I am not the Youth Pastor
This blog is for younger leaders and older leaders alike.
I am a 30 year old pastor and people usually mistake me for the youth pastor. I will tell people, “No, I am actually the pastor of The Well.” They will say, “Great, I love what you are doing with the youth.”
I recently had a pastor in his 50′s who told me there is no way he could let a 28 year old man pastor him. “What experience does he have?” the man said. The man in his 50′s pastors a 300 member church while the 28 year old pastor has a church of over 5,000 people.
Over half of our population is under 25 years old. Is your ministry reaching them?
I have to appeals to make, first to the younger leaders: “Keep pressing on. Jesus was 30 years old when he started ministry. Many of the Pharisees probably looked down upon him, especially when he was teaching in the temple at 12 years old. Just allow the pepper haired men to pat you on the head and call you ‘sport.’ Don’t try to prove yourself. Success shuts the mouth of all critics (or makes them really hate you). They may be silently against, you, but they will not be able to say too much. Just don’t treat younger leaders the way you are treated.”
To the older leaders: (www.startingamovement.blogspot.com) Read my blog on “Men in Black.” “First, you do have wisdom and knowledge. That comes because someone gave you a chance and believed in you. They did not say it, they acted on it. Don’t look down upon those who are younger and have zeal. Learn to speak into their lives instead of just trying to be the know-it-all guru. Some of these guys may know things that you do not know. Learn to invest into the next generation in tangible ways. “
You don’t grow by experience. Some people have had the same experience 20 times over and never grew. You grow by evaluated experience.
I am not the Youth pastor. Sorry.
