Increasing The Retention Rate In Student Ministry Environments

My wife and I recently made our first move from Texas to Alabama. One thing I have learned in this process is that new is difficult. We left our jobs, families, careers, house, and every bit of our lives to be transported into a place we had no familiarity with whatsoever. We did not know a single person in all of Alabama. Every place we went was filled with the awkwardness of “being new.” We walked into a new gym for the first time and had awkward sign-up conversations. We started new jobs where we did not know a single co-worker and had to fill the shoes left vacant for various reasons. Out of all the environments we entered, the most awkward, pressure-inducing, and difficult was the local church.

The church is vital in the life of a believer. As a pastor, I understand at the highest level that the church holds the most life-giving potential of any environment in our lives. This pressure becomes even more apparent when we have to evaluate the welcome team, hospitality, worship service, teaching, and the overall product of the church. Despite my life experience, preferences, and convictions, it is still estimated that it will take my wife and me about six months to get plugged in and feel like we truly belong.

Now, let’s consider this situation through the lens of a student. I give students a lot of credit. This generation of students is arguably smarter and more educated about life than we were at their age. However, students still lack the ability to process the experience, preferences, and convictions that adults can when entering a new environment. Their brains simply do not have the capacity for the same level of decision-making. Additionally, students lack time. They live in an instant-gratification culture where a six-month on-ramp would spell disaster for any student ministry program. Without education and time, how do we engage and retain first-time guests effectively?

A STUDENT'S TIME IS VALUABLE

Talk to almost any student in middle or high school, and they will tell you they are busy, tired, and overscheduled. The average leader might scoff, saying things like, “Wait until you’re in college,” “Wait until you have a spouse,” or “Wait until you have kids—then you’ll understand real busyness and stress.” What these leaders fail to realize is that, up to this point, this is the busiest students have ever been. They are still stretching their capacity to handle increasing demands. Students' schedules are packed with school, sports, homework, social life, relationships, and family obligations. When they choose to attend your student ministry, they are sacrificing something else in their schedule. Your student ministry needs to be worth their time.

STUDENTS, VOLUNTEERS, AND LEADERS ARE MANDATORY

It is a failure for your ministry if a student walks through your doors without feeling known and sensing they could belong to your church. The best way to ensure a student feels cared for is by empowering and equipping your students, volunteers, and leaders to seek out first-time guests and make them feel like the most important people in the room. Have fun questions ready to ask guests. Have introverts on standby for deep conversations. Have extroverts ready to spike a 9 Square ball in their face. Be ready and prepared to meet students who are braving a new, pressure-filled environment.

ENGAGE QUICKLY

Students need to feel instant gratification upon arrival at your program. Handshakes, high-fives, hugs, colorful signs, smiles, friendly greetings, fun music, and a vibrant environment—all of these elements need to be present as soon as a student steps out of their vehicle. A student should not reach your front door without experiencing some element of the above! (Bonus points if the student never touches a door handle because a peer or volunteer opens it for them!)

EVERY STUDENT HAS A STORY

When a student arrives, you have no idea what kind of baggage they are carrying into the environment. Students need structure. They need to know there is a plan and clear expectations for the evening. Your check-in process should be both friendly and calming for students who are overwhelmed by what they are bringing into the building. Providing a schedule and creating avenues for immediate belonging will go much further than surface-level engagement.

HAVE MULTIPLE SPACES TO BELONG

Every thriving student ministry needs different sections where students can go. There should be a sporty section—Gaga Ball, 9 Square, or large group games where students can sweat and have fun together. A study section can also do wonders. Remember, students are sacrificing study time to attend your program. If you can help supplement that time, they may be incredibly appreciative and more likely to engage. Finally, create a space centered around community, such as an area where students can eat and talk to one another. First-time guests can easily identify where they will feel most comfortable, but those spaces must be available to them.

FOLLOW UP

A common failure in student ministry is when a guest has a great night but receives no intentional follow-up. One of the best practices you can implement is walking students to their vehicles. This prioritizes safety and allows you to meet their parents! Hand out materials to ensure they know they are invited back. Use the contact information you gather to follow up appropriately. Involve their parents in the follow-up process so you now have multiple peers, leaders, and adults inviting them back to your ministry.

PLAN, PREPARE, RETAIN

It is challenging to draft a one-size-fits-all strategy for your specific student ministry context. I do not know your demographics, culture, history, traditions, or other vital details—but you do! Work with your student and adult leadership to draft a narrative of what the perfect night would look like for a first-time guest. From the street to the seat and beyond, create a scorecard and action plan. Take time to document and implement these strategies so you can begin reaching and retaining students effectively.

New environments are hard, even for adults. Now imagine trying to navigate a new environment with all the awkwardness, fewer life experiences, fewer tools, and even greater pressure. That’s what many students feel when they walk into a new church environment for the first time. As leaders, we can’t afford to simply “hope” they feel welcome. We have to plan for it, anticipate it, and follow up on it. Consider your systems. Consider your spaces. But most of all, consider how your people help make this opportunity fruitful. Let’s help students feel known and like family! 

Share your thoughts with others in our YM360 community:

1. How do you need to change the culture of your ministry so your environment, leaders, and students are ready to receive first-time guests?
2. How efficient and professional is your check-in process? Are you collecting all the information you need to effectively follow up and ensure students return?