To this point, I have been in student ministry for over 15 years. Throughout those years there have been many things along the way that have had an influence on my personal, spiritual, and ministry life. Among those however, there are four that have changed my ministry forever. If they haven’t happened in your life already, they will have a dramatic impact on your ministry as well when they come along. While I could add more to the list, the four that seem to be most significant are:

Getting Married

I took my first Youth Pastorate at eighteen years old (crazy I know!). To be honest I was making things up as I went. I was definitely seen as “the young (probably stupid) kid who is in charge of the teenagers.” I got married when I was 19 (crazy I know!), and that event forever changed my ministry. Personally, I now had to seriously consider how what I did in my ministry would affect someone else. For the first time I had to consider juggling a family with ministry. In my case I also gained a strong teammate in student ministry.

From a ministry standpoint I was certainly seen in a different light now that I was married. The way I was treated and even spoken to changed more than I could have ever expected. I was still a young stupid kid in charge of teenagers, but now I was also a married guy who was in charge of the teenagers. Marriage certainly brought a larger sense of credibility to my ministry in the eyes of many. So much I could say about this, but alas we must move on…

Having children

If I felt that juggling family and ministry was difficult before, having children amplified this in my life. Time became more important, money became more important, and my priorities had to seriously be checked (often still to this day). I also began to view parents differently. If I am honest, early on in ministry I often viewed parents as an obstacle rather than an asset. I began to view the seriousness of what I was doing much differently as I thought of my own children one day in student ministry. Every decision I made was now made from the perspective of a parent rather than a teen. Perception of parents again changed drastically and I was given even more credibility in their eyes as a member of the “parent club” of life.

Turning 30

I know a lot of people dread turning 30, but for me I couldn’t wait. By the time I was 30, I had been married 10 years, and I had 4 children. Still in my twenties though, it always felt as if I was still viewed as that young (not as stupid) kid who is in charge of the teenagers. When I hit the big “3-0” I was suddenly boosted into a new level of trust and credibility in the eyes of many. Seems silly I know, but it literally happened overnight. Turning 30 definitely changed my ministry forever.

Seeing year 7

Without a doubt one of the greatest and sweetest times in my ministry was watching a group of students that had been in my ministry since they were in sixth grade, graduate out. It was amazing to see and reflect back on this students throughout the years. It was an amazing time of reflection and evaluation of our ministry. It was so encouraging. It is difficult to describe honestly. It is so saddening to me that most Youth Pastors never stick around long enough to see this day. My ministry has never been the same since that event, and I am so very grateful for it.

What about you? What events have shaped and changed your ministry forever? Leave a comment and share below!