Young People in Ministry

I started seminary when I was twenty-two years old. I was probably the third or fourth youngest Master of Divinity student on campus with aspirations to become a pastor. It made me a little bit nervous, even though nobody ended up caring about my age. But is it a good idea to go to seminary that young? Shouldn't we wait till we're older? Let's see what the Bible says about young people in ministry.

My home church pastor told me less and less recent graduates are going straight to seminary because they have to get a job and pay off school debt before they can start another three to four year program. But for those of us who God has graciously provided a way to begin sooner than later, what's it like?

A few weeks after I got accepted to seminary, my friend sent me a message from her brother who is a senior pastor in his late twenties and he acknowledged this issue with a few good thoughts. He pointed me towards the book of 1^st Timothy, which is all about church doctrine and leadership.

1 Timothy 4:2 reads, “Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, instead be an example to the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”

The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, a younger leader in the Christian church. Paul wrote to encourage Timothy and to remind him that spiritual maturity is more important than physical maturity. The young senior pastor put it a good way. Instead of worrying, I need to say to those around me to “Follow me as I follow Christ.” I need to worry less about my age and focus more on how I can serve God in such a way that builds up those around me.

And the friend also mentioned that I shouldn’t wait to dive into seminary. Scripture is full of young people used by God to build his kingdom. David was a shepherd boy when he was anointed king. Several following kings in the Old Testament were also just teenagers when they became rulers. And don’t forget that Jesus was still a boy when he got left behind and taught in Jerusalem.

In fact, many of the disciples may have been teenagers or young adults when God called them to follow, learn, and serve. God wants a young spirit, an enthusiastic spirit. He doesn’t care about age.

Some tips for a young person interested in ministry or the pastorate:

1. Find a place to volunteer with youth or young adults
   
   
   
   1. Pursue the degree and real life (laboratory) experience to learn the day-to-day grind of ministry life.
   
   
   2. This is a place to explore and learn in a relatively safe environment.


2. Find someone to teach you the way Jesus taught his disciples.
   
   
   
   1. Jesus said, “Come follow me” and then did ministry in front of them, beside them, and then threw them in over their heads.
   
   
   2. A good mentor is priceless.


3. Stay grounded in the Bible and humility.
   
   
   
   1. 1 Timothy 3:2-6 “An overseer, then, must be… not a new convert so that he will not become conceited and fall in the condemnation incurred by the devil.”
   
   
   2. If you’re a relatively new Christian, give ministry leadership a little time until someone with more experience confirms you're ready or you're 100% sure God is calling you. Become an apprentice and help out, but hold off on taking the reigns.
   
   
   3. Now is the time to learn. Tomorrow is the time to lead.


4. Rely on God in everything
   
   
   
   1. You’ll never be so old that you won’t need to rely on God to give you the academic and spiritual perseverance to do well in seminary.
   
   
   2. Let the Holy Spirit do his good work through you (pray, pray, pray)

So the bottom line is that young people don’t need to fear the ministry, or the pastorate. Go get your undergraduate degree, and if you decide to answer the great commission, go get more ministry experience and learning in seminary. Above all else pursue God. When we place Jesus first the rest will come in God’s timing.

Image By: Pink Sherbet Photography