Ministry Coach: Youth Ministry Tips & Resources

Why You Need Multiple Speakers in Your Youth Ministry

• Kristen Lascola • Episode 164

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Imagine having a chorus of voices - each unique, each resonating differently with your youth ministry students.  Picture your students finding the one voice that they relate to, the one that propels them towards a deeper understanding and connection to God. And now, what if we told you that you could make it happen - by utilizing the power of rotating multiple speakers in your ministry.  In this episode, we unpack the importance of diversifying the speakers in youth ministry: exploring the potential of different speaking styles, men and women, old and young, different nationalities, etc.  Our discussions reveal the impact of having various voices - keeping teachings fresh and creating a richer learning experience for every student. 

We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need.
If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com!

***If you are looking to GROW your youth ministry, check out the Youth Ministry Growth Accelerator!

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You may also enjoy these episodes:

(#163) These 5 Tips Will Help Your Youth Group Retain Your Sermons!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/974710/episodes/13501108

(#116) 5 Ways to Increase Confidence When Speaking in Youth Ministry
https://www.buzzsprout.com/974710/episodes/11321033

(#107) How to Deliver Better Sermons - 5 Youth Pastor Tips
https://www.buzzsprout.com/974710/episodes/10879650

(#089)  How to Get Better Engagement During Sermons in Youth Ministry
https://www.buzzsprout.com/974710/episodes/10133984


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Speaker 1:

Different kids are gonna connect with different speakers and different speaking styles. A variety of people helps us kind of round out the student's experience. Even if you're a really good teacher, even if that's your A-game, even if you're awesome, it's still great to have another voice to keep it from getting stale. Today we're talking about four reasons why you need more speakers in your youth ministry ["Multiple Times Theme Song"].

Speaker 2:

Hey everybody, welcome to the Ministry Coach podcast. We bring you weekly tips and tactics to help you fast track the growth and health of your youth ministry.

Speaker 1:

My name is Jeff Lascola and this is Kristen Lascola, and today we are talking all about why it is advantageous for you, as a youth pastor, to incorporate more than just one speaker during your teaching time. So for me that looks like weekends, three services and midweek, which could be a potential of four times teaching in one week, not including a student leadership meeting.

Speaker 1:

So, that would be five, five out of seven days teaching. That's a lot. We're gonna talk about why it's advantageous to not be a solo speaker and maybe you're like what? I didn't even know that was possible to incorporate other speakers. Yeah, it is, and that's what we're gonna talk about, why it's healthy.

Speaker 1:

So number one is different kids are gonna connect with different speakers and different speaking styles. So you're one person and you've had one life experience, you've had one family. You have one personality and one set of interests and I'm sure it's great and it translates to a whole lot of kids and a whole lot of people. But is it possible that there is someone else whether they're in your ministry or an intern, a volunteer, someone that you could get to guest speak, or someone you can develop and we'll talk about that in a second that might have a different set of perspectives and life experiences that bring a whole other dimension to the teaching game of your ministry.

Speaker 1:

So I just feel like number one, it really just keeps it from getting stale, it keeps it fresh, it keeps you know, last week we talked a lot about the idea of listener fatigue and I think when you change up the speaker, maybe you can't do it every single week, but it does change the person's capacity to listen. So just seeing a new face, a new vibe, it's like you know, like when you're a guest speaker somewhere, all of a sudden people are kind of like tuned in and they're listening and they're more interested, and then it's just the same old person every single week.

Speaker 1:

Even if you're a really good teacher, even if that's your A game, even if you're awesome, it's still great to have another voice to keep it from getting stale, and if you're not that good of a speaker, I knew a junior high pastor. He was in a magazine once of like the top 30 youth pastors in America. He was so good at what he did. He wasn't a good teacher, though, and he would say that I'm not saying he wasn't. He would say that is not my strongest gift.

Speaker 2:

What's his name? I want it.

Speaker 1:

Oh, you know his name.

Speaker 2:

Probably Jan.

Speaker 1:

Probably Jan. So, jan, he was not good at teaching. I mean, I thought he was fine. I would never listen to him and be like, oh my gosh, get this guy off the stage. But he was just like, hey, I'm gifted in a lot of ways. I can teach. It's just not my A game. So for those of you that teaching is not your A game, even more of a reason to have some other voices and other speakers in there.

Speaker 1:

I think sometimes youth pastors fall into the trap of thinking I'm the youth pastor, I'm the teacher, I've got to be the primary speaker, like that is my role, that's who I am. Well, you should have somewhat of a teaching gift and an ability to do that. We can't throw that out the window completely, but it doesn't have to be your A game and you don't have to be the only one doing it. So that kind of brings us to number two. Another reason why is that?

Speaker 1:

They need to see? Students need to see a variety of people. They need every kid is going to connect with a different speaker and I think like a variety of people helps us kind of round out the students experience. So, for example, I think and some might disagree with me and that is okay. No surprise, I think they should hear from men and women. Ah, because I am a woman in youth industry, of course I would think that, so I like it's so funny because a lot of youth pastors are male. We're seeing a lot more girl youth pastors, which is great, and male youth pastors are always looking for a girl, like we've got to like get a girl on our team.

Speaker 1:

A girl, you know, and I'm always making sure. I got to make sure I have some men's speech. I got to have boys up there, you know, because it's just me sometimes and I've got two really talented guys now in my teaching rotation and so it's me and them too, and so they hear from women, they hear from men and a variety of ages. You know we're all over the map on our ages and that enhances the life experience too. I cannot tell you how frustrating it was is to be a girl attending church, and every analogy comes back to sports.

Speaker 1:

I'm sorry it's not that interesting and I don't relate and I will politely listen. And ah, I'm sure that means something to someone I don't care who hit a home run in the World Series in 1934. I don't, it means nothing to me, I'm not excited about it. And then they try to draw these spiritual parallels from it and I can't resonate. But then I'll start listening again when we get back into the meat of the message. And so what I feel like the advantage to have on men and women speakers is, I think, men and there's women who are like diehard sports fans. I'm not saying sports is gendered necessarily.

Speaker 2:

And for you diehard sports fans, if you can write in the comment section who hit a home run in the 1934 World Series, we would both love to know, especially Kristen.

Speaker 1:

I wouldn't love to know. Don't tell me I have no interest. But when you hear speakers that are different genders and ages, you just realize that the scope of what like they share, like what their examples, and that will hit someone differently. It's not like the same old sports analogy every single weekend? I think it's not.

Speaker 2:

Maybe you're going to get to this point later, so excuse me if I'm jumping ahead, but I think it's not even just that speaker is connecting with me.

Speaker 2:

That's a huge part of it, but a lot of times too, it's seeing just another perspective, another voice where it's like I always like, you know, when being in like a, like I think men's groups are great, but I like doing how we call them life groups, a lot of growth groups, whatever you guys call them at your church small groups, bible study. I like having a guy girl discussion time because I think, one, you're getting a lot of different voices. But two, I want to hear what does a girl have to say about this? You know what are the other guys have to say about this, and then splitting up I always see for guy girl time is great too, but I just like hearing what is the female perspective on something.

Speaker 2:

Look at you.

Speaker 1:

That's wonderful, jeff. I love that. I love that. Thank you, it's beautiful. Well, and I like hearing the guy perspective. You know, I honestly do. I love watching our male speakers connect with male students and I think honestly too when people see someone like them on stage. I remember the very first time I ever saw a girl up in front in junior high ministry. I didn't need to know her name, I didn't need to know anything about her. She was my best friend.

Speaker 1:

I love you, you know it was just this moment of like wait, someone like me is in leadership and has ministry gifts. Like it didn't even occur to me because I saw the same man teaching every single weekend. He was great, I liked him a whole lot. But then, seeing someone that I could identify with, it just did something to my soul, to my faith, to my spiritual development and I just want to gift that to our students. Like I have great relationships with our male students, but when they see a guy up there, there's something about it where they can resonate and connect. And the girls and then just like guys hearing from a girl and a guy seeing a woman teach and then a girl seeing men teach Like I think it's just healthy for same gender, for opposite gender, I think it's just super healthy to get the spectrum of the body of Christ up there so that students can learn and see that everyone is equipped for ministry, everyone can be equipped for leadership and anyone can be called into ministry.

Speaker 1:

And then what? That one speaker? Maybe they have a certain style and they're energetic and funny and you connect. Maybe this person is younger and closer to your age and you connect with that. Maybe this person you know their theology is so deep and you're just a brain on a stick and you love that. Like we need a variety of voices and styles and speakers and genders and ages. We just need to expose our kids to the full spectrum of the body of Christ to show them, like it's not this exclusive club, like one person is gifted enough to do this.

Speaker 1:

So I think, like, just looking back on that, for me that's the gift I wanna give to our students. And number three, it's healthier for you. It's hard to be the primary teacher. We talked a lot last week about how we're expected to do so much as youth pastors. You know, like teaching is the visible part of our job and our stage presence and leading and all of that. But there's so much behind the scenes of conflict resolution and emails and just keeping up with the business of the day and caring for people and counseling appointments, like there's a lot.

Speaker 1:

And sometimes, like when I have an off week of teaching, like this weekend, my friend Jed he leads our fourth and fifth grade ministry and he brought his students over and he'd taught for junior high. He did a great job and it was so nice. I just listened to him talk, you know, and he did a great job and I think, knowing I had this week as an off week, I was like huh feels kinda good, you know, because I had our student leadership team meeting on Friday and then if I had to go right back on Saturday and teach and then two Sunday morning services and teaching. Now I have to do the intro Tuesday night, but it's like no, he's gonna take care of the intro, he's gonna write the talk sheet and he's doing that.

Speaker 1:

And I think it's like a healthy balance that it's not. We're not always in teaching mode, but we can sit back and listen to a peer teach. And also, I mean shared leadership is seriously in almost every single context. I can't think of a context where it's not. There probably is one. Junior highers always find the exception to everything. I say, you know like, oh, light, oh, I said this the other day. I'm like light and dark can't exist together. You know that example. And then she like shows me her backpack. She's like okay, so this is white and there's a black on it.

Speaker 2:

I'm like that's not the same thing, but they always wanna find the loophole of like why I'm wrong, like the one exception to everything you're wrong.

Speaker 1:

I'm like well, at least you're listening. But anyways, what I was gonna say is shared leadership is always better, and I think that is such a no, uh, cause this one time I know I'm like there's probably some example where shared leadership is not better, but I really think shared leadership is a better choice.

Speaker 1:

And so that means shared leadership in every aspect of our ministry and in teaching. You know, I think learning from someone it's. It was kind of cool. I have these two leaders who speak regularly and they inspire each other. So when one does a really good job, the other one's like oh, you're kind of inspiring me to up my teaching game. And then you know, they'll come to me and like hey, can you like write notes? And like I want to debrief my talk afterwards. And that kind of brings me to the next point. Is, as pastors, we really should be coaching and bringing up leaders. Like I think that's sort of our job is to teach others how to develop their gift.

Speaker 1:

And somebody taught you at some point like you were a really green new teacher speaker and probably bombed your first one. I know I did. It was terrible and now I'd say that's one of my primary gifts.

Speaker 2:

And I think that's one of my primary talks.

Speaker 1:

I if you can get through this one, then you can get through all of them, because this one is boring. Yeah, it was really boring, but I think it's one of my primary gifts and it wasn't because it was because of the people who were willing to coach me, guide me, mentor me, write notes as I spoke, debrief with me after, tell me what was a hit and what was a miss and I was teachable and I would learn. Okay. Well, I guess kids aren't as interested in the theology and they need more examples of real life. You know, because I was like acting like I was teaching, like a college course or something, and without them I think my game would have just stopped Like I just would have been, like I never would have developed into a good speaker. So why can't we pass that gift on to the people around us? If you have a great volunteer who they're super interested in ministry and you just notice like, hey, with a little bit of help, I bet you, I could teach you how to speak. Or maybe you're allowed to hire an intern and your intern just does stuff like more administrative, do they have a potential teaching gift? Is there another pastor at your church that could guest speak once in a while. But either way, I think, just looking for people in whom we can develop that gift and help come along.

Speaker 1:

I think, to be honest, that's one of our primary responsibilities as leaders is to create more leaders, to coach people, to mentor people, to disciple people and give them opportunities Again going back to that shared leadership thing, but giving them opportunities to use their gift. I mean again, I always think back to who I was at 18 years old and someone's like, hey, you should give the intro at our midweek program. I'm like, oh my gosh. And I remember going to. I think it was that jack in the box and I was like writing notes and studying my Bible and like, oh, I'm like sweating, like I have to give a 15 minute talk. Oh my gosh, I'm dying. And it was such a good thing that somebody was like, hey, we're gonna let you take an opportunity and let's, let's run with this wire, what, what though?

Speaker 2:

I just funny the whole. I mean, I can't even get you to be quiet for 15 minutes now, so I wasn't gonna say it. I wasn't gonna say it, I, I don't even under. I don't know you said you're like, I have to speak for 15 minutes and I'm like and now we can't get you to not you know, jeff, the funniest jokes are the ones that need explanation.

Speaker 2:

That's what you guys all got it, I know you did, and I wasn't gonna say it, and that's not even what I was thinking. They just came to me when you asked okay.

Speaker 1:

Well, I was laughing because of all the points you earned saying that you wanted to hear the female perspective.

Speaker 2:

They flew away what I was gonna say go ahead, jeff, you can talk now picturing you sweating over a 15 minute talk over a chicken sandwich, a jet in a box Meat sweats.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I well, it was my first time and it was sort of just like I here, you go, go and do it. And I was like, oh my gosh, like you know, and now I wouldn't flinch at it, but somebody needed to be patient with me and teach me and all of that. So all I'm saying is we can do that for others.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, absolutely. I think actually a great group of people to tap into is your volunteers, small group leaders, because a lot of those kids, if they're in their small group they probably know them really well but the other students may not ever get a chance to hear from them and then just seeing them up on stage, you know. And that again going back to like different, you know, is it a, is it a man, is it a woman? Is it? Are they old or the young?

Speaker 2:

You're gonna, hopefully you're gonna, have a wide variety that in your, on your leadership team, and you're in your volunteers and getting those people to come up, and if they might be hesitant and think like, well, I don't know what to speak about, the bare minimum is like tell them your Testimony like that's really cool and encouraging to hear that from someone, and the other thing is it's like you don't need to prep a ton for that. You know your story at least you should, so it's a kind of a like a bare minimum of I guess where to start.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, one series that I feel like works really well for that, because I I do that in the spring and it's called what I wish I knew in high school.

Speaker 2:

And so the leaders who want to or college, if it, if you were in high school.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, exactly, just whatever that next stage of life is, sharing wisdom, like as they graduate into that stage of life. So I don't feel like, like you said, with a testimony it doesn't need a ton of prep because it's your story.

Speaker 1:

You know, you might need a little polishing, you might need some help on how to communicate or what details to leave in and leave out, and you can walk them through that. But what I wish I knew in high school, you know you pick one thing like and that usually has a really great story to go along with it because, or else, how could you have learned the lesson? And Kids love hearing that. They love hearing stories about Us when we were their age and what they can learn and grab within, how that intersects with scripture and, yeah, I think a lot of volunteers could do about a 10 minute.

Speaker 2:

What I wish.

Speaker 1:

I knew in high school or a testimony or whatever, and some will totally opt out. But out of my 22 I throw it out and I get probably like four or five that are like, yeah, I would love to do that. So you know, it's Finding just people that might have low level interests. Maybe if you bring them along and pour a little into them, their interest could peak and you might find I have another gifted speaker that I could rotate and share the stage with and it's a benefit for everyone you, them and the students.

Speaker 2:

Win, win, win. All right. Well, where to go from here? I would say, if you haven't already listened to it, check out the episode we did last week just on how to get better engagement from your students and how to let them how do we say it? Retain your information that they're hearing a little bit better in some of the ways that you might be speaking. So check out that episode. And right now I'm really excited for this question because I know you, the viewers and the listeners are gonna have some great answers. I assume the question of the day is what is the weirdest thing you have in your office, because I think youth pastors out of anybody probably could make the most amazing list of those things. So what is the weirdest thing you have?

Speaker 1:

in your office. Okay, so my intern brought the or my admin brought this up last week. I kind of forgot it was in my drawer. I have a vape pen in my drawer. I took it from a kid Youth ministry is tough.

Speaker 1:

Or I found it. I think we found it on the property during a youth thing and I didn't know who's it was and I was waiting to see if we could confront them or something, and it was in my drawer, I don't know. I've had a few vape pens in my drawer, so some of them, I think, I've confiscated, confiscated, and then some I found, but yeah, vape pens.

Speaker 2:

Wow, I didn't think you were gonna say that. I thought there'd be much weirder things.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, well, okay, wouldn't expect that.

Speaker 2:

I guess that is weird.

Speaker 1:

I used to share an office with our high school pastor.

Speaker 2:

He had weird stuff.

Speaker 1:

We both did so. His name was Kirk and we Still is Kirk. How do you know When's the last time you talked to him?

Speaker 2:

Kirk, are you okay? You okay, buddy.

Speaker 1:

So we had like if we would ask each other like oh, do you have like a stapler or whatever? Like we would always laugh at the contents of our drawers, because there was one drawer I think it was in his desk that had stick on mustaches and googly eyes, and we were like this is quintessential, you're a youth pastor. There's my stapler and office supplies. Oh, do you need a mustache? Cause I have four different styles.

Speaker 2:

I've got 20, but who cares? No big deal.

Speaker 1:

He used to do an event called Cinco de Mustache or something. And like. I don't know he would try to grow out the best mustache and that would be a mustache competition for Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mustache.

Speaker 2:

You got a bonus event idea for your ministry. This we're in my office right now. I'm sure I have a ton of weird things in here and I was looking around trying to think of what was the weirdest and I found this little gem marky mark in the funky bunch.

Speaker 1:

On cassette, on cassette.

Speaker 2:

Wild side, so just chilling.

Speaker 1:

What year is this? Oh my gosh 1980s 89. I would guess 1991.

Speaker 2:

Oh, it wasn't that close, yeah, so that's probably the weirdest thing I have in my office.

Speaker 1:

Marky mark at the funky bunch. Oh my gosh, this is awesome.

Speaker 2:

Glad you marky mark fans out there, mark Wahlberg. So yeah, put it in the comment section below. I'm actually really, really, really interested in seeing what some of you have. That is just the weird thing in your office and share that with the rest of the world, if you dare. So we wanted to do a community comment of the day, but instead of reading a community comment, we just wanted to give a shout out to our most recent supporter on Patreon, and that is Kiana Ashley. Thank you so much for being Kiana.

Speaker 2:

Our most recent All Star contributor. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, we have a Patreon account. So if you have gotten a lot of value from our podcast and you want to donate financially, go ahead and go to I believe it's patreoncom slash ministry coach, and you can give a monetary amount and we would be your biggest fans in the world if you do that. So thank you again, kiana, and I will link that Patreon link down below in the description. So make sure you guys check that out if that's something that is on your heart. So we thank you guys so much for watching and listening and we will see you next time.

Speaker 1:

Are you looking for ways for your?

Speaker 2:

And both of you.

Speaker 1:

Today we're coming face to face with the pride we struck, oh shit.

Speaker 2:

But we would like to finish the episode.

Speaker 1:

Should we play the song in the arms of the angel now?