Meet Hannah. She tells her story below. I asked her record her thoughts as she looked back at her years in youth group.
I am a sophomore in college— one and a half years removed from the youth group. I was in three different youth groups and had five different youth ministers in the span of my six years as a youth. Whew. As you can see, my experience in the youth ministry was a whirlwind of new churches and youth ministers. Because these youth ministers weren’t involved in my life for long periods of time, I didn’t get the chance to learn from them as much as I wish.
Looking back on my high school years, I think that I needed a lot of wisdom from my youth ministers. I really could have used some guidance about relationships with guys. Like so many teenage girls, I was clueless as to the importance of emotional boundaries. Of course, being a little uncertain around the fellows like I was, I probably needed advice about even being friends with guys.
I wish someone had taught me to give of myself where God was working. In high school, it is so easy to become focused on yourself and your goals and your future. Often, I had the mindset that I could join God in his work when I got to college. I could give to others once I landed that scholarship. I needed a reminder that God wanted all of me right then. Not later.
I also had tons of questions about different denominations and their practices. Several of my friends were extremely charismatic, and I had no clue how to handle that. Where did I plant my foot down on issues of worship and those controversial spiritual gifts? What should my stance be?
My youth ministers could have been helpful counselors regarding all of these topics. But the bottom line is, when there is no relationship, the conversations have little value to a teenager. I needed my youth minister not only to speak wisdom to me, but also to be involved in my life.
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