You don't have to be a youth minister (but you could be)

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7

Since finishing high school, I've spent the last four years of my life working in youth ministry.

Sometimes that's looked like this:

At other times, like this:

And, in extreme circumstances, like this:

I spent last Sunday night with my face covered in shaving foam while year 6 girls threw popcorn at it, and the better part of Pentecost demolishing cardboard boxes in an attempt to create a nature-defying tree that grew pineapples, limes and watermelons all at once.

I get insomnia when any of my year elevens are struggling with their friendships, and stay up until the wee hours praying for them. I've become extraordinarily speedy at using a guillotine. I could recite the Child Protection statement in my sleep. 

And I love it. I love my job. I love every priceless, wacky, hormonal soul that Jesus brings into my life. I love brainstorming unconventional ways to help them encounter Him.  I love that (the vast majority of the time) God gives me energy levels to match my enthusiasm for young people.

I love being a youth minister.

But some people don't. Many, many young Catholics aren't comfortable with public speaking, jumping up and down on repeat for three hours, or making a fool of themselves while wearing a multi-coloured wig. 

Many hearts on fire for Jesus don't like mingling, or hyper-enthusiasm, or - quite frankly - teenagers. 

Many young adults are called to love and serve Christ and His Church, just not as youth ministers.

And I think it's time we gave them permission. 

At Pentecost, Christ's disciples 'began to speak in many different tongues as the Spirit enabled them' (Acts 2:4). They didn't all speak the same language. They weren't all called to proclaim to the same group. 

St Paul reminds us that we're not all teachers - or prophets, or healers, or miracle-workers. We've been given a variety of gifts and a variety of languages - not according to what age bracket we fit into, but according to our unique identity as a child of God. 

Not all young adults need to be youth ministers. And not all youth ministers need to be young adults. 

                       Fig. 1 Yes, please!                                                    Fig. 2 Not so much....

We are all called to be faithful to our baptismal identity as witnesses to Christ. For some, that call will manifest itself in proclaiming the Good News to a motley crew of apathetic teens. Others will serve as missionaries in looking after a sick relative, reading to the elderly, serving food to those on the streets, directing one or two souls on their spiritual journeys. Some will speak, some will write, some will listen, some will cook. Some will pray! 

St Therese of Lisieux was patroness of missionaries without leaving Carmel. St Teresa of Calcutta was not so much a youth minister by practical role but by the example she has left young people.

Become who God created you to be, and you will set the world on fire with His love. 

Each of us are called, first and foremost, to the Kingdom of Heaven. By living this call well we automatically minister to those around us, and set a witness for young people of what it means to let God re-create your heart in Love. 

If you are a young adult who does not want to be directly involved in typical, officially-labelled youth ministry, hear this:

The body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 

1 Corinthians 12:14-15

Your service matters. Your role is irreplaceable. Uncover His call not for your age bracket, but for you personally.

I bless the name of Jesus for the unique way in which you will witness to Him and serve His Church. As a young person myself, I can honestly say that you inspire me more by your example of prayer, humility, and apostolic zeal than by shiny Facebook ads or moshing skills. You remind me of what my focus should be whenever I have the privilege of ministering to young people.

~~~

Now, all of the above being said, here's four reasons why I reckon you should be a youth minister if God has prompted your heart in that direction:

1.) Silliness

There's nothing quite like year 2 students to get your sides splitting with laughter. Often as a youth minister, I look like a fool to the world. But I love shamelessly being a fool for Christ. Young people remind me to live a Gospel of Joy. Their energy and childlike faith, and the extremes I have to go to in fashioning goofy, creative, Spirit-centered tools, draw me out of seriousness and scruples, back into the Truth of a delightful God.

2.) Accountability

As a role model for every young person Jesus draws through the doors of our parish, I'm kept accountable to living what I preach. It's fishbowl evangelisation - the more visible you are, and the more people your decisions are affecting, the higher the standard of virtue you hold yourself to. It's not about spiritual perfectionism - I want my young people to know that I am a broken sinner who stands in need of God's mercy - but it is about casting a vision for holiness and modelling Christ in the modern world so that they can chase Him unhindered.

3.) Keeping it kerygmatic

Working in other areas of the Church, there's a temptation to home in too narrowly on particular issues - whether this is social teaching about euthanasia and abortion, finicky bits of liturgy and dogma, or complex pastoral issues. These things are important - but even more important is that initial proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ. In youth ministry, I get to keep repeating the same message about the Resurrection, about Jesus' love, about a God who made you unique and good. I get to be the angel to the shepherds with a simple and constant refrain of "I bring you good news of great joy". I'm invited to a fresh understanding of the kerygma every single day, so that I can proclaim from my heart that God saves, and God is with us.

4.) Raising up missionary disciples

How cool is it watching a baby take their first steps, or helping a preppie understand that "A" is "A"? As a youth minister, I get to be there for those stepping-stone moments of the spiritual life: the first time a teenager gives their heart to Jesus, the first time someone prays and actually feels like they can hear God's voice, the first time they make up their mind to become a missionary too.

Of all the things that I've learned in the last few years, one of my favourites is the idea of spiritual multiplication. It's a variation on the 'give a man a fish - teach a man to fish' principle. As a youth minister, I exist to replace myself - to raise up well-formed, on-fire missionary disciples who will continue proclaiming the Good News of Christ down the centuries, as so many have done before them.

I myself am a product of youth ministry. Without the missionaries who set my heart ablaze, I doubt I'd even be in Australia. I recently received a letter from the woman who walked with me on those first stepping-stones of my spiritual journey:

"It is an amazing thing to look back and recognise all the people who have served as God's instruments of grace in one's life; it is an equally astonishing thing to think that perhaps there are others out there doing the same and counting you or I among those names!"

She's right - nothing rivals that feeling. Praise be to God.

AMDG

P.S. I'm thinking of renaming this blog "The Procrasti-preacher." I've noticed that my writing always gets more prolific in exam block *nervous laugh*. Please pray for me!  :P