Being a youth worker of any kind (volunteer or paid, a youth minister, director, pastor etc) is not an easy job. There are times where I feel this more than others. I also do not want me or any other youth worker to have a defeatist mentality, so it is a tricky balance.
Lately I have been spending time with a lot of youth workers both in my town and from across the country. It has been wonderful and powerful. I have enjoyed the dialogue and relationships, especially the new ones. I am passionate about youth ministry and I also want to see the whole church move towards a family ministry model in one form or another. I am however very sad to hear some of the painful stories and experiences of my colleagues and partners in ministry. The church can be very difficult. While there are politics everywhere, (see my theology blog) church politics can be especially mean spirited at times, especially towards youth workers. I am thankful that I have not had that experience in my current setting, but sad to hear others who are having it. I have had that experience far too often and as I see others go through it I am realizing a couple things. First, churches need to be kinder towards their youth workers. You do not have to feel bad for them, you can hold them accountable, but you must be realistic and gracious. Many churches wonder why they go through youth workers so often, and yet they do not examine their treatment of those youth workers. Secondly, youth workers need each other. We need to pray for, encourage and support each other. There is no need for us to compete, but there is plenty of need for us to commune.
I have decided to start a youth workers group in my city after many months of wrestling with it. So far the response has been far better than I would have expected. There is a need and I sense if we do this with the right spirit and attitude, amazing things will begin to happen. So far its been all the work of the Holy Spirit and I pray that it would continue. I pray that this would be an amazing thing with much power and that this group would be come the community that God desires it to be.
Remember, be kind to your youth worker, they deserve it no matter what.