To dispel the myth that only young ministers are effective at student ministry, churches, seminaries and student pastors must cultivate the mindset that student ministry is a legitimate pastorate and lifelong calling.
What Student Pastors Can Do
Student pastors will be the main vehicle for changing the stereotypes surrounding student ministry. Bunton says that student pastors can legitimize their role by “communicating the passion in their hearts.”
Student pastors must work to show that God has put this calling on their life. If they treat their own position as merely a stepping stone to something else, churches will pick up on that. But if the pastor is truly called to student ministry, he or she should, as Bunton says, work with an “I don’t have to do student ministry, I get to do it” attitude.
The role of student pastor can be legitimized by changing the language associated with the role. Too often the student pastor of a church is simply referred to as “the youth guy.”
“If you’re simply going to call me ‘the youth guy’ and not the student pastor, change my job title to director of wildlife,” Bunton says.
For student pastors, this means never referring to ourselves as “the youth guy.” Introduce yourself as the youth pastor. Show others that you respect this as a legitimate role.
The relationship between youth pastor and senior pastor will go a long way toward establishing credibility.
“I’m a firm believer in the chain of command,” Long says. “If the student pastor clearly communicates with the senior pastor, then the senior pastor can serve as a bridge between the student pastor and the church.”
If a student pastor can get the senior pastor to vouch for them, he or she can then earn the respect of the rest of the congregation.
Student pastors must present themselves as they wish to be seen. A common stigma about student pastors is that we are lazy and are little more than teenagers ourselves. If student pastors wish to be seen as real pastors, they should conduct themselves as such.
“Student pastors should have some set office hours and accountability with the rest of the staff,” Bunton says. Much of the work student pastors do is “fieldwork.” They’re in schools, at ballgames or meeting with students one-on-one. But having some set office hours when parents or the senior pastor can reach them works to show how they are responsible. Congregation members will take note of this.
Ultimately, how student pastors view and carry themselves will affect how their churches see them.
What Churches Can Do
Earlier it was noted that treating student ministry as entry-level can be detrimental to students. This does not have to be the case. The church will be a major factor in keeping students and student pastors safe and on target.
According to Bunton, the most important thing churches and student pastors can do is be upfront about their expectations. Does the church acknowledge that the role is a short-term one? Is the new student pastor honest about the fact that he or she may only serve for a few years?
If this information stated up front, the church and student pastor can better prepare for how the program and spirituality of the students will be sustained. For example, If a student pastor is only going to be in that position short-term, the church can instruct him or her to focus more on helping students build relationships with existing leaders. This way, when the student pastor leaves, the students are not left hanging.
By providing a clear job description and holding student pastors accountable to it, churches can protect both student pastors and students. The job description should set measurable goals, specific duties and office hours for the student pastor, and tell the student pastor exactly what the church expects.
This is also a great place to establish safety policies and procedures. Churches can train young pastors on how to safely engage and mentor teenagers. Having expectations down in writing makes accountability easier.
When I first inquired about my current position a few years ago, I was very honest about my personal long-term goals. At the time, I didn’t see myself staying for more than three years. What the church needed, and what became my goal, was to create a sustainable program. The program began to grow rapidly, both in number and the spirituality of the students, when we created an environment that students enjoyed and wanted to come back to—but was also safe and met the expectations of the parents.
This put the program in a cycle of sustainability. With the number of students increasing and becoming more engaged in reaching their peers, they became their own life force bringing in new people and ideas almost weekly.
According to Bunton, the most important thing a church can define is “where the student pastor fits.” If the student pastor understands that his or her role to be in support of the senior pastor, he or she is less likely to grapple for career advancement. This will stop many potential conflicts.
If a student pastor treats the role as entry-level, chances are they will constantly be looking for opportunities to preach and do things that typically fall to the role of senior pastor. If a church is clear about its expectations for the student pastor, there is less “wiggle room” for things to go wrong.
A New View of Student Ministry
“Churches must decide if they wish to build a long-term relationship with a student pastor, or if they are willing to commit to allowing that pastor to use their gifts,” Bunton says.
The salary of an entry-level student pastor position will not sustain a student pastor who has a family. In most cases, the pay will not attract or sustain more than a single person in their early 20s. Churches must choose whether or not they wish to have a youth program with lasting impact and how much they are willing to invest in it. If churches are willing to invest in a long-term student pastor, the results of their youth ministry will be evident.
Student ministry is still a new branch of church ministry and thus is still evolving. Both churches and student pastors can work to make this vital ministry the best it can possibly be for students.
Nathan Smith is the youth and children’s pastor at Pleasant Gardens Baptist Church in Marion, North Carolina.
