It’s almost Go time. Your cast begins to assemble. On cue, the theme music blares as Gary the Game Guy enters with gadgets and gear to take on the fiercest junior high student. Striding behind him is Emily Empathy; she is the master of relationships and can make the new kid feel welcomed and the regulars feel like family. Enter Marty the Muse, guitar in hand, he sends the room into worship rapture. Finally, a man you simply call “The Voice” crosses the threshold of the youth room, prepared to deliver the message of the ages. Suddenly, you hear a voice that snaps you from your daydream, “Hey…yoo-who? They’re waiting.”

Do you dream of a day when your students aren’t waiting on you, but are engaged by a cast of heroes? The television show Heroes illuminates (like the bat signal) a path to finding real heroes—real people our students can look up to and save us from doing ministry all alone.

Heroes’ identities are masked sometimes.
Try skipping the church bulletin to recruit volunteers. Heroes may be right under your nose. To whom are members of your youth drawn? Whose name keeps popping up? Who do you talk with about the youth ministry, and they get it? Which parents always are volunteering? Who’s always saying, “I’m praying for you”? Who, among your students, shows a desire to serve or lead?

Heroes are surprised by their gift.
Humility is a great hero quality. In Heroes, each hero is awestruck by being chosen and wonders if the gift could serve a greater purpose through another. Look for humble people who would be honored if you asked them to use their gift to serve youth.

Heroes’ “super powers” aren’t always sensational.
Learn the Hero Motto gift from God is too small, and it always can be used to minister to the body of Christ. Your heroes don’t have to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but just use their God-given gifts to serve others. Some ways to allow your heroes’ “super powers” to support your team include encouraging them to pray with and for your students, to mentor single-parent students, to make phone calls to absent kids, or to act as “social networkers” who use social networking sites to drop messages to students.

Some heroes are reluctant.
Sometimes a hero must be coaxed from their lair. They’re not sure whether their gifts will be received well. When you share your needs in youth ministry, make sure to reveal a greater purpose to the task. Ask if they can drive the van, and explain there are some students you need to be free to spend time with. Or say, “I’d rather not order pizza again for the retreat. These kids get enough junk food. Could you help us fix something fun but healthy?”

True heroes are authentic.
Your students deserve the best heroes. Don’t settle for heroes who seek to serve themselves or their egos. Don’t settle for only young, hip heroes. Choose wise, diverse heroes. Your students deserve heroes who know how to play games, lead worship, listen, love, fail, cry, laugh and are models worth imitating — and occasionally even can save the day.