Enlisting and Training Youth Workers-Part 2

(Part 2 of an article contributed by Chuck Gartman, Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church in Lubbock, TX and owner of Go To Youth Ministry, a consulting firm specializing in leadership development.)

What Workers Are Needed? 

An effective Youth Sunday School organization includes the following positions. (As your read, keep in mind that this is an ideal organization. In your church there may not be a need for every one of these positions; or you may need a combination of these. Fit these positions into your church’s organizational structure in the way that best meets the needs of your youth and youth ministry.)

• Minister of Youth-Ideally, the youth minister should be the lead person in the Youth Sunday School organization. 
• Youth Division Director-Coordinates the work of two or more Youth Sunday School Departments in your church. 
• Youth Department Director-The department director is the coordinator of two or more classes in a department. 
• Teacher-Helps youth discover the truth of Scripture in small group experiences. 
• Outreach/Evangelism Leader-Coordinates the work of outreach in a department and provides opportunities for training in outreach and evangelism. 
• Secretary-The secretary keeps records of attendance and other important data on youth. In many churches, the secretary and outreach-evangelism leader are combined into one position. 

These jobs in the Youth Sunday School organization are to be filled by adults. There are some youth positions that are also vitally important to the organization:

• Class Leader-A youth who assists the teacher in all the work of the Sunday School. 
• Care Leader-The care leader takes responsibility for three or four other youth in his or her class-to reach them, witness to them, and minister to them. 
• Class Member-Without this person Youth Sunday School would not have much purpose! 

The organization of Youth Sunday School illustrates a vitally important principle: Each person is an integral part of the team! Each has a job to do, and if that job goes undone the youth are the ones who suffer. To function as an efficient team, each adult worker needs to be in attendance at workers meetings. Occasionally, the youth members of the team should also attend workers meeting-this will keep the adults in touch with teenage culture, as well as help the workers know if they are on target in their approach to Youth Sunday School.

Whatever your organization, each member of the team needs a depth of commitment that will impact the lives of teenagers. Securing that kind of commitment is difficult -the worker needs to know what is expected and what they can expect from their leaders.

“Communicate to the worker what you are willing to promise in the way of support-physically and spiritually-and what you are expecting in return from the worker. These expectations might include attendance at training opportunities; attendance at workers meetings; knowledge of the church’s plan for providing supplies, materials, and other support; regular attendance at worship services; communicating with youth beyond Sunday morning; witnessing, ministry, visitation; and the need to arrive early and to be present consistently on Sunday morning.” (BREAKTHROUGH: Youth Sunday School Work, p. 84)

One way of securing this kind of commitment is through the use of a workers’ covenant. In dealing with volunteers you need to be careful how you communicate the use of this covenant, but it is a way of getting in writing a commitment from youth workers concerning their work in Youth Sunday School.