I wonder how ministry would look if we didn’t care if we lost our jobs. It’s not uncommon for pastors and staff to try to convince people we’re worth keeping around. Every fundraiser or highlight video we make in some ways says, “Our cause is worth you giving money and time. Just look at this life change in our students! Oh, and guess who helped that to happen? ME!!!”

In today’s tough economic times, this is the unconscious ethos that can creep into your mind, ministry or church.

As the recession continues, it seems as if the average congregation member is working a side job just to maintain the bills. As people tighten their belts at home, this creates ripple effects in the church and its ministries. Senior pastors, youth workers and other staff positions now seem to be luxuries, not necessities. We start to struggle with a temptation to define ourselves as indispensable and profitable versus faithful and available.

One other reaction to tough times is that a church may pull inward, minimize risk-taking and focus on keeping everyone from leaving. Such a methodology quickly becomes less about advancing the kingdom of God and more about preserving our piece of the pie. I’ve never watched a church that took this posture survive for more than a year, perhaps because such a reaction to preserve our lives keeps us from denying ourselves, carrying our cross and following Jesus.

Risk and Reward
One advantage of youth ministry compared to the adult congregation is its capacity to take risks. When adults leave a church, they take their tithe and whole household with them. This is a major reason senior leadership may play things safe.

When a teen leaves a youth group, there’s always a new class of students that will graduate into that gap at the end of the school year. This is one reason youth ministry can feel inherently optimistic.

The adults in your church may be paying more attention to what you’re doing than you realize. We can see that in some of the radical ideas youth workers tried out five to 10 years ago. Those ideas that proved successful eventually were accepted into the adult body, be it music styles or creative videos.

Perhaps the ignorance of youth workers (and I mean that in the best way possible) collides well with the cautious spirituality of adults (I mean that in best way possible, too). We need each other, for senior pastors can help youth workers avoid crossing lines that shouldn’t be crossed, and youth workers can help senior pastors avoid drawing lines that never should exist in the first place.

Mr. Know-It-All
Some youth workers also feel compelled to demonstrate their worth by sharing their expertise about every issue that comes up in the church. One way they typically do that is when they get their shot behind the pulpit on Sunday morning and declare, “Students aren’t the church of tomorrow. They’re the church of today!” That may seem compelling, but programs on the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon deify the voice of students much better than we do and with a larger budget.

Instead of making self-aggrandizing comments about our students or our programs, we should do what Christians have been historically great at: reaching the world for Christ. That won’t happen if we’re covering our job insecurities with spiritual Magic Shell. It will only happen if we’re overflowing with living water and exhibit complete surrender to God’s will.

Instead of making a case for why it would be tragic to lay you off, serve wholeheartedly as if you were serving the Lord rather than people. You’ll end up taking the kind of risks Jesus wants you to take and make the most of every opportunity to help others respond to Him.

That way, even if you do lose your job, your students won’t lose their connection to Him, which is why we got into this ministry in the first place.