I have been in full-time youth ministry for over 6 years now. There are a lot of things I have learned in those 6 years, most, the hard way. However, If there is anything I have learned from being in youth ministry it is the word Discouragement. It doesn’t take long being involved in youth ministry for any amount of time before you start to feel some sense of discouragement.
Discouragement because you: aren’t seeing enough fruit, can’t save your students, aren’t making progress, your students are all of the sudden not showing up, you have a student that is probably the spawn of Satan and is constantly distracting the other students, or perhaps you are just in a spiritual low, which leads to great discouragement.
Can you relate with those?
There is a time in life when we all get discouraged about something, but in youth ministry it tends to happen more often than not. ESPECIALLY this time of year. We start the year off so strong off of an amazing week of camp and then as the weeks and months go by little pieces of us are chipped away bit by bit until one day we look at our students and wonder, “Have I even made a difference”?
If I had a nickel for every time I asked that question I would be a very wealthy person. If you have asked that question, you are not alone. We ask it often.
Why? I mean seriously, I thought serving God was supposed to be easy. God opens doors and closes them. When he opens it we just waltz right in and start moving, right? Wrong. Serving God is hard. It is hard because when you serve God, you are not serving “The Prince of this world”, Satan. He HATES it when you are serving God and will do WHATEVER it takes to make sure you fail.
If you need proof, please turn on the news, watch the TV, or talk to your students. Satan is winning in the lives of this generation. He is on target to obliterate their souls and you have decided to stand in the gap for them. Therefore, there is no doubt Satan is going to do anything he can to get at them. If you stand in the way, it means he will attempt to go through you.
Jesus promised this in John 15:18-20 “”If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.”If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.”Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master ‘ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”
And Matthew 5:11 “Blessed are you when you are persecuted. Blessed are you when people persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you”.
Also, Ephesians 6:12-17. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
When you are feeling the spiritual oppression it is only because you have decided to stand in the way of his attempt at destroying our students.
Then he begins to tear you down where he knows he can get you. Do you feel inadequate? Do you think it would be easier doing something else? Is life getting too busy? These are just a few of the things he will begin chipping away at but for you it might be something completely different. He wants you to feel those things because it will lead to you getting out of the enemy’s way. In fact, when you are being persecuted it is a good sign because it means you are actually being effective in the kingdom of God. If you were not effective, you would be be persecuted.
When you are discouraged it is important to know why. It’s also important to know what to do. Often we are concerned with our students and “ministry” and we neglect our own personal time with Jesus. Without falling on our faces before the LORD and seeking him in prayer, we CANNOT combat against the schemes of Satan. There will always be something better to do than spend time with Jesus, this is precisely what Satan wants, so we must find that time!
It’s also important to remember a few key things: 1. You are not the savior. Jesus is. 2. You do not produce the fruit. Jesus does. 3. You should not have all the right answers. 4. It’s normal to need help. 5. Despite what you feel, you are making a difference. 6. Satan is trying to tear you down.
Make an encouragement folder. Place any encouraging note, comment, or text (written down of course) inside this folder. Then, in times of discouragement read the contents of the folder to remind you that God is at work.
I have been in full-time youth ministry for over 6 years now. There are a lot of things I have learned in those 6 years, most, the hard way (sound familiar?). I want to help you navigate through youth ministry, but I cannot do that if you do not ask. In 6 years I have picked up a few tricks, learned a bit about how to engage students, and learned how to avoid land mines. I am here to help you succeed so you don’t have to learn the hard way! (By the way Kenny, Krina, Katie, and Paul also have tremendous youth ministry experience as well)
Finally, stick with it. Apple trees bear fruit in season. If you care for an apple tree out of season and then bail right before the season you will miss out on the best apples of your life. If we bail (I am guilty of wanting to from time to time) we will not see the fruit at harvest time.
Stay the course, run the race, and keep fighting the good fight, it’s too important of a battle!
Branden Campbell 