storiesof like, hey, this isn't just
(08:20):
like.
Hey, everyone pitch in, allright, there's a lot to do
around here, and no oneschlepping around and
freeloading around here body ofChrist, and everyone grab a mop,
like I think that's just theworst way we could possibly sell
it.
But letting them know, no, godhas something for you.
Yes, you're gonna be helpingother people, but, oh my gosh,
(08:45):
what is God going to do in yourheart, in your life, through
serving?
What new ways are you going toexperience him?
And you're going to see thingsfrom a totally new perspective.
And when you dive into your ownstory with them, I just think
it's so much more inspiringbecause they're like whoa, like
there was.
They like probably thought youwere born at the church, like
there was a time where youdidn't serve, you know.
And so what was that journeylike for you?
(09:07):
We want them to know.
It's not like, oh no, I have togive up more of my time.
But you know, one of my leadersand I had this really
interesting conversation theother day where it was on a
Tuesday night during youth group, and I, like gave her a hug.
I'm like, oh, I'm so gladyou're here, she goes, I'm so
glad I'm here, like really,she's like, yeah, you know, like
(09:29):
I always feel that temptation,like I'm too busy, I'm too tired
, I should just stay home, likeI don't really need it, oh, and
then the second I come and starthanging out with students and
doing what I'm good at, like Idon't even feel like I'm working
, like I don't feel like it'slike put in another hard night's
work at you know youth group.
(09:49):
She's like it fills me up and Idon't know why I don't believe
that every time it's like thistemptation of like no yourself
right but saving yourself likeoh, who said that, lose your
life to find it?
Um, but saving yourself islosing yourself in the bigger
(10:10):
picture, okay I thought you'regonna say something.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
No, I'm trying to clear my throat from all this
talking I've been doing yeah Idid have a question, if you're
at a little a breaking pointhere.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Sure.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
So how many weeks should the series be kind of
leading up to that?
If we're counting the last dayof that series being the pitch,
I think it could be as short asone or two weeks.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
It could go to three.
I don't think you need four onserving.
I think that's really long, butI think you could do it in two
or three weeks.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
And one of those weeks being the actual pitch.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
But I just think the pitch is the like, it's the
culmination.
I think you just won't have asmuch success just like oh yeah,
by the way, hey guys, we havethis thing coming up.
If you want to sign up, there'sapplications back there, and
I'm sure that's what a lot ofyouth pastors do.
They just fold it into theannouncements like.
Oh, hey guys, we're starting astudent leadership team you guys
(11:06):
should join.
It needs uh, it needs moreairtime than that and it needs a
bigger platform than that, Ifyou're really going to motivate
kids like you don't want to missthis, you don't want like, what
is God waiting?
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Like you need to develop a whole thing around it.
So, yeah, that's a greatquestion and, if you guys were
interested, we have a whole likestudent leadership starter pack
.
If you want to email us atministry coach podcast at
gmailcom, just put studentleadership starter pack and we
can send that over to you.
It has applications, kind ofjob descriptions, obviously,
those some of those things youwould change for your own youth
ministry.
Um, it has the powerpointyou've been using for like a
(11:45):
million years that needs to getupdated, but we have all that
stuff.
So, yeah, if you do want it,just send us an email.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
we can get that okay, so I was talking to my friend
sammy.
Hi, sammy, this week he's up inthe bay area and he's like oh
yeah, we're launching ourstudent leadership team.
Yeah, I had your PowerPoint.
I updated it.
And I was like it's more of thebones, it is the bones, and I
(12:11):
wish you guys could see meactually doing the presentation
because I say I make clip art,come alive people.
Because I say I make clip art,come alive people, I show, I say
I say so much more than what'son those slides.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
It's just like a jumping off point.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
But yes, if you get it real hip graphics from the
late 90s you know what one of myleaders who started SOS made
that and to honor her memory, Iwill keep it.
Thank you, julie thank you,julie yeah, and you guys can.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
You guys can thank julie too.
Thank you, beautiful, I love it.
I had something else to say,and now I don't know what it was
I distracted myself with mywitty comments.
Um, anyways, go for it.
Thanks, whatever you'redoing're doing.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Oh, okay, back at it.
Whatever you were doing, numberthree.
So here's again where you'refilling in gaps.
You really want to paint apicture, create a vision for
them so that they can see it.
You know so, especially ifthey've never done it before.
You want them to be able to seeit.
I will tell you the truth.
You want them to be able to seeit.
(13:20):
I will tell you the truth Mostof the students I have that do
SOS are repeat the next year.
So that tells you they'reenjoying it.
It's not a hundred percent, buta lot of them.
So if these kids, like, havenever experienced, like the, the
team, you need to create the,the picture and the vision for
them so that they can see it.
So I tell them about their jobs.
(13:42):
So I'm like, hey, everybodygets their own job, like a part
of church that you areresponsible for.
It might be working in thesnack shack, it might be worship
, whether that's hand motions,vocals, instruments.
That might be running tech,like we'll teach you how to run
tech in the booth.
It might be greeting.
(14:02):
You know that one's hard forjunior hires, but sometimes I
have an extrovert gen z starereally good at it.
They need a little nudge.
I usually have to several.
I pushed our daughter thissunday.
There is this girl who's supersweet but super shy and I'm like
, go and fight her, just sitwith you.
She goes.
(14:22):
I already did.
I'm like, well, do it again.
Do it with words this time, andyou can just tell she was like
oh, but she did it.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
She's shy and she got shot down.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
So yeah, ouch, ouch.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Never be doing that again.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Way to go, mom I know , so maybe they can help you,
like in the cafe, maybe theywhatever I mean.
However, your youth group isstructured find areas to let
students in and students help.
It could be setting up, itcould be tearing down.
I have a student who likes tocome early and she helps us in
(14:57):
the office, whether she counts,offering or writes letters to
our Compassion International kid.
There's so many ways thatstudents can be used, so you
want to tell them.
That is like hey, ministry isfor all of us.
It's not just me, because I'm apastor or a youth leader or a
small group leader or whatever,but ministry is for all of us.
(15:18):
And I want you guys tounderstand like there's so much
satisfaction in finding whatyou're good at, and if you start
a job and you don't like it,let's try something else.
You're not locked in forever.
Sometimes they help with thelittle kids and they love it, or
don't you know?
There's so many.
We're trying to help them findtheir shape.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
You know, I heard a pastor one time say sometimes
people will hesitate becauselike, well, I'm not sure if
that's for me or if I'd be goodat that or whatever.
And he was like do it andyou'll quickly find out if that
is the role you need to play andthen, if it's not great, check
that one off the list and moveon to the next.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Ask me how many days I lasted in the three year old
room.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
How many days?
Speaker 1 (16:00):
One days I lasted in the three-year-old room?
How many days?
One Half a day.
It was half a day and I thinkthey saw the writing on the wall
.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
They didn't ask me back.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
They put a line through your name.
I, like, did not compute it.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
I'm like, wait what?
And they need help with whatand what, crying because they
got hit with a dodgeball.
So question um, school isstarting soon, like for us,
really soon.
When would you start thisseries?
So, and also, if you're?
Watching this and it's infebruary or march or and you
really want to start a studentleadership team, don't be
discouraged.
But if, um, and go ahead andstart it.
But if you were to say was thebest time to start it when would
(16:37):
it be before school starts?
or like right when school starts, no, before Okay.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Yeah, which is kind of hard and tricky sometimes
because people are still out oftown.
And I remember last year I didthe SOS presentation and so many
students missed it.
And then I'm like, do I do itagain?
And so I guess you'll have totime it right for you.
The reason I say now, because Iwant to have my first meeting
the first Friday of September,so I need all those applications
(17:05):
to be in and I try to give themthree or four weeks to fill out
the application.
So it really has to start earlyAugust.
It just depends how long youwant application season to be
open.
You know, if it's only a twoweek turnaround, then you could
start more mid August, you know.
So that's why I mean, in oneyear I waited way late and we
(17:27):
had our first meeting in October.
That's not the end of the world.
We have a lot of meetings, butkind of.
I guess that depends on yourtimeline.
But the other thing, other thantheir jobs, is, you know, tell
them about the service project.
So I always say we learn toserve inside the church, we
learn to serve the body ofChrist, but now we're going to
serve outside the church,because the church exists for a
(17:49):
hurting world as well, not justto keep all of our people
comfortable and happy, but whatabout the world, you know?
So we do some service projectsthat are so great and we tell
students all about them.
And that's when they getexcited too, because, again,
these aren't things thatstudents are like typically
finding on their own, or likeI'd like to volunteer for
(18:11):
Habitat for Humanity, likeunless their parents are those
kinds of people they're notfinding these opportunities.
So you tell them, like you'regoing to be able to serve, like
like we do this big one with anautistic adult facility and it's
like the best We've donehomeless outreach and different
things like that.
And they're getting like thisfirsthand experience of like
(18:33):
well, that made me a littleuncomfortable in a good way, you
know I needed that and theyalways are totally changed.
And then the other picturepainting for them is it's
community too, like some of mybest friends at church are
because we've served together.
And so when you just walk intoa room and you're like, okay,
how do I get to know people?
Well, the number one way toform connection, I think, far
(18:56):
beyond small groups, is serving.
I am way closer to peoplethrough serving than any Bible
study I've ever attended, and Ithink it's because you're
solving problems together,you're working together, you're
maybe bonding over a difficultlike oh, that was uncomfortable
thing.
Um, you're having fun togetherthrough serving.
(19:18):
And, like my leadership team,my adult staff you know my 26 or
whatever volunteers and staff,that's a perfect example.
Like we just had our leadernight out last night and it was
like these are, someone said atthe end of it, can we build a
commune and all just livetogether?
And they're like you can bringJeff, though, and I was like yes
(19:41):
, no, just kidding.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Um, I was like I ruined a good time.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
I was like that's so sweet.
I finally had to kick them allout too, cause the host was like
looking at me, like I have anearly morning, and I was like
guys, uh, yeah, we got to getgoing and they never want it to
end.
Like, because serving justbrings out this side of you,
that you bond with those peopleand they become your friends,
and I want that for our students, you know, for them to
(20:06):
experience the joy of deepcommunity through working
together, being a part ofsomething bigger serving and you
can paint that picture for them.
Like, maybe you're havingtrouble finding community at
church but you're in a smallgroup.
You come every week butsomething's just not clicking.
Maybe it's because you haven'tserved.
That could be the it for you oflike how to feel connected here
(20:28):
.
I want everyone to come tochurch feeling connected.
Another vision I like to castfor students is through you
serving, you could have theopportunity to change someone's
life.
You know, whether you'rehelping out with the little kids
or a service project we do, orlearning how to reach out to
someone who's new at church andsome evangelistic stuff that we
(20:51):
teach kids at SOS, it's like youcould very well change
someone's life for the betterand, like I said before in your
life will inevitably be changed.
So bottom line is like we'rejust trying to create a vision
for them to see that the worldis bigger than you.
The church is probably not whatyou thought it was.
(21:12):
The purpose of church isprobably different than you've
been thinking.
Now you're like 11, 12, 13, 14.
So there's now it's time toshift to another gear.
Rather than I sat in circle timeand said my Bible verse and
sang songs and it was just likelittle kids don't like
necessarily usually have jobsthat they do at church or serve.
(21:34):
But now they're at an age wherethis is such a developmental
piece because we're alwayssaying we want students to start
owning their faith and not makeit their parents' faith anymore
and I think this is serving, isa developmental milestone for
that of having a way that Iowned, um, like this piece of
ministry.
You know when I was able to usesome gifts, or trying to at
(21:58):
least figure out what they were.
You know and, lastly, you knowone of my favorite things to do.
I don't know if you guys are atthis point where you can do
this yet, but when I do thepresentation, I love pointing
out the leaders in the room thatare now adults.
That were my adults.
They're very young adults, butthat they were former SOS kids.
(22:21):
I'll be like you guys love.
You know so-and-so Well.
Guess what?
She used to be an SOS kid.
She was sitting right where youguys were sitting, not more
than what?
Seven years ago, because itinstilled in her the love to
serve, the love for the church.
And now look at her.
You know she's a leader to youguys.
Could that be you in the future?
(22:41):
Is this where you start to getthat training for how to be
something for somebody else?
how to serve the church, how tolove God's people.
Well, it worked for him.
I mean, like he was just a kidlike you guys, and then he
signed up and now he's not a kid, because he signed up.
(23:02):
He like, continued to serve,like, and that's what I always
try to tell them Once you get ataste for serving, you kind of
can't stop.
You know, even if I wasn't paidto do my job, I would find some
student ministry to be like.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
I would find some kids to play dodgeball with
probably in the neighborhood.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
It'd be cool, We'd like stay out till, like our
moms called us in or whatever.
No, but you know what I mean?
Like I would, I would still bea small group leader for whoever
took my job, or a differentyouth group or something Like I
don't think youth group orsomething like I don't think I
could just be like well, thatwas that.
It was like, once you do it,it's kind of like this motion,
(23:45):
this thing that's been put intomotion that has this like
kinetic energy that won't stop,you know, but anyways, Anyways
if you guys are looking to startyour student leadership team, I
feel like this is probably oneof the most recommended episodes
.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
That we recommend is the how to launch a student
leadership team, so make sureyou check that out.
It'll be down in thedescription below.
We're going to do a communitycomment of the day and then
we're going to announce ourwinner for our 250th episode
giveaway.
We are on week two of giveawaysand then we believe we have two
more weeks after this, butwe'll do that in just a second.
(24:18):
All right, this is from TamlynEllis, who says Hi there, I
absolutely love your channel andthe heart you have for building
up youth.
It's been such an encouragementand resource for me.
Thanks so much for all you pourout to help leaders like me
grow.
You're a huge blessing.
You're a huge blessing, tamlyn.
Thank you, a huge blessing.
(24:39):
You're a huge blessing, tamlin.
Thank you so much.
She is.
We really appreciate that allright.
Now is the time for thegiveaway and what we're giving
away this week is is a flagfootball set and a starbucks
gift card.
Guess what?
Speaker 1 (24:52):
you can play flag tag with these.
I don't play flag football, Iplay flag tag.
We just did it at summer camp,so fun.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
So you have that going for you, which is nice
either, or All right, the winnerfor the flag football set and.
Starbucks gift card is Diana DeSilva Diana Congratulations and
you can play either flagfootball or flag tag or whatever
(25:20):
your heart desires I like flagif you guys are like what the
heck are you guys talking about?
uh, we're doing a giveaway rightnow, so make sure you check out
in the description below andit'll link over to where you can
find out the full details abouthow to enter.
And we're doing doing it, likeI said, for the next two weeks,
I believe two weeks coming up,so make sure you guys check that
out.
And thank you guys so much forwatching and listening and we'll
(25:42):
see you next time.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
Today we're talking about three ways to help
encourage.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
I stuttered.
I'm sorry, are you?
Speaker 1 (25:50):
bored right now.
You can cut that out.
Today we're talking about threeways that you can help your
youth group be on the youthgroup train.
I don't know, I just saidwhatever came to my head.
Today we're talking about three ways that you can
encourage your youth groupstudents to join your student
leadership team.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Welcome to the Ministry Coach Podcast, where we
bring you weekly tips andtactics to help you fast track
the growth and health of youryouth ministry.
If this is the first time we'remeeting, my name is Jeff
Laskola and this is.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Kristen Laskola, and it is student leadership season.
We're like in the last stretchof summer and if you want your
student leadership team tofollow the school year having
your first meeting in September,ending your last meeting in May
it is time to do your studentleadership presentation.
Get those applications out andinto the hands of kids so that
(00:50):
they have time to fill it out,talk to their parents about it,
turn it in, and so today we'regoing to be talking about how
can you encourage your studentsto join your student leadership
team.
A lot of youth groups that Iwork with this is a new concept
and they're kind of getting itoff the ground.
Maybe this is the first orsecond year that they're doing
(01:10):
it and people might not reallyknow what it is, so they might
not be really interested becausethey haven't seen it play out
enough.
So how can you encourage kids?
That might be kind ofquestioning ah, is this just one
more thing to do, you know, tomake it so exciting, because it
really is a super coolopportunity.
(01:31):
Our student leadership team iscalled SOS, which stands for
students of service.
So while it's a leadership teamtechnically, we lead through
serving.
So it actually is a servingdiscipleship type of team at its
core, which that's whatleadership is biblically right
it's serving others, taking careof people, taking care of God's
(01:54):
family, of God's house, of allthe things so, and those outside
of God's family too.
So we're going to talk abouthow to do that.
So today I have three ways.
The first one is to not justisolate the student leadership
presentation to one weekend.
So it's like, okay, we've beentalking about, like at our, in
(02:14):
our youth group, we justfinished a series on doubt, and
then it would be like, okay,let's talk about serving or
let's do the SOS presentation.
It's like, well, the betterstrategy would be to embed that
into a serving series.
So a lot of times when we doseries we don't have a super
clear action item for students.
(02:36):
You know it might be achallenge at the end of the
sermon.
So this week, you know, find away to love your enemy.
You know, pray for them or dosomething nice for them.
You know you might give them achoose your own adventure type
of action item.
What I love about embedding thediscipleship leadership team
(02:57):
into a serving series is thatsigning up for the leadership
team becomes the action item.
So it's like we've been talkingabout the importance of serving
.
Some key talking points would beto teach the students the
difference between being aspiritual consumer versus a
spiritual contributor, andprobably they've never thought
(03:18):
about spirituality in that waybefore.
You know, I always will saysomething.
Like you know, when I was yourage, I thought church was for me
Like I just came, received,criticized what I liked and
didn't like, and then left Right, and then I did it all over
again the next week.
But I failed to realize thatthe church does not exist for me
.
I am the church and the churchexists for the world.
(03:42):
So you're shifting the way thestudents think about what church
is.
It's not just here for it to beyour favorite games, your best
friends and your favoriteworship set Great if all of
those happen.
But the church has a muchbigger purpose besides filling
your preferences.
It's to serve the world and youcan be a part of that.
So have you been a spiritualconsumer for far too long?
(04:04):
Is it time to change the wayyou think and interact with
church?
Another key talking point islike teaching students that
we're all made to serve.
We're all meant to serve.
God has gifted each one of usto contribute to and in his
kingdom somehow and this is youropportunity to actually do
(04:26):
ministry with us Like not justbe like the kid who comes and
leaves and sits down, gets upand you know.
But it's like is there more tochurch?
Like how does all of thishappen?
Or what?
What can I be a part of?
And I think sometimes studentsneed to hear that.
It's like you don't have to waituntil you're an adult Like you
(04:47):
can do that now, and so all ofthese things kind of would be
key talking points in yourmessages to start to point
students to a now what?
Well, hey, if you've beenlooking for an opportunity, I
have a thing that we do hereit's amazing called SOS.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
It's a student leadership team, you know, and
Do you sprinkle that inthroughout the series or is it
like the one hit, like at theend it?
Speaker 1 (05:14):
would be like probably a bigger hit at the end
.
But you could sprinkle itthroughout like, hey, and on the
last week I'm going to talk toyou guys about a super cool
opportunity, if you're like okay, yeah, I want to serve.
I just don't really know how orwhere to start.
I have something coming yourway, you know.
I hope you guys will be here onthe last week because I think
the SOS presentation needs itsown time because you have to
(05:36):
talk to them about how do yousign up and all of that, and so
I just think embedding it inthere just gives that extra
level of understanding andmotivation, because if you
deliver the series right there,you're answering the question
that they should be asking.
You know well how, how do I dothis.
You know what do I do?
(05:56):
Just plan a like.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
I'm going to paint the church or do landscaping.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
You know, like how does one just decide to serve at
church?
This is probably the first timefor a lot of them that they're
sort of owning their faith,owning like, hey, what do I want
to do here?
And so number two one otherthing that I think is super
effective is sharing your owntestimony of what serving has
(06:24):
done in your own life and Italked to the students a lot
about like, and for anyonelistening it's like obviously
serving is a part of your lifeand it started at some point.
And to tell students that, like, who were you before serving
and who are you now?
What did serving do for you andyour understanding of who God
is?
Because it's this whole otherdimension of our faith that when
(06:48):
you aren't serving and you'rejust receiving, you miss out on.
So, kind of dive into your ownstory and tell students like I
tell them a lot of times guys, Idon't even think I'd still be
here if someone didn't invite meonto a serving team.
Because I had kind of like beengoing to church since I was four
years old and I'm like, yeah,okay, I know the gospel, I guess
(07:10):
we're all supposed to be likegood people and then we go to
heaven someday like cool, like Ifeel like church would have run
its course for me and I wouldhave missed out on so much,
because in my it wasn't true butmy understanding was heard it,
seen it, know it, blah, you know.
But then, entering this worldof serving and connecting with
(07:34):
people and giving of yourselfand giving of your talent and
giving of your gifts, andwatching life change and being a
part of something bigger thanyourself, it was like, oh my
gosh, like this is exactly whereI need to be, no-transcript.
Like ministry, like who savedwho kind of thing you know?
(07:58):
It's like, yes, I was able touse my gifts for, you know,
junior high students and leadthem to the Lord, and all of
that.
But what it did for me thefirst time I stepped into it at
like 18 years old, was, oh mygosh, I didn't realize how at
risk I was until I saw how far Ihad come.
So, telling them those storiesof like, hey, this isn't just
(08:20):
like.
Hey, everyone pitch in, allright, there's a lot to do
around here, and no oneschlepping around and
freeloading around here body ofChrist, and everyone grab a mop,
like I think that's just theworst way we could possibly sell
it.
But letting them know, no, godhas something for you.
Yes, you're gonna be helpingother people, but, oh my gosh,
(08:45):
what is God going to do in yourheart, in your life, through
serving?
What new ways are you going toexperience him?
And you're going to see thingsfrom a totally new perspective.
And when you dive into your ownstory with them, I just think
it's so much more inspiringbecause they're like whoa, like
there was.
They like probably thought youwere born at the church, like
there was a time where youdidn't serve, you know.
And so what was that journeylike for you?
(09:07):
We want them to know.
It's not like, oh no, I have togive up more of my time.
But you know, one of my leadersand I had this really
interesting conversation theother day where it was on a
Tuesday night during youth group, and I, like gave her a hug.
I'm like, oh, I'm so gladyou're here, she goes, I'm so
glad I'm here, like really,she's like, yeah, you know, like
(09:29):
I always feel that temptation,like I'm too busy, I'm too tired
, I should just stay home, likeI don't really need it, oh, and
then the second I come and starthanging out with students and
doing what I'm good at, like Idon't even feel like I'm working
, like I don't feel like it'slike put in another hard night's
work at you know youth group.
(09:49):
She's like it fills me up and Idon't know why I don't believe
that every time it's like thistemptation of like no yourself
right but saving yourself likeoh, who said that, lose your
life to find it?
Um, but saving yourself islosing yourself in the bigger
(10:10):
picture, okay I thought you'regonna say something.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
No, I'm trying to clear my throat from all this
talking I've been doing yeah Idid have a question, if you're
at a little a breaking pointhere.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Sure.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
So how many weeks should the series be kind of
leading up to that?
If we're counting the last dayof that series being the pitch,
I think it could be as short asone or two weeks.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
It could go to three.
I don't think you need four onserving.
I think that's really long, butI think you could do it in two
or three weeks.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
And one of those weeks being the actual pitch.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
But I just think the pitch is the like, it's the
culmination.
I think you just won't have asmuch success just like oh yeah,
by the way, hey guys, we havethis thing coming up.
If you want to sign up, there'sapplications back there, and
I'm sure that's what a lot ofyouth pastors do.
They just fold it into theannouncements like.
Oh, hey guys, we're starting astudent leadership team you guys
(11:06):
should join.
It needs uh, it needs moreairtime than that and it needs a
bigger platform than that, Ifyou're really going to motivate
kids like you don't want to missthis, you don't want like, what
is God waiting?
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Like you need to develop a whole thing around it.
So, yeah, that's a greatquestion and, if you guys were
interested, we have a whole likestudent leadership starter pack
.
If you want to email us atministry coach podcast at
gmailcom, just put studentleadership starter pack and we
can send that over to you.
It has applications, kind ofjob descriptions, obviously,
those some of those things youwould change for your own youth
ministry.
Um, it has the powerpointyou've been using for like a
(11:45):
million years that needs to getupdated, but we have all that
stuff.
So, yeah, if you do want it,just send us an email.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
we can get that okay, so I was talking to my friend
sammy.
Hi, sammy, this week he's up inthe bay area and he's like oh
yeah, we're launching ourstudent leadership team.
Yeah, I had your PowerPoint.
I updated it.
And I was like it's more of thebones, it is the bones, and I
(12:11):
wish you guys could see meactually doing the presentation
because I say I make clip art,come alive people.
Because I say I make clip art,come alive people, I show, I say
I say so much more than what'son those slides.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
It's just like a jumping off point.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
But yes, if you get it real hip graphics from the
late 90s you know what one of myleaders who started SOS made
that and to honor her memory, Iwill keep it.
Thank you, julie thank you,julie yeah, and you guys can.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
You guys can thank julie too.
Thank you, beautiful, I love it.
I had something else to say,and now I don't know what it was
I distracted myself with mywitty comments.
Um, anyways, go for it.
Thanks, whatever you'redoing're doing.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Oh, okay, back at it.
Whatever you were doing, numberthree.
So here's again where you'refilling in gaps.
You really want to paint apicture, create a vision for
them so that they can see it.
You know so, especially ifthey've never done it before.
You want them to be able to seeit.
I will tell you the truth.
You want them to be able to seeit.
(13:20):
I will tell you the truth Mostof the students I have that do
SOS are repeat the next year.
So that tells you they'reenjoying it.
It's not a hundred percent, buta lot of them.
So if these kids, like, havenever experienced, like the, the
team, you need to create the,the picture and the vision for
them so that they can see it.
So I tell them about their jobs.
(13:42):
So I'm like, hey, everybodygets their own job, like a part
of church that you areresponsible for.
It might be working in thesnack shack, it might be worship
, whether that's hand motions,vocals, instruments.
That might be running tech,like we'll teach you how to run
tech in the booth.
It might be greeting.
(14:02):
You know that one's hard forjunior hires, but sometimes I
have an extrovert gen z starereally good at it.
They need a little nudge.
I usually have to several.
I pushed our daughter thissunday.
There is this girl who's supersweet but super shy and I'm like
, go and fight her, just sitwith you.
She goes.
(14:22):
I already did.
I'm like, well, do it again.
Do it with words this time, andyou can just tell she was like
oh, but she did it.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
She's shy and she got shot down.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
So yeah, ouch, ouch.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Never be doing that again.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Way to go, mom I know , so maybe they can help you,
like in the cafe, maybe theywhatever I mean.
However, your youth group isstructured find areas to let
students in and students help.
It could be setting up, itcould be tearing down.
I have a student who likes tocome early and she helps us in
(14:57):
the office, whether she counts,offering or writes letters to
our Compassion International kid.
There's so many ways thatstudents can be used, so you
want to tell them.
That is like hey, ministry isfor all of us.
It's not just me, because I'm apastor or a youth leader or a
small group leader or whatever,but ministry is for all of us.
(15:18):
And I want you guys tounderstand like there's so much
satisfaction in finding whatyou're good at, and if you start
a job and you don't like it,let's try something else.
You're not locked in forever.
Sometimes they help with thelittle kids and they love it, or
don't you know?
There's so many.
We're trying to help them findtheir shape.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
You know, I heard a pastor one time say sometimes
people will hesitate becauselike, well, I'm not sure if
that's for me or if I'd be goodat that or whatever.
And he was like do it andyou'll quickly find out if that
is the role you need to play andthen, if it's not great, check
that one off the list and moveon to the next.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Ask me how many days I lasted in the three year old
room.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
How many days?
Speaker 1 (16:00):
One days I lasted in the three-year-old room?
How many days?
One Half a day.
It was half a day and I thinkthey saw the writing on the wall
.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
They didn't ask me back.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
They put a line through your name.
I, like, did not compute it.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
I'm like, wait what?
And they need help with whatand what, crying because they
got hit with a dodgeball.
So question um, school isstarting soon, like for us,
really soon.
When would you start thisseries?
So, and also, if you're?
Watching this and it's infebruary or march or and you
really want to start a studentleadership team, don't be
discouraged.
But if, um, and go ahead andstart it.
But if you were to say was thebest time to start it when would
(16:37):
it be before school starts?
or like right when school starts, no, before Okay.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Yeah, which is kind of hard and tricky sometimes
because people are still out oftown.
And I remember last year I didthe SOS presentation and so many
students missed it.
And then I'm like, do I do itagain?
And so I guess you'll have totime it right for you.
The reason I say now, because Iwant to have my first meeting
the first Friday of September,so I need all those applications
(17:05):
to be in and I try to give themthree or four weeks to fill out
the application.
So it really has to start earlyAugust.
It just depends how long youwant application season to be
open.
You know, if it's only a twoweek turnaround, then you could
start more mid August, you know.
So that's why I mean, in oneyear I waited way late and we
(17:27):
had our first meeting in October.
That's not the end of the world.
We have a lot of meetings, butkind of.
I guess that depends on yourtimeline.
But the other thing, other thantheir jobs, is, you know, tell
them about the service project.
So I always say we learn toserve inside the church, we
learn to serve the body ofChrist, but now we're going to
serve outside the church,because the church exists for a
(17:49):
hurting world as well, not justto keep all of our people
comfortable and happy, but whatabout the world, you know?
So we do some service projectsthat are so great and we tell
students all about them.
And that's when they getexcited too, because, again,
these aren't things thatstudents are like typically
finding on their own, or likeI'd like to volunteer for
(18:11):
Habitat for Humanity, likeunless their parents are those
kinds of people they're notfinding these opportunities.
So you tell them, like you'regoing to be able to serve, like
like we do this big one with anautistic adult facility and it's
like the best We've donehomeless outreach and different
things like that.
And they're getting like thisfirsthand experience of like
(18:33):
well, that made me a littleuncomfortable in a good way, you
know I needed that and theyalways are totally changed.
And then the other picturepainting for them is it's
community too, like some of mybest friends at church are
because we've served together.
And so when you just walk intoa room and you're like, okay,
how do I get to know people?
Well, the number one way toform connection, I think, far
(18:56):
beyond small groups, is serving.
I am way closer to peoplethrough serving than any Bible
study I've ever attended, and Ithink it's because you're
solving problems together,you're working together, you're
maybe bonding over a difficultlike oh, that was uncomfortable
thing.
Um, you're having fun togetherthrough serving.
(19:18):
And, like my leadership team,my adult staff you know my 26 or
whatever volunteers and staff,that's a perfect example.
Like we just had our leadernight out last night and it was
like these are, someone said atthe end of it, can we build a
commune and all just livetogether?
And they're like you can bringJeff, though, and I was like yes
(19:41):
, no, just kidding.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Um, I was like I ruined a good time.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
I was like that's so sweet.
I finally had to kick them allout too, cause the host was like
looking at me, like I have anearly morning, and I was like
guys, uh, yeah, we got to getgoing and they never want it to
end.
Like, because serving justbrings out this side of you,
that you bond with those peopleand they become your friends,
and I want that for our students, you know, for them to
(20:06):
experience the joy of deepcommunity through working
together, being a part ofsomething bigger serving and you
can paint that picture for them.
Like, maybe you're havingtrouble finding community at
church but you're in a smallgroup.
You come every week butsomething's just not clicking.
Maybe it's because you haven'tserved.
That could be the it for you oflike how to feel connected here
(20:28):
.
I want everyone to come tochurch feeling connected.
Another vision I like to castfor students is through you
serving, you could have theopportunity to change someone's
life.
You know, whether you'rehelping out with the little kids
or a service project we do, orlearning how to reach out to
someone who's new at church andsome evangelistic stuff that we
(20:51):
teach kids at SOS, it's like youcould very well change
someone's life for the betterand, like I said before in your
life will inevitably be changed.
So bottom line is like we'rejust trying to create a vision
for them to see that the worldis bigger than you.
The church is probably not whatyou thought it was.
(21:12):
The purpose of church isprobably different than you've
been thinking.
Now you're like 11, 12, 13, 14.
So there's now it's time toshift to another gear.
Rather than I sat in circle timeand said my Bible verse and
sang songs and it was just likelittle kids don't like
necessarily usually have jobsthat they do at church or serve.
(21:34):
But now they're at an age wherethis is such a developmental
piece because we're alwayssaying we want students to start
owning their faith and not makeit their parents' faith anymore
and I think this is serving, isa developmental milestone for
that of having a way that Iowned, um, like this piece of
ministry.
You know when I was able to usesome gifts, or trying to at
(21:58):
least figure out what they were.
You know and, lastly, you knowone of my favorite things to do.
I don't know if you guys are atthis point where you can do
this yet, but when I do thepresentation, I love pointing
out the leaders in the room thatare now adults.
That were my adults.
They're very young adults, butthat they were former SOS kids.
(22:21):
I'll be like you guys love.
You know so-and-so Well.
Guess what?
She used to be an SOS kid.
She was sitting right where youguys were sitting, not more
than what?
Seven years ago, because itinstilled in her the love to
serve, the love for the church.
And now look at her.
You know she's a leader to youguys.
Could that be you in the future?
(22:41):
Is this where you start to getthat training for how to be
something for somebody else?
how to serve the church, how tolove God's people.
Well, it worked for him.
I mean, like he was just a kidlike you guys, and then he
signed up and now he's not a kid, because he signed up.
(23:02):
He like, continued to serve,like, and that's what I always
try to tell them Once you get ataste for serving, you kind of
can't stop.
You know, even if I wasn't paidto do my job, I would find some
student ministry to be like.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
I would find some kids to play dodgeball with
probably in the neighborhood.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
It'd be cool, We'd like stay out till, like our
moms called us in or whatever.
No, but you know what I mean?
Like I would, I would still bea small group leader for whoever
took my job, or a differentyouth group or something Like I
don't think youth group orsomething like I don't think I
could just be like well, thatwas that.
It was like, once you do it,it's kind of like this motion,
(23:45):
this thing that's been put intomotion that has this like
kinetic energy that won't stop,you know, but anyways, Anyways
if you guys are looking to startyour student leadership team, I
feel like this is probably oneof the most recommended episodes
.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
That we recommend is the how to launch a student
leadership team, so make sureyou check that out.
It'll be down in thedescription below.
We're going to do a communitycomment of the day and then
we're going to announce ourwinner for our 250th episode
giveaway.
We are on week two of giveawaysand then we believe we have two
more weeks after this, butwe'll do that in just a second.
(24:18):
All right, this is from TamlynEllis, who says Hi there, I
absolutely love your channel andthe heart you have for building
up youth.
It's been such an encouragementand resource for me.
Thanks so much for all you pourout to help leaders like me
grow.
You're a huge blessing.
You're a huge blessing, tamlyn.
Thank you, a huge blessing.
(24:39):
You're a huge blessing, tamlin.
Thank you so much.
She is.
We really appreciate that allright.
Now is the time for thegiveaway and what we're giving
away this week is is a flagfootball set and a starbucks
gift card.
Guess what?
Speaker 1 (24:52):
you can play flag tag with these.
I don't play flag football, Iplay flag tag.
We just did it at summer camp,so fun.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
So you have that going for you, which is nice
either, or All right, the winnerfor the flag football set and.
Starbucks gift card is Diana DeSilva Diana Congratulations and
you can play either flagfootball or flag tag or whatever
(25:20):
your heart desires I like flagif you guys are like what the
heck are you guys talking about?
uh, we're doing a giveaway rightnow, so make sure you check out
in the description below andit'll link over to where you can
find out the full details abouthow to enter.
And we're doing doing it, likeI said, for the next two weeks,
I believe two weeks coming up,so make sure you guys check that
out.
And thank you guys so much forwatching and listening and we'll
(25:42):
see you next time.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
Today we're talking about three ways to help
encourage.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
I stuttered.
I'm sorry, are you?
Speaker 1 (25:50):
bored right now.
You can cut that out.
Today we're talking about threeways that you can help your
youth group be on the youthgroup train.
I don't know, I just saidwhatever came to my head.
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