Count the Cost Student Edition

When we start a Student Leadership Team, it can be pretty exciting. Many students think that this is the cream of the crop, the youth pastor’s favorites. Many people will probably join this team without realizing what it will cost them.
One of Jesus’ favorite subjects was the cost of discipleship. Jesus constantly told His disciples and those around them that it would cost them everything; and He wasn’t kidding. Jesus’ teaching became so difficult that many people stopped following Him.
Have we let our students know what it will cost to join a leadership team? To be a leader? Have we been real with them, or have we sugar-coated it so more people will be interested? This is a very important question.
So what will it cost to join the leadership team?

Here’s a few of the things it costs to join the leadership team at my church:
1. A leadership team member should be a sold out Jesus Freak, living their life for Jesus. This is no small feat in itself.
2. Time: It costs at least an extra two hours per week for a weekly meeting, bible study, and planning. Often it costs more than that because at least once a month we have a leadership outing, where the leadership team goes to a conference, a camp, or to some other related event.
3. Resources: We buy extra materials ourselves, we donate money and time to other organizations, and organize projects on our own. The extra trips we take also take money and other resources.
4. Extra Study: I expect leadership students to be into their disciplines. I expect that they are going to read their bible more and spend more time in prayer because of their calling.
5. Dedication: If these are truly tomorrow’s leaders, then I expect them to take everything with a certain degree of seriousness. I expect them to be at the meetings, at church, and at youth group.
6. Use What You Learn: If a student is going to spend all the time learning to be a leader, then why wouldn’t they want to use that knowledge to further God’s Kingdom?

When I first started a leadership team, I didn’t express my expectations to the group. As a result there was often chaos and hurt feelings. These days, they know ahead of time what’s expected of them. There are still some problems, but one of them is not expectation. This is what it costs to join the leadership team.
Just as we are to count the cost of being a disciple of Jesus, our students should be made aware of the cost of joining a leadership group. You don’t want to waste their time, and you don’t want to waste yours.
Make sure you tell them what it’s going to cost. Make it plain to them. This is where a contract comes in handy, but more about that another time. You want them to know what’s expected of them, and you want them to be as serious about becoming tomorrow’s leaders as you are about molding them into tomorrow’s leaders.
In the Trenches,
Matt