For people pursuing ministry, being a children’s pastor or youth pastor is often a career goal. Most young people interested in ministry aim to be a youth pastor. I don’t say this bitterly, because I said the same thing. “I want to be a youth pastor.”
At 13, I knew God was calling me to full-time ministry. I went to four years of Bible college and took classes to prepare for youth ministry. Plus, I did a youth pastor internship for a summer.
My pastor approached me at Bible college and asked me to work full-time with church youth. I moved out to Utica right out of Bible college. Then I helped my friend Mike Servello start the youth group. After a month, one of the pastors sat me down. He explained I was now in charge of all the kids ministries.
Honestly, I was devastated. I felt I was called to work with youth. And I’d just moved across the country! So I prayed, asking God, “If this is what you want me to do, then give me a passion for it.” It didn’t happen overnight, but it did happen.
I now feel so passionately about children’s ministry. Given a choice, I will always choose to be a children’s pastor.
9 Traits Every Children’s Pastor Should Have
To become a children’s pastor, the following qualities are helpful:
1. You need to treasure Christ more than anything.
If you don’t, you’ll quit.
2. You need to be very administrative.
You can’t be a children’s pastor without some administrative ability.
3. You must be more kingdom-minded than department-minded.
The silo mentality doesn’t fly with any type of church work.
4. You have to realize that what you do may not be seen by other people.
And you need to be genuinely OK with that.
