Expert: Carl Fuglein - 12/3/2006

Question
I am 17 years old (junior in high school) and over the last month or two i have been considering being a youth minister. the youth ministry director at my episcopal church has had such an influence on my life. i absolutely love working with the "adolesent" years of life, and i want to know more about youth ministry. i would continue to be in the episcopal church if i went into this field, but i want to know more about it.
what do you have to go to college for? what do you like/dislike about youth ministry? how do you know if its right for you?

Answer
Leigh-

Since I am a volunteer, I can't give you all the advice that you need, but I'll tell you what I do know.  Youth ministry has been a passion of mine for almost 3 decades, and I can tell you that it comes right after being married and having a child as the most rewarding thing I've ever done. What I would suggest if you feel that God is calling you to youth ministry is to pray about it, talk it over with your minister, talk it over with your family and friends and with your guidance counselor at school.  Since you are still young, there's time for you to do some things to give you an idea of whether or not you'd do well at youth ministry - if your church has a junior high program, volunteer to be part of the leadership team for the junior high ministry - do everything the leaders tell you to, and watch and listen to how everything is done.  In the summertime, try to get a job at a Christian youth camp - apply now, because most camps are very competitive for employees.  Volunteer to work at your church's VBS.  If you have a peer counseling or tutoring program at your high school - try to be a part of it.

There are a couple tests that you can that are not really tests, but aptitude assessments - talk to your guidance counselor at school about them - you need to take a vocational aptitude assessment and a personality assessment.  Try the test at http://a.livecareer.com/
go to http://www.apa.org/science/faq-findtests.html

also take myers briggs:  
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm  

http://similarminds.com/personality_tests.html

You also should take a spiritual gifts assessment which will evaluate which gifts God has given you - for youth ministry, you should have at least one of the following gifts:  encouragement (also called exhortation), evangelism, teaching, or administration.  You can find spiritual gifts assessments here:

http://www.fbchsv.org/ministries/discipleship/gifts_inventory.html

or
http://buildingchurch.net/g2s.htm


Youth ministry can be a career, or just a stepping stone to senior pastor - the choice is years, but most youth ministers I know never want to graduate.  But be prepared, youth ministers are often underpaid and underappreciated, but I personally believe that they have a special place in heaven I hope so! :)

Education wise, you would want to go to a Bible college or Christian college - there are several that offer BS in youth ministry, or Christian education. A sample program at Abiliene Christin is here:

http://www.acu.edu/academics/advising/plans/degreeplans/BSYouth&FamilyMinistry.p...

Ask your pastor about Episcopal affliated colleges.

For an advanced degree, you would probably want to pursue a Master of Divinity.

May God bless you in this endeavor - you will truly be blessed by ministering to teens.

hugs,
carl

please take the time to rate my answer and give me some feedback - also let me know what your further research shows and how you're doing - I would love to hear from you.