THE YOUTH DESIRES AND NEEDS IN THE CHURCH

The church has to do more to win the battle for their youth and as a leader and pastor we have a lot to do in winning them over for Christ and keeping them in the faith. The youth has expectation regarding the ones who lead and direct them in their pursuit in life. Until we become the leader they desire we’ll keep struggling in capturing and impacting our youth. The following are the major abilities and desire the youth expect to see in you as a leader

1. Love and Affection:  The youth wants to be loved and cherished therefore they naturally will follow any leader who exhibits this trait towards them. They desired to be loved by their pastor.

2. Faith: They desire a leader who believes in them, someone who trust them who have grown to trust them and believe in their ability

3. Success: This is paramount to every youth in the church as they desire to be successful in life. Any leader that shows them the huge to see them succeed will have it ease in winning them over.

4. Expression: The universal language the youth understand is expression. Create an avenue for them to express themselves and you’ll be the desired leader

5. Listening: The desired to be heard prompts them to seek for a pastor who can listen to them. You have to give them the voice therefore you have to boost their confident by listening to them

6. Attention: Availability is paramount in winning them over to the church. You have to be available and reachable for the youth. They desire a leader that has time for them and spends time with them.

7. Confident: A leader as a booster and propeller is highly desired by the youth. They desires a leader that boosts confident in them and which makes them comfortable about themselves

8. Challenge: they love to be around a pastor or leader who can challenge them through his/her own life pattern. A leader whose life challenges them to aim higher in life. Someone they can pattern their life after.

9. Understanding: the youth desire a leader who understands the pressure they go through as a youth. Someone that understands what it takes to be a youth; who does not judge them at every turn and decisions they take in life.

10. Security: A leader who will always have their back is a major need among the youth. As a leader we have to be the one they can run to at difficult time.

11. Solution: They desire a leader who is a solution provider to clumsy and difficult situation that arises in life. They expect us to see ahead with the ability to always have an answer.

12. Spirituality: A well informed and spiritually inclined leader is loved and needed among the youth. They desire a pastor who can nurse them to spiritual maturity.

13. Heart: this is a leader with a large heart who can accommodate their flaws and mistakes. Someone who can correct them in love and believes that their prodigal son can still come back home. They desire a leader who will not give up on them easily.

14. Integrity: A leader with strong integrity is highly cherished among the youth. A well organized and truthful is the desire of the youth

15. Visionary: The youth will always be attracted to a leader that has vision. They love leadership with new vision each time. A source where they can renew themselves and pursuit.

16. Movement: the youth loves activities and progress but hates stagnation. Until you turn your ministry into a movement, you might not enjoy the flow of the youth into your ministry

17. Provision: They desire and appreciate who can attend and meet their needs materially when it arises.  It is good to spend on them else we’ll sweat on them

18. Development: Potential development in youth ministry is inevitable and non negotiable. They desire a leadership who knows how to develop their abilities and gifts. They’ll naturally follow you when you help bring out the best in them; help them discover and develop their potentials.

19. Friendship: The key to the world of youth ministry is friendship. They do not appreciate loneliness and they wants to be with someone they can rely and trust as in a true friend therefore we must show interest in their academics and life achievements.

20. Mediator: The unrest between the youth and their parents is very common in the today church. The youth desires a leader who can stand in the gap between them and their parents when disagreement arises; with your influence as a respectable person will go a long way in smoothing things and become a family friend to them.