If you’ve served in youth or children’s ministry for more than a minute, you know the work can be deeply rewarding—but also isolating and exhausting. That’s why events like SALT are so important. SALT isn’t just another training—it’s a half-day of inspiration, equipping, and connection designed for youth workers and volunteers alike.

Hosted by the Youth Operations Team of the North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church and the Raleigh Area YOWO group, SALT brings together professionals and volunteers from across the region. The goal? To strengthen leaders in their calling through real-life tools, new ideas, and honest conversations about the challenges and joys of youth ministry. Topics for this year’s gathering include games, missions, communications, social media, LGBT+ inclusive youth ministry, and more. You’ll hear from seasoned ministry leaders as well as young adults making a difference in their churches and communities.

But SALT is more than a training—it’s a glimpse into something deeper: the kind of connection and growth that comes when youth leaders commit to walking alongside each other in the long haul.

I’ll be honest—I’m a spoiled youth worker. Why? Because I live in an area filled with vibrant youth ministries and youth workers who’ve built a community of encouragement, learning, and friendship. For almost two decades, I’ve met monthly with a local network of leaders. We pray for one another, trade ideas, and even meet weekly for book clubs that stretch our faith and sharpen our ministry skills. We call each other higher, like Barnabas did, and we help each other through the highs and lows of ministry and life.

This group isn’t new—it’s been around since the early ’90s. Some of the most faithful contributors aren’t even paid staff; they’re volunteers who’ve served under multiple youth directors for 15+ years. Their wisdom and commitment are just as vital as any seminary degree. And the best part? There’s a mutual respect between veterans and rookies. We all recognize that we have something to learn from each other.

SALT grew out of this kind of environment—an extension of that spirit of collaboration. Every year, we gather for SALT to share best practices and big failures. Whether it’s deep dives into discipleship or swapping game ideas and Google Forms tips, we leave better equipped and encouraged. We laugh, we learn, and we walk away with new strategies—and sometimes, the reminder of what needs to be let go.

The most powerful moments, though, are the ones that go off-script—when the agenda pauses, and we simply do life together. In those moments, we become more than co-laborers. We become friends and companions in Christ. As John 12:24 reminds us: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Our ministry bears fruit not just in programs and events—but in these life-to-life relationships.

Being part of this community also means watching others across the conference form their own groups, creating pockets of support in their towns and districts. I love hearing those stories—stories of leaders finding their people, sharing their struggles, and celebrating the sacred work of youth ministry.

If you’re not part of a group like this, it’s easier than you think to start one. Reach out to other youth leaders in your area. Offer to host a brown-bag lunch gathering at your church. Choose a topic, invite a few voices, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.

And if you’re ready for a next step, join us at SALT 2025. Come for the practical takeaways, stay for the inspiration, and leave with a renewed sense of community and calling.

You don’t have to do youth ministry alone. SALT is proof. Click this link to register: SALT.

Article written by Rev. Lee Barnes.