I don't hate being a youth pastor

     It's true. I don't hate being the youth pastor. Perhaps I should explain. I got my first job as a youth director at a United Methodist Church when I had just turned 20 years old. I was working three jobs, paying rent and going to college full time. I was so excited to cut back to only two jobs because I was getting a salary. I would be paid $10,000 a year for 20 hours per week and to celebrate I went to the mall and bought myself two new outfits. I learned a lot at that job and had a lot of fun. I cringe now at some of the mistakes I made never due to bad intentions but rather lack of experience and education. Wonderful parents, staff and pastors guided me along and we had a good time.

     My second year of seminary I anxiously awaited my field education placement. This was my chance to test my skills as a pastor and learn about leading a congregation. When I got the call telling me I would be a youth leader I was a little disappointed. I wanted to be seen as more than a young adult assumed to have lots of energy and relatability, I wanted to be seen as a pastor. I remember talking about this with fellow seminarians who were feeling the same frustration. We felt like we were a cheap option for churches that needed youth ministers. I ended up having a lot of relevant experience in that position and getting to know some wonderful young people.

     I would find myself in youth ministry again when I served as an associate pastor before I got appointed as the sole pastor of a mid- sized congregation. I learned a lot from my youth leader experiences and got to work with some amazing teens and parents. I cried at baccalaureate services and laughed until I cried at silly lock-in games. Even when I was the only pastor of a church I still found myself taking teens on a week long mission trip, meeting them for coffee after school and going to high school sporting events to cheer them on.

     I will say though that when I left my associate pastor position where I was responsible for the youth program I was relieved to be done with some things. I was sad to say goodbye to the wonderful congregation, but I was happy to say goodbye to scrambling for chaperones and drivers, tracking down permission slips, having teens flake on scheduled meetings and events, trying to order the right amount of pizza and sleeping on gym floors.

     Now that I am back in youth ministry I find myself doing some of those things again (we had two leftover pizzas at the last event so I'm still working on that). But I also know myself much better now. I am not the hyper youth pastor chasing kids with a nerf gun and high fiving my way down the halls. That is so not me. I am however the person to go to with theological questions, emotions and doubts. And they have them. I am the person who geuinely wants to know what their lives are like and how they experience the world. I am the person who cares about them very much and believes their faith development and connection to their faith community is one of the most important things for their life journey.

     So, I am not afraid to hang back when they all run around to play some high energy game and have a deep discussion with the ones not participating. I don't need to pretend to be cool or hyper or into Youtube. They want someone to listen, they want to ask the big questions, they want to feel connected to each other and God. I get that.

     It is weird being introduced as a “youth pastor” since it feels a little like I haven't moved on since that first job 18 years ago. I love preaching, providing pastoral care to all ages, leading services and leading adult small groups and I also get to do all of those things. I also love working with the teens. Sure, part of that is because in every church I have worked in it just so happens the teens have been particularly insightful, open and awesome. But also I think it's just like with all ministry, it's ok to play to our strengths, be who we genuinely are and admit when we are sick of sleeping on gym floors.

     So, seminarians take heart when you get your field ed placement and find that a church sees you as a cheap way to get a youth pastor. It may feel like you aren't being taken seriously as a pastor and only your young age is being considered, but it is an opportunity to do important, influential and fulfilling work for the Kingdom of God … plus there's pizza.