In the traditional youth activity setting, it’s easy for adults to take over. After all, they have the experience, the schedules, the confidence—and let’s be honest, they want things to go smoothly. But if we really want to build up strong, spiritually resilient Latter-day Saint youth, we have to ask ourselves: Are we training them to lead… or just training them to follow?

Leadership in the Church is not just about organizing events or speaking in front of a group. It’s about learning to receive revelation, care for others, and contribute meaningfully to the Lord’s work. And those skills are best developed through experience—not observation.

Why Peer Leadership Matters

Youth need more than adult instruction—they need opportunities to act. They learn differently when they’re leading their peers, wrestling with the responsibilities, and discovering their own gifts. This is where LDS youth leadership ideas shift from theoretical to transformational.

When a young woman plans a Mutual night, or a young man conducts a presidency meeting, they’re not just checking a box. They’re stepping into spiritual stewardship. And when peers see each other stepping up, it creates a contagious momentum. Leadership becomes expected. Contribution becomes normal.

This is essential for building a culture of LDS youth activities that’s vibrant, engaging, and owned by the youth themselves.

Key Principles of Peer-Led Leadership

To foster this shift, adult leaders can use these simple but powerful strategies:

1. Start With Small Assignments

Give each youth a meaningful role in every activity. Let them plan a prayer, run a group discussion, or assign roles to others. Gradually, increase the responsibility. This approach helps overcome common youth group leadership challenges and builds confidence over time.

2. Train—Don’t Just Tell

Hold short workshops on planning youth activities or leading a meeting. Share how to write an agenda, set goals, or handle awkward moments. Offer feedback privately and praise publicly. Frame leadership as a skill—not a personality trait.

3. Empower the Presidency

Give quorum and class presidencies real ownership. Don’t just ask for their “approval” on activities—ask them to come up with the ideas. Provide the youth activity planning steps they need, and then step back. Adults become guides, not bosses.

4. Rotate Roles and Responsibilities

Let every youth try different roles—planning, teaching, hosting, leading games. The more variety they experience, the better they’ll understand how the body of Christ works. This also helps identify natural gifts, supporting your efforts in spiritual strength activities and discipleship development.

Real-Life Scenario: A Leadership-Focused Activity

Try this quick 6-minute spotlight rotation during a Mutual night:

1. Break into small groups.
   
2. Give each group a scenario like:
   
   • “You’re planning a service project for your neighborhood.”
     
   • “You’re hosting a fireside on missionary work.”
     
   • “You’re welcoming a new convert into Young Men/Young Women.”
     
3. Have a youth lead the discussion on what steps they’d take to plan and lead.
   
4. Debrief as a group. What was easy? What was hard?
   

This quick simulation builds empathy, awareness, and planning skills—all in a short burst.

What You’ll Notice When Youth Lead Each Other

You’ll see a shift. They’ll start to:

• Invite each other more often.
  
• Reach out when someone misses.
  
• Talk more in presidency meetings.
  
• Show up with purpose, not just obligation.
  

This is how youth leadership in church is meant to work. Not top-down. Not passive. But actively peer-led with spiritual guidance from adults.

Final Thought: The Church Is Their Church

Let that truth settle in: this is their Church. Not just something they attend, but something they shape, lead, and grow with. When you train youth to lead each other, you’re not just preparing them for Sunday—you’re preparing them for missions, marriages, leadership callings, and a lifetime of covenant keeping.

If you want deeper tools, lesson guides, and activity packs to train and empower your youth leadership, check out our Forged in Faith Discipleship Program. We’re here to help you create a youth culture that thrives.