I’ve been fired two times from ministry positions.
Well, that’s not fair. I was fired once, and I was laid-off once. But the fearsome inner dialogue that erupted within me—despite 20 years separating the two terminations—was eerily similar. I’d grown and matured in significant ways over those two decades, so my intense reaction to the latest bombshell meant:
A. My interior self hadn’t grown as much as I would’ve hoped, or
B. My experience, while deeply personal, is not uncommon to anyone who’s ever been told, “We don’t want you anymore.”
After walking alongside several fired youth workers over the last few years, my gut tells me both are probably true.
But the focus of this article is not about coping with getting fired. Losing my job was simply the most intense personal experience I’ve had of ongoing and pervasive...
The longer I’m in youth ministry, the more I’m reminded that post-graduation ministry can be a scary place to think about. It’s full of uncertainty and is out of our control. (But honestly, how much of high school ministry is within our control anyway?) These feelings of uncertainty and lack of control can leave some youth ministers to feel helpless.
Yesterday we looked at how your student ministry can really serve your graduated seniors by helping them find a church, equipping them, and checking in on their faith and life periodically. Today we’re back with 3 more ways that youth groups minister to students in the “5th year.”
Youth Ministry “Don'ts”
Youth Ministry “Don'ts”
Youth Ministry “Don'ts”