Dear youth ministry friends,

How is it with your spirit?

Dear youth ministry friends,

Now that the fall is fully underway, it’s check-in time. I have a few questions for you:

How are you all doing?

Are you feeling energized and ready to go?

Or, are you drained and ready for a vacation (even if you just had one)?

Here’s another question: How much have you delegated recently?

In this work of youth ministry, there is a tendency to feel empowered and excited when engaging our young people in a specific program or event. Unfortunately, when the program or event is over, adrenaline ebbs away and exhaustion can follow.

How we tend to ourselves as we engage in the ministerial work is really important; this is not surprising. We all know about sabbath days, burnout, and self-care. (Or, at least we should.  If you don’t, let’s talk!) But here’s the surprise, youth ministry friends: how we tend to ourselves in our work will impact how we lead others.

And so I ask: When was the last time you delegated? When did you last let someone else plan the game? Or run point on the activity? Or cook with the kids? Or give the inspirational talk? Or let someone loose to spearhead a truly harebrained idea? Youth ministry leadership is about leading our youth, but it is also about equipping and empowering others (sometimes the youth themselves, and sometimes other adults) for these kinds of responsibilities.

In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul uses the image of the Body of Christ to enumerate the many ways in which a collective group is better for its diversity. One member cannot claim to do it all, or to be everything the group needs; every member of the body matters. Consequently, we do a disservice to our team members if we take all of the responsibility upon ourselves. The eye should not be trying to be a head, or a hand, or a knee. The eye should be allowed to be whom it has been created to be: an eye.

Now, sometimes the issue is not that we haven’t been delegators. Sometimes, quite simply, there are no eyes to be found. Sometimes we do not see the gift of leadership within our teams. Heck, sometimes we don’t even have teams. If that is the case for you, I would invite you to reflect upon whom you might interest in the work, while also right-sizing what you know that you can accomplish. Just because you are called to youth ministry does not mean you can do it all yourself.

The diverse gifts found within our church leadership (or, aching to be found) can be a deep blessing to our young people; sometimes we leaders need to get out of the way to cause that blessing to flourish. As the fall continues, I wish that blessing for you. May we all find ways to expand our team, to trust others… and, in the end, to trust God with our young people and with ourselves.

With you on the journey,

Rev. Jill