Follow Jesus' example when discipling the kids. Remember how Jesus helped His disciples grow in their faith: He conferred on them the spiritual authority they needed to do the job; He started them out with a doable challenge; He gave them specific boundaries for their responsibilities; He told them to expect God to meet their needs along the way; He told them to look for people who were open to what they had to give; He told them to expect trouble and not be surprised when it came; He showed His trust in them by not shadowing them as they ventured into the unknown; and He helped His disciples debrief their ministry adventures after they returned. Let these same principles guide you as you disciple the kids in your youth ministry.

Mentor kids. Learn how to listen carefully and to the kids’ thoughts and feelings. Give them your full attention and don’t judge them for what they share. Offer wise and encouraging feedback. Notice what God is doing in each of their lives, name it, and help them understand why it’s important. Lead kids to discover who Jesus says they are, so they can begin to see themselves as He sees them. Urge kids to spend some time in quiet prayer asking, “Who does Jesus say that I am?” and writing down the insights that result. Give kids who’d like to share their experiences opportunities to do so. Encourage your kids to discover, develop, and use their natural talents and spiritual gifts. Let them know that you’re thinking of them and praying for them every day.

Help kids evangelize. Understand that effective evangelism is a marathon rather than a sprint, so be patient. Encourage kids to share their faith with their peers through one-on-one relationships. Urge them to pray frequently, tell others about Jesus often, and invite people they know to church regularly. Help them make sharing their faith a habit they incorporate into their daily lives.

Lead small groups wisely. Create a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for the kids feel like family members. Keep discussions on track with the right momentum, clarity, and direction. Help kids reflect on their experiences in youth ministry, interpret a biblical truth that’s connected to it, and then apply that truth.

Urge kids to be bold in their outreach. Motivate kids to serve others as Jesus served so they can bless others and discover more about Jesus and themselves in the process. Stretch them out of their comfort zones by encouraging them to do something that seems scary, like creating a new worship service for the church, doing a work project in a place that makes them uncomfortable, or reaching out to people whose problems are beyond their ability to solve. Introduce managed crisis into kids’ lives to motivate them to trust Jesus in new ways.