Empowering Teenagers to Lead In Ministry

Biblical Support For Empowering Teenagers To Lead

I am sure you’ve read this verse from 1 Timothy before. Maybe you’ve even taught a sermon on it or used it to encourage a student. The beauty of this verse is that it echoes the heart of the gospel of God’s Kingdom. God is the ultimate adult in the scope of all of creation. And if He is the adult, we are, at most, teenagers by comparison. Anything God wants to do, He could do cleaner, easier, and more polished without our help. Yet, for some reason, God considers it better to partner with His teenagers (humanity) in bringing His Kingdom down to earth. It isn’t cleaner, easier, or more polished. Yet it’s better. Empowering teenagers to lead is better.

When we let teenagers lead in our church, we reflect the heart of the gospel. It’s better with them even if it’s cleaner, easier, or more polished without them.

How Teens Lead At My Church

No church is perfect, and mine is no exception. But one of my favorite things about my home church is how integrated our teens are in service and leadership. This isn’t something that happened over night but something that we prayed on and worked hard to cultivate, remembering that they can truly set an example for other people.

It gives me so much joy to watch my students teach in kids ministry, lead worship, run tech, give announcements on stage and welcome people into our family at the front door. Empowering teens to lead in ministry is one of the greatest things you can do for them as well as for the health of your church.

Imagine what this could look like in your context! I want to share some helpful tips and strategies to empower your teens to lead in ministry.

1) Don’t be afraid to ask

Some students may jump into leadership without any assistance but others might need a little nudging. Don’t overlook them! Instead, seek them out. So many students may be eager to grow in their leadership but may not know how to go about it.

I’ve noticed on various occasions students who are starting to drift that really just need some buy-in in order to re-engage! Let me give you an example:

I currently have a senior who started to disengage, attendance was less frequent, he seemed kind of bored. Spur of the moment a couple of weeks ago, I asked him to help out in leading the middle school boys small group.

He KILLED IT (or he “slayed”, you know – as they kids would say…I think).

During the week I asked if he’d be interested in helping more regularly. However, he felt like he hadn’t done much and wasn’t sure he would be a lot of help. (Excuse me sir, you got 15 middle school boys to sit in chairs all at the same time. You worked magic!) I ensured him that he did way more than he could imagine and encouraged him to give it a try.

Our senior is now leading his own middle school small group and he is thriving as he invests in other students! All it took was an ask. Our students want to do more than busy work and they want to know that their time is being used productively. They want to know that you trust them to do more than they think they can do.

2) Let teenagers lead out of their passion and gifting

Let’s be blunt here – we can’t just shove a teen in an open serving slot and expect them to thrive or rise to leadership. This is your invitation to take the time to get to know your students a little better and invest in them a little deeper; find out what sort of things they like. What are their giftings? What do they despise doing? Continue asking questions. Give them a spiritual gift assessment to take.

If a student is placed somewhere that does not support their giftings they may succeed at the task at hand but they won’t have the same passion for it. Finding more about how God has crafted them helps your student feel seen and understood.

3) Serve Alongside them

Empowering teenagers to lead works best when you serve alongside them! And not just you (although you totally should as well) but the other adults in the areas where they are serving. Allow other adults to get on board in supporting the younger generation by serving alongside them, letting them lead and grow where they’ve been planted.

Students need more adults in their lives rooting for them and working with them instead of just adding more pressure onto their plates.

During the summers, our students go on short term mission trips. During their time away, we, as leaders, get to serve alongside them. We do the work with them, get dirty alongside them, talk with them, and share a lot of amazing moments. I truly feel like this isolated time that we have in serving with them has catapulted their serving and leadership back home because they’ve seen what they are capable of. They have seen that they are a valued member of a team. You’re not just giving them service opportunities, you’re giving them community! 

4) Don’t burn them out

If you’ve been in youth ministry for any length of time, you know students carry some pretty hefty loads. Between school, sports, extracurriculars, and friends – they’ve got a lot going on. It seems to me that high school now is way more competitive than I remember it to be.

We want to make sure that the leadership opportunities that our students are investing in are giving them life and not further burning them out. This is not an area where they need to compete with the person next to them or prove their worth by how much they can achieve. They can come as they are, with a heart to serve and be encouraged by what they accomplish. Help them to remember that they are building the Kingdom, not a resume.

Final Thought: Looking Ahead

Our students are truly capable of much more than we can expect or imagine. Don’t be afraid to give them responsibility and watch them rise to leadership. It is our duty to assist them in engaging with the body of Christ. Not only that, but it’s our joy!