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.

Youth pastors are notorious for sticking their foot in their mouth.  Youth pastors blow it a lot.

09. Mis-budgets youth ministry events

It seems like youth pastors are not very great with money, so we can never make a dime when putting on an event.  Some how if a youth pastor is planning an activity, they will lose money.  If you are youth pastor great at accounting, please contact me.

08.  Don’t take their critics seriously

9 out of 10 times if someone does not like us or our youth ministry strategy, we write them off.  We get very angry at them and say a lot of unChristian stuff about their lazy student and their bad parenting.  You can still say that stuff, but do it in a safe place and give them a call asking them why they don’t like you.  At times this can be really unproductive and regardless what you say/do they will still not like you.    Getting mad is fine, just don’t sin. 

07.  Love students, don’t love God

Students don’t need anymore “friends”.  They actually really don’t want your friendship.  They need more adults passionately following Jesus.  Some times youth pastors reverse the greatest commandment:  Love People, Love God. 

06.  Adores their youth ministry mission and vision statement

Youth pastors love showing off their youth ministry value statement.  Students don’t really care about your fancy-pithy vision statement.   

05.  Neglects the value of church

Many youth pastors alienates their youth ministry from church.  It is really hard working the bigger church.  It is soo much easier doing things by ourselves.  Things get done quicker and more efficient.  However Scriptures clearly commands the youth ministry department to get along with big church.

04.  Underestimates adult leader recruitment

Again, youth pastors like to fly solo.  Why waste so much energy developing leaders? It is difficult hearing NO from someone we know will be a great youth leader.  It seems like the people who want to really help, are only wanting to help for selfish reasons.  My advice:  keep asking and praying God bring you more leaders.  

03.  Doesn’t pursue and cultivate a relationship with senior pastor/senior leadership

Our assumption:  Senior pastors do not have time for youth pastors, so why should youth pastors pursue a relationship?  We are the children, so why should we seek a relationship with our parents?  Well…. because it will drastically help at a personal connection  level with your boss and establish a synergy within the staff.

02.Does not serve the good of the community and school

Youth ministries enjoy staying inhouse.  A youth ministry can become a lot more complacent within it is inward focused.  Give a call up to your local school and ask them what their needs are.  Your students spend more time on the school campus then they do on your church campus.  If your students are spending more time on your church campus, you have bigger problems to worry about.

01. A constant refining of character

Not enough youth pastors take a long and deep look inside their soul.  Many are not feeding their soul.  Some youth pastors jump from job to job wondering why they have the same problems with church?  Honestly youth pastors typically come with  a lot of personal baggage.  Constantly refining and developing your character is the best investment as a youth pastor.  Always ask the question of:  How am I changing–in my theology?  as a husband?  as a church leader? as an individual? Character is everything. As youth pastors we need to take seriously our sanctification process.  Read a lot and take personal retreats…. heck even get a Christian psychologist.  Youth ministry is too damaging for one’s soul, so we need to enroll others to help us navigate the youth ministry trenches and our own issues.  Far too many times, we let our personal issues get in the way of how we do youth ministry and how we do life.  If we don’t value our own sanctification process, youth pastors tend to get more angry, cynical, and bitter at church.  Youth pastors blame their church, when they should be blaming themselves.

© 2010, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.

Is the youth pastor population overweight?  At large, how are youth pastor’s eating habits?

I think a lot of us “should” know how to take care of ourselves–spiritually and emotionally (soul care).  But very rarely do youth pastors talk about how we can take care of ourselves physically.  It is like youth pastors have ignored one of the seven deadly sins–namely gluttony.  Youth pastor must know that taking care of themselves, physically, is an essential spiritual discipline.  I think our body weight is a great indication of how we are doing—on multiple levels.

Thomas Aquinas believed that one of the aspects of obtaining a virtuous character is how one controlled his/her eating habits.

Think about it the “youth pastor lifestyle or job…..”  fast food burgers, abnormal work hours, cheap and greasy pizza, slaves to the church, low physical activity, and meeting-holics. Youth pastors eat like theirs students but their metabolism is not like the students.

Doing youth ministry is not necessary physically exhausting, so youth pastor may need to consider being more physically active.

I think being physically healthy is just as important as being mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and doctrinally healthy.  Our bodies are God’s temple and youth pastors need to remember people judge us based off of our body weight (regardless if we like it or not).

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Ways To Physically Take Care Of Yourself:

Diet- Diet is everything.  Don’t eat carbohydrates after 5pm.  Reduce fast food and saturated fats.  Eat 4-5 smaller meals a day.  Drink a lot of water.  No soda, or high sugary fluids.  Stick to the food pyramid. And read your food labels.

Vitamins and Minerals- Make sure your diet contains:  Vitamin A, D,E, K, B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6, folate, Vitamin B12, Biotin, calcium, boron, zinc, potassium,and Vitamin C. Look into getting daily vitamin’s for secondary nourishment.

Exercise – join a gym.  Make it a priority to go 2-4 times a week.  If you need help with designing a workout program, check the Men’s or Women’s Fitness websites:

Men’s Workout Routines

Women’s Workout Routines

Join an athletic sport or league- basketball, baseball, running, football, softball. Basically anything that gets you outside and active. 

Doctor Visits- Get an annual physical.  Get your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood checked.

© 2010, 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.

A. Spouse/Family

1. Your spouse and family are you primary ministry, they need you. Time belongs to you!

2. You are responsible for your time—you always have choice. You always have the option to leave. If you paycheck controls you that is adolescence behavior. Work hard and keep your priority and boundaries.

3. You need other people in your life. Got to have couples surrounding your marriage. Get yourself in a small group community. Ministry is your job!

4. Life is a gift, it is adventure! Life is awesome! Make sure you smell the roses! Life is supposed to be fun!

If you are single…

**You will be the most taken of advantage person in the church. Draw boundaries. If you are healthy you have something to give.

B. Fellowship

1. Koine(community)—It is God driven and God structured. Get community in and outside of your church. Essentially have friends outside of the church you work at.

2. Person of integrity. Everyone pretends, everyone hides, and everyone has junk. You got to figure out how to base relationships where you can be honest and real to what is really going on.

3. Be the people of God, before you do the work of God. You got to figure out how to combine friendship and ministry. You need a friend that you can laugh with!!!!!!! Keep it real with!!!! You can let your ministry guard down.

4. You need a small group of intimate companions. Give your life to people.

5. Mentoring- you at least need one person that speaks truth in your life and someone you are speaking truth into their life. You get a mentor by grabbing a cup of coffee and ask questions about their life story.

C. Accountability-have great superiority about how you talk about your boss. Never put anything negative in writing. Keep records of emails.

D. Counseling-there will be a time where you need to get counseling; do not be afraid of it.

E. Spiritual Life

1. Never confused personal worship with preparation. It is not spiritual disciple when you write talks.

2. Hebrews 3:1 and 12:2-FIX YOUR THOUGHTS ON JESUS—FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS. The gospel is about fixing your eyes on Jesus. Get to know Jesus.

F. Personal growth and fulfillment

1. Be a student! Your spouse call is more important than yours.

2. Attend Silent retreats

3. Set personal time during your week

© 2009, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.