The school year has begun and all over the country youth ministries have relaunched their ministry seasons. Incoming 6th graders and freshmen are being assimilated. Juniors are getting shell shocked from their most difficult year of high school. Seniors are stoked they are the big people on campus. Planning for retreats, special events, small groups, and parent meetings is in full swing. Prayer has certainly been a part of it all.

And I keep thinking about leadership.

Who will lead these teenagers that we do all this planning for?

As I coach youth workers all over the country, one of the themes I hear is the need for more adult leaders who will pour their lives into students. So I wonder:

How many asks have you made?
How many phone calls have you made to people sitting on the sidelines in your church?
How many gifted and devoted Christ followers are waiting for an invitation to serve?

I've been in seasons (including this one!) where all I've needed is an invitation to jump into the action. All I've really needed is for another leader to take me out to coffee, ask me about what I'm passionate about, how my gifts could be best used in the ministry, and what kind of capacity I have to give to teenagers. All I need is another leader to see me and invite me into this Kingdom building adventure with them.

As this school year begins with vision and hopes and dreams, there will be a direct correlation to those visions being fulfilled and the leadership steadily plodding (Proverbs 21:5) in unison to bring it to fruition.

It's a simple ask but it's a bold ask. Don't be afraid of a "no"...that's the worst that could happen. The best that could happen could be a spiritually transformational relationship between that adult and one of the teenagers you love. Stop letting your fear and pride get in the way of that "yes".

Write the names of 5 people who you need to reach out to this week and make the ask. It's critical for your ministry this year to grow in leadership capacity for the sake of students and the Kingdom.