The Most Meaningful Job In America
The work we do as youth leaders this week is elementary to the fabric of this nation.
There’s a reason why Forbes Magazine found the job of Youth Pastor as the ‘Most Meaningful’ job in the U.S.
That’s right. Right along with Orthopedic Surgeons. And you know, there is one obvious similarity between youth pastors and orthopedic surgeons - and I’m not talking about the salary! Haha
Orthopedic surgeons work with the body and its structure and function. And, that’s what youth leaders do. We make sure the Body of Christ is functioning at its most effective peak performance.
Looking at the condition of our nation is obvious proof of the need for spiritual leadership at the Gen Z and youth ministry setting. We call young people today Next Gen. But in order for the Next Gen to function spiritually at a high level, we need healthy youth ministry.
Have you seen the research and findings on youth in America lately?
Aside from the multiple family issues, 31% rise in child obesity, and loss of biblical worldview among Gen Zer’s, look at these recent findings on U.S. youth.
•Learning loss in public education •Increased gun violence against children •Suicide has risen among teenagers •Adolescents in mental health facilities is rising out of control
•Social isolation
It’s almost like we have forgotten about the Next Gen.
But even in the midst of these statistics, it is evident that there is a generational set in the church defying the statistics of their generation. We cannot lose this growing resource. All over this nation there are teenagers in YTH Ministries who are not defiling themselves with the world’s delicacies.
Daniel 1 records maybe the most compelling story of the impact that one young person can have on a nation when they are completely set apart for God. You know the story.
Daniel and his three friends are pressured and threatened into leaving their faith. But these young men were different. Time and time again in the book of Daniel we see Daniel and his three friends remain faithful to God under the pressures of society.
We need immediate focused spiritual, educational, and political action on the family & the youth of America. We need to raise up young Daniels and Danielle‘s who are changing society.
Here are 4 reasons why I believe that youth ministry is the most meaningful job in America:
1. It is much easier and cheaper to build children than to fix adults.
That’s what Civil Rights Activist Frederick Douglass said about the next generation.
This is why it is so important as a youth leader to reach the younger generation. Spiritual formation amongst the adolescent generation is one of the fastest ways to transform a society.
2. There is an immediate return on investment in Next Gen Ministry.
It doesn’t take much time to see the fruit of your labor in youth ministry. The impact of spiritual formation is almost immediately seen in the life of a teenager.
3. The youth ministry context is charged with creativity and excitement.
The school campus, sporting events, recreation, social media, and the movie and music industry make the youth ministry setting attractive and dynamic.
I don’t see the industrial and technological revolution as a hindrance to ministry. I see it as a tool for healthy ministry.
4. The adolescent is still very much in a formative moment in their life.
Just because students are showing at risk behavior or being raised in a dysfunctional home doesn’t mean they’re out of reach. There is still plenty of time to reach them.
Because of the disintegration and the breakdown of the family in our society, youth ministry has a great opportunity to help close the gap between teenagers and broken families.
I read a statistic last year from Barna that found youth pastors/pastors are not even in the top 10 of people our teenagers seek for help or advice. Teachers and coaches and police officers and family members and school counselors all ranked in front of ministers.
This makes this moment an important one - the mentor/mentee relationship could be our bridge to Gen Z and Alpha Gen coming. As youth leaders, we are in the perfect setting as an authoritative influence in the life of a teenager.
Finally
Being a youth pastor may not be the most thankful job in America, it may not be the easiest job in America, and it definitely is not the highest paying job in America.
But, given the research, the moment we are in, and, personally having the experience of almost 40 years in youth ministry, the facts are pretty clear. Being a youth leader in our nation is the most meaningful job in America.
And I believe may be the most important job in America.
Join us next week for another exciting topic on youth ministry and leadership!