As youth pastors we are faced with handing problems from time to time (ok, all the time). The questions we have to ask are
1. Who’s problem is it?
2. Who should handle it?
I was recently dealing with a situation where it was suggested we ask out Pastor to get involved in situation. I replied with, “It’s not his problem”. And it wasn’t. There was no need for him to get involved. One of my roles as an Associate Pastor is to keep things off my Pastor’s plate so he can do what he does.
The case I mentioned above had to do with two families having an issue with their kids outside of church. It has had no impact on our youth ministry or church. Too often, people in the church want the church to deal with issues that they themselves should deal with.
This is not to say that we cannot be impartial mediators, but if it is none our business, we should not involve the church or the youth ministry. We should let them handle it and if they want counsel or comfort, stand ready to assist.
Motto: Handle problems at the lowest level
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