Play like a kid. Act like and adult. Know when each is required.

This is the motto that I try to keep in mind when I “do” youth ministry, and I wish every student ministry leader would do the same. There is nothing more disheartening than watching youth ministers fail at their new church because they couldn’t get the above formula correct. There is an expectation and a need for student ministry leaders who are able to be both mature, yet remember how to “play.” We need youth leaders who are professional dodgeball players, while still moonlighting as organizers, accountants, recruiters, and spiritual role models. This is the student ministry leader that the next generation is so often missing. My hope is that Student Ministry Field Guide: Debunking the “Big Kid” Label helps student ministry leaders apply their passion and heart for working with students before the many toxic habits sabotage their ministry.