by Beth Carroll, Assistant Pastor of Discipleship
Though the ministry year is well underway, it’s never too late to join in on the fun that is being a youth sponsor. I have spoken with a number of you who, though curious about engaging relationships with young people, end up saying no because of some specific worries. For those of you who have more than a passing inquisitiveness about the goings-on in that corner room next to the nursery with the big beautiful picture windows overlooking the memorial garden, let me address three myths about youth leadership.
Myth #1 “Youth ministry takes too much time”
This is the number one reason I hear for saying no to youth ministry. Believe me, I understand the struggle! One of the worst feelings as an adult is to say yes to a commitment only to disappoint a team because you can’t follow through. However, there are a number of ways to get involved that don’t require a huge time investment. First, you can become a High Hopes or Fish Club adult sponsor. Believe it or not, this is only a two-evening-a-month time commitment. Adult sponsors join our High School or Middle School ministries and spend ninety minutes two Sunday evenings a month, playing games, sharing in our devotional time, and engaging in conversation. We will even feed you dinner! This opportunity is so much fun and will foster in you hope for the future as you see for yourself just how kind, intelligent, deep-thinking, creative, and lively today’s young people are. If this interests you but you know you will need to miss several meetings, I will generously work with you to accommodate your schedule. Besides our bi-monthly evening meetings, there are also abundant one-off opportunities, like hosting us for a course for our Advent progressive dinner, providing one of our Sunday dinners, joining us for our week-long summer trips, just to name a few.
Myth #2 “I am too old”
There is no right or wrong age to connect with youth. Youth love relating to and connecting with adults of all ages. In fact, studies show that some of the most vibrant churches today are vibrant because adults, retired age and older, have developed relationships with church youth. As a middle-aged youth pastor myself, I greatly enjoy the playfulness and curiosity our youth bring out in me. Interestingly, as Pastor Gordon and I are beginning to recruit GIFT class mentors for students, several youths specifically requested older adults to be their mentors. They love the gentleness, patience, and wisdom inherent in many of our senior members.
Myth #3 “Youth are too intimidating”
I get it. The issues young people face, like cyber-bullying, grappling with sexual and gender identities, and mental health obstacles feel overwhelming. The stories we hear from the media and our greater culture certainly don’t help our perceptions, when they paint youth to be disengaged and surly, with their faces hidden behind smart phone screens. But I guarantee you, the more you get to know them, the more you will realize just how similar their thoughts and feelings are to yours when you were that age, even if the circumstances are a little different. Besides, what they actually need from adults are a listening ear, a little of your time, encouragement, and curiosity. All of us are equipped to offer these sorts of gifts.
Did I lower a few barriers for you? Good! Let’s have a phone call or meet for coffee to talk more! Shoot me an email to set up a time: bcarroll@hopechurchrca.org