Insiders,

We’ve got another great post from our good friends over at Christ in Youth. Chris Roberts teams up with John Luzadder, CIY’s Director of Sr. High Ministries, to talk 10 ways to reignite your passion for youth ministry. Enjoy!

Don’t give up! Reignite your passion for youth ministry

By Chris Roberts, with John Luzadder – CIY’s Senior Director of Sr. High Ministries

There are moments as a youth minister when things can become discouraging. Every youth minister has been disillusioned at some point in their ministry – sometimes even to the point of wanting to quit.

Perhaps you’re feeling a financial strain, or the differences in opinion with church leadership on teaching. Maybe you feel pulled too often between caring for your youth ministry and caring for your family. Or maybe you’re beginning to wonder if God is calling you to a different ministry altogether.

Before giving up on youth ministry and letting those moments of discouragement get you down, Christ In Youth’s John Luzadder suggests 10 ways that you can reignite your passion for youth ministry. As senior director of Sr. High ministry at CIY and a 20-year veteran of youth ministry, Luzadder has helped encourage many other youth ministers over the years.

“I’ve been there when it seems like things just aren’t going right,” Luzadder said. “You begin to feel overwhelmed with all of the things that are on your plate. It’s at those times that I find it’s important to refocus by turning to God. Every time I step back and let God refresh me, my passion for youth ministry comes back renewed.”

Luzadder said he always suggests these 10 tactics to youth ministers looking to reignite their passion for ministry.

1. Find and protect moments of solitude

2. Seek out a trusted mentor

3. Read a book that has been sitting on your shelf

4. Rewrite your youth ministry purpose statement and goals

5. Plan a FUN brainstorming time with your core volunteers

6. Solicit successes from other youth ministers in your community

7. Attend a ministers retreat – such as CIY’s Wilderness (www.ciy.com/wilderness)

8. Read/Study the book of 1 Peter

9. Find three places to have fun and laugh this month

10. Spend three hours doing something you love outside – golf, exercise, take a walk, hunt, etc.

When you begin feeling that twinge of burnout, these 10 tactics will help you refocus your attention on your relationship with God, and you’ll quickly begin to feel refreshed and renewed in your passion for youth ministry.