Do a quick Christian life survey with your family and friends. Ask three questions. "Who influenced you to become a Christian?" "Who were the three most influential people in your spiritual development?" "How old were you when you made your three most crucial decisions impacting your life?" These questions are seminal to the core of our spiritual development.
If you ask these questions without tipping the person as to what your interests are, I would venture a guess that in more than 50% if the responses, at least two of these questions would include two parties- the family and/or the youth group/leader/teacher. Running a close third would be a children's ministry/leader/teacher. Having served as an assistant pastor, lead pastor, missionary, superintendent and bishop for 32 years, I would like to think that my role and the role of my colleagues would be in the mix of answers as well. But, at the most critical points of life, the people closest to us are family members and those directly over us in our formative and shaping years.
I just spent a couple of days with a group of about 35 youth leaders. This is a high-impact, under-appreciated and under-paid group of people who work sacrificially in the trenches, buried under pizza boxes and who are all-too-familiar with the school halls that most of us left behind many years ago. But, it is a great ministry that needs our prayer and support.
The stats are pretty grim about the numbers of teens who drop out of church after graduating from high school and going away- as high as 80% from some studies. There are multiple factors- the pressures of a changing society where not only anything goes but the less healthy is preferred, sending our youth into a culture where church attendance is no longer valued even among people who consider themselves "spiritual" and the young people themselves leaving broken families where their brokenness ran concurrent with their Christian faith in a wierd dichotomy. But, oddly, many have found it easiest to charge youth leaders with not doing their job, as the number one factor. I just don't think that is correct. It is too complex to pin it all on a person who sees the young people a limited number of times per week over a limited period of time.
One might assume that my recent exposure to 35 youth pastors prompted this observation or complaint. It actually didn't. To my surprise, I had some of the youth pastors humbly ask, "What is our role in this and how can we stop it?" In private conversation with one youth pastor whose eyes were dripping with tears over the loss of kids upon graduation, I could see and hear that his was not a posture of defensiveness or scapegoating. He just wanted to know what to do- how to help the situation. I find that they are aware of the situation and embracing the challenge. But, I refuse to beat them over the head with something that is bigger than they are. However, I encouraged them that they can play a definite part in the solution. I won't detail my thoughts here.
My point is this. If the families and the youth leaders are core to this critical issue, we must remember them and pray for them. Encourage and help them. Regarding youth leaders specifically, don't forget the labor of those who rarely grace the pulpit but often work on the toughest battle line we currently face in our Christian culture. Pray for them. Encourage them. Volunteer to help them. And, give them a hug if they've showered since the last allnighter. If they haven't showered, send them a card.
Thank you Matt for such a wonderful post! I had the pure joy to serve alongside your son, Mitch, for several years in youth ministry. He served many, many kids throughout his years here on earth and he did it all without complaining or grumbling.
After 10 years as a youth leader, it's a blessing to have a parent simply say, "thank you", or to witness old students serving our Lord with a passion to see their world changed for God's Kingdom!!
Blessings on you, your ministry, and your family!
Posted by: Kalli | March 11, 2010 at 12:24 PM
Hi. Thinking of you! Hope you have
a Blessed Easter in our Risen Lord,
and the unsung heros are great in God's eyes!
Posted by: Brenda Iaquinto | March 11, 2010 at 10:10 PM