As I reflect on my first three months as a full-time youth pastor, several things stand out to me. First of all, even at times when I have felt overwhelmed in my position, things have worked out in marvelous ways. Over the summer there were several things that I experienced for the first time, such as leading a mission trip, organizing a summer camp trip, planning and promoting various service projects, recruiting helpers, and executing a variety of day trips. In each of these adventures, I had to lean on the Lord and on others to help me make good choices for the direction of our youth ministry.
Secondly, as you may have noticed from the above list, I have found myself involved in a great deal more than what many typically think of as “pastoral duties.” And yes, a pastor is how I view myself. I am a shepherd, and the youth group of Grace Baptist Church is my flock. The point has already been made that the sheep are keeping the shepherd quite busy. And I have never had more fun in my life.
The third thing that has stood out to me ties the above thoughts together. It seems an almost impossible task to prioritize the ever-growing list of things to do as a youth pastor. But I have been reminded time and again that the most important thing I can do is to teach young people the Word of God. No matter how many activities we have, how many teens show up, how many small groups we have, I will fail at my job if I am not first and foremost helping my flock to know God through His Word.
As much as I enjoy my various roles, my title is not “activities coordinator” or “trip planner.” I am grateful that the majority of compliments I have received from the parents of those in our youth group (and I am not worthy of any compliments) have been something like, “Thank you for what you are teaching our children about the Lord.” My title is Youth Pastor, and I take that responsibility very seriously.
Certainly the Bible does not use the term “youth pastor,” but the New Testament is exceptionally clear about what the duties of a pastor are. And as I’ve stated earlier, those same duties belong to me. Consider this quote from Paul to a group of pastors he was about to leave:
“Now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears” (Acts 20:25-31).
Paul was not alone in influencing the people. But he was one of the few who chose to influence them for Christ and His kingdom. And because his ministry of teaching in that area was coming to an end, he told the pastors that their primary task would be to continue to teach the flock the things of God, just as he did. If they didn’t, a different kind of influence would bring them all down.
Later, when Paul wrote letters to individual pastors, he gave them guidelines that all pastors should follow. And when listing these guidelines, Paul put most of the emphasis on the character of the person rather than on his abilities. In fact, he only names one ability: to be “able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2). Out of the seven verses in that paragraph that describe the right kind of pastor, the only stipulation concerning ability is that of teaching.
In a very similar statement to Titus, Paul again emphasizes a pastor’s character then adds that he should be “holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict” (Titus 1:9). A pastor is not many things with one of them being a teacher. Rather, a pastor is primarily a teacher of “the faithful word” to his flock. A teacher is not always a pastor (Ephesians 4:11), but a pastor is always a teacher.
Peter had this to say to pastors:
“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away (1 Peter 5:2-4).”
Rest assured, I am doing this job for a paycheck. Not for the one that shows up in my bank account every so often, but for the “crown of glory” that will be mine if I willingly serve my flock. I am here to say that I commit to willingly serving my flock—the youth ministry of Grace Baptist Church—by prioritizing the preaching and teaching of the Bible above all else. And when we commit to learning about God by studying what He has told us about Himself, I am convinced that we will be motivated to help other people know Him as well.
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