Youth Ministry

I was sitting in a class of about 70 other youth leaders and ministers, hoping to learn something more about the youth of today. The class was packed and highly popular. Someone said it was because the youth generation of today is so wildly different and dynamic that we feel the need to prepare ourselves better. And so we sat attentively at the edge of our seat as our lecturer, Ps. Julie Khoo take the mic and a hoarde of Youth Alive Committee stood at the back.

Why youth ministry? The question was thrown forward...
Silence...

So many youth leaders with years of experience, but at that moment no one could answer. The silence dragged. Imagine that... We were caught. Slowly we gave our answers and opinions.

Youth ministry is the most challenging ministry, she continues. Youth leaders have no life one. She listed reasons why people quit, misconceptions, average lifespan, root of the problem, and so on. The amount of truth reflected back on what I've felt and been facing really gripped my soul. Chaco thought I was too enthusiastic, but I think it's more the knowing that I wasn't alone. That as difficult and frustrating as it was, I wasn't alone. We were all fighting the same fight, persevering the same race. We MUST pass on the torch!

We were challenged to think about youth ministry as a whole. Reminded to hang on and find strength again. It was a challenge, a calling many of us have answered and gave our life to. Though so many of us have memorized our reasons and reiterated it to ourselves a hundred times, there comes a time that we really wonder. I went home asking God, "of all the ministries, why did you call me to youth ministry?"

And then I closed my eyes.... And then I saw the answer....