I have been a youth minister in a paid position for about a year now. I have always thought the best amount of time to be in a youth ministry position is around six years. That way you can see your 6th graders graduate from high school. To me, that is a complete youth ministry cycle.
What do you think? Is that enough? Too long?
I am interested in hearing your preconceived thoughts on minimum time and maximum time at a Church. Obviously it's God's call, but this is more a of a "rule of thumb" kind of question. Not a calling question. Thanks.
Hey Tom, I agree with you on 6 years for sure. Year one - most of the year is spent hearing how you are not the last guy, trying to build some trust. Year two - hopefully you've been consistent and the students are understanding that even though you are different, you love them and want them to grow. Year three - the grade 11 and 12 students who were with the last youth pastor the longest have graduated and either come alongside you and graduated and never looked back. On the other side, your new batch of grade 7, 8 and 9 know you as their only youth pastor. Your leaders know what you are about and are on board or moved on. Year four - You've really earned the trust of your students, leaders, parents and staff, you have freedom to really make the ministry your own and no one says, "That's not the way the last guy did it." Year five - The ministry has your vision and your finger prints all over it. You've got lots of history and consistency. Year six, all the students have only known you as their youth pastor, it's a golden year. After that the most important thing is to make sure your following God and not riding on your past success... anyway, that's my 2 cents.
ReplyDeleteThanks Josh.
ReplyDeleteThat's almost exactly year by year why I think six years is a good time frame. I'll be writing my next blog on the specifics, and I'm glad we're on the same page. I have not, however, found a really acceptable minimum time in a Church, though. I have my thought (3 years). I'll explain why in my next blog, but I would love to hear about that too. Thanks again, Josh!
I'm not really sure a 'rule of thumb' is necessary here. While I understand Josh's assessment, and have been through that cycle once already at my previous church, I think putting myself into that model at this new church would be limiting. Maybe that six year plan is good for new youth ministers at their first church to look at, but as someone entering their 8th year of ministry, I hope it doesn't take me 5+ years to put my fingerprints all over the ministry.
ReplyDeleteI guess I would just say to be careful coming up with a rule of thumb because you don't want to get stuck in a pattern that worked once and may not at your next church. If we're saying that we're following God's call then we have to trust that He's going to lead us wherever/whenever we need to stay or go. Until then, we do the best ministry we can, whether it's for 1 year or 15.
Matt - that's a great point too. I completely understand where you are coming from, but I still think that there should be a minimum time of ministry. In my opinion, if I stay for less than three years it seems as though I only took the job to get money or as a "gateway job" to full time/better job/pastoral ministry/whatever. I first thought of 6 being fair when I got here and found out that most of the youth didn't really care about giving me a chance because they've cycled through so many youth ministers. While I agree with you that Josh may not have been 100%, I feel like he's pretty close.
ReplyDeleteI want to make an impact here. Even if I come in and show that I care/love all of the kids, they may not truly believe it unless I stay long enough to prove I'm here for them - not a big salary.
Until the music is too loud, the air is too cold, they don't sing my favorite worship song, they change the way they take the offering, there is a misspelled scripture slide, the Pastor reads from the message Bible, someone says something negative about home schooling, and pretty much anything that offends my view of Christ, God, the church or the Tea Party, that's how we switch in the south. LOL.
ReplyDeletePaul - I can't imagine how much it must hurt to have a Church Tea Party offended in any way! Man! lol
ReplyDelete