UNDERSTANDING the YOUTH PASTOR
For anyone who is NOT a youth pastor
Youth Pastor?
I have had the privilege to serve and meet hundreds of faithful youth pastors in my time. I have witnessed the work and the service that many of these men and women have sacrificed for students and their families. Yet, this whole concept of youth ministry and the youth pastor is still misunderstood in many contexts. Sometimes, this role is seen as a stepping stone to a "real job." Other times, it's a baby-sitting service that these "young people" need to deal with.
I write out of love and hope for the youth pastor. I want to be an advocate for this group. But I write more importantly for the churches and their leadership. I want them to see the importance of the role and the people they serve.
Youth Pastor Compensation Survey Report (2019) // Key Findings
2152 American Youth Pastor Respondents:
- In general, Youth Pastor Compensation is linked to completed education. I am happy to report that over 85% of YP’s have at least a college degree, with about 30% of all YP’s having completed a Masters or Seminary degree.
- Half of all YP’s have been in their current position three or less years! 15% of all full-time YP’s were hired in the last year by their churches.
- For those veterans with 5-10 years of ministry experience, but have been at their current position less than three years, they earn an average salary of $45,959. What this tells us is simple: People who hang around their church longer don’t usually get paid more for their loyalty. Churches that are not willing to give a pay raise either need to hire a lesser candidate when you, their incumbent, leave for higher pay because the budget needs to stay static; or they need to increase their compensation to match what a competitor would pay and retain you.
- Only about 12% of all YP’s reported receiving a raise of 4% or more this past year. 37% of YP’s receive between 1-3% raise. 44% of YP’s received no adjustment to their salary; while about 4% took some sort of loss in 2018 when compared to their 2017 salary.
- The full-time Youth Pastor Salary for 2018 is $46,581. This represents 2.65% increase from the 2017 number we published of $45,381. The formula is [Your State’s Salary Adjustment = (1 + % in decimal form) x $46,581].
Source: by Adam McLane The Youth Cartel 2019 Report
***statistics are variable for ethnic churches
Prior to Hiring a Youth Pastor
Churches must be aware of their expectations of what they offer youth pastors before they arrive on the scene. Many churches I have spoken to say that they are looking for a youth pastor who has finished a seminary degree before hiring. This would require the candidate to have completed a seminary degree (remember, different degrees emphasize and equip differently), AND an undergraduate degree (since it is a prerequisite for a Masters). This would mean the candidate would be 8 to 10 years removed from the oldest youth.
Not only does the personnel or the search committee must understand this, but they must take into consideration the financial sacrifice one makes in attending & finishing graduate school. Currently, in 2020, enrollment among undergraduates is down 2.5% across all types of institutions (source: Washington Post), and to finish a degree does take perseverance and there are many factors that could affect a student from completing their undergraduate degree. And if a church expects a youth pastor to have a seminary degree, this is adding on another level of education that is not only more specialized but more difficult for individuals. Consider someone who desires to pursue youth ministry and decides to enroll in seminary. Upon graduation from their university, they have decided to forgo working and earning a salary and enroll in a graduate school for more studies. I am not saying that churches should not expect youth pastors to be well educated and well trained but I want to question when does this occurs and how the church steps in to help with this process.
Undergraduate (Single Major)
- According to the College Board, the average cumulative student debt balance in 2017 was $26,900 for graduates of public four-year schools and $32,600 for graduates of private nonprofit four-year schools.
- 4-5 years time length
Masters (Seminary)
- Must have completed a baccalaureate
- Masters of Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary costs $78,430.00
- 120 credit hours = 5 years (12hrs/semester - Fall/Spring)
Churches must also be considerate of the massive financial toll that a youth pastor may be coming in with prior to accepting the position. There is a potential that their faithful sacrifice has accumulated in student loans and debt totaling in our example above to over $100,000.00. There's no guarantee that they come to your church debt-free and unfortunately, most seminarians are still carrying student loans from their undergraduate.
If the youth pastor is currently studying their ThM or MDiv, know that their training can be applied to any and most pastoral positions (including the senior pastor). The degree matters and the search committee ought to understand the differences in those degrees. Most ThM and MDiv degrees require hours of biblical languages, preaching and homiletics, systematic theology, counseling, and practical ministry. These youth pastors have the ability to apply to other positions yet they choose to pursue this education for the sake of the church and the benefit of the youth and youth families.
Consider the Youth Pastor's Responsibilities
1. Minister of the Gospel: First and foremost, they have taken on this incredible task not because it is fun or easy thing to do (more on this later) but because they desire to see students come to saving faith through the Gospel unto Christ. For whatever reason, they plead with the Lord that students all around them, students in their care, friends of their students, see the Gospel as beautiful and worth forsaking all other idols. This is their main heartbeat before all else. They take the Gospel seriously, and they want this demographic to get it, and they yearn for this generation to be saved.
2. They are a Pastor: When they take this position (and they take this calling seriously) it is not as a glorified babysitter or event planner but as a pastor/shepherd. They see 1 Tim. 3 and Titus apply to them and they are held accountable first and foremost to the Lord for their actions and responsibilities. Their "calling" is that of a pastor to the church that they serve in general and then to the youth specifically. They put that privilege and responsibility on themselves because they know that they will have to give an account to the Lord as to how they have shepherded those whom God has entrusted them. They take their responsibilities seriously with humility and excellence.
3. They Equip Parents: Every healthy youth pastor knows that the main discipler for youth is none other than the parents. That is why youth pastors are trying their hardest to equip and train parents in order for them to disciple their own youth. This is inherently difficult because of how youth ministry has been set up in the past decades and even within the perception of students and parents. Yet, biblically, the youth pastor knows that this is their task. It is to train up parents not only in skill but theology, worldview, understanding and connecting. If youth ministry is understood in these terms, the Church needs to surround the youth pastor better with resources that allow them to achieve this goal. Obviously, this is going to take by in from parents, students, youth pastor, and the church.
4. They Equip Youth Leaders: Consider the fact that no matter how dynamic and skilled the youth pastor is, they are mandated to train up others to work alongside of them for the sake of the ministry. There is no way for any one youth pastor to shepherd every student and parent on a level that produces quality relationships and connections. The youth pastor must not only recruit willing and capable leaders (which is difficult already considering the context) but must train and disciple those leaders as well. There must be intentionality on behalf of the youth pastor to know their leaders, their stage in life, their spiritual context in order to minister to them while equipping them to minister to the youth. The youth pastor then needs to cover and train leaders in a variety of foundational and applicable skills while at the same time building cohesion within the team of leaders and between youth and leaders. These foundational and applicable skills include doctrine formation, hermeneutics, systematic theology, bible survey, apologetics, worldview analysis, counseling, discipleship methods, emotional/mental safety, teaching methods, etc. If the desire is that the youth leader shepherds well, then they must be trained and equipped properly. So not only does the youth pastor need the time to develop these leaders but also the skill set to do so.
5. Pastor the Youth: Of course the responsibility of the youth pastor is to pastor the youth, but I want to frame this in a way where you are able to understand the weight and gravity of what it means to pastor youth. In connection to the first bullet point, the youth pastor is resigned to the fact that no matter what they do, what programs they put on, how much they invest, it is impossible to change the heart of the youth. They understand that that heart change is reserved only for the Holy Spirit. That's the reality of ministry and it is sometimes a crushing spiritual burden that pastors have in their hearts. Pastoring youth means pastoring each and every single one of the youth that they are responsible for. It is to know them directly or indirectly through another leader and it is to be spiritually accountable for them. The youth pastor knows and memorizes every single statistic that comes out about youth dropping out of the faith when they get to college and so on. And yet, they are responsible while the youth is in their care to shepherd them into spiritual growth or into the Gospel. This pastoring, though, requires time, energy, resources, patience, and perseverance. We have said that it takes about 3-4 years to really connect with a student and that's only if the student is active and open to building the relationship. The youth pastor has to balance intentional relationship building, spiritual discipleship, worldview engagement, and social development with their students at any given moment. And yet, they truly love each youth and each relationship and each relationship dynamic is real and meaningful. When a student decides to take advice, to grow, to confess...this sends the youth pastor soaring (whether they were directly involved or not). And on the same line, when a student cancels the youth pastor, rejects their advice, curses them out, drops out...it crushes the youth pastor. And honestly, those moments of pain and heartbreak are more common than the other ones. There's a deep commitment to these students and with it comes the pains, sorrows, and joy that comes with the territory.
iGen: Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy--and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood--and What That Means for the Rest of Us
When God Shows Up: A History of Protestant Youth Ministry in America (Youth, Family, and Culture)
This Changes Everything: How the Gospel Transforms the Teen Years
What's On Your Youth Pastor's Mind (Constantly)
- Am I being a faithful pastor/minister first and foremost to the Lord?
- Am I relating to the youth well?
- Do the youth even care about their spiritual growth?
- How can I get our students to become more engaged? Love Jesus? Disciples others?
- Am I doing enough to disciple the parents of my youth?
- How can I show love and appreciation for my youth leaders who sacrifice and serve?
- Are our programs engaging enough?
- Is our teaching gospel-centered?
- What's really going on in the life/mind/heart of (insert youth/youth leader)?
- Do I still want to do this?
- Am I shepherding my family well?
- How am I going to afford rent? Car payments? Retirement? Marriage?
- Am I getting too old to do youth ministry?
- How do I get the church to care/love the youth at our church?
- What is going to happen to our youth once they graduate out of our ministry?
- How in the world am I going to have this difficult conversation with this youth? youth parent? youth leader?
- Are we preparing our youth enough for evangelism at their schools?
- Where has ______ been all these weeks? Is it something that I'm doing wrong?
- How do I find more help in our ministry? Where do I find more help?
- Why can't the church leaders understand that youth ministry is different than all other ministries?
- How do I address this cultural conversation with our students?
- When should I take vacation? Who is going to fill in when I do?
- What's my trajectory for the next 10 years? Does the church agree? or even care?
- Why can't our students see the damaging effect of their sins? Why don't they care?
- What does the Lord want for our youth ministry today?
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2Ti 4:1-5)
A Plea to the Church
1. The importance of this position: It is one that holds tremendous influence over a crucial demographic of the church not just in terms of theology, formation, but trajectory. The position and the person must be taken seriously and with much consideration. This isn't to say that the applicant will not grow or make mistakes but this is to put a premium on character and competence. I say this with the understanding that this person and position speaks (or neglects to speak) into everything from theology, sexual ethics, worldview formation, the gospel, relationships, mental health, social media, cultural issues, and more.
2. Set the youth pastor up for success: If the church does hire a young and unseasoned youth minister, they must do whatever they can to develop this individual in terms of theology, leadership, administration, counseling, and their own spiritual growth. So many times churches simply place this person into the role without any support and usually this poor individual is way over their heads. Maybe they can relate to students and come up with some pretty creative ideas but when it comes to their personal life, community, development and such...it's usually difficult for them. If the church desires best for the youth pastor and desires this ministry to thrive, the church needs to come alongside and equip the youth pastor in all areas of their life.
My prayer is ultimately for the health of the church. A youth ministry can only do so much and go so far if the entire health of the church isn't moving forward. But that being said, the youth ministry makes up a crucial part of the church and I continue to advocate that the youth ministry is a part of the church with its unique needs and distinctive but it is absolutely a part of the overall body. The church ought to recognize that but also the youth ministry needs to recognize that. I'm praying that churches can see how quickly culture is changing and how teens are changing today and really pay attention to how the church ought to come alongside and minister to this group of saints.
Justin Wong
Email: justinhwong@gmail.com
Location: 900 Brogden Road, Houston, TX, USA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrchewywong/