This post may seem slightly similar to my last post but I think there are enough differences that I decided to write it separately. I do a lot of consulting with churches and youth workers who all have decided that they need the same things. Many churches just feel like a great “Up front” dynamic presence who is a master communicator and story teller will likely draw students into the ministry and then they can feel successful about their youth ministry. Youth Workers in general have bought into this belief too and the most highly prized ones are those who are the most visibly gifted up front.
But the truth is this is hurting our field. Think about it for a second. How many of us have sat in a seminar or a youth ministry event and listened to a super engaging up front communicator tell story after story without really saying anything. I’ve fallen into this trap too. There was a joke at a church I worked a few years ago that I couldn’t teach without telling some sort of story about the Island I grew up on. I was really good at telling stories and keeping students attention. But, I was really bad about doing what I was supposed to do which was teach the Bible.
When we overemphasize the role of the upfront communicator we put that person in a position where they start becoming as important as the content/message/Bible they are supposed to be teaching. Think about some of these dynamic communicators. What has happened when they left? Is the Youth Ministry teaching time about Jesus or is about their communication style? Did we make the youth ministry about entertainment and keeping their attention or did we fail at promoting a real concept of what following Jesus will look like. It’s hard.
Now if you know me then you know I am a good communicator. It’s something I do value and for whatever reason God gifted me in it. If I wanted too though I could not study, prepare or plan a message and just get up and teach from the seat of my pants. And students would like it and keep coming back. So maybe this post is my way of telling myself to be careful.
But, I also think there are a ton of great youth workers who feel like they are constantly out of place because the expectation is that they will be great up front communicators and they just don’t know how to do that. My friend Mark Riddle wrote a pretty great yet scathing post today about a youth ministry he was involved in where the youth pastor couldn’t think of anything for Mark to do if he wasn’t going to lead a small group. Have we decided incorrectly that any gift is more important than others in the youth ministry world.
So if you are a youth worker who doesn’t feel like you can be up front. If you feel like you aren’t valued because you aren’t dynamic, if you feel marginalized because your church (or places you’ve interviewed) don’t value your gifts. Please know that you are valuable.
I write a lot of blog posts resolved that if I could make a difference then I would. I can make a difference with my influence and with my team. My encouragement is to hold tightly to the words of Paul from 1st Corinthians.
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free–and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles,second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing,those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret?
Youth Ministry Falsehoods.
- You must be with students 24/7
- You must be young
- You must be single/married
- You must be irresponsible and fly by the Seat of your Pants
- You must be theologically trained
- You must be an extrovert
- You must a great upfront communicator
- You must be wild and crazy and a kid magnet
- You must be willing to be poor
- You must want to be a “real” pastor some day
