This week marks my 20th anniversary as Pastor of Student Ministries at Mountain View Community Church. Yeah, it surprised me, too.
I guess it shouldn’t. My first day was July 1, 2000. I don’t remember that day, but I still remember parts of the interview process that led to my hiring. One evening, Karen and I were on display before 25 parents and search committee members. We were being asked questions. Guy Kneebone, the Senior Pastor, asked, “How long do you think you will want to do this?”
I think he asked that question because youth pastors typically don’t stick around too long. Or maybe he just needed an out in case he wanted to get rid of me after a trial run. Anyway, I didn’t want to seem like a fly-by, and I didn’t want to sound cocky, so I said something that sounded committed, yet flexible.
“At least five years,” I said.
Promise kept.
Twenty years has flashed by like the stars in warp drive. I remember our first event (a day trip to Rehoboth Beach resulting in a sunburned freshman boy whimpering all the way home). I remember our first retreat, our first mission trip, our first conference, and our first Christmas party. I remember every adult volunteer and every location we ever met. I wish I could remember every student, although I remember more than you might think.
Twenty years is a long time. I am surprised how quickly it has gone by. As I reflect, there are plenty of other things I am surprised about as well.
Here is my list: 20 Years of Surprises
20. Four Square
When the patio was poured outside our youth room, the cement ended up in 4 equal blocks. Four Square, a children’s game I hadn’t played since I was seven, became cool again, even for high school kids.
19. Cell Phones
Twenty years ago, communication was hard work. The US mail was our friend. Parents assumed their kid could survive a weekend without a call from mom. Kids assumed they were supposed to pay attention when I’m talking to them.
18. New Inventions
In addition to cell phones, here are some other things that didn’t exist in 2000--at least not in my world. I can no longer imagine youth ministry without them: Projectors, Spotify, Amazon, Chipotle, Five Guys, Keurig, Planning Center, Starbucks, Café Rio, Gaga, 9-Square, Prop Boxes, iPads, Google Drive, Facebook, Instagram, Bluetooth, and probably the most important one of all – Texting.
17. Weddings
I’ve performed over 30 weddings. Only six of them were people unrelated to the youth ministry. I should have paid more attention in that Practice of Ministry class.
16. Karen the Youth Leader
In many churches, it is assumed that a youth pastor’s spouse will also be a youth volunteer. That was never the case for us. Karen spent the better part of these 20 years raising our boys and serving in other ways in the church. Eight years ago, she ventured in as a small group leader with freshmen girls. She graduated them, took a year to recover, and jumped back in for another round. Her seniors are going to be amazing, because she is amazing.
15. The Podcast
When were podcasts invented? Could you listen to them on your Zune? Three years ago, my friend Mathew and I decided to give it a whirl. We bought all the equipment, made a show, and built an audience. More than 20,000 downloads later, the Youth Ministry Sherpas Podcast is still a fun project, and an even more surprising success.
14. Youth Ministry Royalty
Speaking of podcasts, I used to listen to one called the Download Youth Ministry Podcast. It was pretty much the only show out there, and it featured some of my heroes-- the youth pastors who wrote the books and worked at the megachurch everybody wanted to emulate. Now, through circumstances and opportunities, they are my friends and our show is on their network. How crazy is that?
13. Youth Pastor Friends
In 2004, a network of like-minded youth pastors from various churches began to form. It was hard work at first – nobody came to the prayer meetings I was organizing. But eventually it took hold and became something beautiful. We made a thing we called Epicenter that ran for 10 years. We still meet monthly to pray together. Those relationships have kept me going through thick and thin.
12. Anderson Boys Music
Our sons were 7, 6 and 2 when we moved here. I had no idea the latent musical talent in them, or that the youth ministry would be the place where their talents found their voice. Two worship leaders and a drummer transformed our ministry forever and changed the course of their lives as well.
11. Not getting fired.
I’m not a wild and crazy person, and I’ve tried to mitigate physical danger and/or spiritual damage in my career. That said, there were a few moments of poor decision-making along the way. (“Sure, you can play dodgeball with basketballs.”) I’m grateful there was grace when I did something dumb or allowed something dumb to happen.
10. Fall Retreat
For our first retreat, I took 13 students, three leaders, and one baby, to a retreat center near Lancaster, PA called Camp Refreshing Mountain. With one inexcusable exception, we have returned to that same camp every year since. Last year we had 165 people and a cupcake truck.
9. Growth & Complexity
In its purest form, youth ministry is simple – hang out with teenagers and tell them about Jesus. Reality is much different. We started with about some kids, a few volunteers, and a few basic events. Now we have hundreds of students, about 40 volunteers, multiple layers of programming, complicated events, student leadership, internships, and so much more. We are parent, pastor, friend, counselor, party planner, travel agent, tech guru, comedy writer, and peacemaker. Of course, we still play dodgeball, just not with basketballs..
8. Places I’ve Been
As a youth pastor I have been to Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Kansas City, Columbus, Louisville, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago, St Louis, New Orleans, and Pittsburgh. I’ve also been to Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Honduras, and Greece. I stood in awe at Machu Picchu, straddled the Equator, and walked in the footsteps of Paul. And that holds no measure to the incredible people I met in those places. I did not know youth ministry would allow me to travel the world.
7. Joel Stafford
Joel and I are the same age. He was on the search committee that hired me. He was serving as a middle-school leader when I arrived. He is still a middle school leader. He is a national treasure.
6. The PIT
Our youth room is amazing. We moved in 10 years ago. What today’s students don’t realize is that half of our youth ministry’s lifespan was lived without a home. We met in lots of different spots, and I often felt like I was doing youth ministry out of the back of my car. In those days, I used to dream of “having our own space.” If I had foreseen what we have now, I never would have believed it.
5. Former Students as Friends
Being in one place so long, some of my former students are the age I was when I arrived. Many have returned to serve alongside me. Karen and I count them among our dearest friends. Seeing them flourish as husbands/wives/parents is one of my greatest rewards. Being friends is even better.
4. Dream Team
Except for a part-time Administrative Assistant, I was flying solo until 2012, when we hired a part-time middle school intern. A couple years later, we hired a part-time Girls Director. Now we have three full-time and one part-time staff just for the youth ministry. And the part-time person is about to go full-time. We call it the Dream Team, but they have no idea how much of a dream that used to be.
3. Leah Barrett
Leah was six when I met her. Soon she was an awkward middle school girl full of social insecurities, a ridiculously involved high school student who served on every student leadership team we had, and a two-time summer intern who talked too loudly at Starbucks. She’s now our Girls Director and my right-hand (wo)man. I don’t know where this ministry would be without her.
2. Guy Kneebone
Guy planted our church 23 years ago. It’s unusual for a pastor to serve in one place for 23 years. It’s more unusual for a youth pastor to serve in one place for 20 years. It’s nearly unprecedented for both the senior pastor and the youth pastor to serve together in one place for 20 years. Believe me, I’ve heard the horror stories from other places. I’m sure I’ve driven him nuts at times (and vice versa), but I am grateful for him, and that neither of us has worn out our welcome yet.
1. I’m Not Finished
Even back in 2000, I knew I wanted to be in youth ministry for the long haul, I just didn’t know what that meant. Standing here 20 years later, with a lifetime of relationships and memories, I am grateful to be able to continue to do what God created me for, in an environment where students are valued, surrounded by friends and talented partners, and appreciated for what I do. If it’s surprising I plan to continue, it shouldn’t be.
“How much longer do you think you’ll do this?”
I don’t know. Surprise me.