Bree

That's always how our youth pastors were viewed <shrugs>.

Spaz

"That's wack!"

Yeah, that's pretty much how it was at my church, although I never really went to anything, and only wanted to if they went to theme parks or something. No matter how much they tried to make it look good church was always like a burden to me, and man was I glad when we quit going.

GaryP

The youth ministers at my son's church told me that they get free passes to all of the public High Schools athletic events.

Now that I am ordained in the Church of Spiritual Humanism, I'm going to ask for the same consideration next school year.

Sabine Grant

I guess there are exceptions to that description... the Military Chapels Youth Ministries which operate in Europe for example took some 500 kids to the Czek Republic the three consecutive springbreaks my older daughter participated into the "Club Beyong" activities. Their youth leaders taught them how to build a playground for an orphanage in Liberek as well as other construction projects. Those kids worked hard in the snow, cold without any particular interest for what other church folks ought to think or not think. They learned about workmanship, endurance, voluntarism and the gratifying feeling of watching underpriviledged children giggling and running from one play thing to the other...not quite the white picket fence cozy church where " youth ministries" may be a facade. Of course we all have different experiences.

Psycho Economist

Depends. There are some people who specialize in youth ministry and make a full career out of it... but generally youth minister is just another assistant pastor gig -- another rung on the career ladder.