Soul Care for the Student Pastor By Matt Mantooth A
s a student pastor, my first ministry position was one that would send most running. In college, I majored in Bible and minored in Youth Ministry. My youth ministry pro- fessor, Len Teague, Professor of Youth Ministry at Covenant College, once said, “The
average youth pastor stayed in ministry for approximately six months.” After about six months in student ministry, I found myself at a church in which the Pastor was accused of a moral failure, with another person on staff. I was 21 years of age. I had already been doing student ministry as a volunteer for a campus ministry for three and a half years, and I had taken educational courses to prepare me for ministry. However, nothing could have prepared me for helping a church, especially the students, through the struggles they would face in the months that were to come. Thankfully, in my preparation, I had several mentors to seek advice. After much prayer, and once the church transitioned to an Interim pastor, I moved on from the church to seek more training and another ministry position. All ministry is challenging. The challenges are exponentially harder for the pastor who does not have someone who is pastoring, and caring for Him. Throughout my life, I have seen several pastors go through “spiritual burnout.” I have also found myself in several
different ministry times that were, to be kind, “difficult.” Ministry is always a challenge. I believe all of ministry is impos- sible without God, and the calling of God to be a pastor. Student ministry is a different kind of challenge. The students face always-changing challenges that the Pastor often
does not understand. Today’s teenagers have immense struggles with anxiety and depression, much of which is exacer- bated by the use of phones, websites, and social media that is continually changing. The parents did not grow up with the same kind of technology, so they struggle to guide their kids through these ever-changing struggles. Therefore, the student pastor, or youth worker, is challenged to guide students and parents through challenges that he is only vaguely familiar. He is called to Biblically advise, on a subject that scripture only speaks to in an indirect way. Throughout my ministry, I have been blessed with many great Pastors, however, it is still much easier to open up and
share with another pastor who is not directly responsible for the quality of my work and spiritually quality of my life. PACT ministry is a non-denominational ministry founded by long time Student Pastor, Matt Brinkley. Matt has loved and served both students and student pastors for most of his life. PACT is technically a coaching ministry which seeks to Pray for, provide Accountability for, Care for, and Teach other student pastors. I have found PACT to be an organization that loves and cares for my soul. It allows me to love other student pastors and care for their soul. PACT ministry has coaches around the United States, who seek to provide care of other student pastors. PACT ministry coaches and pastors the coaches, who then in turn pastor and coach other student pastors. I can honestly say that God has used PACT ministry to help me persevere and continue to love being involved in the lives of students, parents, and other Student Pastors. If any church in our denomination is struggling with youth ministry, whether it is a church, or youth worker who needs help. I would encourage these churches to reach out to my- self or a PACT coach in their own area.
pactministry.org has a list of all of the PACT ministry coaches, and churches may choose someone who is nearby, or reach out to Christian Education Ministries to connect with myself for someone who understands the ARP settings and challenges. In the coming years, it is our desire to grow and develop some new youth workers within the ARP as PACT ministry certi- fied coaches.?
Reverend Matt Mantooth is the Associate Pastor of Family Ministries at Back Creek Church in Charlotte, NC.
Helping Christians Grow 10 The Associate Reformed Presbyterian
Christian Education Ministries
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