John the Baptist, the Youth-Guy

Youth pastor can be a pigeon-holing designation. The position I've taken here in PA is, officially, Associate Pastor. However, the expectations are, for the most part, those of a children's and youth pastor. But the vision I got at Bethlehem presented the youth pastor as more of a family pastor, helping parents raise their children, as opposed to the more typical, "here, raise my kids youth-man." Nonetheless, here we are. But what sort of youth pastor should I be? I think I should be the kind of youth pastor that John the Baptist was.

Not only was John a youth man, he was also a baptist! What a paradigm! How do I know John was a baptist? Oh, that's not your question so much as why do I call him a youth pastor. I see. Luke 1:17 says, "and [John] will go before [Jesus] in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared." So John the baptist was supposed to prepare people to meet the Lord Jesus by working to see people obey, and, for some reason this is singled out (I know it's a quote from Malachi), turn father's hearts back to the children. John was a youth man because he was concerned for the children (strrretch) and him paradigm was father centered (main point).

Parents are the key to children. Specifically, father's are the key to children. Fathers, however little we like to say this, are the cornerstones of family, church and society, or should be. John labored for the people of Israel's sanctification and he did so by focusing on fathers. This is a good philosophy for all ministers. Women may more readily respond to the teachings, but do not be content until you have an elder farm, a co-op of mutual discipleship amongst growing, inter-generational, male family heads. And for those youth pastors out there, focus on the fathers. These may be just the people you feel least equipped to engage, but these are the most necessary for the souls of the children, and for the life of the church, and for the glory of God in all things, through Jesus Christ!