What are some of the joys of part time youth ministry?

We have highlighted some of the struggles of part time ministry this month, but we shouldn’t ignore the joys. Today we are focused on….

“What are some of the joys of part time youth ministry?”

Ali Chappell is a second year seminary student at Baylor University’s Truett Seminary. She graduated from Meredith College in Raleigh, NC and loves Texas, but loves North Carolina much more. Ali is currently on staff as Minister to Youth at Calvary Baptist Church in Waco, TX.  She loves cheering on the Baylor Bears, Boston Red Sox, and Carolina Panthers while eating Mexican food and drinking diet coke.

10 Joys of Part Time Youth Ministry (in no particular order)

1. Part time youth ministry allows you to live in harmony with the busy schedule of a student.
2. You can look forward to time with youth as a time of spiritual rejuvenation, and not merely a “job.” *Although this is not always the case, it is a majority of the time.
3. The weirdly horrible and simultaneously wonderful feeling of going to school/work after a lock-in or retreat weekend.
4. Youth love to eat, I love to eat, and part time youth ministry is full of many breakfasts, lunches, and dinners simply because that’s when both parties are most available.
5. Their spiritual growth is truly sacred; especially since a part time youth ministry job is often counteracted with a full time something else.
6. Just as in full time youth ministry, students are not afraid to ask hard questions. Although my brain sometimes hurts after conversations with them, it is one of my biggest joys to partake in those intense dialogues.
7. There are days where you feel like a “master of time,” simply because you manage to get everything done.
8. You are forced to have boundaries.
9. Retreats/trips are special and have a lasting impact because it’s rare that you’re focused solely on youth ministry for days at a time.
10. You experience deep and authentic grace on a weekly basis.