I got an email from a guy who is going to write an article about how training for short-term missions is inadequate. I replied,"The problem is not that youth leaders don't have access to training, but that they don't value it, have time for it, or have pastoral support for it."

He wrote back: "How do we break the cycle as it applies to youth ministry?"

Well, that question opens a can of worms. Let's see, I guess we need to fix the whole broken model of youth ministry for starters. I threw it out to Michael Hindes and he said you should begin with the the relationship between the youth pastor and  the pastor.

Specifically, youth pastors shouldn't take assignments from people who are not spiritual fathers. If pastors would commit to discipling youth pastors, then all kinds of problems would go away.  If you're a youth pastor candidate, Hindes (who has been a senior pastor), recommends saying the following to the pastor when he interviews you:

1. I need access to you for a couple of hours twice a month outside staff meetings.
2. I need to be able to ask you the bigger questions about life and ministry without you being nervous, because one day I want to be a senior pastor too. Also, I want a safe place to process issues from life and marriage and know that your confidential.
3. Don't delegate me out to the executive pastor, I didn't buy into his vision, I bought into yours.
4. I want to know the four things every employee wants to know: where are we headed, what role do I play, how am I going to be evaluated and how am I doing right now.
5. I want consistent feedback, I don't want you to garbage collect. I want to become a man of God like you.
6. Here are some things I didn't get in seminary that I may need from you: how do I balance my checkbook and budget? How do I disciple others? How do I do a hospital visit? Would you go on a few with visits with me. Would you help me do a few counseling sessions. And, from your personal experience, teach me about love languages for my wife and I.
7. Will you back me publicly even when I mess up? I will welcome private rebukes.