Leadership: What's your DNA?
17th February 2010 by Wes Bust
More important than numbers
There are lots of cool programs and ideas flying around in youth ministry all the time. We can be tempted to try them all in order to have a ‘successful' youth ministry.
A successful youth ministry... how do we measure that?
You might say, "Ahh, that's easy! By the numbers that we get."
I'd like to suggest, however, that a successful youth ministry is not measured by the numbers in the youth ministry, or by the amount of programs that we run.
I believe that a successful youth ministry is based on something much deeper than that.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (aka DNA)
When you look at 10 different people they all have similar things (hair, eyes, arms, legs) but there is usually one thing that makes them uniquely different. Their DNA. DNA is a person's genetic makeup. It's almost like a genetic fingerprint if you like.
It is the same with youth ministries. You could look at 10 different youth ministries and try and copy all of the different things that they are doing which you might think will make your youth ministry successful. But the thing that you don't see is the DNA of the place.
Create the DNA
As a leader you have the unique opportunity from time to time to add into the DNA of the group you lead. You contribute something that makes that group unique.
It is really important to be careful to add in things that will be fruitful for the group. Not just to add what we want to see happen.
Through the mission priorities, the territory has offered some really cool ideas for things we can build into the DNA of our groups.
Your youth ministry is your fingerprint
Our DNA is so important in setting the culture within your group. To do that, ask yourself what values in your youth ministry are not negotiable.
I don't want to tell you what the non-negotiable values should be because DNA is unique to every setting. Some things are similar, but some aren't. Ask your corps officer or pastor to help you with this.
Once you identify the DNA of your group, healthy culture and attractiveness will be fruits produced from that.
Wes Bust has been involved in Youth Ministry at a corps level for over a decade. He is passionate about seeing young peoples' lives transformed by the power that is found in Jesus.
Wes currently serves with his wife Debbie as the Corps Officers of the Bowen Corps CNQ Division. They have two beautiful kids, Georgia and Logan. He would love to see young people develop the God given potential that they have to the full so that we can all see them make a Kingdom impact on the world.
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Comments
Nice article champ!
Wes what is your DNA?
W - illing
E - xcitable
S - ervant
Bless ya mate!