The following post was written by Ben Trueblood, Director of LifeWay Student Ministry
1. Your calling – It is a special thing to be called by God to serve in ministry. While every believer should “minister” to others, the calling that you have isn’t given to everyone. You have been chosen by God to do what you are doing. In good times, and in bad, remember that He has called you.
2. Your pastor – I realize that there are times when your relationship with your pastor may be difficult. Remember that God has placed you under his leadership for this time. The reality is that he needs you, your support, and your help. You are his co-laborer in ministry. I’ve found that choosing to have an attitude of thankfulness towards the pastor can have a profound impact on how you approach that very important relationship.
3. Your students – Be thankful for all of your students, not just the ones who most readily seek after Jesus and accept your leadership.
4. The parents – Sometimes they can be difficult, all the time they are an important element of any effective student ministry. The parents of students in your ministry can be an army of volunteers ready to serve and reach teenagers alongside of you. Be thankful for the ones that challenge you and realize that many times they question and “push back” because they care about their students and their spiritual development. Help them to understand your vision and strategy and constantly invite them into partnership.
5. Being a student pastor – I am convinced that being a student pastor is one of the greatest jobs in the world. You get to be involved in the lives of people at their most critical moments – the teenage years. You get to partner with families in times of joy and sorrow helping them to see Jesus in both cases. You get to see the light in a student’s eyes when they finally “get it.” You get to see the excitement and the tears, and even shed some of your own, when that student you have been praying for makes the decision to follow Christ. You get to see the salvation moment of a group of people who have their entire lives to live for Him. You get to build relationships with students that will last a lifetime. You get to see God take that awkward sixth grader and mold them into a student who loves Him passionately and has the potential to change the culture in which they live.
