Youth pastors are notorious for doing and saying dumb stuff.

Top 5 Things Youth Pastors Do:

Eat really unhealthy

The youth pastor schedule is not ideal for eating healthy.  We eat what kids love to eat– pizza, hamburgers, fries, corn dogs, tatter tots, and ice cream.  Read more…

NIV Zechariah 7:6 And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves?

Proverbs 3:7-8  7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.  8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

Don’t Read Our Bible

I have this theory:  the younger the youth pastor, the less they ACTUALLY read their Bible.  Why?  Us young youth pastors think we know it all. We have read the latest and coolest books about the church so we think we have something new to say about the Bible. We only read our Bible when we need to create a sermon.  Very rarely do we just read it for ourselves.   Honestly how many of us actually carry around a physical Bible?  No an Iphone Bible app does not count.

NIV 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

Become too culturally relevant and complacent

I am all about contextualization but our relevance needs boundaries.  It is troubling when youth pastors devote more time, energy, and resources to their image than to their theology.  I am very guilty of this. I think being in the same culture or context is extremely helpful but  can lead to a dangerous place of complacency. It is imperative we realize that the Kingdom of God’s values are counter-cultural. This is why Ignatius the Ultimate Youth Pastor is so brilliant.

Click here to view the embedded video.

At some level all youth pastors do something Ignatius does. 

Don’t study enough

Technology is a beautiful thing, however we live in a wiki world.  If we want to know something, we can find an answer in 15 seconds.  We go right to google.com and believe Wikipedia is a valid and reputable source.  Actually reading a book and going to a library is a foreign concept.  If we need a youth sermon, we google “youth sermon”.  Here is an idea… actually read your Bible, use commentaries, and ask the holy spirit to speak to you.  In many ways, technology has made youth ministry and youth pastors homogeneous.

NIV Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.

NIV Nehemiah 8:8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear  and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.

Take ourselves way too seriously…

How many hours in our weeks do we try to  justify our actions, behaviors, decisions, and theology in church land?  Youth pastors are already at a disadvantage position in the church hierarchy.  If a parent complains about us, it takes us 2 weeks to get over it.  There is a real power in laughing it off.  Make fun of yourself and your stupid mistakes.  Talk a lot about your failures and idiotic tendencies.  My point:  We cannot take ourselves too seriously, but it is imperative to take God’s work very seriously.  We have nothing to prove to anyone.  We constantly need to be growing a thicker skin and laugh a lot.  Read More…

NIV Galatians 1:10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

NIV 1 Thessalonians 2:4 On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.

NIV 2 Corinthians 5:13 If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.

NIV Proverbs 14:13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief.

© 2010, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.

What matters most as a committed–common youth pastor who is employed at an Evangelical church?

After much contemplation, here is my list:

1.  Back Your Church Leadership 100%

Many youth pastors have a difficult time “fitting” in at church.  Youth pastors have the tendency to be cynical, skeptical, question, and disagree with how church does things.  For example… youth pastor have beef with church leadership structure, vision, policies, etc.. I think being a church problem is in the DNA of a good youth pastor.  It is easy to listen to other members of the church complain about the same things you complain about.  But at the end of the day you as the youth pastor back your church leadership.  I don’t care how much you disagree/hate/dislike your church vision/leadership you get their backs. My youth pastor buddy Caleb stated it very well:  You may disagree with your church leadership decisions, but always respect their position of authority. However if your church leadership doesn’t back you as the youth pastor, that is different ball game and you may want to leave ASAP. 

2.  Let  your NO be NO.

In the past, I have had a difficult time saying NO to really demanding people.  Although I have been saying NO and you need to hold tight–a lot lately.  In my personality profile, I am a people pleaser.  I like to win over the crowd. In comparison, youth ministry is one big awkward–tough–difficult conversation.

My tendency is to say YES, but the reality is my family and ministry need  me to say NO.

By saying NO to everyone’s great idea, you are freed to focus in on what God is calling you to do in and through your youth ministry.  If you are too busy implementing everyone’ else ideas, you will lack motivation and your youth ministry will become very misguided.  Focusing on less means the youth pastor needs to say NO more.

3.  Stick To The Basics

We all know the basics, but we forget a lot.  It is funny— we remember what we are suppose to forget, but we forget what we are suppose to remember. So remember this…..

You need a lot of time with Jesus!

Family is everything.  If your family life is a mess, and your ministry is thriving you have a deep theological and personal problem.

Ministry.  Ministry is ministry.  It sucks.  It is hard. But someone has to do the job.  Remember you are called by God to co-labor with Him at your church.  Ministry is the means, not the end.

4.  Prayer

Pray your butt off.  Every day soak in Ephesians 6.  There are too many complexities and difficulties to youth ministry, so really the only thing you can do is pray and keep trying things out.  MC HAMMER said it best:  You have to pray just to make it today.

© 2010, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.

Theologically trash talking among other trained youth pastors can be fun, but one needs to be careful and mindful.  It doesn’t matter if a youth pastor is a fundamentalist, hippie, Pentecostal, legalistic, compromisers, sinner, left wing liberal, tattoo artist, and/or religious; you are going to get doctrinally attacked at some point in your youth ministry career.

Some youth pastors (I call them doctrine dogs) love taking this verse: ^“Titus 1:9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the doctrine, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” to literally by rebuking everyone and their mom who disagrees with their doctrine paradigm.

I agree there are some crazy and wacky doctrines out there that need to be corrected because they are not about Jesus.  Youth pastors need to contend (Jude 3) for the essential doctrines of the Christian faith and contextualize (1 Cor  9) truth by many means as possible. The problem is some youth pastors enjoy only contending for the Christian faith, which means they are mean spirited, legalistic, fundamentalist, religious people who only define themselves by what they are against.

Personally, I think the best way to go is being theologically conservative and socially liberal.

My point: It is not a bad thing to hold closely your life and doctrine (1 Tim 4.16), but one doesn’t need to be so eager to correct “doctrine”.  Jesus biggest concerns are:  1. Love God and 2.  Love people.

So how do youth pastors handle themselves when they get doctrinally corrected? 

1. Affirm one or two points in their theological argument

It does not matter if your opponent is dead wrong, there always a learning moment in any argument.  Learn from everyone, but have the discern what to take from the conversation.

2. Have a theological position, but don’t alienate yourself

Be passionate, but don’t let your passion turn into anger.  Anger leaves you isolated and removed.  Communicate in a rational and calm way while still showing your passion for why you believe what you believe.

3. Be Confident and Considerate

Use sources and make sure you have done your homework.  There might be a slim chance you are wrong, so be open for correction.  Be prepared to give a response, but do it gently (1 Peter 3.15).  If you are frustrated, consider it a “sanctification moment”. Humility needs to be presence in a “sanctification moment”.  It is about becoming more like Jesus, not like the Pharisees.  Sometimes it is more about being right, than it is “correcting doctrine”.

4. Do Not Attack Their Persona

It is so much easier to start making fun of someone’s hair, than it is to prove them wrong.  I am notorious for this.  Deal with the content at hand, not their character or fashion style.  Shy away from sarcasm and blow the belt jabs.

5. Refer To Theological Experts That Agree With Your Position

By referring to the experts not only shows you have read what other intelligent Bible scholars have said about the doctrine, but illustrates to the other party there are other theological views he/she needs to consider and be aware of.

Bottom line:  Stay Gospel centered, don’t compromise, and don’t let the doctrinal police bum you out.

© 2010, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.

Generally, a Youth Pastor works with a lot of different students. A Youth Pastor may work with a student who is: shy, creative, vocal, cynical, smart, naive, sarcastic, bold, confronting, depressed, lonely, dumb, hilarious, emo, skater, surfer, conservative, liberal, high personality, band nerd, athlete, low personality, etc… The beauty about working with many students is that they will tell you how it is. They are real and authentic, not necessary about their spirituality, but about how they feel towards you.

We, as Youth Pastor cannot and will not connect and relate with every student. Students can easily sense a fake or an insecure Youth Pastor. Students can effortlessly find your insecurities and call them out—loud and proud if they do not like you.

During my first two years of Youth Ministry, I would get offended, depressed, and upset that my students were making fun of me. Some of the students would say a comment or two about how I was too boy bandish (not a kernel of truth in that comment! ; ) ). However, over the years not only have I built a tolerance to negative words from students, but I simply just get over it and put up with it.

For example this is how I deal with a student’s negative words/comments. If one of my students begin to make fun of me, I will continue to make fun of me with them. Essentially I would play along with them. By me playing along diffuses the critique. Students know how to push Youth Pastors’ buttons; and they want a reaction. If you give them one, they will continue to do it. Although if you respond, and not react, to them they will slowly stop.

The most frequent negative comment I would receive; would be: Jeremy, you are weird! During my first two years, I would take this comment personally, become shut down, and throw a pity party. Now, I play along with the joke. If a student(s) say I am weird, then I first say “Thank You”, God created me like this, and I continue to keep getting weirder in the moment. For me if someone says Jeremy you are weird, I take it as a compliment and not a critique.

It boils down to the Youth Pastor being comfortable and confident (not cocky) in his or her own skin. One needs to know who they are as a Youth Pastor and as a person. Students will immediately detect if their Youth Pastor is trying to hard to be someone that they are not. It is important not to take yourself too seriously, but God’s work seriously. Be a Youth Pastor that exhibits humility, care, gentleness, confidence, awareness, and sensitivity.

© 2009, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.

NIV 2 Timothy 2:3: Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

The ministry veteran Paul is writing to the young buck, Timothy.  Paul is blunt with Timothy that no matter what ministry setting and/or position, there will be hardship and difficulties.  Paul reminds Timothy that he must be wise, strong, and embrace perseverance in order to make it.

It is my goal to be a youth ministry lifer.  I have been doing youth ministry for seven years and I hope I have many more successful years of youth ministry.

Why Many Youth Pastors Cannot Make It For The Long Haul:

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01.  Money

Youth ministry does not pay a lot of money.  How does a youth pastor provide for his/her family when he/she gets paid bread crumbs?  Generally many youth pastors have to “move on” once they start having a family and want to actually buy a house.  I think a few youth pastor will actually admit that they have to move on or up so they were able to actually pay the bills.  It is very difficult for a small church youth pastor to have financial freedom for 20+ years.

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02.  Freshness

To be a youth pastor, you need some type of edge, energy, endurance, and passion in order to make it through the overnighters and jr high madness.  But at some point every youth pastor must ask:  Am I too old to be doing youth ministry?  Have I over stayed my current position?  Do students put up with me?  Or do student genuinely want to be around me?  Every youth pastor must accept the reality that they don’t have what it takes to be a youth pastor any more.  I think only a select few youth pastors can still do youth ministry in their 40s.  I think youth pastor lifers are rare breeds.  Bottom line: if a youth pastor still loves kids, loves God, and the kids love him/her, then they should be good.

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03.  Burnt Out & Jaded

I got a list of these “retired” youth pastors who are mad and angry at the church.  These youth pastors should be only mad at themselves.  Not taking your day off and running around doing “ministry” will literally destroy you, your soul, and your youth ministry.  Church are not necessary concern about their youth pastor’s soul.  Unfortunately youth pastors only become church causalities.

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A Few Ways To Make It For The Long Haul:

> Be proactive<

>Be present with your family<

>Use all your vacation time<

>Take monthly spiritual retreats<

>Read…read a lot<

>Learn to effectively communicate frustrations to senior church leadership<

>Get a pastoral support group<

>Get a therapist<

>Learn to say No to everyone, except for your family<

>Pray to God always asking HIM for discernment for your youth ministry career<

>Don’t let age and hair style determine what type of youth pastor you are<

>Don’t be shy to ask for a raise<

>>Remember do not attach your youth ministry call to a specific church.  It is more about your youth ministry call, than what church you are doing youth ministry in<<

The end is your youth ministry call.  The mean is what church you are doing youth ministry in.  Never let the mean outweigh the end.  Amen?

© 2009, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.