Week 7 - Thurs. - Josh

Week 7 – Thursday
2/26/09
People – Campus vs. Church

I am thinking about the difference between getting along with people at college and getting along with people in a church, and I am getting a little nervous. Things are going to be very different next year. Anyway the first differences I see are:
1) At college everyone is my peer. That will not be the case when working in a church setting, in fact when working with youth ministry most people will be dramatically younger (the students) or dramatically older (sponsors, board, other pastors, parents of students). The people that I hope will bend to my leadership over the youth ministry will have been around the block a few more times than I have; they will know more about life than I do. (Hopefully being married already will level the field a few millimeters in their eyes).
2) At college those over me are paid to help me. Here at IWU I pay a nice big tuition, and a portion of that tuition then goes into my professor’s pockets. In return I get their time, their knowledge, their resources, and their patience. (Not saying you are only patient because of the money.) In the world after college the pastors and parents are not paid to look out for my development, to do their best to make sure I succeed. I am expected to succeed because they pay me.
3) At college the niceties only need to last four year. Despite the expected short life span of youth pastors, you have to prepare your relationships for the long haul. When you meet someone at college that you don’t like but are forced to work with it is usually just for a short stint of a project or a semester class, and at the most, they may follow you around for the four years you attend. At a church, those people you don’t like may be there the entire life of your ministry. Plus, as the pastor you are expected to meet all their annoying qualities with grace, patience, and the love of God (even those only God could love.) relationships have to go beyond niceties and develop into a ministry with others that edify not only them, but your own life.