Fellowship Bible Church Longview, TX
In this middle school ministry, student leaders focus on tasks that point into the student ministry. They lead small groups, maintain a contact ministry, and help the weekly meetings run smoothly. This leadership team is available to anyone who commits to both coming and participating. The adults provide external motivation and rewards for being on the leadership team while they have seen this grow into internal motivation when they reach the high school ministry. Once the leadership students have been identified they are trained according to their giftedness as discovered in a spiritual gift assessment. As students demonstrate both a level of faithfulness to the task and mastery they are challenged to add more ministry related aspects of the group.
Glenn Ellyn Evangelical Covenant Church Glenn Ellyn, IL
In this middle school ministry, the student leaders are those who have accepted a challenge to step out. There is no selection process and the adult leadership ensures that students are part of the team because of their own internal motivation to do so. They are involved in peer-to-peer evangelism as well as task ministry. For the most part, training is done informally and is hands on. Once a student has demonstrated aptitude in a skill, they are challenged to take on tougher tasks. It appears that one guiding goal for student leadership is preparation for much more responsibility once they reach the high school ministry. Though this is a fantastic by-product for the high school ministry, the student leadership team seems to be geared towards building the middle school ministry.
Central Baptist Church Fountain City, TN
Central Baptist’s leadership team is primarily involved in tasks and brainstorming for new ministry programs. This group is open to all interested people, 9th grade-college who are interested and committed to participating. Training and planning is primarily done on their annual retreat where they focus on team building, prayer, and Bible Study. They are involved in ministry evaluation, event planning, assessing needs, setting goals for the student ministry, and guiding the youth pastor. This has developed into an extremely positive “feeding frenzy” of energy for this large student ministry. Though the leadership team has influence over their peers, their primary role is to support the student ministry program.
First Baptist Church Romeo, MI
Student leadership takes on two forms. Entry level leadership consists of task ministry. (In the first level students volunteer to help, while in the second level there is an application process) These students are trained to complete assignments that make the weekly meeting function. These entry level leaders are chosen because they have a skill and have demonstrated faithfulness in coming. The second level of leadership is available to all to apply, but some students are guided into it. This level of leadership consists of peer-to-peer ministry training and accountability. These students have made a commitment to student leadership and are engaged in regular evangelistic efforts on their school campuses. They have regular meetings with the youth pastor for encouragement, training and follow-up.
New Hope Community Church Bryan, OH
Student leaders at the Linc are being trained to influence others. Students are chosen for Max Q by a staff member and an interested student goes through an interview process. Once selected, the staff pours themselves into these students with hands on training, one-on-one discipleship, and special training camps. Students are purposefully not put on a pedestal so as not to single them out as an example; rather the benefit with their leadership team is in the individual’s current ministry on his campus and the preparation for adulthood.
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My operational definition of student leadership
Student leaders are students who have internally accepted a challenge to influence their peers towards a relationship with Christ. They are chosen and called by an adult for leadership because they have mastered and taken ownership of tasks within the student ministry and have grown to the point where they need to “grow out” with their faith. Student leaders are to be trained and held accountable by an adult staff person. While the adult’s role is to mentor, model and encourage, it is not to externally motivate the student leader towards action. A leader leads based upon their own conviction.
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