eZine 04.07.2009

TheSource4YM.com
	Jonathan’s Resource Ezine

• Featured: Hire Me! Finding a Place God Can Use You in Youth Ministry
• Something You Can Use: More Free Easter Resources and Ideas

So, you believe that God has called you to invest your life into loving and leading teenagers? Awesome! The rewards of a job as a youth worker are great, but so are the challenges. On top of working long hours for a meager salary which forces you to survive on pizza and Mountain Dew, you’ll also have to contend with budgets, parents, and teenage mood swings. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

First, before you enter this “Promised Land,” you’ll have to face the search committee. The following are just a few “lessons learned” from the daunting process of finding and landing a job in the crazy world of youth ministry.

Know Where You Should Be
It may sound incredibly obvious, but it’s a great reminder nonetheless. There are tons of options under the umbrella of youth ministry, and you should invest some time in carefully determining not only where your passions are, but where your giftedness lies.

For example, do you want to work in the local church, at a camp, with a para-church organization, or something else? Do you want to work with high school students, middle school students, or both? Are you comfortable combining the role of youth pastor with children’s ministry or worship leading? Where are your gifts? Which of your gifts have others noticed?

These are some of the questions you will have to ask yourself ? and take the time to answer ? as you enter the field. A great place to start this process is on your knees asking God to direct you. God gives each one of us gifts and wants to see us use them. Take time discovering your gifts and passions. Those who try to hurry the process along, or are willing to settle for something that doesn’t fit them well, usually wind up miserable? until they quit, or are fired.

We won’t bore you with countless stories of youth workers whose hearts burned for middle school, but settled for a high school ministry job, only to quit within the first year or two. Many of you might be able to tell those stories better than us.

Ministry isn’t a place to settle?the cost is too great. Don’t steer away from where God is leading you.

Know Where to Look
Going to a “Career Day” or “Job Fair” isn’t necessarily going to help you find a job in youth ministry. It’s a specialized occupation, and thus, you will have to look in unique places for these kinds of opportunities. Here’s a short list of great places to start.

• YouthSpecialties.com has a massive job bank on their website. Not only can you look for job openings, but you can also post your resume online for other churches/ministries to peruse.
• YouthMinistry.com is another big name in the business. Their job board is strictly for youth pastors.
• ChurchJobs.net also has a database for youth workers to use.
• MinisterSearch.com is another site where youth workers can find listings for youth ministry jobs. (You will have to build a profile for this site.)
• ChurchStaffing.com is also a reputable site youth workers can explore for positions in youth ministry.
• PastorFinder.com calls themselves “the largest free church job site.” Their collection of jobs allows you to apply various filters to your search.

Denominational Websites simply cannot be overlooked, especially if you have a particular affiliation. Most denominations have websites that allow you to search for youth ministry jobs by state. And don’t forget about the cafeteria at Christian colleges and theological seminaries; they often have job openings posted on a board.

First Impressions: Resumes and Interviews
OK, so you found the “perfect fit” for you (and your family). Now what?

The old saying, “You never get a second chance to make a great first impression,” is never truer than in this instance. Their first glimpse of you will probably be your resume and your first interview. If you mess up either of those, you won’t get a second chance at anything!

Jonathan McKee, president of The Source for Youth Ministry, is the author of numerous youth ministry books including the brand new 10-Minute Talks, and the award winning books Do They Run When They See You Coming? and Getting Students to Show Up. He speaks and trains at camps, conferences, and events across North America, and provides free resources for youth workers internationally on his website, TheSource4YM.com.

David R. Smith, is a 12 year youth ministry veteran who speaks, trains, and writes for The Source for Youth Ministry. David’s giftedness is in sharing the Gospel and equipping others to do the same. David is co-author of a book on student leadership coming in 2010.