One of our goals is to equip you as a youth minister to have a successful, growing youth ministry. We know that trying to get parents to focus on church youth activities can be like chasing lightening bugs without a jar lid! Just when you catch a bit of light for a moment, they're off again flying to a meeting, a child's need, or an urgent something. How do you get parents and students to comprehend what your vision is for the youth group?

With a powerfully interactive Youth Ministry Open House.

Presenting a clear vision that others can buy into can be accomplished in a few steps:

• Establish a mission statement that is concise but dynamic; one that can be read in a few sentences and leave them wanting more. Here is ours: Established in 1994, Student Leadership University's purpose is to empower students to conquer the future! Combining hands-on experimental learning with a dynamic classroom setting, students are equipped to influence their generation for Christ with confidence. Yours should be just as simple and just as powerful.

• Next select value phrases from your mission statement. For example, empower students to conquer the future, equip students to influence their generation for Christ and help students understand the Christian worldview; to give students the information and boldness to defend the faith; to build students who lead strong and finish strong. Every event and program you plan, whether major or small, should be based on your ministry's mission statement and directly relate to a value phrase.

• Select 2 to 5 students to come up with a display for each program or event you have planned for the year. Encourage them to be creative by making snacks for their area, dressing in costume, putting on a skit, handing out fliers. Give them at least 3 to 4 weeks to put this together, encouraging them to work on it at church so that you and/or your leadership can give them input and support. You might even offer a prize or two.

• Publicize the open house every way you can from a bulletin, from the pulpit, during Bible Study classes, by mail, by email, and with posters or fliers in all church areas available. Take your youth group phone list, break it up in groups of 5 to 15 and hand them out to your leaders for personal calls of invitation. The goal is to involve everyone in making the night a success - without adding to your personal workload.

• That night or afternoon, show the Student Leadership video and explain what you want to accomplish by bringing students to our program. By sharing your heart one-on-one with parents and students, and by showing them piece-by-piece not only what you want to do, but why you want to do it, they can take ownership with you in the vision for your youth ministry. When parents understand the quality and uniqueness of the SLU program, it sets the tone for the quality of the youth ministry you want to build.