My Experience in Youth Ministry (2 of 3)

My Experience in Youth Ministry:

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Part 2: The Bad

Youth ministry also came with a lot of things I did not like, things that did not fit well with my personality. I am an introvert, so many people expected me to be very energetic and promote a lot of fun and games. We did have fun and did play games, but I was, and will always be convinced, that the primary reason for church and youth ministry is to come together in community before Christ, to learn about God, exalt, and hopefully produce change and become more mature and godly people. Not everyone agrees. A lot of people think numbers equal success. Yes, numbers produce results, but only of numerical growth, not true spiritual growth and discipleship.

I really had a lot of trouble trying to get parents involved. When I first started, I tried to have a parents meeting. I made lists with things we could discuss and talk about, only when the time came, no one showed. Not one single parent. I had announced this in church. I really wanted to meet the parents and get their opinions and ideas. It seemed like they didn’t care, or at least not enough to come for a meeting. I would learn this is a huge problem in churches, the divide between parents and students, the old and the young. I always had to be mindful to respect parents, and rightfully so, but also I would not make excuses for them. I would hear from the youth about parents being hypocrites or oppressing them and trying to overly control them. I always took these times as a chance to teach the students about personal convictions, and how they might not like their parents’ convictions or rules, but one day they will have to leave and figure out what their own rules and conviction were for life. How would they choose to live? Would it be godly? How would they live out faith in their lives once they left?

Also, from day one, I was basically told not to (completely) be myself when I was around the youth. Let me explain: The first day I wrote up a few facts about me, and I wanted facts about the youth too, to try to learn about one another. I remember I put “Stephen King” as one of my favorite authors, among many others, who were mostly Christian. I was mindful enough to put the non-Christian authors last but I did like to read them. The next Sunday I was told a mother had complained. She had said since Stephen King curses in his books, I was promoting cursing by saying I read him. WHAT? I was appalled and told to delete his name. Well, I had ran off like 50 copies and I wasn’t going to waste all that paper, so I took a black marker and marked out his name. Of course, the youth asked what happened, so I told them the truth (also, they easily figured out how to hold the paper up to the light and read the name).

~ Boldness & Compassion