Building The All-Star Youth Ministry Team

Finally...a PROVEN...Step-By-Step System To Build An All Star Youth Ministry Volunteer Team
(Without Begging)

What if you could do ONE Thing that would instantly propel you towards building a ministry you would never want to leave?

There are many things that are essential for longevity and effectiveness in youth ministry. There is one thing though, that if you get it right, almost guarantees you success.


Every youth pastor has to deal with it, but few do it well. And to be honest, most really stink at it.


Before we get to that I have a question for you.


Why?


Why are you doing this crazy thing called youth ministry?


Why do you invest all this time and energy into teenagers when everyone else seems to run from them?


Why do you want to see God show up in the lives of students?


What would be measurably different in your life if tomorrow morning you woke up and you had exactly what you wanted and needed in your ministry?


That is a very important question.


And one you HAVE to be crystal clear on before starting this journey. Or else you will quit.


How Asthma Camp shaped my life and ministry (yes, Asthma Camp is a real thing)


Prior to being a Youth Pastor, my only camp experience was a week at Asthma Camp when I was 10. It was every bit as exciting as it doesn’t sound.


As a kid, I was a chronic asthmatic and spent a ton of time in the hospital. My 5th grade year I missed over 40 days being hospitalized for my asthma and a had a couple of really close calls making it to the ER in time.


My mom, not wanting me to miss out on the summer camp experience, signed me up for a week of asthma camp...in the woods...with EVERYTHING I was allergic to.


My strongest memories from that week involve a guy explaining what healthy and unhealthy lungs looked like using cow lungs in 5 gallon buckets of water, a nature hike through the woods at night with no flashlights, and a weird kid in my cabin who was obsessed with Dungeons and Dragons.


The lungs totally freaked me out, the nature hike literally gave me an asthma attack, and Mr. Dungeons and Dragons kept me awake with nightmares and his constant talking about witches, warlocks, and casting spells on everyone at camp.


Traumatic week as a 10 year old. Thanks mom…


One thing became abundantly clear that week though. I was not an athlete. Nor was I slightly athletic in any sense of the word.


I should have known this. I “played” soccer for 2 games in the 4th grade, but quit after getting kicked in the face with a ball and having an asthma attack on the field.


Soccer_Pic.jpg


I didn’t just get picked last for dodgeball in gym class, I didn’t get picked.


Yeah, I was that kid.


So if I was ever going to participate in any type of games or sports involving athleticism and competition, I’d have to find something other than God given talent...because I didn’t have any of that.


What I found out that week at Asthma Camp and the years that followed is that we are usually lazy when it comes to the things we are naturally talented in. We rely heavily on our ability and rarely put 100% of our effort in it.


Most coaches I know will tell you that they spend a ton of their time motivating their players to push harder and get better and not get comfortable with just getting by.


Then I had a HUGE epiphany.


My great epiphany was that if I could out hustle other kids, players, etc., I could not only compete, but I could win. And hustle I did.


Along with my new found ability to out-hustle, I began to realize I was terrified of failure.


The fear of failing made me even more determined to hustle even harder.


And you know what?


It worked.


Until one day in the 7th grade during a dodgeball game.


It was the game of all games. It had come down to myself and Steve. Steve played football, was extremely athletic, and twice my size in muscle alone (which actually isn’t saying much, but you get the picture).


For the record, I had not simply been hiding in the back all game. I was out-hustling my way to victory.


I couldn’t believe it really. I had a chance to be a hero and ride off into the sunset.


It would be the moment other kids would write about in the yearbooks. The day I took down Steve. David versus Goliath.


My whole team was chanting my name and cheering me on from the sidelines. It was invigorating. An experience like I had never had before.


As I looked over at my teammates (who had not picked me) I knew I couldn’t let them down. I had to win this.


As I turned back towards Steve ready to end this, it happened.


Steve threw the ball so hard and so fast it hit me before my head even got turned around from enjoying my moment.


It literally knocked me from almost half court to the baseline, and I never even saw it coming.


I was out. I lost. My team lost.


...and then I had another asthma attack.


Back to my key takeaway after being in youth ministry 18+ years


Hustle will get you really far, but it isn’t enough and eventually you’ll crash.


I applied the same amount of hustle to my ministry that I had in every other endeavor in my life.


I set out to outwork everyone around me in trying to reach the campuses, minister to families, get students serving, and more.


I slowly took on more and more. I was often praised for “how hard I worked,” which felt good to hear.


And because ministry is so relational, the more time and effort I put into it, the more results it seemed to yield.


But eventually, I ran out of me. Everything caught up with me at once and I found myself overwhelmed, discouraged, tired, and frustrated.


In my ministry, I needed help. But not just any help, I needed to build an all star team of volunteers who were committed to Jesus, and loved teens.


Turned out, that was easier said than done.


My goal from that moment on, has been to figure out how to create a ministry that didn’t rely on me doing every detail.


For me to be effective--for the youth ministry to be effective, it needed to be Jody-proof.


It needed to NOT rely on me to be everywhere doing everything with every student and parent.


It also needed to NOT rely on me solely having to constantly be recruiting alone.


And it HAD to allow me to be able to really pastor and shepherd the students in my ministry.


 

Building a high-quality volunteer team is the single most powerful thing you can do to grow the effectiveness and influence of your ministry.


If you are just starting your ministry or trying to successfully move away from a you-centered ministry, a quality volunteer team is your golden ticket.


But how do you build an all star team?

I made tons of mistakes (and recruited several...ummm really nice people?) along the way, but I was determined to figure out how to do it well.

Then I did it.

I built a team of volunteers that didn’t just think youth ministry was fun.

They didn’t just serve there because their kids were there.

They didn’t just fill a hole that I had begged to be filled.

They loved Jesus and were committed to the gospel.

They loved teens and their parents.

They loved me and they loved my family.

And they loved each other.

After years of trying to figure it out, I finally came across the framework I’d been hunting for.

The framework I implemented can be applied to anyone who wants to build a great team, free up time to allow them to really invest relationally in students, and build a ministry that they’ll never want to leave.

In fact, over the last few years I’ve taught youth pastors in all different scenarios of ministry to do the same thing I’ve done.

Here are just a few different environments that this framework has been applied to through my own experience and through those I’ve trained:

-Volunteer Youth Pastors

-Part-time and Bi-Vocational Youth Pastors

-Full-time Youth Pastors

-Young Youth Pastors just getting started

-Veteran Youth Pastors who’ve been at this a while

-Rural Churches

-Urban Churches

-Parachurch Organizations

-Churches of less that 50 in total attendance

-Youth Ministries varying in size from 5 to hundreds

A lot of people look at their situation and think it would be easier if they were in the other.

Youth pastors and leaders of smaller ministries tend to feel they don’t really need a lot of volunteers helping. Sometimes the expectation is for them to be the one doing it all. So they do their best to do it all.

Youth pastors and leaders of larger ministries can often struggle to stay organized, or worry about things being done well aiming for perfection, and end also end up taking on way more than they should.

Both of these end the same. Each will hit a wall, burn out, tire out, and eventually self-destruct.

I’ve found that having an amazing, all star team is far more important than being seen doing it all, or pulling off things off perfectly if you want to reach your goal.

A team gives you the ability to accomplish more.

A team helps ensure that every student connects with a loving adult.

A team gives you community and support around you.

A team helps you be more successful.

A team allows you to focus more on your gifts and talents.

 

Whatever you do, avoid these 3 things

(when recruiting your team)!


There is one thing you have to avoid when building your youth ministry team.

A fatal mistake.

There are 3 mistakes I constantly see people making that derail them and crush their chances of building an all star team of volunteers...

On my journey in building a great team, I encountered each one of these and was able to beat them. You will face each one of them on your journey. But you HAVE TO OVERCOME them if you're going to reach your goal of buildling your own team.


Mistake #1: Recruiting blindly

Recruiting blindly happens when we ask those we don’t know very well to step in and serve in our ministries. Most do this more than we are willing to admit.

This can cause all sorts of problems. You can end up with some serious wackadoos serving in your ministry.

Not only do they not really fit in your ministry, they can cause more problems than you could have ever imagined. And now you are stuck with them.

This could also land you in some dangerous situations if you don’t screen and train them well. You could easily put your students in danger by recruiting blindly.

Even those you may get that are amazing won’t really know where they fit. You won’t know where to put them, what their strengths are, or what they really enjoy.

Recruiting blindly will always end poorly. It is a mistake we make often for sure.


Mistake #2: Recruiting vaguely

Recruiting vaguely is recruiting without specifics in mind. You have no real specifics at what you’re asking them to do, you just know you need them.

You also haven’t thought through the time commitments required or what kind of things they may need to be successful.

Recruiting vaguely will not only frustrate those you recruit, it will hinder the recruitment of others. Others will see the lack of organization and the frustration of those you’ve recruited and run (probably back to the children’s ministry...at least they get snacks).

You will land those who want to help, but not necessarily those you need to help. Recruiting vaguely will always be a mistake.


Mistake #3: Recruiting alone

Even if you are starting a ministry from scratch, you don’t have to, and shouldn’t be, recruiting alone. Doing all of the recruiting yourself is never effective. There are a few reasons for this.

First, people likely expect you to be the one doing it. Therefore they assume it is your “job” to recruit volunteers so they are less likely to really listen and take the invitation seriously.

Second, you can’t know everyone. Regardless of the size of your church or ministry there are people who would likely do really well working with your students that you simply won’t know. They may have even worked with the youth in the past, but you weren’t around then so you have no idea.

Third, you will usually only recruit those people you like and are personally drawn to. This hurts those students in your ministry who aren’t like you, don’t relate to the same people as you, and need other types and personalities to thrive.

Also, you can’t do everything all the time. Don’t get me wrong, you should be recruiting. You should always be recruiting, but you shouldn’t be doing it all yourself. There are other things that also need your attention and focus.



That's why I've put together a step-by-step system to help you overcome each of these mistakes and ensure you reach your goal of building an all star team of youth ministry volunteers.

Building the All Star Team isn't just a course. It's a master class and coaching system designed to take you by the hand and teach you the principles and strategies needed to build an powerful and effective team of volunteers.

And to provide the accountability and support system you crave.

Easy-to-follow lessons?

Supportive community of Youth Workers?

Built-in accountability?

Unlimited personal consulting as you need help along the way?

 

This course is grounded in proven principles and strategies that work. It's broken down into simple, step-by-step lessons that allow you to walk through each phase of building your volunteer team.

Each lesson will leave you with an easy-to-follow action item so you can methodically implement what you've learned.

No guesswork.

No reverse engineering.

No more blog posts or podcast.

Just follow the plan.

What will you learn in this course?

This course covers three primary topics:

Knowing you need a team is only the first step. Figuring out what exactly to do with them and where exactly to look for them is another thing altogether.

In the Building the All Star Team course you’ll learn how to make sure you know where you need the help most as well as how to identify who can serve in those spots.

In the course you’ll learn several ways to identify future volunteers regardless of the size of your church or ministry. It is broken down so you can easily follow along and implement it in your context.

But (and here is the important part), me teaching you a bunch of strategies won’t help you.

The key to reaching your goal is following a proven framework.

The Building the All Star Team course isn’t just a collection of a bunch of strategies: it gives you the framework you need to implement the strategies in finding the volunteers you need.


One of the biggest problems I ran into early on was knowing how to ask someone to serve in the youth ministry well.

  • How do you ask so you clearly present the need?

  • How do you ask so you clearly present the opportunity?

  • How do you ask so they'll actually say yes?!

You're passionate about youth ministry. You see the need for God to do something amazing in the lives of the teens you serve. You just can't seem to get everyone to see it the same way.

Let's face it, most adults are either scared or sceptical of teens (often times both).

Knowing the right way to ask and recruit makes all the difference.

If you don't know how to ask the right way, you'll just find yourself super frustrated, bitter, confused, and discouraged.

It doesn't have to be this way.

I'm going to give you an easy-to-follow blueprint to master the ask. No guesswork. No spending forever trying to convince people to serve. You will see exactly how to convey what you're asking and how to do so when you're recruiting you team.



One of the biggest things I didn't realize when I first started in youth ministry was how important it was to keep the team I had. The work doesn't stop when you're building a team.

Getting people on the team is only the first step. Keeping a team over the long haul makes all the difference.

So I've built an entire module into the course on this topic.

This is where ministry can be really fun.

  • You will learn what your leaders need from you most.

  • You will learn how to go about giving them what they need from you.

  • You will learn how to leverage your current team to help you grow your team.

These are the benefits and strategies that really begin to free you up to focus on the parts of ministry you really enjoy and are most important.

If you want to have a lasting influence on your students, these lessons will help propel you forward.

Course Details

You Will Get:

Quick orientation of the course and what to expect.

You will learn (maybe just to admit) why you need a team.

You will learn what exactly your team needs from you.

You will learn how to identify the roles you need on your team in your context.

You will learn why your unique calling is crucial to your success and how to identify it.

You will learn some REALLY important reminders of what you need in your team.


Objective of this module:

To identify the specific needs you have in your ministry, how to specifically identify them, and owning your unique calling.


You will learn what the absolute must haves for potential team members.

You will earn exactly how to define the roles on the team.

You will learn how to write the job descriptions for each role on your team.

You will learn important things to consider when looking for volunteer leaders on your team.

You will learn where to look for the volunteer leaders you need on your team.


Objective of this module:

Specify the needs you have and identify potential volunteers to recruit.


You will earn the BIGGEST mistake everyone makes when recruiting (I promise you do this)

You will learn how to master "the ask" when approaching potential volunteers for your team.

You will learn the details of how to recruit the right way.

You will learn the difference between vision and purpose and why these matter when recruiting.

You will learn the importance of transformational characteristics.


Objective of the module:

To effectively recruit the leaders you need for the spots you've identified (this is the fun part).



You will learn the basics of keeping the team you've recruited.

You will learn the need for community on your team and ways to cultivate it.

You will learn practical ways to encourage those on your team.

You will learn the needs your team has from you as their leader.

You will learn how to handle asking a leader to step away from the team.


Objective of this module:

To keep the team you've worked so hard to build and maximize the influence of your team.

Resource #1:

Unlimited Consulting

You will have direct unfettered access to ask all your questions.

For up to 1 year after your purchase, you will have special direct email access through to ask any questions you have and get direct help. This is your lifeline that you can use anytime.

Need a personalized tip on a how to approach a potential leader? Ask.
Need help fine-tuning the on ramps for new volunteers? Ask.
Need a hand figuring out how to ask a leader to step aside? Ask.

I'll personally help you and coach you.

This type of direct access has always been reserved for my mentoring and coaching clients. Not anymore.

As a Building the All Star Youth Ministry Team student, you'll have direct unfettered access to Anytime you have a question along the way. Unlimited Consulting will start on Thursday, June 1st.


Resource #2:

Private Longer Haul Mastermind Slack Group

As a member of any level of Building the All Star Team, you'll have access to a private Longer Haul Mastermind Group.

The Mastermind is focused on helping Youth Pastors build their ministries into ones they will never want to leave. A huge part of which is building your team.

Inside of the mastermind you'll be able to talk with people at the exact point you are at right now. And occasionally we'll have live trainings. In those trainings we'll teach you a strategy or principle hack that's applicable for where you are at right now, celebrate your wins, throw graduation parties for people who have hit their goals and take live Q&A from everyone in the group.

So, if you're just getting started, you are not going to be overwhelmed because: A) The course will meet you where you are; and B) Each week we'll be personally helping you and anyone else at your stage get unstuck and overcome the unique challenges that you face.

I'm really, really, really excited about this feature.


Resource #3:

Four (4) Group Q&A Sessions + all previously recorded calls

I am designing this course to have as many interaction points with me as possible.

So, in addition to the Unlimited Consulting and the 15-minute Strategy Call, you'll also have access to me through a series of 4 LIVE Q&A sessions.

You can bring any questions you have to the call and we will answer them.

All of these will be recorded and made available to you if you are unable to attend.

How much does it cost?

Most youth pastors believe they have to be in a "better situation," have a bigger ministry, or a bigger budget to be effective, have more time to focus on their strengths and gifts, and really, really enjoy what they do again.


Instead, I've discovered that building an all star volunteer team full of people who love Jesus, love teens, and love and support you is the key to finding joy and effectiveness in your ministry.


If you are a Youth Pastor who keeps hearing about others who have amazing teams, and you're ready to quit messing around trying to do it all yourself, this is for you.


I was just like you.


…and this is the system that finally enabled me to break the cycle, quit running crazy trying to get it all done and have more freedom.


You have two options…


Option #1: Keep doing what you’ve been doing (and be frustrated and annoyed with the results)

Option #2: Join Building the All Star Youth Ministry Team and let me help you build a team that will allow you to be more effective and focus on those things you really enjoy most in youth ministry…


To prove to yourself that you CAN build a build a team around you.
To focus on the projects and areas in your ministry you want to work on.
To have more time for you family.


What's it going to be?

The Full Building The All Star Youth Ministry Team Course

Access to the Private Longer Haul Mastermind Group

1 Year of Unlimited Consulting

Participation in (4) Live Q&A Calls

Advanced Training Sessions

 

The Full Building The All Star Youth Ministry Team Course

Access to the Private Longer Haul Mastermind Group

Participation in (4) Live Q&A Calls

1 Year of Unlimited Consulting

Advanced Training Sessions

 


The Full Building The All Star Youth Ministry Team Course

Access to the Private Longer Haul Mastermind Group

Participation in (4) Live Q&A Calls

1 Year of Unlimited Consulting

Advanced Training Sessions

 

"Throughout the sessions Jody really covered a lot of material. He talked through this front-to-back and then back-to-front. This training is a whole lot more than an overview of team building that you can get a lot of other places; he goes in-depth and offers a lot of practical advice.

For me this training was like setting a foundation for me to build on. I'm super thankful I took this training!"

- David Le Roy, Youth Minister, Westminster Presbyterian Church

"I've been blessed to serve with Jody as a part of his volunteer team for 7 years and am excited about this course. Jody has a heart for student leaders and I know that everyone who attends will be better equipped to serve their own leaders."

- Chris Whisonant, Volunteer Youth Leader

DO NOT buy this if you are looking for
another “Youth Ministry Shortcut”!

This course requires work.

If you’re just hunting around for another blog post or podcast episode where you can pick up a random strategy to “try out,” you will HATE this course.

DON’T BUY IT.

But if you’re sick and tired of not being able to focus on what you feel you've been called and gifted to do, and you’re ready to follow a proven system to fix that, you’ll love it.

If you’ve always wanted an accountability system, a coach and a supportive community to walk with you as you build a team around you so you can have a long lasting gospel centered influence on the lives of the teens and families you serve, you’ll love Building the All Star Youth Ministry Team.

It is exactly what I wish I had when I started out.

Are you ready to build your team?

This course is closed for enrollment.

"In this course, Jody does a great job of laying out a foundation of why we need volunteers in our student ministries! Then he builds on that foundation with some very practical principles that will help in finding, recruiting, training and keeping volunteers! This course is a great (and necessary) tool for the student ministry “rookie" and “veteran" alike!

Take some time, grab a pen and some paper and dive in to this course. You will be better for it and so will your student ministry."

- Ed Braswell, Student Pastor, Woodlawn Baptist Church

Frequently Asked Questions


Who is this course for?

This course is largely focused on those leading a Youth Ministry. However, most of the principles found in the course are also applicable to those leading other ministries and teams.

What if I'm at a small church?

The information you'll learn in this course scale regardless of the size of your Youth Ministry.

When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
While I'm confident that this course will help you, I would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact me in the first 30 days and I will give you a full refund.

This course is closed for enrollment.