How My Youth Pastor Changed My Life—and How You Can Do the Same
Posted on Oct 1, 2024
TL;DR: God has called you. You are making a difference. God used my youth worker to change my life. God is using you to change your students’ lives!
I believe in you youth workers. I believe in your hard work. I believe in the calling on your lives to youth ministry. I believe in the God who lives in you. The next generation won’t survive without you. For generations, we’ve relied on youth workers to invest, mentor, and walk with the next generation. Whatever your role—youth pastor, director, volunteer, bus driver, or parent—God has called you to shepherd the next generation.
I wouldn’t be who I am without my youth workers. If you haven’t heard my story I’ll try to keep it brief. I grew up with my mom and two sisters. My parents got divorced when I was six years old. The last memory I have of all five of us together was my family teaching my baby sister how to walk. I remember pretty clearly when it was Dad’s time for custody; my sisters were picked up by Dad and I was left behind at home by myself. That was absolutely brutal. I wouldn’t learn the real reason I didn’t get to visit my dad for years. When I was 16 I was told he wasn’t my biological father. It was not great for my mental health to learn I’d had the privilege of not one, but two fathers bailing on me.
It doesn’t take much research to know what kind of person I could have turned out to be. Statistically, I should have multiple children with multiple women, prison time, or substance abuse issues by now. But that’s not my story. My story is very different, but not because of me or my strength. I am not a strong person. But God was and is in my life.
Mom dragged us to church every chance she could get. Once she dropped me off at church when it was closed!
The church is where I met Brian, the youth pastor. Brian took me under his wing, he got coffee with me, played football with me, brought me to weekend youth conferences, let me borrow his car, and taught me I could be a leader. When things were pretty awful at home he invited me to stay with him and his family for a couple of days. He walked with me in my relationship with Jesus and most importantly, he was there for me. My youth pastor was the most influential person in my faith. I know I wouldn’t be a Christian today without him. The times God, working through Brian, made the most impact on me were not Brian’s preaching tier-A messages or having the best youth group in the city. Teaching me how to use tools as we rebuilt the youth room and throwing a football together in the church parking lot were the most impactful moments.
What does that mean for you? You are making a difference! You can make a difference! You are the person God has called. I know some of you might be thinking, “I’m just the bus driver, or I’m just helping out”. Trust me, you’re not just a bus driver or just a casual volunteer. You are a shepherd called by God. There’s a famous ministry quote, “God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called”. God will be faithful. God will prepare you. God will use you where you are to change the lives of your students.
Some of you aren’t doing full-time ministry and you only have a handful of hours each week to volunteer. I’ll tell you what I told my volunteers when I worked at a church. You don’t need to give 100% of your time, just give 100% of what you are able to give. So, (with parents’ permission) go to your students’ sports and arts events. Spoiler, some of them are going to be bad. That’s okay! Take students to the coffee shop. Be curious about the things they are passionate about.
As the new school year is beginning, I want to encourage you. Keep on keeping on. You are making a difference. Students’ lives are being changed and God is using you. I can’t wait to hear your stories at Quake this year.
Lucas Tuttle is Director of Quake at Life Promotions.
TL;DR: God has called you. You are making a difference. God used my youth worker to change my life. God is using you to change your students’ lives!