I've just published the results of a survey into support for paid youth, children and families' (YCF) workers. You can see those results here. From that, I had a clearer understanding of what causes YCF workers to feel unsupported. Using that insight, here are six questions, linked to quotes from the survey, to ask a senior pastor at interview which may give you clarity about their level of support:
What is your vision for the YCF ministry? What do you expect in the first three years?
"I think part of the problem is hiring workers external to the church who do not have a good grasp of the church's culture and vision. That can mean just as the person is getting settled into the role, the differences becomes apparent."
So make sure you know before you start what the church's senior leader expects and hopes for in the youth ministry. And make it time limited. Imagine this: you are passionate about outreach, while the church is imagining you will focus on discipling the young people in the church. And if in the first three years, they don't expect you to think about outreach, you may be frustrated. You'll also find out if they really have a vision for youth ministry at all, or if they're handing it off because they don't want to think about it. One worker wrote that they expect the minister to:
"Show an interest, be part of creative discussions around what youth work is/should be, not just leave you to it in splendid isolation."
Sometimes, sadly, senior pastors just leave youth leaders to it. Make sure, at this stage, that the pastor has a vision for the ministry themselves. If they don't, will you ever feel that they are behind you?
Of all the things on the job description, which do you think is the most important?
"I could have done with clearer guidelines of what they expected."
Let's be super clear! What is really important to the senior pastor and the church? If it's actually the Friday night group that only has the senior pastor's children in it, how are they going to feel after three months, when you decide there's a better approach, and the Friday night group isn't a part of it? If they name the item on the job description that you see as least important, will that work for you? How flexible are you, and are they?
How often do you expect that will we meet for line management meetings?
"Offer strong line management... Genuine pastoral care."
You should expect line management to be different depending on whether you have no experience or twenty years' experience, but still expect to be line managed, but not micro-managed. Annual appraisals are great, but not enough. This question will signal whether your senior leader is invested in you and the youth ministry.
What do you think are three big challenges facing youth/children/families at the moment?
One worker wrote:
"The nature of young people and culture is so different to older generations, I had to fit the youth work into the model of the rest of the church which just didn’t work, but didn’t have freedom to try other approaches."
Find out if the senior leader has a knowledge of and interest in young people, maybe even a love for them! Hear their heart. Do they know what it's like being a young person today, and are they aware the changes that may need to be made for a church to reach young people? Will they trust you to suggest the changes or are they fairly fixed? You could even make it more specific, 'Think of a young person in the church. What do you think are three big challenges...?' If they don't know any young people...
How did you practically support your last YCF worker?
"I think being part of a staff team and working alongside others is SO key - people who get ministry and (to a certain extent YCF ministry). I do think you need to be in a church that is FOR you and FOR your family and sees the support and wellbeing of you all as inseparable from the role that you are seeking to do in the church."
Obviously this question assumes they had one. They might want to talk about the whole church, or themselves personally. Did they meet every week to study the Bible with them? Did they have regular line management meetings? Did they pray for them? Did they appoint them a mentor outside the church? Did the worker feed into the church's leadership group regularly? Did they have them and their family (if they had one) over for dinner? Did they send them on training? Or give them time to spend with other local youth workers? Did they have a sabbatical? It can be hundreds of different things, but there should be something to say.
How are parents at the church currently engaged with what's going on in the YCF ministry?
"Support and encourage. See themselves as partnering with the YCF workers. Understand that we are often under resourced, or undertrained to deal with every situation (especially where additional needs are an issue). Give generously to support them financially. Volunteer to help."
You may think that parents are the main disciplers of their children and YCF ministry is the icing on the cake, the senior minister may think that it's all up to you. How will you feel about that? Are lots of parents serving in the ministry, or few? Is there regular training for parents? How does the senior minister see their role in engaging parents with their children's discipleship? Will they just leave it to you, or will they be keeping the vision red hot with the parents in the church, encouraging them to disciple their children and to volunteer to serve in the ministry?
Concluding thoughts
Things never quite work out as planned, but God is very gracious. All of us are more sinful than we realise, churches might not always seem to be a good fit, but God can use us in his plans. Let's pray that we can raise the bar in terms of the right people with the right heart and the right gifts, being employed in the right places, all for the glory of God. Then,
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
Colossians 3.23-24
Photos by Fauxels and Tima Miroshnichenko, both on Pexels.
If you're thinking of moving on from a youth ministry position, read the chapter 'Leaving well' in my book, 'Raising the Bar: Nearly Everything You Need to Know about Christian Youth Ministry' which you can buy here. Don't leave the ministry like a plane without a pilot, even if you're really annoyed with your current church. You can find out here what other youth leaders think about the book.
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