Last week we gathered with youth leaders from around the country.  It was a great time of thinking, analyzing, and celebrating together our love of youth mission trips.  Sorta like a family reunion (but not like the cheesy family reunion photo I chose for this post).  I love times like that.  It was our second year of hosting this meeting and just like last year I learned new things.

Here’s some of my insights:

• This group was pretty representative of youth ministry as a whole.  There were more volunteer youth leaders than paid.  There were just as many women as men.  And many of these leaders were responsible for more than just high school ministry at their church.
• No surprise, but these leaders believed that involving youth in service was integral to their developing a healthy relationship with Jesus.
• The relationship we have with these leaders means they are willing to share honest, real feedback with us.
• These leaders want to grow and develop.  They do not think they have it all figured out.

When you read this list do you think of your team, your ministry?  We consider these leaders part of our team.  We create the mission experiences we create for them.  They are on our team.  My prayer and hope for you would be your ministry would be made up of these kinds of people.

• People from every walk of life, age, level of involvement, levels of experience, both women and men.  All of them interested in working with you to help students grow in their relationship with Jesus.
• People who understand that involving students in service is an integral part of their development.
• People to give you honest, real feedback.
• People who want to grow and develop.  Not happy with what they know or worse believe they have nothing to learn

If you already have a team like this, consider yourself blessed.  God is going to use you to change lives.