Free Youth Ministry Resources!

Credit: Creative Commons (Mark Holloway)

In tough economic times and shrinking budgets, who doesn't love free youth ministry resources? If you're a youth worker who's facing a small budget, but you want to have a BIG impact on the students in your church and in your community, here are some fantastic Free Youth Ministry Resources you can implement in your ministry immediately and make you a much more effective youth worker:


Caring, Loving Adults. I know what some of you might say: a team of adults doesn't cost zero dollars to maintain. Sure, the ideal situation is that you can take your team to training events, buy them a helpful book on youth ministry, and maybe even send them a $5 Starbucks card at Christmas just to say "thank you" for a great year of ministry. But even if you've got zero budget dollars, you can still have a great team of adult leaders.* Not only can you have some amazing leaders who are willing to spend time each week loving teenagers, but many others who might not be up for leading a small group will be more than happy to provide cookies or other snacks for your next event--that is, if you would only ask.

Prayer. This is a resource I know we don't take advantage of nearly enough. No, it's not practical to spend all of our ministry time praying (it wouldn't be the worst thing we could do, though). But what if we spent a little less time reading books on leadership, hanging out on Facebook, and looking for free game ideas on the internet, and instead spent a little more time praying for our students, families, and volunteers, as well as praying for God to shape us as leaders? I'd be willing to bet we'd see a huge change in the right direction.

Coachability. As a youth pastor, I hope it's okay if I say this to you: I wonder sometimes if youth workers are some of the least teachable ministry leaders around. I think we as youth workers sometimes have an attitude of, "We're the only ones who understand teenagers and really want to reach them for Jesus." When we have this attitude (which has at its root a whole lot of pride), we stop looking to others--especially those outside of youth ministry--to help us grow as followers of Jesus and as leaders. And know that as I write this, I'm well aware that it's something I've struggled with a lot as I've grown as a leader.

There you have it: some of the best youth ministry resources around. Which resources would you add to the list?

*One required cost of recruiting an adult leader is a background check, which some ministries ask potential volunteers to pay for.

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