Index Cards
One of the unsung tools of ministry is paper. It is cheap, and you can use it for posters, games, permission slips, and letters to parents. A very versatile form of paper is an index card. Small yet heavy, index cards are great for many uses in youth ministry. Here are a few of them:
- Taking Notes. Pass out index cards before lesson time. Students can use the cards to write down your points, key verses, and challenges.
- Getting Contact Info. Moving first-time visitors into regular attenders (and, more important, moving them towards Christ) is a mark of an effective ministry. Connecting with new students means you get their contact info the first day. As they walk into the door, have them write down email, IM, street address, and cell number on an index card.
- Lesson Outline. When giving your lesson to the students, write down your points on index cards. They are easier to handle and not as distracting as paper. Make sure you number the bottom corner of each card, so that you don’t lose the order if you drop them.
- Verse Memorization. Write out the words of a verse on index cards, one word per card. Have a student read the verse from the cards. After each round, remove a card and have the student recite the verse.
The series “Youth Pastor Toolbox” discusses tools of the trade for youth ministry. A new “Youth Pastor Toolbox” will be posted every Tuesday.
