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An Impossibly Large List of Youth Ministry Resolutions

“Shoot for the moon, and you just might hit the street light!”

I’m not sure where I first heard it, but that pithy little quote has served me well over the years. I think it’s a  perfect reminder for all of us as we head into a new year of ministry.  A new year brings a new opportunity to set goals, make changes, try new things and shoot for the moon! So in that spirit I offer my impossibly large list of youth ministry resolutions for 2016.

I, Kurt Johnston, resolve to….

  • Quit calling students in my youth group “dude!” (guys) and “friend!” (girls) and actually do the tough work of learning names.
  • Pay attention to my youth ministry budget. It’s not big, but it deserves being stewarded well.
  • Send handwritten notes and birthday cards to my volunteers.
  • Quit comparing my youth ministry space to the kid’s ministry space.
  • Quit comparing my ministry schedule to the Worship Pastor’s.
  • Be a more open listener to criticism.
  • Catch people on my team doing something good and acknowledge it in front of others.
  • Spend more time at the feet of Jesus.
  • Worship during the adult church service instead of being critical of it.
  • Spend time with my heroes and mentors.
  • Be a more intentional mentor to others.
  • Graciously adhere to church policies, especially the ones that make no sense to me.
  • Pray for my pastor.
  • Offer to help a ministry other than my own.
  • Leave every part of the church our youth ministry touches better than we found it.
  • Say “yes” to at least one ridiculous request my senior pastor makes that everybody else avoids…take one for the team.

For me, that list feels like a moon shot. Some may wonder why it’s even worth making a list of resolutions I know I’ll never fulfill.

But I think sometimes hitting the street light feels pretty good.

– Kurt

4 thoughts on “An Impossibly Large List of Youth Ministry Resolutions

  1. Just wanted to say that Kurt’s resolutions ‘hit home’ with me.
    I am going to print them out and tweek them a bit for my own youth ministry position – I’m in my first year btw and it’s been a ride!

    +peace to all of you, lauretta

    • So glad you found them helpful, Lauretta! Praying that the rest of “year one” is a good one!
      KJ

  2. Kurtis Abla

    Dude, your resolutions spoke to the heart. It is amazing to me that the resolutions you listed resonated so close to me personally as I am guilty of falling into having the same attitude that these address. Thanks for letting me know that I am not the only one out there that needs to adjust my thinking and heart.

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An Impossibly Large List of Youth Min...

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