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Jul
6
Written by:
Different Voice
7/6/2009 7:00 AM
 Are the youth ministry leaders in your congregation blessed with a meaningful image for their ministry? By that I mean, what is the dominant "picture" you want them to have of their ministry role, and is it an expressive one? Two common ones are youth leader as counselor and as coach.
The term counselor is a common one at many summer camps (where the relationship is short-term), but it may not be the one you want to use in your congregation. Many youth associate the term with school guidance counselors or therapists, and the youth leader who thinks of herself as a "Youth Counselor" may understand her dominant role to center around listening, giving advice, or helping youth deal with personal problems. All of these are certainly elements of the youth leader's ministry, and a good youth leader will want to develop her skills in attentive listening, asking thoughtful questions, and assisting youth to make good choices. However, unless a leader is a professional, "counseling" youth can easily cross emotional boundaries and lead to an abuse of power if leaders try to "fix" youth or get too close to the youth.
A better, yet somewhat similar, image is that of youth leader as coach. Great coaches encourage youth, help them develop skills, notice strengths, and help youth to work together as a team. A coach in youth ministry helps youth to become aware of the ways God is active in their lives and assists youth to be attentive to the movement and call of God within. Coaching invites youth into situations where they can experience something for themselves. Coaches stand alongside youth to help them know what skills or tools—personal, spiritual, or communal—they have for dealing with the realities they face. In a very real sense, our model for this is Jesus and the disciples. Jesus took on a coach-like role for the disciples, and he sent them out in pairs for support.
As you prepare for the coming school year, think about the adults you most admired when you were young. Were they more like a counselor or a coach? What are some of the other ways a youth leader is more like a counselor or a coach? Are there other strong and multivalent images that you can think of that are appropriate ones for your congregation's youth ministry leaders? How do images help to shape the way one thinks about his or her ministry? Share with us by posting your comments.
~ Tim Gossett
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