Youth pastors long for ways to minimize and/or eliminate stress in their lives. They sincerely want to engage students, volunteers and parents in ministry; however, often they feel they are drowning under the stress they experience daily. Youth pastors need air pockets to provide fresh air so they can dive back down into ministry. Here are five air pockets that will help you breathe in youth ministry.
1. Have a consistent time of daily prayer and Bible reading.
During His ministry, we see Jesus separating from the disciples and the crowds (and the stress) to have time alone with the Father (Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 4:42). If Christ needed time alone with the Father as He encountered stress in ministry, how much more do we need to spend time with the Lord in prayer and Bible study? This time helps us keep perspective as we seek to fulfill the Great Commandment and Great Commission through the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. Have a consistent time of daily exercise.
Candidly, this habit has been the hardest one for me to maintain in my ministry; however, it is unquestionably one of the best ways to counter stress. By exercising at least 30 minutes each day, you will not only relieve stress, but you will also improve and maintain your health.
3. Spend time with family and friends.
One of the major reasons ministers leave the ministry relates to problems in their family due to neglect of their families for the sake of the church. Be sure to spend time with your husband or wife. Spend quality time with your children. If you are not married, spend quality time with friends who bring you closer to Christ and encourage you in ministry. Time spent with family and friends will help you maintain balance in ministry and also decrease your stress.
4. Develop the habit of reading good books.
The best ministers are full-time students. By this term, I do not mean that they are enrolled in an academic institution, but that they are avid learners and readers. They spend time reading books that develop their faith and sharpen their ministry and leadership skills. They also read books that exercise their minds and help them to think deeply about subjects. In addition, such reading relaxes the body and helps to relieve stress.
5. Manage your time well.
One reason youth ministers experience stress in their lives is because they lack time-management skills. Plan ahead in your ministry. Keep a yearly, monthly and daily calendar. Develop goals and task lists to achieve those goals. By managing your time well, you will help reduce stress and free your time for activities that are stress relievers. For more tips on time management, read my post on theyouthministryblog.com.
So, are you drowning in stress? Come up for air and use these five air pockets to help you breathe in your ministry.