I'm Here to Stay

Yesterday, I was working at CCS helping a young girl with her homework. Before she got started on her work, she began looking for a pencil that she left behind earlier in the week. She easily spotted in one of the pencil cans we have. She recognized the pencil because it was a gift from a former teacher and had the teacher's name on it. What she said when she found the pencil struck a chord in me, "Oh, it's just a random teacher."

When the young girl said that, I realized how many young people have gone through "random teachers" in their lives. These teachers come and go, and they are nothing more to the kids than the morning mist, here today and gone tomorrow. Pastor-flock relationships in a Youth ministry is much like that in some sense. A professor relayed to me his grief over the fact that many youth pastors view youth ministry as a pit stop. They work as a youth pastor to test the waters, to sharpen their gifts, to pay through seminary; shepherding the flock and commitment to the task and the church becomes an afterthought. I wouldn't be surprised if I heard a kid say, "Oh, it's just a random youth pastor."

I've been asked quite a bit by family and friends what I plan to do after my youth pastorate here at Living Word. It's as if they assume the work is temporary, it's not what I really want to do. I want to make it loud and clear - I'm a member of this church, not it's employee. I'm a shepherd of the flock, not a hireling. I'm not here to date around, I'm not here for the tuition money I get, I'm not here for the preaching opportunity, I'm not here to pay the bills. I'm here for the kids, I'm here for the high calling of shepherding souls.

I'm married to Living Word and my vow is sealed with my tears. Unless the Lord separates us, I'm staying here until I die. Unless the Lord calls and the body feels that I can be of better use to Him elsewhere, I have no thought of leaving. I remember starting this ministry and talking with one of the youth group kids. What I said to him then is still true now - "I'm here to stay." Stay strong and God bless.