How do you find the right people for your ministry? These questions help potential volunteers think about themselves and about youth ministry, and they get a conversation going. You can use this get-to-know-you conversation as a filter for who serves in your youth ministry.

Recently I had an onboarding conversation with a potential intern for our youth ministry. During the conversation, we went through these questions from Jen Bradbury. They are ideal for getting to know potential youth leaders better and clarifying expectations.

Questions for getting to know new volunteers

One of my steps in choosing new leaders for youth ministry is a get-to-know-you conversation. Conversations give me the chance to gauge an adult volunteer’s potential (and give them the chance to get to know me). In addition to basic “getting to know you” questions, here are the eight questions I ask every potential volunteer:

  1. Tell me about your faith journey. What events / experiences have significantly impacted it?
  2. What are your favorite ways to connect with God? Why do you think this is?
  3. Tell me about your experience in church as a teenager. Were you involved in your church’s youth ministry? If so, what did you most appreciate about it? If not, what kept you from being involved in it?
  4. (For those who are parents) Did your kids participate in a youth ministry? If so, what did you most value about it? Why? If not, why not?
  5. Why do you feel called to serve in our youth ministry?
  6. Based on what I’ve told you about our youth ministry, how do you imagine serving in it? How would serving in that way utilize your gifts?
  7. Adult leaders in our ministry are not so much teachers as guides. Your job is to spark & guide discussions & questions. In what ways would serving in this way be easy for you? Difficult?
  8. In our youth ministry, we value learning. As a result, our leaders meet regularly for training. What’s one way in which you’d like to grow this year as a leader? How would growing in this way enable you to more effectively minister to our kids?

English version: October 2026