I recently read an article entitled, “When Is A Youth Minister Too Old To Be Effective?” It was really an interesting article because it was pointing to the fact that somewhere in the mid-30’s a youth worker begins to think about “moving on” in ministry. They begin to think they are too old to be working with teenagers, so they start to move into ministry positions working more with adults. They look for positions such as Minister to Adults, Teaching Pastor, Senior Adult Minister, etc. They begin to say things like, “I need to move on to more adult things”, “I need to move on to a real ministry” or “It’s time for me to quit playing around and get a real job.”
As interesting as this article was, I tend to disagree just a bit (I know imagine that!) See the problem with all this is that it comes at the exact time when we are in a position to do some of the most meaningful ministry of our lives! Maybe I don’t relate as well as I did when I was 25, but I have a deeper understanding of scripture and God’s work in my life to share with teenagers now. I know that I am not the same Youth Pastor at 36 that I was at 26 and I am completely ok with that. So many times I hear about youth ministers leaving their ministries because they choose to pursue a more “relevant” ministry. Now, I am not saying that all youth ministers should never leave to pursue a Pastor’s position. I am thankful that my pastor followed God’s leading and became our pastor! I just think that too many youth ministers leave youth ministry because they feel like they do not know how to relate to students anymore. All of a sudden they wake up one day and they realize they have know idea what this “noise” is playing on the radio. (I think all of today’s music is noise compared to REO Speedwagon, The Cars, Boston and Journey!) But that doesn’t stop me from still wanting to pour my life into students and be an effective minister of the gospel to them. If anything, it drives me more, because too many people give up on teenagers way too early and count them out! We forget that when we complain about teenagers, we are complaining about one of God’s creations!
As a “middle age” youth pastor, I am now in the best position to go along side students and families as a mentor. I get the opportunity to develop deeper relationships with parents than I would have ten years ago. I have a better understanding of what it means to go alongside parents as we help them understand that they are the main spiritual influencers in their home. For me, just a being a youth pastor is not just focusing on students, but on families. Sure, I may not know that much about parenting, especially since my daughter isn’t even two, but that doesn’t stop me from attempting to instill biblical truths to my students and their parents.
Am I too old to be effective? Well, that remains to be seen, but for now, I will continue to seek God’s guidance everyday, I will continue to ground myself in God’s Word and allow it to reflect in my life (Lord Willing!) I will continue to pour my heart and life into students and their families for as long as God chooses to use me. Sure I may not be into the latest movies, TV shows or music, but that is no reason for me to stop loving and working with students! In fact, it’s all the more reason that I want to work with students. I am blessed to have the opportunity to see God work in and through our students lives and I look forward to serving God in student ministry for many more years!
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