Youth pastors are supposed to be young, full of energy and have an endless amount of time to invest in ministry, right? They should be putting in their hours at the church, publishing newsletters, programming events and preparing Bible studies. Then, after school, “real” ministry begins. That’s when they spend time with students, lead small groups, and attend after-school events.

It’s no wonder that burnout happens among so many in the ministry. As the churches grow, those in leadership are asked to take on even more roles. Don’t have a children’s ministry program? Why not have the youth pastor fill that role? The weekend retreat was a great success, so how about scheduling two next year? You can see how quickly the standard hours in a work week can billow for those in ministry.

As Doug Fields points out in What Matters Most: When NO is Better than YES (Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2006, ISBN-13: 978-0-310-27327-1), it’s often hard for people in ministry to just say “NO.” There are a lot of reasons why this is difficult, but often it stems from the nature of their vocation. People in ministry are expected to minister, so why would they say “no” to a ministry opportunity? Pastors are left feeling guilty if they can’t fit something into their schedule, so they do their best to cram in everything. Fields, a youth ministry veteran, writes from years of experience that has led him to believe that saying “no” is an important and essential part of being successful in ministry. He points out that saying “yes” too often can lead to neglect of family, friends and ultimately spiritual health.

Written for youth workers, pastors and anyone else in ministry who often feels like they’re drowning, this book is invaluable if you want to learn to keep your head above water, want to keep yourself and your family healthy and happy, and want your ministry to thrive.

—Chris Wagner

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For more information on resources to help you understand today's rapidly changing youth culture, contact the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding.

                ©2007, The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding