Overcoming Transitions in Leadership

Becky Eldredge takes a look at how you might overcome some of the common pitfalls in developing leadership for young adult ministry:

Overcoming Transitions of Young Adults

One of the most common problems in creating a long-term young adult ministry program is dealing with the constant transition of those in their 20s and 30s. Young adults’ lives can be full of change that comes in the form of moving for their job, getting married, starting a family, and more. It is very important to think about this when you create your leadership team. For ministry beyond the first transition, it is helpful to create a team of those who are in various stages of life, including a mixture of ages, a mixture of married and single, a mixture of parents and non-parents, and a mixture of college and graduate school students and professionals.

It is also helpful to have someone on the leadership team that can be around more permanently. For instance, a member of the parish staff or a religious sister or brother who has a heart for ministry or a layperson who is settled into their life on a more permanent basis are helpful additions to the team. This will ensure at least one person that can always move the vision forward even when other team members leave.

Read more tips for overcoming pitfalls and tips for developing a young adult ministry leadership team in the Essentials section of Young Adult Ministry in a Box.