Student Advisory Team - Shut Up And Listen

Imagine a student ministry where the students are more excited about what's going on than you.

They, the students, are pushing others to attend the weekend retreat because they're so excited about what God might do.  Students are approaching you about potential opportunities for them to serve the hurting.  Students are actually dreaming of ways to build relationships with their friends for the purpose of sharing Jesus.

God seems to do a unique work in the heart of students when students feel a sense of authentic ownership.  One way to tap into students wisdom is by creating a student advisory team.  Last week we talked about the why and how to create a sat, Student Advisory Team - Ownership and Influence, this week we're discussing ideas of how you might lead them.

Every gathering with your sat should include prayer and some kind of interactive discussion on humility or servant leadership.  Part of the beauty of having these student leaders together is you get to speak to their hearts about true servant leadership.  As you're pouring into them and helping them learn what it means to serve like Jesus, you're also asking them for advice and input.

Here are 4 areas to get you started.

1.  General Ministry Assessment

It's always fun and helpful to take students through some kind of "SW0T" analysis.  Although it's sometimes difficult for them to think that globally this is a good exercise for them at the beginning or end of a school year.

2.  Specific Ministry Input

Last Sunday I sat in on our high school ministry's sat meeting.  Our high school pastor asked how they felt about the current teaching series we're leading.  The input was golden.  They said the teaching was great but wasn't so good for their unchurched friends.  That was so important for us to hear seeing that our Wednesday night programming is designed for our students AND their friends.

3.  Planning Student Led Events

I love to get a group of students in a room and tell them they're responsible for the heart behind an event.  Asking them questions about the felt needs of their friends and how we might speak to those needs at a particular retreat or student led night of worship always yields great insight.  Last fall our sat did an incredible job thinking through the felt needs of their friends and how we might apply the gospel.  Then they developed a prayer strategy for our entire highs school ministry leading up to the event.  Yes, they gave great input but also felt great ownership.

4.  Asking About Morale

As youth pastors we typically have a sense of general morale.  How are students doing?  Do they feel like the student ministry has unity?  There have been times I'm so far off.  If your student advisory team is diverse enough you can get a true feel of unity and how students are generally doing within your ministry context.  By the way, students hear things we will never hear.

When asking for input it's so important to listen.  I mean REALLY listen.  This is a challenge for those of us who lead by speaking.  It's important that students not only feel heard but are truly heard.

There are so many other topics to discuss with students within the student advisory context.  What have you done that's been helpful or what would you add to the list.

I'm all ears.

Student Advisory Team - Ownership and Influence

One of the challenges of student ministry is helping students feel genuine ownership in the ministry.  For far too long student ministries have asked students to sit on the bench and watch while the "grown ups" play the game of ministry.  It's no wonder they feel little to no ownership.

The reality is students have so much to offer.  They are uniquely gifted by God and are in a position to give great guidance to the direction of ministry.  As youth leaders we are called to "equip them for service".  

Wisely and carefully developing a student advisory team is one way to gain perspective and give students real ownership in the ministry.

The student advisory team is a carefully selected medium sized group of students (no more than 16) who provide perspective and advice to ministry leaders.  The SAT doesn't have authority to make decisions but they do have tons of influence.  

4 reasons you must have an SAT...

1. Students have a better sense of what's going on in the hearts and minds of their friends than we do.  Many times we make ministry choices in the dark without being aware of what students think.  It's easy to ASSUME things. (you know what that does)  By having a group of trusted students you can learn so much about the morale of the ministry and the genuine and felt needs of students.
2. It models teachability and humility.  By asking students for advice you're admitting you don't know everything and have a heart to learn and grow.  If their is one thing many students are lacking it's teachability.  And by the way, sometimes it's better caught then taught.
3. It gives students great ownership in the ministry.  When students offer advice and the ministry moves in that direction all of a sudden the ministry belongs to everyone in the decision making process.  The feel like it's their's because it actually is.
4. When asking the SAT for advice you're affirming the work and wisdom of the Holy Spirit in their individual lives.  This can go a long way in encouraging them in their ministry to friends or whatever God is calling them to do.

So, how do you select the right students for your SAT without showing favoritism?  

This is a huge challenge.  There are many ways to do this but here's a method I've used for years.  I believe it battles favoritism but also helps assure the right students are on the team.  It involves student nomination then staff selection.

Student Nomination

The first step is to allow students from each individual class (freshmen, sophomore, junior, senior) to nominate.  We create a nomination sheet that explains the characteristics of a SAT member.  It's so important that you explain to students that this isn't a popularity contest but a careful process to discover students in our ministry that are pursuing God and engaged in the student ministry.  This is also a way for EVERY students to have influence on who is on the advisory team.

After all the sheets are collected we ask someone from our staff team to tally the nominations and provide the staff team with a list.  For example, for the freshman class nominees we would see a list of 4 girls and 4 guys.  This would be the 4 girls and guys who received the most nominations from their class mates.  At this point it doesn't matter which student had the most nominations in fact it's better if the staff team doesn't know.  It's just a list of 4 girls and 4 guys.

Staff Selection

At this point the team will select the 2 of the 4 girls and 2 of the 4 guys they feel will be the best fit on the team.  A lot goes into this decision.  First of all, character is priority.  The wisdom your SAT gives must be spiritual in nature so you want your SAT members to have a growing relationship with Jesus.  You also need to think about diversity.  It's important to have voices from different schools, different family situations and if possible different ethnic background.  Prayerful consideration must be given as you seek the wisdom of God.

In our ministry we have 16 slots on the SAT.  If you have a smaller ministry you may want to go with 8.  Whatever the case, how you choose to select the students balancing having the right students while avoiding favoritism is key.  

Whew, that feels like a lot.  So what are you waiting for?  Begin praying and thinking today about how you can develop your student advisory team.  It's so worth the time and effort.

Next week we'll talk about what you do with your SAT once you have it.  The possibilities are incredible.

Other Posts About Student Leadership

Jumpstarting Student Leadership - The Big Game

Put Me In Coach!

Student Led Worship Gathering - A Student's Perspective

By the way, please chime in.  I'm all ears.

Jumpstarting Student Leadership - The Big Game

As youth workers, part of our responsibility is to help students discover how God has gifted them and longs to use them for his glory.  If students are never in a ministry role or in a position where they recognize they need God it could be difficult for them to experience the joy of God working in them and through them.

Believe me, when a 17 year old student knows she is going to stand before her peers and teach the Bible, she becomes very needy!  Her time in the Word and her prayer life take on new meaning.  Our job is to remind students over and over again that Jesus provides the grace to serve and impact lives.

There are many approaches to student leadership development.  Most are good and should be considered and utilized from time to time.

An idea that results in great momentum and focus in student ministry is the "big game" approach.

As God gives vision for an event, gathering or trip, consider the possibility that students could be the leadership / servant team for that event.

For example, last month our ministry hosted a student led worship service for middle school and high school students.  Students led in most aspects including...

Developing a theme / topic for the event

Speaking

Worship

Developing a prayer strategy

Creating a fun / welcoming environment

Tech

We began preparation 2 months in advance by meeting with our student advisory team.  After explaining the purpose for the event we discussed the message they would like their friends to hear.  As a team we settled with the idea that "true love and acceptance can only be found in relationship with Jesus".

As students settled into these teams they understood that God was going to use them to bring powerful ministry to their peers.  They planned, they prayed and then they led a great event fueled by God's grace and their excitement.  The student ministry staff didn't have to beg them to come and bring their friends, the students led the charge with an all out social media blitz.

Other "big games" may include leading VBS, a local service project or a mission trip.  This approach creates great morale, momentum and focus for a group of students as they realize they're not just watching ministry they're actually preparing for ministry.  They own it, they promote it and they get to enjoy the beauty and mystery of God using "the weak things" to accomplish his purposes.

Remember, this approach isn't about the event, it's about the process!  This is relational discipleship.

The "big game" gives an excuse to help students discover, develop and utilize their gifts.  As you meet with them and point them to Jesus they begin to lean into him and their faith is strengthened.

I've seen God use students in remarkable ways!  As students lean into Jesus and experience him working in them and through them they become more aware and dependent on the gospel in every day life.

So, if your wanting to get student leadership started in your context consider a "big game" approach. Be prepared to be surprised and amazed at how works in and through your students to bring glory to himself.

Why you must think through student leadership development

You can't really be effective in student ministry (or any ministry) without thinking through and implementing leadership development. Yes, that's a black and white statement but I believe it to be true. By leadership development I mean shepherding people in a process to discover, develop and utilize their God given gifts and talents. This is true of adult leaders and students.


Last night there were 14 high school students hanging out at our house. They're members of our students advisory team. Our "SAT" consists of students who are nominated by the student body and then chosen by the student ministry staff to provide input and direction to our student ministry.


At Irving Bible Church we are in the beginning processes of becoming a ministry that has student leadership development as a major part of it's dna.


What we did last night wasn't rocket science. We ate pizza, drank Dr. Pepper (I hadn't done that in a while), prayed together and discussed how we can better love students. In addition to all that we had a little discussion on why humility is one of the main characteristics of Godly leadership.


So, finish this statement,

"you must think through and apply students leadership development to your ministry because..."


I would love to develop a top 10 list and then discuss some ways to implement. This idea of student leadership seems to be wide open. Of course there's no formula or perfect way to help students serve, but surely there's some wisdom and best practices we can share.

Thanks for any input.