I was in a meeting tonight at a coffeehouse with the creative planning team (the Palette Team) for Vintage Faith Church. I ducked out of the meeting for a minute to call home and walked out into what was the light misting rain outside the coffeehouse. As I did, there sitting around the table outside in the cold was around 6 high school students and the local Young Life leader. They were sitting out there in the mist, and talking with Bibles open. (This is a dark picture of them that you can't really even see, as I didn't want to disturb their discussion but secretly used the cell phone camera again like a paparazzi following a Young Life group) 
I watched them talking and thought to myself "how cool is this" as I was observing several surf/skate looking teenagers on a Monday night huddled around a table at night reading athe Bible and talking about life and God with someone who is investing into their life and helping them as an older brother type sort through the transition into adulthood. Many teens don't have good family life to where they don't get this type of attention, or even if they do - having a mentor older role model-friend outside of the home is so important and helpful to a teenager looking for direction. I do think youth ministry needs to figure out how to be more family oriented and not such a separate thing in a church, but that isn't an easy task. Anyway, it was just very cool seeing these teenagers and the youth leader out there together in the night just hanging out and' being church' together.
I also just returned from the second of three Youth Specialties conventions, and I think this is my sixth year in a row being part of them - but as I left this one I felt pretty overwhelmed in recognizing the importance of youth ministry in the church today. Talking with youth leaders at the conventions are always such a highlight for me, hearing stories of their ministries and the joys and struggles of serving junior high and high school students. Youth Specialties is such a very cool honest and wonderful organization who really, really cares about the future of youth and supports youth leaders in such great ways. It is kind of ironic, as in my 8 years of being a youth pastor I never went to a Youth Specialties convention - and now I go to them a lot. But, what happens at a Youth Specialties convention in the lives of those going, which then leaks down to the youth is something probably only heaven knows. Youth leaders at these conventions are encouraged in tiny churches with tiny youth groups knowing they are not alone. I can't image how lonely it might be in some of the churches that I talk with the youth leader from and quite often are paid so crummy, and not really appreciated by the senior leaders in their churches. So events like this hopefully give them courage and inspiration to go back and keep going.
I just am sitting here now at my house, but after seeing that group of teens and that leader tonight - just got me thinking of how incredibly important youth ministry is. It is really the future of the church (I know that sounds so horribly cliche, but it is true). With the incredible drop out rates in churches of teenagers and the incredible shrinking population of youth in churches, we need to focus on youth ministry with all the more passion and prayer.
I was recently speaking at Talbot Seminary at an event, and when I was asked to introduce myself, in the midst of explaining what I do now, i ended up saying "I really am a youth pastor at heart". I wasn't planning on saying that, but after I did , I realized it really is true.
I am rambling here, but that image tonight and also talking with so many youth leaders last week, I just believe we in the church really need to make sure we never, ever forget the importance of youth ministry. We never, ever better forget the importance of the youth pastors who serve so much, countless hours, going to campus, sleepovers, camp trips, Mexico trips, sitting with kids when they struggle and go through hard times, keeping your cool when they don't pay attention when you are speaking, not giving up on the teens who seem so complacent and uncaring (having been in youth ministry and then staying in the same town for another 7 years it is fascinating that many of those who were the "top leaders" end up not being involved in church or in the faith and many of those you think are the most irritable and bothersome kids end up being key leaders as adults).
If you are a youth pastor or a youth volunteer - thank you for all you are doing. Don't give up, your efforts are not in vain. You may be making a life long difference by simply hanging out and believing in a teenager that isn't showing appreciation to you now, but one day they will remember. If you are a senior pastor or executive pastor at your church go take your youth leader out to lunch or dinner and pay attention to them. They aren't crazy and maybe they don't fit in with you and your style of things, maybe they leave a mess sometimes or their office is a mess, or they forgot to lock up the building again - but they are your future. 
Please take them seriously and mentor them and pay them decently and show them in tangible ways you believe and care for them...or I will find out who you are and come to your church and walk into the middle of your elder board meeting and hit you in the head with a soft white crochet laced pillow.
