If you have a youth director, you are blessed. Many young people would give anything to have a youth director. Whatever you do, please do not take your youth director for granted. I do know that youth directors everywhere need young people who will encourage them. God gave me the privilege of being a youth director for a few years before putting me in the pastoral ministry. My wife and I were blessed with some tremendous young people. Many of these young people are now faithfully serving the Lord today. I truly believe that a youth director/leader is very valuable to the young people in the Lord’s churches. Here are some of the ways that young people can encourage their youth leader and his wife. Many of these ideas would apply to encouraging a pastor, Sunday school teacher or Christian school teacher. To any young people who read this, I want to challenge you to encourage your youth leader and his wife.1) Be faithful to church.
A youth director loves to see his young people faithful to every church service.
2) Be faithful to all youth events.
This would include Sunday school, teen hour (like FRMBC’s ProTeens), teen soul winning, teen prayer time, youth revivals, youth conferences, teen camp, etc.
3) Be a soul winner.
If you really want to encourage your youth director, lead a soul to Christ.
4) Show up early.
When you show up early, you can meet the visitors, be friendly, and help to set a good spirit.
5) Be responsive in services.
It’s okay for young men to say “amen” at the appropriate times. Pay attention, and allow God to speak to your heart. It will encourage your youth director to see you respond during the invitation.
6) Sing.
As a young person, you must learn to sing. Sing with fervency! Think about the words of the songs. A youth group that loves to sing is a youth group that is spiritual.
7) Sit up front.
I have never seen a young person do great things for God from the back row of Sunday school or church.
8) Look for ways to help.
Help your youth director set up before activities and clean up after activities. Don’t allow your youth director’s wife to clean the church kitchen. Don’t allow the youth director to sweep the bus/van. Take the initiative to help in any way possible.
9) Express your gratitude.
Be thankful. Thank your youth director for lessons, messages, activities, etc. Write a lot of thank you notes—be a thankful teenager.
10) Write notes of encouragement to your youth director and his wife.
I still have many notes of encouragement from young people in my youth group. Those young people will probably never know how much those notes encouraged me.
11) Don’t complain.
As a youth director, I organized a few activities that were awful. Perhaps you have experienced a boring activity. No matter what – don’t complain. Be glad that you have a youth director and youth activities of any kind; many teens do not.
12) Never criticize.
Your youth director needs your support not your criticism. Don’t be negative. Look for opportunities to compliment and encourage your youth director. Your parents should do that as well.
13) Be consistent.
Look like a Christian, act like a Christian, dress like a Christian, talk like a Christian 24/7. This will be a great encouragement to your youth director.
14) Pray for your youth director.
Pray for him daily. Pray for his wife and family. Pray that God would give him wisdom and power. Let him know that you are praying for him.
15) Communicate.
Let your youth director know how you are doing. Keep him informed about decisions you are making. Ask your youth director to pray for specific needs that you have.
Your youth director has invested much time, energy, and prayer into your life. After you graduate, don’t throw it all away. Continue to live for God. Stay faithful to church. FRMBC youth are encouraged to attend our Bible institute. Ask your pastor to have such a ministry for post -high school youth. Seek God’s will for your life. Seeing you give your life to God to serve Him will encourage your youth director like nothing else can.
