REyouthpastor.com will be hosting the “One Thing Youth Worker Interview.”
Basically I asked a dozen youth workers across the country this question:
What is one thing (only one thing) you want to tell the youth pastor population?
I (Jeremy Zach) will kick off the series by answering the one thing question.
My answer:
I believe youth pastors need to network and be exposed to other youth ministries and youth pastors. It is so easy to isolate our youth ministry, which leaves us only familiar with our context. I think it is healthy for youth pastors to visit other youth ministry programs and connect monthly with youth pastors. There is nothing wrong with listening and learning from other youth ministries.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
This sounds interesting. Looking forward to hearing what people have to say.
So true JZ. If I hadn’t been exposed to new ways of doing ministry and philosophies beyond my own I can’t imagine what garbage I’d be doing today.
Hey Jeremy, yes, there is strength in being more connected to the body! The way we do things now, the body of Christ is hacked up into pieces. But the more the body is connected the more life we receive, the more strength we find, and the more we are blessed by all of who God is!
My answer: “You aren’t nearly as talented as you think you are. More talented people have already done most of the work you are doing, use their stuff. Invest in people (students)”
Your relationship with Christ HAS to be of utmost importance. It is impossible to pour out yourself when you are not filled with the Spirit.
THe one thing I’d like to share with all young people – is that no matter how bad you feel you are – no matter how down, how insignificant unheard ‘unwanted’ unfulfilled unloved you feel – Jesus felt this too and was ready to and has already died to save you because He loved you so so much – will you walk away or will you check Him out, will you accept His love. It might just be an opportunity to good to miss..
In reply to Networking – I beleive we need to network wider as Youth Pastors – we need to include all the secular youthworkers agencies and charities, all the schools, organisations and other churches in our area – to work together ‘united’. What a chance to evangelise to others gently by the way we live.. and what a chance for sustaianable future ministry. We simply need to ‘mark’ outselves out and not to end up as a ‘blended’ with the world until there is no difference….
Great question, though I’d never want to leave it at one thing because supporting and encouraging others is one of my goals. However, if I had opportunity to share only one thing it would be that building authentic relationships is the heart and soul of ministry with young people. Relationships with self, individual young people, God through Jesus and young people collectively as a result of all of the above.
Be yourself and be honest and caring towards those you connect with and it’ll all work out!