4. Ignoring conflicting ministry philosophies.
Your theological imperatives will drive what you do in ministry, but your ministry philosophy will drive how you do it. So it’s crucial that you and your church agree on the how-to’s of ministry. You and your church might both value evangelism, for example. But if you don’t agree on how to do evangelism, then you’re sailing into a major storm.
Also, if your church functionally defines “youth worker” as “events coordinator” but you see yourself as a pastor, you’d better spiff up your résumé. You’ll need it sooner than you expect.
5. Continually asking for forgiveness but never for permission.
Sure, the saying “it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission” is a nice excuse the first few times you blow it. But if it becomes a habit, your new hobby might be searching for youth ministry openings. Learn the processes and procedures your church has set up and expects you to follow. Then follow them!
6. Forgetting that perception is reality.
Whatever people think of you, good or bad, is real to them. Make sure they know the truth about you and your ministry. And make sure the truth about you and your ministry is good. If one person decides to believe something insidious about you or your program, then shares that belief with others as a “prayer request” or outright slander? You’ve got a battle to fight. And it’s amazing how battles can quickly get out of hand.
You’ll eventually lose the war, so make sure that perception is the truth by confronting misperceptions and “making peace with your enemies” (Luke 14:31-32). When a perception problem springs up, head directly to your senior pastor’s office so you can clear it up before it escalates.
7. Getting “a little crazy” a little too often.
When you were in college, it was fun to do crazy things in your car. But the fun stops when it involves teenagers. My students still talk about a former volunteer who thought it was cool to drive on the grass to avoid the line of cars on the off-ramp to Six Flags.
That same volunteer once drove a group home from a Yankees game in the church van. After he forcefully nudged into traffic, two guys jumped out of their car and banged on our windows, looking for a fight. The guys were probably drunk. We were in New York City, and the Red Sox had won. But it wouldn’t have happened if he’d made wiser choices as a driver. Always be safe, and always be wise.
