Giving youth pastors the tools they need to make and shape disciples.

Creating Trust and Transparency In Youth Ministry

This is Cheryl. She made my biscuits this morning at a fast food place called Jacks. My biscuit was delicious. Good job Cheryl!

Jacks understands that transparency creates trust. I can see who is making my food, whether they’re in a good mood or not and I know her name, Cheryl.

Were the biscuits good before Cheryl? Yes. Are the biscuits better because I know it’s Cheryl making them? No, but my trust level goes up because I know who and how they’re taking care of my food.

I a few year ago, I worked at a Jimmie Johns. It’s my first time (at age 51) working fast food. People trusted me to get their order right, deliver on time and do it with a smile on my face. Meeting their expectation built trust and put Jimmy Johns in a good light.

If you want to build trust with your Pastor, parents, students and the church in general, you need to open a window where people can see what you’re doing, how you’re doing it and with what attitude you’re doing it with. Enter social media.

You have a chance, every day, to use a platform of your choice, to show your church what you do. I use Youtube and Instagram mostly to show you what I do and how I do it.

When I was a full time youth pastor, I would live stream my youth services no matter how many students were there and I did not alter, edit or take down the videos because I wanted people to see real ministry happening in real time. That’s one way to be transparent and build trust with those inside and outside the church.

So, I ask you, do you trust me? Have I shown you what I do and how I do it enough to buy my lessons or coach you? More importantly, do your students, parents and church trust you? Have you given them enough of a window to watch you make their “biscuits”?

There is an action movie trope where the hero asks “Do you trust me?” before attempting something dangerous that he or she believes will work but needs the trust of the other person to accomplish it. They may ask that person to “Jump!” or “Grab my hand!”

Isn’t that what you’re asking the people in your ministry to do?

Do your students trust you enough to leap? To keep your promises? To live out what you believe?

Does your pastor trust you to get the job done? Keep confidences? Not do anything too stupid?

Do your parents trust you to keep their kids safe and love them?

If you want more trust, you need to be more transparent.

How will you “open the window” to what you do and how you do it to gain this trust?

I’d love to hear what you’re doing. Join us over at our Facebook Group and share your thoughts.

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