Okay, in the last blog I talked about a change in focus in the way you may be approaching the Core Team.  Hopefully you are still with me, because going strong into Core ministry will make a huge difference.  This kind of focus will definitely give you a much more consistent, healthy team… the problem is, without this next point it is not going to help your Life Teen program at all. In fact, it might just wreck it.  Read on to see what I mean.

2. Be inspired and it inspires

Core Members getting happy/fisty at Life Teen's CMU in Atlanta (2009)

Have you recently communicated the mission of Life Teen to your parish?  How much time do you spend communicating it to your Core? Are you excited about it?  Have you shared that excitement?  A sense of mission can make a team, and not having one can break a team.  Seriously.  If your team does not know what the mission and/or don’t feel they are part of it, they wont show up.  If you invest time in ministering to the Core Team, but have not clearly communicated the vision for Life Teen and where the Core fits into it, it is going to be a train wreck.  It might be good ministry for the Core, and it might be a lot of fun, but the mission will get lost and the teens will be forgotten.

So, if you are struggling with Core commitment you might need to revisit mission with them.  You might even consider spending sometime with your Core Team developing a shared mission for the Core.  It is something you can refer to when interviewing possible candidates, and it is something you can revisit and revise yearly.

There is a real danger here as well and I need to address it.  Your mission needs to inspire YOU.  If you can read it and do not get excited about the call God has placed on your team, then chances are you have not found you mission.  Also, your “mission statement” should not be limited by “limitation.”  God is not limited by the budget or facilities. Seriously.  Go Big or Go Home.

Part two of this Point (that’s right part two has a part two).  Where are you in your faith walk?  Youth Ministry can be the best worst job you will ever have.  If you are not careful the daily realities of working in the kingdom can leave you feeling a little burnt (or a lot burnt.)  Are you taking care of you?  Are you inspired?  When was the last time you went on a real retreat?  Not a conference, not a Core retreat, but a “you away from your job” retreat? You might need to go.  Are you reading anything that excites you? Is there a healthy balance in your life?  Dating, Marriage, Work, Play? If it is all youth ministry all the time you are probably burnt out or burning out.  And when we flame out there is a good chance that we will take the team with us. There is a great line from Remember the Titans “Attitude Reflects Leadership, Captain” If you are burning out, it affects your team.  Their attitude towards the ministry will reflect yours.  So, take care of you so you will be taking care of your team.

Part three will cover what a lot of you were looking for in part one.  Finding Core.  It might exactly what you had in mind…

Next: “Don’t Be Desperate”