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So I'm here at the symc 2010 conference. For many reading this blog you have no idea what that is. Simply put, it's a conference designed to encourage and equips youth pastors and leaders to do life and ministry better. We hear from some of the best minds in youth ministry and we get to rub shoulders with others from around the world who live daily the same challenges and struggles we do and who enjoy triumphs just like ours.
One of the things that has caused me much internal turmoil was my age. 33 years old may not seem old, but then try staying up for 24 hours at a youth lock-in after working 45 hours at church that week as well as a second job to make ends meet so that the necessary provisions can be made for your wife and three children. Oh yeah, there was the school play, the two soccer practices for my sons soccer team (that I coach) and his game. Just for good measure let's throw in there a seminary class or two. Mabye now you understand a little of my life. So I have been tired and feeling old and wondering if this is life at this age then mabye it's time to step out of youth ministry. I could be a senior pastor, they only work on sundays ( ha). Then I arrived at this conference and started watching people. I started having conversations and ( as weird as this might be) listening in on others conversations. I realized just by looking at who was here that I am the average age of the youth guy here. If I had to guess I would say that about 70% of the men here are in their mid to late 30's. WOW!! And throught conversations, both mine and "others" I realized that many are wrestling with the same juggeling as me.
So, for me this issue has been laid to rest. I'm not to ripe for youth ministry, I'm just coming I to season.
On a side note, it's neat to see that youth ministry is no longer a bunch of 20 year old kids acting as fun directors, but is now a maturing group of christian men leading generations of teens into the life long presence of Jesus.
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Dave,
ReplyDeleteas a 30-yr old (that looks and feels more than 30...), I concur. I have been blessed as well. I'm doing a post that will hit tomorrow or so called "The myth of the rockstar youth pastor"...What's your take?
I would love to read your blog. Let me know when it's up and I'll give you any comments I have. Not that I'm an expert in any sense of the word.
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