This post marks my 100th post on The Longer Haul.  In honor of 100 posts, here are 100 things I lOVE about Youth Ministry:

1. I love seeing faith become real and owned

2. I love that fun often accompanies ministry

3. I love walking through real life with students

4. I love partnering with parents

5. I love seeing other caring adults be used by God to influence students

6. I love teaching the truths of Scripture to many who are learning it for the first time

7. I love sharing the gospel

8. I love watching God wreck a student for His glory

9. I love seeing a generation get excited about the gospel

10. I love knowing that I am influencing the future generation

11. I love the randomness of Middle Schoolers

12. I love going to camp…with the students of course

13. I love knowing that every day will be different

14. I love the freedom to be creative in Youth Ministry

15. I love that Youth Ministry always requires me to be learning

16. I love seeing students come to Jesus

17. I love watching students become leaders

18. I love that I can get paid to play dodgeball

19. I love seeing parents take discipleship in their homes seriously

20. I love that I have the privilege to preach God’s Word

21. I love that my family can come to work with me

22. I love meeting all the people I get to meet through ministry

23. I love taking students on mission trips

24. I love seeing students lead others to Jesus

25. I love building relationships in the schools we serve

26. I love watching students grow up

27. I love meeting other Youth Pastors

28. I love that my “job” is not easy

29. I love seeing God change families through the gospel’s effect in a student

30. I love sending equipped students into the world with the gospel

31. I love watching God build a heart for the nations in students

32. I love the lasting relationships we build with students in our ministry

33. I love the influence our students make in our church

34. I love teaching great doctrinal truths to students

35. I love helping and equipping other Youth Pastors and Youth Workers

36. I love seeing students serve others

37. I love when students “get it’

38. I love the informal, hanging out that comes with Youth Ministry

39. I love Jesus

40. I love that Youth Ministry is always changing

41. I love praying for my Youth Workers

42. I love the fact that my “job” requires me to get out of my office

43. I love that going to football games is ministry

44. I love helping families

45. I love that my kids can often come along

46. I love that we are never short on babysitters (just the money to go out)

47. I love the obnoxious kids graduate eventually (sorry, just being honest here)

48. I love that every day is an adventure in Youth Ministry

49. I love to see how God uses busses breaking down for His good and for great memories

50. I love watching students help other students

51. I love seeing the misfits of the world become family in the Youth Ministry

52. I love seeing hurting kids become whole

53. I love that watching Nacho Libre can actually be my “job”

54. I love watching God grab hold of a student and call them into vocational ministry leadership

55. I love sending students to the nations

56. I love hearing students share what God is doing in their lives

57. I love praying for parents in my ministry

58. I love that my wife can be a part of what I do

59. I love knowing that God uses me even though I’ve never really been cool

60. I love that Middle School students still think I’m cool

61. I love building a theological foundation in students

62. I love shaping a students worldview to that of the Bible

63. I love encouraging parents

64. I love watching my Youth Workers grow in their own ministries

65. I love that I get to be a part of so many teens’ lives

66. I love making fun of new drivers (from a distance of course)

67. I love hearing students get honest before the Lord

68. I love seeing students get serious and hold one another accountable

69. I love that I have friends all over the globe as a result of Youth Ministry

70. I love the flexibility in my day (something I did not have for many years working several jobs in addition to Youth Ministry)

71. I love that students work harder and complain less than adults

72. I love that Middle School students always laugh at my jokes

73. I love building a culture that will outlast me

74. I love getting others involved in our ministry

75. I love getting random text messages at random times…just because

76. I love that everyday eternity is at stake

77. I love watching students do things they never thought they could

78. I love hearing the stories of what God is calling students to do

79. I love that I get to go to water polo games, ballet performances, and Middle School band concerts (okay, not the Middle School band concerts. Take a moment and pray for all Middle School band directors)

80. I love walking through the halls of our schools and praying for students

81. I love that I get to baptize students

82. I love having my own kids in my ministry

83. I love that every year we see new kids move up into the Youth Ministry

84. I love Ski Trips…even though I snowboard

85. I love earning frequent flyer miles (that I will never be able to actually cash in) on mission trips I lead

86. I love praying for students

87. I love that my house is often full of laughter (and the smell of pubescent BO, and/or body spray)

88. I love watching our students grow up and begin families of their own

89. I love that I get to listen to hip hop all the time…Christian of course 😉

90. I love feeling God stretch and grow me in my own faith

91. I love seeing firsthand the power of the gospel

92. I love pizza…okay well I used to

93. I love that God so often overcomes my doubts and fears

94. I love ENO hammocks have become a regular part of what I do at work

95. I love that students appreciate my ’72 Bug almost as much as me

96. I love the excitement of being around students

97. I love hanging around after Youth Worship with students and…well, hanging out

98. I love equipping students to serve the church as a whole

99. I love playing frisbee

100. I love being a part of God raising up students to make an eternal impact for the glory of God that will carry far beyond my life and theirs.

I absolutely, wholeheartedly, without a doubt, unequivocally, decisively, indisputably, undeniably, LOVE Youth Ministry! I hope you do too.

Take a moment and tell me below which ONE thing from my list of 100 you love the most about Youth Ministry!

Photo credit: ForsterFoto / Foter / CC BY