Senior Pastors...this is what your Student Pastor needs from you!

Yesterday I talked about what senior pastors need from student pastors. If you are a student pastor and you want a healthy relationship with your senior pastor then you have to be willing to fight for it, to make it a priority. There are also some basic things that student pastors need from their senior leadership. If you are out there fighting for a healthy relationship with your pastor and you don't see these in return then you will probably be looking for a new church soon. Senior pastors, here is what your student pastor needs from you...(these are in no specific order)

• Public Support // This is priceless for your student pastor because youth ministry is always going to stretch many people in authority. When senior leadership stands in the gap publicly for youth ministry then many other people join he cause. Youth ministry is messy when we are reaching students not just building a club for church kids. Pastor, your youth pastor needs your support.
• Funding and Space // Your student pastor needs proper space and funding to reach teens in your community. When a senior pastor makes next generation ministries a budget and facility priority the student pastor is free to dream big and reach teens. If teens are a priority for your church then make sure it reflects in the budget. In a portable environment people ask how we have been able to reach teens...our pastors have made it a priority and given us the proper tools.
• Encouragement // Many times youth pastors only hear from other staff when something is messed up or broken. Student pastors need the mentoring and encouragement of their senior pastor. When senior leadership encourages and invests in their staff then the staff feel a part of the mission of the church as a whole. Senior pastors need to seize the opportunity to be a mentoring voice in the life of their youth staff!
• Leadership // Student pastors long to be a part of a bigger mission than just building a "youth program." Youth pastors want to be led and be a part of the mission of the church. Senior pastors...lead strong, dream big and I promise your student pastor will be ready to push that dream with you.