LEADER MEETING TEMPLATE & WHY

(2-3) Welcome / Give Encouragement

  • Begin with an overall shout out for how awesome the leaders are doing! Then, have prepared 2-3 specific things that you have noticed a leader do that was exceptional or praiseworthy. Name that person by name – look them in the eye and affirm them. This sets an overall tone for the meeting that this meeting is about building up, affirming, and rallying your leaders to make a difference every day at camp.

(10)Program Team

  • Go over the next 24 hours of the schedule in detail. Give them as much detail as possible, so they know what to expect and how to help their kids have a great time at camp. If you have the details prepared ahead of time it will eliminate questions from the group. Have the schedule written on the board before the meeting to save time. Tell them what the theme is for the day and what we are hoping they accomplish with their kids spiritually.

(5)Head Leader Details

  • This is the “business” of the meeting – the logistics of how camp is running. This is purposefully a SMALL part of the meeting, because this meeting is NOT intended to go over logistics, but rather to encourage and empower your leaders. There should only be 4-6 minute short announcement during this time.

(2-3)Speaker shares

  • Allow your speaker to tell the leaders where he/she is heading in the next talk. Have the speaker quickly outline their intended purpose and give time for him/her to ask questions to the leaders about how the kids are responding to the message. Also make sure that the speaker is giving the leaders 2-3 small group follow up question that they can push off of during their cabin time.

(8-10)Worship – 2-3 songs

  • This time is intended to feed the spiritual soul of your leaders – give them a chance to refuel and connect with Jesus through music.

(12-15)Leaders share

  • 2-3 highlights aloud with the entire group

(10)Devotional

  • This short devotional should rotate around what God is calling us to as leaders in His Kingdom. It should not be about camp specifically, as much as it is about feeding the hearts of the leaders – challenging them and encouraging them in the Word.

(5)Prayer

  • Try different things here pending on time. Try praying aloud in a large group, or breaking into small teams of 2-3, or a time of silence. Be creative.

Points to remember:

  • Leader meetings are FOR leaders – they should get time to talk and be heard and pray and sing and cry. This is not merely a “meeting” to square away details for the day at camp.
  • This time is also intended to get everyone at camp on the same page so we are all aiming at the same desired outcome together. We hope to all be speaking and acting out the same messages each day at camp, so a kid can best HEAR the Gospel being proclaimed and SEE the Gospel being displayed.
  • You know you’ve witnessed a successful leaders meeting when tired, discouraged, worn down leaders leave this meeting with their fists in the air, ready to reengage a lost teenager with vigor and passion!

Questions? Contact the YFC Outside team at