Disqualified

By Doug Franklin June 1, 2011

A good youth pastor I know was just let go from his church for having some inappropriate contact with members of the opposite sex. The youth worker admitted the mistake and has been willing to get help. The church is taking the right steps to help all involved and they are not hiding anything. I believe that this story will end well. The question this raises in my mind is what disqualifies us to do youth ministry? What actions, behaviors and words place us in situations where we just can’t serve anymore? Here is the list I have come up with:

1. Inappropriate behavior
This one is very clear and I think we all know what inappropriate means. (Having just wrote that I don’t know if that is true) We all should know, but I am surprised how many youth workers I hear about or who talk with me each year who are doing things they should never do.

2. Miss handle money
If we fudge on our budgets or spend money that is not ours or even make up receipts, then we are disqualified.

3. Have emotional affairs
Whether we are single or married we need to have pure, true and right relationships with everyone we come in contact with. I have seen too many times when we in ministry we do not treat everyone as brothers and sisters in Christ. You can become disqualified in ministry if you entangle yourself with someone you don’t intend to be committed to.

4. Spiritually bankrupt
You are disqualified if you don’t believe what Jesus says is true. I meet too many youth workers who have decided that they know what is true in the Bible and what is not. If you think you are above scripture, you’re out.

5. Working for the money
I think you’re disqualified if you’re only in the ministry for a job. Yes we all need to work and make money but I an talking about youth workers that could care less about what happens in students’ lives and are only doing this job until something better comes along. I do meet people like this and it’s hard for me to see what good they are doing in students’ lives, in fact they usually do more harm then good.

That is my list, what did I miss or where is my thinking off? I would love some feedback.