So be honest. Do you think Youth Pastors Are Overrated?
Do you think they get way too much attention in churches today? When I mention Youth Pastors, what comes to your mind?
Is it youth camp pranks, noisy kids in the sanctuary, the inventive colors he painted the youth room with – or maybe just the strange way he dresses?
Whatever your reaction may be, perhaps you just don’t get all the fuss over this guy. After all, what does he really do? Is there a real need for this person? Would your teens be just as well off without him around? Couldn’t you save the church money if you did not have to pay him?
This brings me back to my original question, “Are Youth Pastors Overrated?”
I have had the privilege of working with churches and Youth Pastors for over 40 years so I think I can answer this question with some authority. Obviously over that time, I have met some who were not committed or even competent. However, I know people that fit this description in every profession on Earth.
Here is what I do know after working with Youth Pastors for these 40 years:
They love kids even sometimes when no other adult, including a parent, seems to care.
They are willing to sacrifice for students.
They listen. Yes, really listen.
They are willing to invest time into the lives of students who grow up to repeat the process.
They teach kids how to live life in the real world by living life with them, not just telling them what to do.
They spend time with students because they want to, not because they have to or are being paid to – and the students know it.
They are making an eternal difference by pointing kids to Christ.
They save lives…literally. They save lives sometimes because they are the people who are called when kids are thinking of taking their lives.
They are the parents’ best ally, not their surrogate.
They can take deep Biblical truth and drive it home to the heart of a student using their knowledge of the culture.
They are “one more voice” speaking truth into the life of your teens during a time when they are hearing many voices giving them wrong information.
So…“Are Youth Pastors Overrated?” I think not!
