Often as youth pastors, we find ourselves in the dangerous leading role commonly known as the Lone Ranger Youth Pastor. We aren’t necessarily part of a great “staff team,” and we don’t always have a helpful “sister church” down the street. It’s us, and that’s it. And it’s exhausting.
There are two competing realities here. It is clear that the Lone Ranger approach will not only cripple us, but will be one of the least healthy ways for any ministry to function. At the same time, not many people are at a place where they can hire a great colleague to partner in ministry. Though you may not be completely alone in ministry without any volunteers, there is a limit to the number of times you can adapt an egg toss before you REALLY need to communicate with some other youth ministers to get ideas.
Though a collaborator may not be easy to come by and an extra staff member less likely than finding a live unicorn, a collective might help. You know, a group of veteran youth ministers that are pouring their souls into the same work as you who don’t mind sharing ideas, offering proven tips, and answering a tough question every once in a while.
That is what we want to do here, we want to be a gathering of people who love Jesus and youth and have been successful enough to know all the best mistakes. We want to be your partner in ministry, wherever you are, by letting you steal the best and worst ideas from our years of experience.