Most if not all Youth Pastors begin with the desire for longevity in Youth Ministry.  Further still, many desire to stay put in their position and not move from place to place every few years.

While this is the genuine desire of our hearts; it doesn’t always happen.  There are numerous reasons for this, some are justified…some are not.  Sometimes it just isn’t possible.  Other times it just gets difficult.

There are some things that can help a Youth Pastor or Youth Worker stay put and have a greater influence.  In particular there is one really important thing you must do for longevity in Youth Ministry.  Sadly, it is probably one that most fail to do.  What is it?  Consistently Set goals.  Here are five reasons you should take time to set goals for your ministry:

1.  Without setting goals you have nothing clear to work towards

If you have nothing clear and concrete you are working to achieve, you will constantly find yourself feeling frustrated and often confused.  Having real concrete goals in front of you will help keep you focused on what really needs to be done.

2.  Without settings goals you have no way to know if you are actually accomplishing anything

If you do not having anything that you are aiming for, you can never know if you are actually hitting the target.  You will always be making assumptions on where you are and on how you are doing.  Some things will look good, others won’t, but there is no way to accurately measure any progress you are making.

3.  Without setting goals you have nothing to point others to

You cannot lead effectively without knowing where you are taking those you lead.  This is true whether it is the team of Youth Leaders or your students.  Having clear and concrete goals to lead people towards will vastly help your ability to lead.  Fail to do this and you will be attempting to lead a group of frustrated people.

4.  Without setting goals you will struggle to be patient

So much of successful leading is the pace at which you lead.   Impatience has no doubt been the root cause of many Youth Pastors leaving too soon…whether by their choice or not.

Having clear goals you know you are working towards will help immensely in being patient and pacing your leadership.  You must always be aware of what you are working toward.  It is where you are heading that matters…not where you are currently.

5.  Without setting goals you will not know what changes to make (and when)

Many Youth Pastors attempt to change too much to quickly (and do it wrong to boot), others wait too long to make changes (and still do it wrong).  I fully believe, that for the most part, you can change anything you want without getting fired.  You must do it right, and more importantly you must do it at the right time.

Most fail to do any of this.  You can change things within the first year.  You have to know why, and you have to be able to identify when.  Setting clear goals will allow you to know this.

You will not make it in ministry of any kind without setting clear goals.  If you intend to have longevity in Youth Ministry, you must take the time to set goals.

Do you consistently set goals in your ministry?  What are some of the goals you have?  What keeps you from setting clear goals?  Leave a comment below and share one struggle you have when it comes to setting goals in your ministry?