23.

In terms of youth ministry, 23 is the age that you officially become uncool.
(It’s a genuinely trustworthy fact)

At 23 you shed the shnaz factor and assume the garment of maturity and adulthood. You transition from culture setting Kingpin to uncool adult looking in from the outside.

And as years pass you gradually lose comprehension of what a 15 year old finds cool. You begin to distance yourself by refering to under-23’s as they: I can’t believe that they like that rubbish music, they’re so self-consumed. You find yourself saying phrases you used to loathe hearing: when I was your age, when I was in youth group.

Fear not though. Despite losing the Ace of Coolness from your hand you subsequently pick up the Joker of Maturity. In a hand of youth ministry, mature youth leaders always trump cool youth leaders. True, you’ll be the last person they want to sit next to when you go to McDonalds but you’ll be the first person they come to with their stresses and challenges.

Feeling old? You probably are.
Feeling like you’re losing touch with youth culture? You definitely are.
Do you still have something to offer as a youth leader? More than ever.

You might still be listening to Blink 182, Pearl Jam, or MC Hammer but youth ministry needs you.

Categorised: Uncategorized