I have been a part of youth ministry for about two or three years now. Youth ministry is definitely something that is a calling, whether you're around the youths' age level or older. I wanted to share a little bit about what it's like being a part of youth ministry as a college student, and how it has helped me grow in my own walk in Christ.

Being a part of youth ministry requires being relational. In order to connect with the youth and truly support them in their walk, you have to build relationships. Building relationships is critical in just about every job in life, but more so in youth ministry, because the youth have to feel like they can come to you at any time, day or night, with anything and everything that goes on in their lives.

Youth ministry also requires being intentional. As a youth minister, you have to be intentional about how you present the word God has laid on your heart to the youth. You also have to be intentional about how you present yourself or the church you are a part of youth ministry. This is crucial because if someone sees you doing something everyone else in the world does, then they could portray all Christians that way, and that could turn them away from the love God has for them.

Another important part of youth ministry is being patient. You have to be patient with the students because sometimes, it takes some people long for God to tug at their heart to accept Him than others. Also, sometimes, the youth can be a little rowdy, and make it a little tougher to go through the lesson. Teachers in any field have to have patience, but as a youth minister, you have to be very patient so that you can better help them.

A big part of youth ministry is studying what God has laid on your heart to present to students. This has really helped me grow because it helps me dig deeper into the Bible to see what God is saying through His word. I am currently working on a series for next summer with my youth back home called "Greater Purpose."

The point of this series is to show students that God has a greater purpose for all of us than we could ever have for ourselves. A lot of the sources of Scripture will come from the New Testament. Studying and writing this series has really helped me grow because it has made me study and see that God has a greater purpose for all of us!

Youth ministry can sometimes be a challenge, but it is truly a blessing to be a part of.