For discipleship small groups to work in a youth ministry the small group leaders need to be coached. Too often we say to our adult volunteers, “go lead this small group of guys.” We don’t give any training and we don’t check in with them to see how it’s going. This leads to ineffective small groups. Youth pastors, now is the time to turn your small group ministry around by committing to being a coach for your small group leaders. Here our four keys to coaching discipleship small group leaders:

1. Be Sincere
You don’t have to pretend you are an expert; just be yourself. Your leaders will appreciate it if you are being you.

2. Be Consistent
Stay in regular contact with your leaders. If you allow large periods of time to go by without connecting with them they won’t feel your support.

3. Be Encouraging
Remember leaders tend to be hard on themselves, so find things they’re doing well and encourage them.

4. Be Honest
When you see a leader doing something that is negatively impacting their influence, let them know. Confront them in a loving way, with honesty, and they will appreciate it.