Making a (Mission) Statement

I'm wrapping up a wonderful week of youth training in Fort Worth, Texas as I facilitated a program called YouthLeader.  YouthLeader trains youth to be leaders of ministry and forms youth in the vision and values of Jesus; helping them make the connection between their faith and their actions in leadership. 

As part of our closing session today, we had the students create mission statements.  It was a very fruitful process as the youth were able to articulate their strengths, weaknesses and hopes.

I was inspired by the ones that were shared aloud and I encouraged each of them to post it somewhere so they could reflect on it regularly and go back to it when necessary.  As well, I suggested that their mission statements are dynamic – they can change them any time.

I would suggest this process for any ministry (or anyone for that matter) looking to set goals, inspire one another, or keep themselves on track.

Here is mine:

I am husband to Gail. 

I am father to Sean Isaiah, Jacob Isaac, and Kayla Marie.

I am a Catholic and a believer in God, follower of Jesus, dweller in the Holy Spirit.

I am a youth minister, director, writer, speaker, musician and Canucks fan.

I live by my favourite scripture from Philippians:  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Although I have a lot of serious responsibilities, I don’t take myself too seriously.

I strive to be Christ to everyone I encounter.

I am a connector, an advocate, a motivator, and a servant leader.

May I never forget my priorities: my faith and my family.

Because when it’s my turn to go upstairs, He’s not going to ask me: 

-How many people did you speak to?  

-How good of a boss were you?   

-How many kids came to Youth Day and Spirit Day?   

-How many friends do you have on Facebook or followers do you have on Twitter?

Instead, I will be asked:  “The 4 people that I gave you at home to love:  do they know who I am?"

May my answer be a resounding YES!

Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie.  He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years, helping parishes develop their own youth and young adult ministries.  When not doing ministry, Clay enjoys spending time with his family, playing music, playing sports, playing naptime, and writing blogs on topics such as family, faith, and the Vancouver Canucks.  Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo

6 Predictions for the Future of Youth Ministry

(This post also appeared at The Mayward Blog)

First, a disclaimer: I really have no idea what I'm talking about here. I haven't done any official research, worked on a PhD for these predictions, or examined data. This post is entirely anecdotal and from personal observation, experience, and conversations from leading and learning in youth ministry for a decade in American and Canadian contexts. I'm going to throw these six predictions out there and just see what the youth ministry tribe thinks:

Here's my forecast for what North American youth ministry will look like in ten (10) years...

1. The range for a youth ministry will be from age 8 to age 35. With puberty starting earlier and extended adolescence becoming ubiquitous, a youth pastor will be responsible for shepherding third graders going through puberty as well as 32-year-olds who are still struggling with their sense of identity and autonomy. I still believe the church can become a micro-culture where young people are viewed as potential-filled adults and treated as such, but I think the greater culture may go this route if it continues on the same trajectory, and the church (and youth workers!) will need to find a way to respond accordingly.

2. The drastic decrease of the full-time youth pastor position in churches. The only churches able to afford a full-time youth pastor will be the large suburban megachurches, mostly in evangelical circles in the United States. The vast majority of youth workers will be part-time or volunteer-based youth ministry, and the primary youth workers (apart from parents) will be teachers/professors, coaches, and counselors. Churches will have to become more innovative and collaborative in their youth ministry practices, potentially having more regional youth ministries and partnerships between churches to love the teens in the surrounding neighbourhoods. I wonder what this shift could mean for colleges and seminaries with youth ministry degrees and professorial staff.

3. Youth ministry resourcing organizations will become entirely online and regional. With the advent of the Internet and blogging/tweeting/Facebooking world, the age of the huge youth ministry convention will be over, and the one-size-fits-all curriculum and training that comes from many organizations will go by the wayside. What works in a Catholic setting in Seattle simply doesn't work the same for a Baptist in Nashville. This regional emphasis will clear the way for smaller contextual gatherings and giving voice to a wider variety of youth workers. It will also mean having to discern and sort through the mass of content being created--anyone can create their own website, start a consulting/coaching program, or publish their own book and curriculum, meaning there will simply be more resources (good and not-so-good) to choose from.

4. The traditional family structure of "two married parents with biological children" will be the vast minority. Single-parent homes, divorced parents, blended families, gay parents raising kids, foster and adopted children, and grandparents or other family members raising children will be more of a norm. As the culture is redefining family, this will radically change the entire concept of "family ministry" for churches, as well as increase the need for individualized familial care and counsel. As the family system becomes more complex, so do many of the issues for adolescent identity formation.

5. Families--Christian and non-Christian--will have little to zero Biblical knowledge. As the North American culture becomes increasingly post-Christian, expecting that parents and teens will be familiar with common Bible stories taught in Sunday school will be unrealistic (because Sunday school programs won't exist). Young people will be more familiar with the filmic versions of Jesus or Bible characters (Moses, Noah, etc.) than the characters in the Biblical accounts, and with apps/electronic devices becoming more normative for reading habits, having a Bible or a daily devotion--aka "quiet time"--will be quite different. People read and learn differently in the Internet age; the Bible as literature will be understood and interpreted in new ways by the next generation of readers, requiring a shift in how we teach the Bible and theology.

6. Relationships marked by grace and truth will still matter. It's always been this way. Whatever the future holds, a long obedience in the same direction with a few close Jesus-following friends and mentors will always endure. Beyond programming, culture, demographics, or trends, fostering authentic relationships between adults and youth will continue to be the mark of healthy youth ministry, no matter the age.

What do you think? Which predictions do you think could be accurate, and which sound absurd? Share your thoughts and forecasts in the comments.

Parents - Allies or Enemies?

This post is also featured on the Youth Cartel blog here.

When I first started out in youth ministry I thought my role was to be everything a teen's parents could never be in their life. I focused on being edgy, cool, hip and of course up to speed on pop culture.

Then something happened. I myself became a parent.

So what was my new role as a youth worker going to be now that I was parent myself? Did this eliminate my identity as a hip, cool and with-it youth pastor?

The truth is, being a parent has enhanced my ability to both pastor and parent. Neither of these roles are mutually exclusive, but somehow they have blended together to help me reshape how I lead families in the present and into the future. Here are three things that I'm learning about working with parents in ministry.

1. Parents aren't the enemy. We've all had negative interaction with parents I'm sure, but these experiences don't make parents bad people. Parenting is the most difficult job on the planet. Add into the mix the explorative tendencies teens possess, and you get an emotionally charged scenario 9 times out of 10. Parents are passionate about their kids, and sometimes their passion is mis-communicated as anger, rage or displeasure. Wise youth leaders find ways to disarm emotionally charged confrontations and turn them into win-win scenarios for all parties. Parents sometimes just need someone to listen...just like teens do. I wonder if we spent more time listening to the stories and needs of parents if we'd build greater partnerships with them?

2. Parents need to be loved & valued too. If you're constantly told that you aren't doing a good job, wouldn't you begin to believe it? Most teens (like most human beings) have no problem telling people when things aren't working well for them, but when it comes to sharing encouragement, they might struggle to do so. Consider your next upcoming parents gathering. Spend a few moments encouraging and inspiring parents instead of asking them to change something they do right away, you might find that they are more willing to consider your ideas once you've spent some time listening to them.

3. Parents want to belong & fit in. Often times parents feel isolated in their parenting struggles or wins with their kids. The family schedule is usually oriented around that activities of the children. Parents often sacrifice their own desires and needs for socialization for the sake of their child's development. Are your parent connection times more about information being given, or relationships between parents being built? The most powerful gift you can ever offer another human being is to help them see that they aren't alone in life. Parents long to belong and fit someplace...is your ministry to families a place where they can do that? 

What are you learning about working with parents? Post your ideas below!

Jason has lived in Calgary, Alberta Canada since 1995, and been a youth pastor since 2001. He is married to the love of his life, Bonny, and together they have three incredible children: Saydie, Cannon and Deklon. Jason possesses a desire to see youth, parents and families become who God created them to be through loving and living like Jesus. He currently serves on staff at Centre Street Church in Calgary. He loves hockey, playing guitar, writing and creating environments and opportunities where others can realize their potential in Jesus while experiencing the full life He promised to those who follow Him!

Some Perspective on Perspective

I’ve had some time over the past couple of weeks to do some praying and reflecting.  It’s been a natural time to do so given that work slowed down just a bit - affording me the opportunity to spend some quality time with family and friends.

Like many people, I was deeply affected by the senseless shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14.  With Gail being a grade two teacher and all three of our kids in elementary school, I’ve admittedly played the “what if” game in my head (as I’m sure parents all over the world have done as well).  I wonder if Kayla would be smart enough to play dead.  I imagine Jake and Sean darting behind desks to take refuge.  I picture Gail sacrificing her own life to save the lives of her students much like the brave teachers at Sandy Hook.

Since the tragedy, I’ve heard a lot of people say that the incident has reminded them to keep things in their proper perspective.  That family trumps all, and that we shouldn’t get caught up in petty disputes, materialism, the pursuit of fame and fortune, or any “first world problems”.

While I agree with all of these sentiments, I offer this as we enter a brand new year:  while the Newtown tragedy helped to put things into perspective...I hope to never lose that perspective in the first place. 

In other words:  I shouldn’t need a mass shooting to remind me of what’s important (and what isn’t). 

Family.

Faith.

Friends.

These are the things worth dying for.

Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie.  He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years.  Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo

Thankful for Dad 8 Years Later: Wonderful Memories of a Wonderful Man

For this week's post, I decided to take a break from youth ministry writing.  Rather, I would love to use this time and space to reflect on my Dad's passing...from 8 years ago.  Thanks!

Eight years ago on Thanksgiving Monday, October 11, 2004, my loving father Larry passed away on the 17th fairway at Burnaby Mountain Golf Course. Not a bad way to go, all things considered! Our family purchased a beautiful memorial bench with a plaque reading: “In loving memory of Larry Imoo. He will always be in our hearts and thoughts.” I take solace in the fact that every golfer who stops to pause at the bench will learn a small bit about my dad.

Usually on or near his death anniversary, we gather with my Mom and brother Jason (and his family) for dinner. This year was no exception, as we had Thanksgiving Dinner at our place on Sunday night. We shared a laugh and a tear over our shabu shabu meal…remembering just how much fun Dad was and all of his amazing qualities: his ability to not take himself too seriously, his unselfishness, and his knack for making everyone around him feel important and special.

I can’t believe that 8 years have passed already. I remember October 11, 2004 so vividly. How we had just returned from the pumpkin patch in anticipation of Halloween. How I was preparing to meet Mom and Dad at my in-laws for Thanksgiving Dinner. How the doorbell rang and how surprised I was to see Father Smith at my door. How he sat me down and how I innocently thought that he was going to confess something to me! How loving, caring, and respectful he was as he shared the horrific news. How I sat in total shock, not believing what I had just heard. How I broke down in passing the news on to my brother over the phone. And how heartbroken I was to find my mom weeping in her living room…the cops had beaten me to the house by a mere two minutes.

Not a day goes by without me thinking of Dad and/or praying for him. His picture adorns a wall in both our home and my office – a wonderful reminder of his good looks, warm smile, and snappy wardrobe. But more than pictures, I see Dad in Sean, Jake and Kayla. Sean has Dad’s athletic ability: when Jason and I were kids our friends would come over to see if my Dad was free to play with them…leaving Jason and me inside…haha. Jake has Dad’s charm and sense of humour: it’s hard to get mad at Jake just as it was hard to get upset with Dad (well…my mom might have something different to say about that). And Kayla has Dad’s playfulness. How I wish that Dad had the chance to meet Kayla; he would have loved her, spoiled her, and undoubtedly taught her how to golf…or at least retrieve his golf balls.

Some of my most vivid memories of my Dad revolve around sports. Dad always made time to play outside with us, watch sports on tv with us, or get whooped in video games by us. In fact, one of my favourite stories about my Dad is how Jason, Rich and I would rush home from UBC to play NHL 94 on the Sega Genesis. Dad would have the game all set up for us when we walked in the door, and within 2 minutes we were well into our game. But not before we would pick teams…or more accurately…find out who had to team with Dad. NHL 94 actually tracked winning percentages, and invariably the percentages usually looked something like this: Jason 70%, Clay 65%, Rich 60%, and Dad 5%. And sadly, I’m likely over-estimating Dad’s percentage. Anyway, the 3 younger guys would play “Rock, Paper, Scissors” with the loser having to team with Dad (and likely suffering a dent in his winning percentage). But in the spirit of fairness, you only had to play with Dad a maximum of 2 games in a row…if you lost the 3rd time we would re-draw. Needless to say, the games of “Rock, Paper, Scissors” to determine the teams were often more intense and dramatic than the actual hockey game.

Yet another fond memory of mine was listening to Canucks games on CKNW 98 in the 1980s. Dad, Jason and I would lie on his bed and soak in the descriptive commentary of Jim Robson and Tom Larscheid. Jason and I would often fall asleep before the end of the game, but it didn’t matter: that time together was very special. To this day, I’m not sure what Mom would do for those 3 hours, as there was certainly no room for her on the bed!

It’s almost fitting that Dad did pass away on Thanksgiving…as there is so much to him that I am thankful for. Simply put, he was an amazing man who always put the needs of others ahead of his own. He was an awesome Dad, loving husband, faithful son, and playful grandfather. He was the undisputed leader of the Imoo family, and had a strength and courage about him that you couldn’t help but admire.

Thank you Dad for teaching me what it means to be a man.

Thank you Dad for showing me how to raise my children.

Thank you Dad for being my father, my friend, and my hero. I love you.

View our video tribute to Dad here.

Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie.  He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years, helping parishes develop their own youth and young adult ministries.  When not doing ministry, Clay enjoys spending time with his family, playing music, playing sports, playing naptime, and writing blogs on topics such as family, faith, and the Vancouver Canucks.  Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

On our recent family vacation to Las Vegas we were blessed to see a few shows.  One was the Jabbawockeez (that I wrote about last week) and another was MJ Live – a tribute to Michael Jackson.

It was a great show, made even more entertaining by the fact that the performer had a hole in his pants (right where you don’t want a hole in your pants) for the first-half of the show.  My family and I marvelled at the actor’s physical resemblance to the late “King of Pop” and needless to say, his vocals and dance moves were spot on.

The entire audience loved it.  In fact, screams of “We love you, Michael” cascaded throughout the theater.  In retrospect, I sure hope they know they were watching an impersonator.  In a nice ironic twist, the actor’s name is actually Michael.  But I digress.

When I speak to young people about image and imitation, I talk about imitation being the sincerest form of flattery.  That is, when someone copies you, generally it’s because they want to be like you.  I then go on to share stories of my kids and how they flatter me (good, bad, and ugly) but imitating me. 

But regardless of good, bad, or ugly, I know that I am not the BEST example to my kids all the time. For that example, we all need to look towards another loving Father: that is, God. And in imitating God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son, lies our challenge as Christians: to be the face of Christ to everyone that we encounter.

Wouldn't it be cool if every single person that we meet walks away thinking to himself: “Man…what is up with him? Where does he get that sense of joy and love from? Whatever it is…I want some of that!” Whether our family and friends are churched or unchurched, the way that we carry ourselves is a true form of evangelization.

Now that I think about it…it’s more than being the face of Christ. It’s being Christ-like completely. Compliments like “you’re awesome,” or “you’re a good friend,” or “you look great,” or "nice haircut" pale in comparison to the one that says: “You were Christ to me.”

That’s what I often tell people: the essence of being a good Christian is BEING, and not necessarily DOING.  After all, we are called human beings and not human doings.

Yes, imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery. 

God doesn’t need to be flattered.  But He does need to be imitated.

Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie.  He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years, helping parishes develop their own youth and young adult ministries.  When not doing ministry, Clay enjoys spending time with his family, playing music, playing sports, playing naptime, and writing blogs on topics such as family, faith, and the Vancouver Canucks.  Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo

We are Family: A Weekend of Looking Back and Looking Ahead

This past weekend was a wonderful opportunity to both look back and look ahead as I attended two amazing events (and missed a third).

On Saturday we held a 10th anniversary celebration for World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto at Good Shepherd Church in Surrey.  The event was highlighted by Mass celebrated by Archbishop Michael, a barbecue and social, and informal program featuring music, videos, prayer and testimonies.  It was a reunion of sorts, as I got to reconnect with old friends – some I hadn’t seen since 2002.  It was great to hear numerous stories of how WYD 2002 (and the Days in the Diocese preceding it) had changed so many lives and how the event served as a catalyst for the growth of youth and young adult ministry in our archdiocese.  Thus, WYD 2002 will always hold a special place in my heart, as I obtained my full-time job with the Archdiocese of Vancouver immediately after returning home from Toronto.  That means it will be my 10 year anniversary as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry this December.

I wasn’t able to attend the 20 year reunion of my high school, Richmond Senior Secondary, also Saturday night.  It was tough not to be there as I was looking forward to catching up with many people in person rather than on Facebook.  Not to mention that it was held a fancy Japanese restaurant downtown Vancouver.  Alas, I’ve already seen some of the pictures from the evening and everyone looks great: less some hair up top and a bit of extra poundage down below.  I would have fit right in!

Then, Sunday was our long-awaited Parish Picnic at St. Paul in Richmond.  Months of planning culminated in an amazing day under the hot sun with over 1,000 attendees and 100 plus volunteers.  There was a little something for everyone: good food, talent show, field games, pie-eating contest, cotton candy, inflatables, a basketball tourney, and my personal favourite the dunk tank.  It was a beautiful sight to see so many people involved, with the majority of the volunteers being youth, young adults, and young at heart.  Under some very strong and faithful leadership, the event was extremely successful and surely achieved its primary goal of building community and making people proud to be part of the growing parish.

I dare say that it’s more than a parish community; rather it’s a parish family. And at the head of our parish family is our pastor Monsignor Luterbach.  Although we weren’t able to convince him to take a turn in the dunk tank, he was 100% behind the entire event.  As he made his way throughout the parish grounds and observed the parish family in action, he truly was a proud Father.  His smile went from ear to ear and he even chucked a couple buckets of ice into the dunk tank immediately prior to my shift.  Thanks Father Luterbach…I love you too.

Sure…with any family, there’s bound to be disagreements.  Family members (and ministries) don’t always agree.  We sometimes stereotype based on age, background or skill set.  We fight for space in the parish centre or in the weekly bulletin.  And we may be resistant to change.

But this parish picnic in particular has me so hopeful for the future of our parish.  We welcomed visitors to our home as we showed off our best qualities.  We are hospitable.  We are compassionate.  We are talented.  And we are willing to serve.

People are already taking about next year and for good reason.  I can’t wait to see what future parish picnics will bring as we continue to attract new blood, new volunteers, and new members to our parish family.

I just hope I don’t lose my wedding ring in the dunk tank again.


Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie.  He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years, helping parishes develop their own youth and young adult ministries.  When not doing ministry, Clay enjoys spending time with his family, playing music, playing sports, playing naptime, and writing blogs on topics such as family, faith, and the Vancouver Canucks.  Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo

Knowing Your Father

Father’s Day is always a bittersweet day for me, and this past one was no exception.  While I celebrate the blessing of my three kids, I also spend some time reflecting on my late father Larry who passed away on October 11, 2004 when he suffered a heart attack on the 17^th fairway at Burnaby Mountain Golf Course.  Not a bad way to go out all things considered...at least he was doing something he loved! :p

It goes without saying that I love Dad very much and I miss him dearly.  Every day, I feel his imprint on me whether it’s how I parent, how I don’t take myself too seriously, or how I think I’m a decent athlete.

In a conversation I had with my dear friend Megan over dinner last night, I lamented that I wish that my daughter Kayla, born in December 2007, had a chance to meet my Dad.  As she is the first Imoo girl in 75 years, there’s no doubt that he would have doted over her and likely spoiled her.  My son Jacob, born in September 2003, was barely a year-old when Dad died so at least they got to spend some time together.  And my eldest Sean, born August 2001, was the lucky one as he spent quality time with Dad playing golf, hockey, and basketball among others.

Megan and I both volunteered for an event that evening that focused on getting fallen-away Catholics to return home to the Church.  It was an inspiring night of testimony, faith, and hope.  During the evening we heard countless stories of people returning to the faith and encountering God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. 

In my evening prayer, it struck me that it wasn’t by accident that Megan and I had our deep conversation earlier in the evening.  I realized that the sadness I have for Kayla never getting to know Dad is the same sadness I feel for someone who doesn’t get to know God the Father...albeit intentionally or by circumstance.

That’s our primary goal as youth ministry leaders:  to lead young people to an encounter with God the Father.  We may do good relational ministry.  We may have awesome small group discussions.  We may model cutting-edge social media initiatives.  We may make professional promo videos.  And we may perform the most memorable skits and play the craziest games.

But all of these are for naught if we end up pointing young people to ourselves instead of to God.  It’s not about us; it’s about God.  Yet we sometimes forget this. 

It’s heart-breaking for a young person to come to your youth ministry events regularly yet not know who God is.  Not know all the great and mighty things God has done for him.  Not know how much God loves him.

Thus, let us all renew our commitment to enable young people to get to know and love God.

Before it’s too late.

Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie.  He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years, helping parishes develop their own youth and young adult ministries.  When not doing ministry, Clay enjoys spending time with his family, playing music, playing sports, playing naptime, and writing blogs on topics such as family, faith, and the Vancouver Canucks.  Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo

What's Your Vocation?

In the 100 hours between Friday evening at 7pm and Tuesday evening at 11pm, I attended a Matt Maher/Third Day concert (and got a quick tour of their tour bus!), went to a Conference, helped facilitate a First Communion Mass, ran a meeting for youth ministry coordinators, co-led a Confirmation Retreat for grade 7 students, and assisted with Confirmation at my home parish of St. Paul's.

I felt extremely blessed to have these opportunities and it reaffirmed my hope for the young church of both the present and the future.

However, I didn't get to spend a lot of time with my family during the 4 days. Sure, we went out for meals for Mother's Day on both Saturday and Sunday and Gail came with me to the concert on Friday night, but I felt a tad unfulfilled amidst the busyness.

I do my best to limit how much I'm away from home but it's always a challenge given the frenetic world of youth ministry.  I constantly need to remind myself that youth ministry, as much as I love it, is my job.  It's my career (for now).  One could even say it's my calling.  But it's not my vocation.

My primary vocation is husband to Gail and father to Sean, Jacob and Kayla.

My job is youth ministry.

As my good friend and mentor Mike Patin always reminds me:  when it's my turn to give an accounting of my life as I sit face-to-face with Jesus, he's not going to ask me how many teens came to my office's latest youth rally, how many people I spoke to at the last conference, or how many people read my blogs and watch my videos.

He's going to ask me about the 4 people at home that he gave me to love.

He's going to ask me if they knew who he was.

I pray that my answer will be a resounding YES.


Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie.  He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years.  Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo

How to Breathe Life Into a Stagnant Youth Ministry

This is a slightly-adapted version of an original blog written by Randy Raus, President and CEO of Life Teen.  Life Teen is an international Catholic youth ministry with headquarters in Mesa, Arizona and Atlanta, Georgia.

Some of my original youth ministry training was with Life Teen and I am a loyal supporter of their mission and ministry.

You can view the original post here.



The voice paused on the call, almost hearing her gulp, and then the words “I’ve been at this parish for four years now and it seems stale, I think something needs to change or I must move on.” Ever feel this way? Like youth ministry at your parish is in a rut and you don’t know how to get out of it? You are not alone. More times than not I have found that there are some definite steps you can take to breathe life into a stagnant youth ministry.

1. Call It Out: Be a leader and admit to yourself and others that things seem stagnant. Don’t try to fake it. Call it what it is and decide that you are going to make some changes to bring more life into the ministry.

2. Think in Terms of Movement: It’s much easier to steer a car that is moving than trying to turn the wheels while sitting still. Plan a Pilgrimage, Mission Trip, Summer Camp, Youth Conference, Retreat, Ski Trip, or anything that will get you, your leadership team and the teens moving on a journey somewhere. Community is built twice as fast when you and your core team spend away time with teens!

3. New People Bring New Energy: Recruit new youth leaders, musicians, parent helpers and especially new teens. When new people show up, it is a sign of a ministry living the new Evangelization. Just the thought of new people involved makes us smile!

4. What Looks the Same is Probably the Same: Been a while since you changed the environment of a youth night? Have the walls of your office become just a jog down memory lane or is it a reflection of the current group of teens? Have music playing, hang new banners, update photos and add some new paint to add new life to the spaces you hang out with teens at your parish. We serve in one of the most transformational ministries in our parishes – does the vibe of our space reflect that?

5. Add Depth: Spiritual depth never is stale! If you feel like you are in a rut, most likely you are just skimming the surface with your teens and youth ministry leaders. When is the last time you planned a talk or prayer experience that really challenged you and those you serve. Go into the deep and it will totally energize your ministry!

6. Add More Fun: Make them laugh! Fun is contagious. Has fun left youth ministry at your parish? Start by being more spontaneous. Spoof something, make up a song, lovingly prank someone, spend an afternoon playing video games with some teens weekly, plan a random fun only event or whatever it takes to get you and ministry fun again. When it becomes fun again, no way it is going to feel stagnant!


So what are the areas you need to work on the most? Remember the best way to keep your ministry from becoming stale, is to be doing most the above on an ongoing basis.


Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie.  He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years.  Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo