>Not too long ago, I served as a volunteer Youth Minister in my church. Youth Ministry was a volunteer position designed to help young people study the Bible, have fellowship with each other, and stay out of trouble.

In her article, Ministering With New Maturity, published in The Washington Post, Michelle Boorstein describes the transformation that has occurred in Youth Ministry in the last few years. She wrote:

Increasingly, a position once relegated to a low rung on the pay and respect scales is getting bumped up. Spurred by a new seriousness about young people’s spiritual development, youth ministers and directors today have more education, are staying in their positions longer and are being paid more than they were a decade ago, according to statistics and interviews with researchers and industry groups. University classes and majors in youth ministry are becoming more common as the field becomes more professional and establishes standards. Attendance at conferences for youth ministers is doubling as such sessions as the psychology of faith, managing a volunteer force and sexual behavior are offered.

Although this article is not related to the Old Testament, the article is highly educational and should be read by people who are interested or involved in Youth Ministry.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tag: Youth Ministry