Different Kinds of Youth Pastors

They are all about the game. Whether it is a sport, dodgeball, or something they just made up, it is on! They dress like your gym teacher and kind of act like them too. Lesson? Oh yeah, we will hit that up at halftime!

9. The Preacher Boy/Girl

Straight out of the Ralph Lauren spring catalog and the spring semester of seminary. Good looking, well dressed, and ready to exposit and exegete the word. Just looking for that well-placed stepping stone to the Sr. Pastor’s office. I guess youth ministry will do for now?

8. The Stand Up Comedian

If John Crist and Jimmy Fallon had a baby, they would be it. They can find the funny in any verse and situation. Their opening monologue and routine… oops, I mean lesson will leave you in stitches.

7. The Buddy Buddy 

They are not the authority man; they just want to be your bro, bro (sis..sis?). They dress like you, act like you, talk like you, and even smell like you. They are more like a cool older brother/sister than a pastor. Yeah, they might be an age of an adult with a spouse and kids, but they will still be creeping into the student section at the game this weekend.

6. The Hipster

Tats, gauges, and ironic haircuts, and they are proud of it all! If Starbucks could brew humans, they would be grande with extra foam! Tonight’s devotional will be based on their latest Hebrew tattoo on their ankle.

5. The Old Dude

With DC Talk and Audio Adrenaline stickers on their walker and orthopedics in their chucks, they roll in straight out of 1987. They would like you to ask, “What Would Jesus Do?” no, really, what would He do? Because their memory is starting to slip. It must be that they have been chugging Geritol and Red Bull smoothie every morning?

4. The Copy Cat

Fresh off of their world tour of the most prominent youth groups in America and the latest youth conference, they have a suitcase of books from all of them. Guess what youth group is about to change…again! They have a whole pile of ideas that are working everywhere else. They know you are in the midwest in a small-town church, but what works at that west coast megachurch will work here too!

3. The Missionary

Living simply and organically, they have a Toms youth group fundraiser coming up soon to help those without shoes in Africa. They are raising goats in the back parking lot to mail to war-torn somewhere. Even though it is only September, they are already planning next summer’s mission trips.

2. The Geek Freak-

Roll the dice, put on your favorite Lord of the Rings T-shirt, and come join the group for this month’s all-night Star Wars vs. Star Trek discussion. They know the girls are not into it, and no one ever invites friends, but what matters is they are into it, and it gets them out of their mom’s basement for the night?

1. The Regular

Nothing flashy here… Just a heart of a “pastor/teacher/shepherd.” They come in two flavors: paid and unpaid. They may not be the cutest, coolest, hippest, or even the most up-to-date on culture, but they are in love with Jesus and students. After the game is forgotten, the media presentation is over, and the program is dead…long after the newest and greatest in youth ministry book is collecting dust, there they are still sitting one-on-one with a student sharing life.

They are not concerned about attracting kids to themselves, and they are more concerned about attracting kids to Christ!! (*1 Corinthians 9:19-23)