Top 10: Youth Ministry JOB vs. Youth Ministry CALLING!?
About a year ago I left a youth ministry JOB to continue to follow my youth ministry CALLING!
I was at a highly professional church in a highly professional metro area. The position I was in and even the approach to ministry in that church setting was a “JOB”. Even in my transition, it was disconnected, cold professionalism.
I came to a church and a family of God that was “All In” for God with a focus on helping people “Take Their Next Steps”. Not just the members of the church but the staff as well. As I continue to step back and consider the two places and approaches, I realize I am not alone. There are others in youth ministry that are also at either one of two settings. I continue to hear and see the difference between JOB and CALLING…
10. Job Descriptions vs. Meeting Kids’ Spiritual Needs
9. Performance Objectives vs. Prayer
8. Missions Statement vs. Missional Living
7. Evaluation Forms vs. Changed Hearts
6. Personality Tests vs. Spiritual Gifts Assessment
5. Attendance Numbers vs. Number of Kids Accepting Christ & Being Baptized.
4. Office Hours vs. Time at School Lunches, Games, and Hanging Out
3. Working for an Organization vs. Serving the Body of Christ
2. Feeling Pressure vs. Feeling Passion
1. Success & Results vs. Failures & Spiritual Maturity.
DAN ISTVANIK is the 5th to 8th-grade pastor at Victory Church in Lancaster, PA. He has been working in youth ministry for over 20 years serving churches in Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Virginia. Besides serving in the local church setting he is also the youth ministry content writer for Parent Ministry.Net, along with being a contributor to a variety of other great youth ministry resources like Youthworker Journal, Group Magazine, Download Youth Ministry, and more. Additional he shares daily Jr. high/middle school ministry specific resources, and hints on his own blog “The Middle Years” at WWW.MIDDLEYEARSMINISTRY.COM
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the YS Blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of YS.