Find a good meeting location. Many churches already have a great hall for their youth group, but if not find some location where everyone will feel comfortable. A large room, a park in good weather, or the beach in the summer are great places for teenagers to connect. Get the word out. Word of mouth works great, so encourage frequent members to talk to their friends about the youth group. Place an announcement in the church newsletter and Sunday bulletin. If the church has a website, add a link for youth ministry information. Don't forget Facebook and Twitter, as these are very popular with youth. Break the ice. For a lot of these kids, the youth group will evolve into their greatest friends base, and that's a wonderful thing- if you can get it to happen. Play some get-to-know-you games, encourage group discussion and mingling. Get the teens out of their pre-set cliques. Make sure there are no teens left out or uncomfortable. Let the youth lead. The youth know what the youth want. Often, it's best to pick 11th or 12th graders to form a "core" or "leadership" team to plan events and the like. At this age, they'll have developed maturity, planning skills, and hopefully a sincere love

of God. Sing praise to the Lord. Youth love music, and if you can find the right kind of music, even the quiet type will open up eventually. Set a mood, and use song as prayer. Those who aren't willing to sing under most circumstances tend to find themselves singing with joy when the Holy Spirit acts through them. If you're a youth, push to effect these changes. Many youth groups are stagnant because the youth just don't care. Love of God is contagious, so let yours show for the benefit of those around you. Sign up for or plan your own retreats. Away from the hustle of routine life, retreats can truly cause amazing spiritual conversions, and encourage youth to attend the regular meetings as well. Pray for the youth of Christianity daily. There is perhaps no more important thing to do for your youth ministry than this.