Passing the Baton

          Recently I came across some old youth ministry photos and began thinking of how different things were when I first started. YM world is a busy, fast paced, techno savvy nonstop, ever changing world. It’s gone from chubby bunny to YouTube craze videos. From youth pastors leading worship to full on Jr. high and high school worship teams; from simple bible studies like the four holy hops to salvation to raw discipleship and the struggling theological questions of young teens. I have been a youth leader/pastor for 15 years and have observed a lot of changes, but one constant in all those years has been me. I have had volunteers and leaders come and go, some on to other ministries and others moved on for personal reasons. Looking at those old photos brought back to memory something I was told when I first began in ministry, “Someone was here before you and someone will be here after you.” I know I won’t be here forever, even though I’d love to. I know it’s not my time to leave yet but, there may come a time when God removes this burden from my heart and until then I will continue to serve with all I have, and if there is one thing I know is that I’m just hitting my stride in youth ministry and really beginning to get it. But, when that day does come, will I have someone to pass the baton to? What about you? Have you considered that question? As leaders we need to do more than just hope to have someone to fill our shoes, we have to intentionally do it.

Moses & Joshua

                Even though Moses had some faults and made mistakes one of the best things he did for the people was pass the baton on to Joshua. Joshua on the other hand was a different story.  For all the great things he did for Gods people, one of the worst things he did was not have anyone to pass the baton to. For all the planning and scheduling we do, we often neglect the simple truth that someone was here before us and someone will be after us. How well we are prepared for that transition can have an amazing impact on the forward momentum of the ministry. Here’s some thought’s I have considered on this.

·         The decision for your replacement should not be delegated solely to boards and hiring committees.

I don’t think so. This may be the practice in some places but, no one has a better understanding of the direction of the ministry than the person at the wheel. Even if you are not part of the hiring decision you can have great influence if you identify and disciple your own Joshua. We should always be multiplying ourselves and being able to give those making the decision a name they will be familiar with is a bonus.

·         Preparing someone to pass the baton to will keep momentum moving.

Having someone in place to step in will keep momentum moving in the ministry. Your Joshua will know the ins and outs and the direction the ministry is headed in. Obviously they would eventually have to make their own mark in the ministry, but familiarity can go a long way in a smooth transition. Furthermore this will help with the student’s transition. Seeing a familiar face will help the new lead person to ease into the driver’s seat without the awkward introductions.

·         Who in your ministry is ready to take on more?

Youth ministry is already messy, so don’t let the fear of other’s failure hold you back from delegating some responsibilities to others. Even students can take on part time roles in helping around the ministry. Seeing how they respond and take ownership is a great way to gauge who could be a possible candidate for your replacement. Even if they don’t replace you, there is always room for good youth workers in the lives of students.

·         Be available

I stepped into the lead position of youth ministry during a difficult time in our church, and to top it off I had no one to really guide me. Needless to say I made a lot of mistakes and learned how NOT to do youth ministry. In the event you do move on, you should make yourself available to whoever replaces you. Be it your Joshua or the choice of the board, it’s a great opportunity for a new youth leader/pastor to glean invaluable insight from your years of service. You’ll always be a youth worker at heart and making sure students are in the right hands will be of great benefit to your own soul. Your familiarity with the families, leadership, and community will help support the new leader making sure he has a tight grip on that baton.