From the Field: If You Can’t Show Up, Follow Up

It absolutely blesses my heart when a student walks up to me and asks, “Hey, can you come support me at…”—whether it’s graduation, an academic award ceremony, or an athletic signing day. And there’s nothing quite like showing up to a volleyball, basketball, or football game and seeing their eyes light up because someone from their church family is in the stands just for them. Moments like these remind me that ministry is presence, and presence doesn’t just happen on Sundays. When I’m standing on the sidelines or sitting in the bleachers, I feel like an extension of their family—and that’s priceless.

But here’s the reality: I can’t be everywhere at once. And neither can any of us.

The truth is, students and families visit us on Sundays, or whenever our faith community gathers…but they live on Monday. Their lives are filled with school, practices, rehearsals, jobs, family responsibilities, and everything in between. If we’re only engaging them when they walk through our church doors, we’re missing opportunities to truly walk with them in life.

My goal is to create a culture of care—one where students know we don’t just care about them in a church setting, but we care about what matters to them all week long. That’s where showing up, or when we can’t, following up comes in.

Practical Steps We’re Taking

To lean into what’s happening in their world, I created a Student Life Calendar in our youth space. This isn’t just a decoration—it’s a tool for intentional connection. Students and servant leaders update it with birthdays, sports games, theater productions, concerts, and other life moments they want us to know about. It’s a living calendar of what matters to them, and it gives us practical ways to celebrate, show up, and support.

And here’s the key: If we can’t show up, we follow up.

When we know what’s happening, we can check in:

• “Hey, how did your game go last night?”

• “I heard you had a big test, how’d it go?”

• “I couldn’t make the play, but I saw the photos; looked amazing!”

These moments of follow-up show students that we see them and value them—not just as members of our ministry but as individuals with unique gifts, goals, and lives outside of church.

Also, it frees us from feeling like we have to commit to everything, which can lead to burnout or broken promises. Instead, we can commit to care. Whether that’s showing up physically or following up personally, the goal is connection.

In ministry, presence is powerful. But when presence isn’t possible, pursuit still is. Follow-up is just another form of showing up, it’s a reminder that no matter what, we care. Until next time, Keep listening and keep learning. I Love you!