Mastering the Pastoral Role

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The young minister and the seasoned pastor are, in some ways, worlds apart in their view of the church and practice of ministry—and that's okay.
—Kent Hughes

Our youth pastor, Dennis, came to me recently. "I want to rappel off the church," he said, "off the fourth story!" It was to be a scene for a youth video he was making, he explained.

I could have easily said no. First, it was dangerous. (I like to give my staff room to fail, but this gave a whole new meaning to the idea.) Furthermore, people could criticize me for allowing such crazy activities. But he's a creative guy. He relates well to the kids, and this was a culturally hot item. In addition, he was young and could do it.

"Just check with the custodian," I said, "to make sure the rope won't come loose and the building won't be damaged."

So he did it. With a Santa Claus hat on his head, he backed off the roof of our four-story building and rappelled to the ground. The video was outrageous, and the kids loved it.

Rappelling off buildings, however, would not exactly impress the main people I minister to. That's how it should be. The young minister and the seasoned pastor are, in some ways, worlds apart in their view of the church and practice of ministry—and that's okay. Each faces unique frustrations and temptations, and each has unique opportunities to minister effectively to God's people.

I see my ministry as falling into two basic stages: early ministry, where I did youth work and then planted a church, and ministry now as head of staff. Here, then, are some insights I've gleaned about the hazards and opportunities of each stage of pastoral life.

Although my ministry has been fulfilling at each stage, I also see that each period also brings with ...

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