I remember an old episode of the TV series “ER” in which one of the young emergency room doctors tired to treat as many people as fast as he possibly could. He didn’t feel he needed to waste his time chatting it up with his patients and simply to treat their ailments. Things were fast paced and efficient, something that most of us do not associate with Emergency Room visits. However trouble arrived when his new definition of success came to crashing halt when some of the people he released came back in struggling to survive. He learned a lesson that the stuff that seemed like a waste of time is sometimes the key to saving a life. How we define success can have major repercussions in our work. Over the course of this month I have been exploring what it means to be a successful youth worker. This is a theme that I will continue to explore as time goes on, however I was curious about how others defined success in this field. I took the thought to twitter and I asked youth workers, youth pastors and other professionals to give me their 140 character definition of success. Here they are. Do you have one? Feel free to share it.
Enabling young people to come alive in joy and to be everything they were made to be!! - that's an attempt!! – @RCYOUTHWORKER
Building Relationships- student to student, student to caring adults, everyone to Jesus- & then sharing Jesus w/ the world. - @YouthGuy07
Success in any ministry is about cultivating leaders. Have great leaders so you can be concerned about creating community. - @TerryRamoneSmit
For us it's when we see growth/maturity in a student. When they're able to critically think & make their own decisions. - @Pastor LT
Simply helping students realize their potential in God's Kingdom. - @Markhcox
A culture of students who have authentic relationships w/ Christ & who lead other youth 2 do the same. #GreatQuestion! - @Wendelmartin82
less of me, more Jesus--trusting him to make his kingdom come tangible (holistic) in young ppls lives - @julihn
when you can leave, and no one knows you're not there. - @Jessetheradical
depends on your context. It's like describing success in global missions. It'll be different in Ghana & India. Same in YM. - @Chrisharrell1
they have learned a walk with God,witness for God, and are doing work for God. - @Chrisharrell1
students loving God and loving others in and out of the walls of the church; discipled students discipling others - @shawnmichael
Success: A student knowing they were loved unconditionally by me & them experiencing the grace, mercy & presence of Jesus. - @DavidMatinTX
hmm.. to brainwash kids into getting married having 1.5 kids and maintaining the church bldgs their parents built.. psych! - @Gavoweb
seriously: Minimum, to know people love them. Beyond that, willing to sacrifice, love generously, dream creatively in Christ - @Gavoweb
Building teens self-esteem! - @Talkingteenage
Radically transformed lives. I don't even need all 140. - @Final_night
if ur describing ur unwritten job description u missed-- Preventing the 3 D's: Drinking, Drugs & Doing-it! - Anonymous
That's very difficult to measure in that field! I think you can measure it by how much of the love of Christ is shared. - @Jgrdaniel
Successful youth work creates a space that celebrates, motivates and empowers youth to create the life they want to live. - @ Youthsuccessdoc
I think it's as simple as glorifying God. That's true for anything. - @Timschmoyer
i define success in youthwork as equipping youth & adults together as the Body of Christ for God's mission in the world. - @Ymprof
knowing that You gave your all to God through ur youth, and praying that the youth you worked with life will never be the same once they leave you, ur succsess can't be based on Event, and numbers but the spirtual Growth of your young ones...140 charater aren't enough lol - @MrMonroe85
If you look in the future and your youth are following Christ then you know your youth ministry was a success. - @3ric_yp
Discipleship is happening. - @Scottymct
obedience to God's ways - @DougFields
success is using ur platform to glorify christ and build relationships with people around u! - @Tbayne21
the ability to witness our youth learn positive things and acting on improving their own lives for themselves. #success - @f4girls
Success in youth work= Loving students in spite of them and leading them to Jesus in spite of us! - @gamersguide2god
Agree, Disagree. Please Share. To celebrate my 250th post A $20 Starbucks card will be rewarded to a random commenter. Contest Ends April 8. No lie.
