Growing up in church all my life and working in a church for the past 14 years I have met my fair share of Youth pastors. All of which had great hair, a hot wife and a goatee but that’s a post for another day. I am not sure if this is my perception or if it is reality, but I have noticed that most every youth pastor I have ever met has some awareness about them that they know when it is time for them to “move on”
It’s almost as if they have a best before date stamped on their foreheads that everyone can see and the youth pastor is aware of based on everyone’s reaction to this date on their forehead. Some of those youth pastors I would agree it is the end of the youth road for them others I just want to grab and shake and say don’t do it don’t fade into the sunset.
Here is the thought that I really felt God drop into my spirit – I think it’s the word of the Lord for youth pastors and children’s pastors alike “Kids today don’t need a hip older brother they need someone to be a father to them”
I love the Youth Pastor at our church he does an incredible job. You know what I love more than his great hair and fashion sense (which he really does have believe me.) I love the fact he is a great dad to his kids. I love the fact his kids come to youth group and the kids see him interact with his own kids. The generation we serve by and large are a fatherless generation they need to see, fathers in action. Kids in your youth groups want and need a father in their life more than they need Jersey Shore references in their sermons.
So youth pastors/ kids pastors be the best dad you can be to your own kids and be a dad to the kids in your ministry who desperately need that father figure.
At the orange conference this year Doug Fields totally rang my bell with this statement. “Kids will never remember what you preached but they will never forget who you are.”
