It is almost thanksgiving, think I can eat at the big table this year
One of my memories of Thanksgivings is waiting for the day I would finally get to eat at the adult table. It was a long time in coming, and took a lot longer than I thought it should. My cousins and I spent years banished to the children’s tables and patiently, well maybe not so patiently waited our turn to be at the grown-up table. One by one my older cousins would take their place, and just when I thought it had to be my year, then an older cousin would get married and their spouse would automatically inherit a spot, or an out of town relative would come in and delay my advancement to the grown-up table.
So what does this have to do with youth ministry? I am glad you ask. If we want to be taken serious as ministers we have to be willing to move to the grown-up table. One of the recurring themes I hear as I travel the state is that youth ministers want to be respected, want to feel like their ministry matters, that they are no longer banished to the kiddie table. A move to the grown-up table for youth ministry is two-fold.
- The church- As a body of believers we must make youth ministry a priority. We are loosing ground when it comes to reaching students and we have to be willing to do whatever it takes to reach them. We have to expect more from the people we hire to do youth ministry than to be a glorified baby sitter.
We also have to be willing to let the students be apart of corporate church life. There is no excuse for students not leading in worship and teaching classes. They are taking advanced calculus in high school, so I know they are capable of far more than we allow them to do.
We also need to provide quality facilities and equipment for them. This is the age of technology. We need to recognize this and take the necessary steps to provide resources that meet their educational needs. We need to make sure that Buses and vans are in good shape and will not break down every time they leave the city. Our budgets reflect our priorities.
2. Youth Ministers- we cannot place all the blame on the church, the pastor or the parents for us not being invited to the grown-up table. At times we are our own worse enemy. We need to have details in place. Parents want to know that their children are well taken care of, and the more details we can give them the more they will believe that we know what we are doing. I know it is a whole lot more fun to hang out with students than to be in the office planning the logistics of trips and events, but those details give our church leaders and parents the assurance that we know what we are doing.Be an example “ both in word and deed”. Pick up after yourself, or get volunteers to help you. If you know the senior adults are using the van in the morning, or that it will be used to pick people up for church then clean it. Take time to speak to parents after the meeting. Straighten the youth room; don’t leave it for the custodian to clean up your mess.
Be a good steward of the resources given you. Your budget will never have enough money in it. CD players will break, resources will disappear and there will always be students that cannot afford to go. The wiser we are with spending what we are given the more we will be seen as leaders.
Keep your pastor informed. He can be your strongest ally. It is a lot easier for him to deflect detractors if he knows what you are planning in advance. He can be an advocate for you and possibly defuse sticky situations, otherwise he has come find you, talk through what happened while the church member or parent is fuming.
I could go on for a lot longer. It is time youth ministry got a seat at the grown-up table. It is time for it not to be seen as a stepping-stone to “real ministry”. It will take real work from all parties involved for that to happen. Save us a place at the table.
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posted by: Joe Ball on November 6th, 2007
