Calling into Youth Ministry

I was recently at Winter Camp with some High School youth. After a night of no sleep and asking many youth to watch their language, I laid on my bunk, praying that God would continue to give me confirmation that youth ministry was what I wanted to pursue as a career.I am getting ready to graduate, and I know that I love Junior High and High Schoolers, but there are times when it was is difficult and I feel like there are many challenges.

That very night, the Youth Pastor was going through John 15, where Jesus tells the disciples that there is no greater love than one that would lay down his life for his friends. And it didn't stop there. Jesus proceeds to tell the disciples that they are his friends. How is it that Jesus was friends with some of the most crazy group of people? Jesus gave so much more to the disciples than they were able to gave him. While he recklessly pursued him, they were so quick to abandon him, make other things idols, or coward in fear. And there, in that chapel, I realized that I do the same exact thing. Jesus chases me down as I am constantly running towards any shiny object that appeals to me. I sat in tears while the worship was playing, recognizing that Jesus is my friend and that I find belonging in him that is everlasting. And then it hit my like a ton of bricks. "That is why I want you to go into youth ministry..." God wants me to go into youth ministry because I am JUST like them. This is what drives my ministry. The fact that I can love my youth and reflect to them the reckless love that has been given to me is the reason why I do what I do. My love for them is an overflow of the love that has been given me.

My calling is to fight for the weaker ones. This world is so loud and there are constant voices that are screaming in the ears of youth, luring them to put their identity in anything other than Christ. And not only that, but I believe that there are many youth kids that are hiding. Hiding behind phones, hiding behind makeup, even hiding behind their own shame. It is so easy to hide. But the reality is that God sees every part of these kids. The key is helping them to acknowledge that they are both seen and loved simultaneously. The gospel is about a God that sees you fully, and willingly chooses to die and be raised on your behalf, giving you absolute freedom to be vulnerable, not only with him, but with yourself and others.

“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us.” - Timothy Keller

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