Ministry Transitions

Summer is a season of transitions in young people’s ministry. Depending on how your local church program runs, you will have Grade School students joining the youth ministry program, junior high or middle school students joining the senior high program and graduating seniors moving on to college or post-high school jobs and life. This time of transition can be difficult not only for the young people but for the leaders of those various ministry programs. Here are a few ideas to help make these transitions as smooth as possible in your particular ministry situation.

Work in Harmony with the Other Areas of Ministry-All areas of ministry in your local church should work in conjunction with one another. The staff and volunteers that work in the various age levels throughout your church (Grade School, Junior/Middle school, High School and post High School) should be working in concert with one another knowing each other’s programs, keeping regular communication about calendaring events, and being aware of this transitional time so that a coordinated plan can be made to help all students make the transition well.

Prepare Your Students for What Is Ahead-Communicating with your students, staff and volunteers on these transition points will help everyone. As mentioned before, your local church should have a coordinated plan so that everyone (including students and parents not just staff and volunteers) know what to expect. This communication can be done in a variety of ways and should be understood by everyone involved. Pick the best way of communicating that works for your specific location.

Create Spaces for Questions- as a part of your transitional plan it would be good to have a time for Q&A. Invite staff, volunteers, those students that are affected as well as their parents and any other leaders you think need to be there to help relay proper communication and introductions to the various programs. One of the biggest problems in any ministry program is a lack of communication. If a ministry learns how to communicate well it can be successful.

Celebrate Every Step of the Way- Find a way to celebrate these transitions in an appropriate manner with each age group. That could simply be one big party, individual parties, a transitional fellowship dinner, etc. You know what will work best in your particular location.

Any transition can be difficult for anyone. But if you properly prepare, communicate and celebrate those transitions it will pay off in big dividends down the road.