Rejuvenation

The past year has been full of new challenges. I have REALLY felt the clock ticking this year. Elders are asking about "when I am planning to transition" or what are you planning after youth ministry. They have already warned me that I may be "already at the peak of my financial earning ability at this church". Another asked me, "do you still think you have a fire in your belly for youth ministry?" The same elder said that the youth ministry annual plan looked "stale". I asked if it was effective. He said yes, but stale. Geez! Others have been asking how my completion of the Masters program at ACU was going and when I was going to start teaching. Geez! I think there is some "continuing education in my future. I may get a prize for the longest time taken to finish a masters level degree.

It seems that the median age of youth ministers is far enough away from my present age that questions are being raised. And to make matters worse, they hired me for the same reason they seem to be frustrated… age, experience, and maturity. Now there's a two edged sword that will definitely leave a mark.

I remarked to a good friend today that I felt like a dog at the pound. A while back, I might have been the pick of the litter, they made sacrifices to get me. I have been a faithful hound, even when neglected. Now I wake up and I'm at the pound. Some are remarking that no one should ever pay that much for a dog (I'm not sure they ever liked having a dog). I'm stuck in this cage, hoping my owner would remember that I had been a good dog, not pee'd on the carpet often, never bit anyone who didn't deserve it, and did not mean to have run off, but might possibly be feeling a little neglected. And that's why I'm at the pound. I was cute and fuzzy at one time. Not so much anymore. Somebody may have to claim me soon. My euthanization may only be a few days away. (tick tock, tick tock)

Did you ever see that scene in Monty Python, Search for the Holy Grail, where the guy is going through the streets calling out, "bring out your dead, … bring out your dead". And this guy comes out of the house asking the cart of bodies to wait while carrying his elderly father over his shoulder. The father is obviously not dead. In fact, he's protesting and saying he's not dead, yet, and as a matter of fact he proclaims that all of a sudden he's feeling better. Yeah, that's me! Put me down! I ain't dead yet. I'm sure they could hire a guy half my age at half the salary.

In all seriousness, I believe that one of the kisses of death that is the ACU salary survey. The reason I say this is because my guys (leadership) read the thing, like many folks do. So, they look and assume (no comment) that there is a good (±100%) representation on the list. I believe that anyone with a good salary is hesitant to put the fiancial information on the survey. So anyone with a salary packet that bespeaks tenure, longevity, and career, gets (potentially) hammered. I doesn't matter whether I answer the survey or not, they obviously know what I make. Plus I guess its easy to find me when you look at the data requested (How long at present congregation - 12 years; How long in ministry - 24 years; Present age - 50) A stranger with three fingers and a ten year old computer, could locate me with his eyes closed.

Another friend asked where 50 year old youth ministers went… I thought there was a punch line to follow. He was stinkin' serious! I coulda' killed him! HA

April 15th 2006 will mark the completion of my 25th year in full time youth ministry. The only time I wasn't doing youth ministry in that time was between jobs from October of 1993-March of 1994. I wonder if that's the train at the end of the tunnel that I hear?