As I watched this video I couldn’t but help to laugh at what these guys have done. I think that this video it is very witty and comical to depicet really what youth pastors/leaders go through to reach a generation.
How many times have I said to a kid, “hey let’s go for coffee or a movie,” wanting to spend time with them but fully knowing that the only way on a YP’s salary, it was really all coming out of the youth budget. Or how many times I have dreamed of that mustang GT or that pro water ski boat that I have always wanted to own, but to realize that today I’m taking out 15 kids on a retreat in my church “pimped” out grey van that smells, hurts driving after 15 mins, and rattles and hums all the way down the highway while kids yell out “hey PC is this door going to stay closed.” Or here’s my favorite, how about the scene where he’s telling kid’s that it’s wrong to watch “family guy”, because of well…you know why and yet he himself thinks it’s one of the funniest shows he’s ever seen. Now don’t get me wrong I’m not endorcing “family guy” by any means but how many times have you told someone don’t do that or watch that yet you find a little humor in some of the things that are out there.
Why am I saying all this? I’m saying all this because as funny as this video is and in some circumstance it’s very comedy speaks to real life, I began to really think about, what is a Youth Pastor/Leader? There are many times and hours we spend with kids counselling, taking them on trips, conferences, missions, one on one time, youth worship nights, listening to their ridiculous comments, funny comments, realistic goals & unrealistic goals, dreams, and hopes, hurts and pains. I came to the realization that Youth Pastoring is all about “Calling.” You see there are great programs within communities and even through out the world that encourage young people, that engage young people in mind and in body. There are great programs through out the world that help them find their careers one day and even help the one’s dissasociated from society get back on track.
But there is no program in the world or no counsel in my mind that can help them get on track and closer to God then that of a Youth Pastor. How many times have I had a parent call saying, “can you talk to my son or daughter.” Or how many times have have young men confess to me that they want to remain pure or here from a daughters heart their virginity was taken. And I get to spend time, with them and see God radically change their lives. How many endless coffee’s and movies have I gone too, to spend time with a young person in the hopes to draw them closer to their creator in heaven.
Really this is the goal of a YP/Ldr, the goal is to draw them all back to God, to get their minds off of themselves and back to the one who gave them life, and the God who wants to spend eternity with them. This is why I say it’s a calling. As much at times as youth pastor’s we may struggle with a budget or lack of budget and may struggle internally with our own battles, there is this God given drive and wooing of His Spirit to draw that young person to Christ. How many times have I talked with other youth pastors who have wanted to quit or have and even myself have felt that very frustration and yet there is this tugging in our hearts to draw this generation to Christ. I say the calling is one that seperates the men from the boys, the calling of a youth pastor is many times looked down upon or even looked at as a baby sitting service or a ministry we push to the side, within certain church’s. But it is much more than that, we have the awesome responsibility of shepherding God’s younger people. They may not know everything and may not have the grey hair to signify to us that they have gone through the “stuff.” But none the less they are His people, and they are lost, hurting, intimidated, scared, full of dreams, energy, love and they need someone to lead them and show them Christ.
Romans 11:29 says, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” 1 Corinthians says, “Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called.” 1Corinthians 1:26-27 says, “For you see your calling brethern, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many well-born are called but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.”
These verses speak of the very nature of what God is doing in the hearts of people who feel called to this very ministry to young people. Past all the fun, trips, and counselling. God has called us with his very spirit to remain steadfast, unmovable, and committed to his very goals and visions that he put on our hearts. 1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity…do not neglect the gift in you which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of eldership.”
I love these verses, here Paul is not only addressing the older generation but specificly charging Timothy his protage, disciple, “Youth Pastor,” to walk fully in the grace and teaching of our lord Jesus, be that person that God has called him to be, to have fun and live life to the fullest, but to “not neglect the gift that was given to him by prophecy.” And to begin to pass it on to his generation.
I will conclude with these last thougts. Youth Pastoring/Leading is more then just baby sitting, “hangn” with kids, or even stepping stones in our personal lives.
Youth Pastoring in four quick thoughts are this: 1)Youth pastors have got to carry the presence of God. Without the presence there is no youth pastor and without the his presence there is no ministry. It’s not a career it’s a calling. 2) YP’s need the ministry of Holiness. There is a need to revisit the wells of holiness and not be relevant in today’s society, kids need holiness not relevance. Everything in our lives needs to strive towards holiness. 3) We need to develop the Giftings of God within our lives. There is an underdevelopment of the giftings within the body. Pray, read the word, and we need to ask ourselves. “What are we doing to develop the anointing in our lives.” Gifting only flows out of relationship with Him. 4)YP’s need to preach the gospel with unbridaled passion. There is no church with out the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with good old fashion alter calls.
As you have read this I hope you feel encouraged in that your calling is greater and louder then the critics and the voices that come against you saying you are not worthy…you are worthy because you are his child.
Well, we are finally here! It seems so long ago that this was just a conversation here and a thought there. But when God wants things done His way, it is always the right time. I remember four summer’s ago, as I was talking with Pastor Mitch and telling him that it was my desire to help him run an interns ministry, and to see young adults such as you; trained, discipled and experience the presence of God in such a dynamic way, that your life would never be the same. We are now seeing the fruit of interns every year and you get to be apart of what God is doing.
Well, year four has finished and five begins. As you have been accepted into the ministry of interns we are ready to embark on one of the greatest times of your life. You now have many opportunities before you: You have the opportunity to press in during prayer times and visit with the Father, you now have the opportunity to learn and ask as many questions as you can during teaching times, you now have the opportunity to hear the voice of God daily and act on that voice with unbridled passion, you now have the opportunity to serve a body of believers that are like minded as you are, and you now have the opportunity to CALL a generation to repentance and holiness before an awesome and great God. You also have the opportunity to see the hand of God move within this generation and generation(s) to come. Yes, I’m excited to see people change, I’m excited for you to go from apathy to passion and I am also excited because of the unknown that will help stretch your faith and mine. read more »