Time Management

If you are a volunteer youth worker, you most likely already know the importance of guarding your time. More often than not, this is a key marker of any youth worker—the fact that time management plays such a key role in the way in which you do your job. Let me explain.

1. Some of the best youth workers I know have some sort of scheduler… and they stick by it. They might have a cell phone which keeps notes, a schedule on their computer or they might be from the stone age where they use a calendar on the wall.

2. Some of the worst youth workers I know have no way of keeping track of their time. They might say they do. They might even have a way in which they CAN keep track of their time and how it’s spent… but they don’t use it. Most of the time, they fly by the seat of their pants… and I’m sorry if I’ve just offended you.

Of all of the aspects of what makes or breaks a youth worker, time management is up there with the big ones. Why do is time management so important to the way in which we do ministry?

Because the way you manage your time will not only affect you but also the kids who you serve and the other people on your team.

Not to mention your family, friends and other people who dearly love you and would like just a minute of your time.

I know that you most likely have a busy schedule as well. Youth workers are notorious for taking on way too much because at the heart of that matter, they care way too much… sometimes too much for their own good.

If you are the lead youth worker (or you manage people who work with you), the best gift you can give your team besides a day off could be dependability and a concise idea of where you are taking the team. Calendars play a great role in this. Do you have a monthly calendar that clearly spells out what’s going on? What about a year at a glance where you can tell your youth workers when to book time off work and when to tell their families that they’ll be away for a day or two? Do you have a person who you can give a heads up of where you are at all times when you are on the clock? Does your family know what you’re up to?

These questions might help you decipher between good time management and poor scheduling and communication.

If you are the volunteer youth worker with someone leading you; than you are the best gift you could ever give your lead youth worker. But as we all know, the best gifts are the gifts that keep on giving! Are you dependable and clear when you lead upwards? Do you frequently ask for clarification of what is expected from you? Have you developed the discipline of saying “No” when you know you aren’t good at something or when you know you’ll have something else on the go? Have you had the tough talk with your lead youth worker when they don’t give you enough time or clarification when something needs to be done? Are you taking a Sabbath from work and youth ministry? Are you putting your family first or have you fallen into the trap of giving to a ministry and then having nothing left to feed your family?

Perhaps these questions could guide you in an ongoing conversation with your supervisor and your family.

A good youth worker is a healthy youth worker; and a healthy youth worker is one who isn’t burned out or in more than one place at a time. I hope that this portion will benefit you in some way. Take a few moments to answer these questions and ask a close friend, family member or team member to answer these questions about you.

another portion of Chapter 3: Ed-u-kate...

Theology
Yep. The God stuff.
The big kahuna.
The very thing that seems to either bring people together or splits a whole church apart.
Theology.
Say it slow.
Theee-awww-looo-geee!

Theology. The study of God. I’m sure you already knew that.

I grew up Baptist.
‘nuff said. I could’ve ended that right there!

Within the Christian faith there’s more than a few different streams of thought when it comes to our theological understanding and how we behave with that in mind. Presbyterians believe that baptism can be used with little water… and from what I’ve gathered, they like to drink a little. Catholics believe that in order to serve the church better, celibacy is a gift from God that allows you to do so. Pentecostals believe that when you are baptized in the Spirit, a sign will be given (speaking in tongues) to confirm that He really is anointing you. Baptists typically do church on Sunday twice… and don’t drink and dance… ever… that is, unless there are no other baptists in an ear or eyeshot…

And no matter what category you find yourself falling into (or not for you "emerging" leaders), here’s what I’ve gathered…

Most of the time, you’re absolutely sure you’ve got this God stuff figured out until He throws a curveball that shatters your theological grounding in which you stand. At least, for me anyways.

And without going into too much detail, here are a few theological curveballs that God has thrown at me.

1. Maybe footwashing isn’t as much as an act of service to someone else, but an every day occurrence where we are already clean but need Jesus to wash the gunk off our feet (spiritually) every day.

2. Yeah, the church does suck sometimes. But it’s the best picture that we’ll have of heaven until we get there.

3. Women are just as gifted as men and there are more than a handful of women who are better pastors than I’ll ever be.

4. Although we’re notorious for sinful behaviour even after the salvation moment, we’re not expected to live perfectly in order to take the bread and juice on Sunday morning. In fact, communion is actually intended for that specific purpose—to remind us that Jesus gave his flesh and blood because we suck at life. And we’ll probably always suck at life until He comes back.

5. A mark of a good minister is not his or her personal holiness or track record, but the willingness to be transparent, honest and a personal desire to be more like Jesus.

Why am I sharing this?

Because the truth is, my theology is not rock solid.
And I’m learning to be okay with that.
The way in which I know God and understand His word changes so frequently because I’ll never fully come to grasp God in His complete glory.
With that being said, I believe that as youth workers, it is imperative to allow our convictions to shape the way we do things. As our view of God and the way He loves and treats us changes, so should the way we love and reach out to other people… and hopefully as you do, your actions will line up with scripture more and more as the days go by.

Study your culture

this post is dedicated to Stephen Adam, a portion from chapter 3: ed-u-kate.

One of the most important aspects of education you can get as a youth worker is the study of the culture you find yourself in. I’m sure you’ve read up on the beginnings of youth culture and adolescence before. If you haven’t, check out some books by renowned authors—Chap Clark or Walt Meuller. Knowing where youth ministry began might help you understand why it is at where it is now.

When I started my studies in youth ministry, I thought I had things figured out. I had grown up in the 90s and early 2000s and thought “hey, the best way to know something is to live through it”. Little did I know that there was a rich history before my time and even within the past 10 years, there has been a huge change and paradigm shift in our youth culture. The main factor for this shift is that within the youth culture of our North American society, change is one of the most consistent things we can expect to happen. Remember: change is one of the main markers of adolescence. Just as the kids we minister to are going through physical, mental, emotional and spiritual changes; so is the world in which they live.

So what does this mean to you as the youth worker?
Homework. And lots of it.

And the way that you do your homework will change by the setting in which you find yourself in.

For example, if you live within a rural community, much of your homework will take place in one on one meetings or with the families connected within your setting. My best advice to anyone starting out in a new location is to connect as much as humanly possible with the people you are ministering to. Get to know the stories, the past mistakes, the “good old times” and how they have impacted the present situation. Ask as many questions as you can think of; and not just “what do you like to do on your free time”, but well-thought-out questions that you have prepared in advance.

If you live within an urban setting, a good way to study is to look at the trends that have gone through your community (have skinny jeans become passe yet?). Ask how they have differed from communities around and perhaps connected to yours. Find out what is happening within the school systems and other youth based communities. See if you can find some teachers who are active followers of Jesus Christ. Talk to other youth pastors and youth leaders in your city network. Get together one on one with other youth pastors within a 5-10 KM radius and ask them about their struggles, their strengths, what has worked and what hasn’t. I find that the mistakes that other people make are great signs from above that tell me not to do the same stupid things that they did; and vice versa

Another thing you can do is keep your library up to date as well. Mark Twain said it this way "leaders are readers"; and this doesn't end the day you graduate your college or seminary.

Actually, let me pause here for a second and ask you "when was the last time you read a book that helped you in your ministry?". Pause for a second and try to remember a few main concepts. Okay. Back to your library.

As much as I love it when parents and co-workers drop off books from the 70s on “how to grow a youth group”, I love it even more when I hear of a book recently published by someone who knows way more than I do; or a website by someone who’s been in the game for decades and has stood the test of time.

Let me put this out there one more time: Youth Culture will continually change because change is what marks the name of the stage. If we as youth workers fail to recognize this, we will become just as out dated as the Pentium 1 computers that we spent thousands of dollars on when personal computers became a way of the future. Study hard, study often, and then implement what you have studied into the game where you play.

Are you listening?

As youth workers, we’re created to be relational people.

And for the most part, I find that many of us are also similar in personality types. We love to be around people (if not, get out of ministry) and most of us gab too much for our own good. Something tells me that at some point in your life, you were told that you had the gift of gab. I was told that at a young age! And as a young lad, I used it to my advantage.

Alas, sometimes our greatest strengths become our greatest weaknesses. The biggest weakness that I have as a husband is the fact that I am always trying to be Mr. Fix It. And rightfully so! As men, we love to fix things. It's our job! And when our lovely damsels in distress come to us with their mountains of problems that they can't possibly take care of on their own, we like to sort them through one by one until there is nothing else.

However, this may be our biggest downfall. The problem with having the gift of gab is that those who gab are unable to give a rip about anyone else’s opinions. It’s pretty straight forward but fundamental to any good youth ministry…. not talking… but listening.

Here’s what I mean: I can’t think of many youth pastors who are praised for talking too much. Yet I know and respect many who are the first one to ask a question and will actively listen to kid talk. Furthermore, I find that many of our kids who come through the doors of our churches and youth centres aren’t looking for someone who’s gifted with an expositional mind or a doctorate in theology; but a down to earth person who’s willing to just stop and listen. To give you a better idea of where I’m coming from, let me paint a picture of the world that many of my students live in.

Recently, to my wife’s surprise, there is a family (a really great one too) who has our home number on speed dial. I have no idea why, but every once in a while the cell phone calls our house. While the phone is in the pocket, my wife will sometimes overhear arguments. Sometimes we understand as parents ourselves; but sometimes we wish we had hung up the phone much earlier. Needless to say, there are times when the students in our ministries feel as if their parents aren’t listening.

School is another place where many of our students feel as if they aren’t being heard. I can’t even count the number of times when students tell me of the day they’ve had when they had a question and a teacher was unable to answer; or redirected a question to somewhere where they were not taken seriously. As a high-school delinquent myself at one time, I also remember many times sitting in the principal’s office trying to explain why it was a good idea to drop a flaming lighter in the hallway; but to my avail, was not even given the light of day.

Another place where you’d expect a teenager to at least be respected would be a service establishment like a pizza hut or convenience store. But even there, my students feel the burn as they are told to leave a backpack at a counter or not even allowed in a store because of a sign that says “no more than 2 students at a time”.

Yet one of the worst places where I find my students feel unheard and ignored happens to be my church. And here’s the kicker… I’m the one who’s not listening.

A student comes in from a rough argument with mom or dad who may be on the brink of divorce and the kid acts out or doesn’t feel up for the game—and I tell them to suck it up and play before asking them what’s up.

Another student is constantly asking silly questions during my lesson and I refuse to answer them for the rest of the month because I assume that all that will come of their question is foolishness—when the child has deeper issues… mainly the fact that no other adult will even give them a moment of their precious time.

Yeah, I think you get it.

Before we start pointing our fingers at “the system”, we need to be asking if we’re listening too. Because the truth is, there is a generation of young people who have amazing ideas, outcomes and solutions to the problems that we have created who just need someone to listen to them. We don’t need more smooth talking “funny” youth pastors in Canada. What we need are more active listeners who have the discipline to know when they need to shut their mouths and just listen.

Trust me. If you’re married, your husband or wife will thank you.
And if you’re working with kids, you just might show a child that there’s a caring adult who is interested in their life.

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. -James 1:19

So you want to get into youth ministry eh?

 I remember a few times when I was warned about getting into the ministry. I’m sure you’ve had your set of warnings that have been just as strong. The first warning I can ever remember was from my grandfather. At the age of 14, I remember my hero, who had been a pastor for many years in many churches, telling me that there was no money in ministry. I think he was on to something. 

I also remember a few of my bible college professors telling me to get out while I still could. They had been around long enough to see what kind of a toll youth ministry can take on your body, social and family life as well as your mental and psychological abilities to cope with reality. Without a doubt, youth ministry is a demanding field on every level. It requires constant research as youth culture is organic and changes frequently. It also requires you to work odd hours—if you were hoping to work 9-5, maybe you should think about something else. There are times, when you find yourself wondering if you could be doing something else instead of your current gig. But every single time I find myself questioning, the answer comes back to a resounding… “you’re in this for the long haul, buddy! Keep on keeping on.”

        

I’m sure you’ve been through the exact same thing.

So, you want to do youth ministry stuff then, eh?

Well, I guess there are reasons for wanting to. Because of what you do, those junior high students who frequently ask questions will sometimes find the answers. And in their questioning, you’ve also gained insights that you never managed to see. Because of the young woman who is seeking her identity in the approval of others, you get the privilege of helping her see that God’s approval stands highest and that if she could see herself through His eyes; she might be able to overcome her faulty defence mechanism of cutting and self-harm. Those parents who you thought would never be able to last 4 years of a high-school kid who is off the wall has thanked you for being there through the thick and thin. And that the same kid who broke the window in the sanctuary is now off to Bible College to be a youth pastor, just like you. The list goes on and on. Here are just a few reasons why what you’re doing is going to make a difference.

-Right now, teenagers are being shaped by our Canadian culture. Some of Canadian culture is great (diversity, tolerance, the importance of caffeinated beverages), but a lot of it stands against the values that Christ taught in Matthew 5-7.

-The average age of a young person deciding to have sexual relations is lowering year by year. Right now, there is a growing statistic of sexually transmitted diseases and infections that are spreading throughout junior high schools and high schools. Believe it or not, your influence might help them choose to save themselves from making mistakes that will echo into their adult lives.

-You know what many of your local schools are teaching. They teach with authority and kids actually do listen. But you can too! Give them another voice to heed… God’s Word.  

-With social media being more and more prevalent in their every day use, kids are feeling more and more alone. Dinner is announced when Mom text messages Dad who instant messages Johnny who in turn grabs a slice of store bought pizza and head back to his room to chat online with someone from brazil… someone who feels just as lonely as he is but has no idea how to start a conversation with her parents either.

Thanks for getting into youth ministry. We need more caring and thoughtful people—just like you.