Seth Barnes recently received an email from a youth pastor that hits on major themes that concern me regarding the current youth ministry wineskin embraced in North America.
"After much prayer, my wife and I decided that now is the time to resign and set out to find a church where we could explore what it could look like to minister to youth without being concerned about how many youth were coming. Is there a church out there that doesn't base success on whether the youth group has grown? Is there a pastor who will coach me, and not just turn me loose (as much as I appreciate the trust and freedom that implies)? Is there a pastor (and church leadership) who is willing to explore, and isn't simply set in stone how ministry should look? On top of this, I want to work with parents to radically disciple students, instead of encouraging a culture of dividing parents from the youth ministry because we're the professionals and know better than they how to do it. That's going to be a paradigm shift for them and me, as I've become a little too comfortable where I am."
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