1. Leverage the student ministry calendar. Just schedule some good hangout events. Don’t make it into a bible study or a bake sale. Just hang out. Put it on your summer calendar and tell everyone to show up without an agenda. Life happens in the margin and it’ll communicate to your students that just spending time with them is a priority to you. Tomorrow morning I’m taking a bunch of guys and girls on a fishing trip. No big deal, just a few poles, some bait and lots of time together.

2. Invite students into your life. Doug Fields calls this “the dog house principle”. He tells a story of building a dog house and asking a student to help him out. I abuse this principle. I have lots of errands to run and I never go alone. Take a student with you wherever you go. They would love to help you shop or do yard work or just spend time with someone who really cares. The best lessons students will ever learn will not be in your youth service, but just by watching you follow after God.

3. Open up your home. Now don’t go crazy with this one. But a few times a month just let your students and volunteers know that your house is open. Throw on a movie, grab some board games, buy an Xbox 360 and have some fun. If you are married, then clear it with your spouse first. Of course, you need to set clear boundaries about what time they need to leave and what nights your house is off limits. It will scream "relationship" when you invite students into your home.