Steve Ingold, High School Director at Cornerstone Fellowship in Livermore, CA, wrote a guest post on Josh Griffin’s top-ranked youth ministry blog, More than Dodgeball, about signs that indicate a youth minister is missing the mark. Ingold’s list of thirteen items includes:
… if I put the ministry ahead of my relationship with God.
… if I put the ministry ahead of my relationship with my wife and family.
… if don’t invest in meaningful friendships outside of youth ministry and/or the church.
… if I allow the numbers to discourage me OR make me feel good about myself.
… if I constantly look beyond student ministry towards “the next big thing.”
… if students feel like a number and not an individual.
So What?
Many in youth ministry receive annual performance evaluations, but all should engage in intentional introspection on a regular basis. Using this list as a starting point, what other items would you add? (If you are in another type of ministry simply swap more age inclusive terms for youth/students. )