After spending a year at a California high school listening to students’ hearts, Chap Clark wrote a book he entitled Hurt. His conclusion was that students feel alienated and isolated from the world of adults. They feel like no adult really invests in their lives. Too many small churches are plagued by a revolving door of youth leaders.

When God calls you into youth ministry, I believe he calls you to stand by the students he entrusts to you until he calls you to move on. Students need adults they can count on. Too many youth leaders give up when things get tough. What are the obstacles that make youth leaders wash out? There are a lot of reasons, but here are a few that seem to come up a lot.

• Church politics. Too many youth leaders get frustrated at the inner workings of the church. Sometimes they can seem anything but Christian. Keep in mind that church leaders are human. They will fail. Worse, they may not even realize it when they have failed. Give up looking for the perfect church. They don’t exist. Pray for your leaders and keep investing in kids.
• Busy lives. Youth leaders have jobs, families, and washing machines that overflow and destroy the carpet. Life can seem overwhelming. When a crisis comes up, a youth Bible study can seem like that last thing you need to spend time with. You need to prioritize your relationship with God and your family above your work with students at church. So, find a pace you can live with. I recommend one Bible study a week plus one activity (fun or ministry) each month. Get other adults to help you. Don’t over-commit and then find yourself having to back out later.
• Feelings of inadequacy. Doing youth ministry can be hard. You find out a girl you poured your life into is pregnant. Leadership kids suddenly drop out with no explanation. Kids seem disinterested in what you are doing. How do you keep doing youth ministry when you discover you don’t know what you are doing? Well, the good news is God said it was in our weakness that he would be strong. Yes, get additional training. Yes, ask for help from pastors, youth consultants, and friends. But, most of all, trust God.

Students need adults who pour into their lives over the long haul. Keep telling them about the Father’s love. Keep encouraging them to pursue a deep relationship with him. Keep providing opportunities for students to get face to face with the living God. Keep being there. Stay in youth ministry for the long haul.