Inside the Mind of Youth Pastors
Mark Riddle
Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2009, 192 pp., $16.99, www.youthspecialties.com
Ministry is riddled with relationships; perhaps the most important human relationship in youth ministry is also the most neglected: the youth pastor/senior pastor relationship. Mark Riddle offers a starting point for senior pastors, search committees, oversight committees and others who hire, supervise and care for youth ministers.
The fate of a youth ministry often is sealed long before the youth pastor unpacks his or her Frisbee and Bible commentaries. Assumptions, perceptions, stereotypes, unspoken agendas and lack of support and encouragement counteract sustainable ministry development. This quick read offers foundational principles for hiring, working with, engaging, encouraging, supporting and understanding the role of a youth pastor and the youth pastor as a person. This is the good starting point for building a ministry that truly transforms teenagers’ lives.
