It's easy for people involved in the church to assume that they must first grow in knowledge, spirituality, and maturity before taking on any kind of leadership role, but if we have that mind set, we will never be ready to take on the task. If anything, it is all completely backwards. You take on a leadership role, thinking you're "ready", and through the course of your serving, your imperfections and places of inadequacy are revealed to you more and more every day.
The young girls in my youth group are so much more encouraging to me than I am to them. As I get a little older every day, my struggle with pride and doubt grow and my faith is easily shaken. I am bombarded with people who think they are smarter because they don't believe in God and have theories and beliefs based on scientific evidence, and anyone who believes in anything else is outrageous. A remark with the slightest bit of intelligence causes me to have that lingering hint of doubt in the back of my mind. With every passing Wednesday night service, I feel less and less worthy of being a youth leader.
At the most recent youth group night, we studied a sort of 'heavy' topic. It questioned the strength of our faith if we were to be put in a society that killed people for believing in Jesus. I was scared to admit my honest answer, that I really don't know what I would do in that situation. The girls in my small group responded with a longing to grow in their faith and serious compassion for those that live like that today. Their answers encouraged me so much and I think I walked out of there that night more changed than they did.
I think most leaders go into the youth ministry with an honest intention of wanting to serve the youth and encourage and strengthen the students, but we quickly realize the students will have an impact on our lives just as much as, or more than, we will have on theirs.
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