Some Things Your Youth Pastor Will Never Tell You

When I became a youth pastor, I realized that there were some things that I could not tell my young people. I am sure that some of them figured out what some of these things were, but I am sure that the average young person in my youth group had no idea. When I was a teen, I had an excellent youth pastor, and I believe I had an excellent relationship with him. However, there were some things that I never realized until I became a youth pastor.
By sharing these items with you, it is my goal to help you understand your pastor/youth pastor better and love and appreciate him even more than you already do.

1. Your youth pastor will never tell you how much he loves you.
   I am sure that your youth pastor makes statements like this to the youth group: “My wife and I love you and appreciate you.” That really doesn’t sum it up. You would have to know a youth pastor’s heart to know how excited he is for you when you make a good decision, graduate from high school, go to Bible college, get married, etc. On the flip side, you would also have to know how crushed your youth pastor is when you get away from God, when you make a poor decision, or when you ruin your life.
2. Your youth pastor will never tell you how much he depends on you.
   When you let down your youth pastor, he probably doesn’t yell and scream and tell you how miserable you are. He probably doesn’t quit the youth ministry and go on strike. The truth is that your youth pastor does count on you more than you know. He counts on you to show up, to get involved, to be a good example to the other teens, and to help him in helping others. Your youth pastor depends on you to be faithful to Sunday school, church, soul winning, youth activities, teen camp, youth conference, and other youth events.
3. Your youth pastor will never tell you how much he watches you.
   You would be shocked to find out how much your youth pastor actually sees. He sees when you smile, when you roll your eyes, when you fall asleep in class, when you sing, when you talk in Sunday school, when you text. Your youth pastor watches you during activities, at camp, at restaurants, at work days, and just about everywhere you go. Why does your youth pastor watch you so closely? He wants to know how you are doing spiritually. By watching your life, your youth pastor will have a good idea of how you are doing.
4. Your youth pastor will never tell you how much he knows about you.
   How is this different from the last item? Not only does your youth pastor watch you, but he listens to you and your friends. He talks to your parents, teachers, coaches and friends to find out how you are doing. Isn’t this snooping? No, this is being concerned for the young people that God has entrusted to his care.
5. Your youth pastor will never tell you how much you encourage him.
   Believe it or not, you encourage your youth pastor. You may not be the most outgoing, the most athletic or the most talented, but you can still encourage your youth pastor. “Well, why won’t my youth pastor tell me how much I encourage him?” The answer is simple. He will try, but he will never be able to adequately express how much you encourage him and how much he appreciates you.
6. Your youth pastor will never tell you how much he prays for you.
   Of course, all youth pastors pray for their young people and all youth pastors tell their teens that they are praying for them. No youth pastor is going to tell you how much he prays for you. It would sound boastful to go to each young person and say, “I prayed for you specifically for 30 minutes last week.” I do not know how much time your youth pastor prays for you, but in most cases I would guarantee it is more than you would think.

Now that you know some things that your youth pastor will never tell you, what are you going to do with this information? It is my prayer that you would be a more faithful, dedicated, godly young person and be a greater encouragement to your pastor/youth pastor.