Hurting Kids: I Wish I Would Have Known

By Mark Hall / Lead Singer, Casting Crowns; Youth Pastor, Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church / McDonough, Georgia

Even after many years as a youth leader, ministering to hurting, troubled, and needy kids remains a challenge. When I started in youth ministry, I came in as a music major who didn’t really have much training, just a lot of love for young people. However, along the way I’ve learned a few things that I wish I would have known in the beginning.

First, a ministry will never outgrow its leader. As a youthworker, your walk with Jesus is the glass ceiling of your ministry. Your kids are going to learn from you and your lifestyle. You’re going to do more “ministry” by letting your kids see what a Christian looks like while dealing with bad traffic than by any talk you give on a Wednesday night. Ministry is always going to be the overflow of our own relationship with God. One of the first changes that God makes is our eyes—the way we see the world. All kids will face crisis, all kids are needy, and all kids can be a challenge. If you’re not careful, you can feel like you want to strangle a middle schooler before it’s all over! I need to see my students the way God sees them. I need to be able to see that the guy-crazy girl is making poor decisions because she doesn’t have a strong father figure at home and she’s desperate for affection. If I’m not walking closely with Jesus, I’m not going to see her the way He does.

Beyond seeing with Christ’s eyes, we have to earn the right to speak into teens’ lives. This generation will not respect…

Use this link to read the rest of the article.