17 Oct
9 questions to ask yourself
In their book ‘Reaching out to Troubled Youth’ Dwight Spotts and David Veerman state that you should be able to answer the following questions with a firm ‘YES’ before you decide to work with a troubled young person. I personally think they are good questions to ask prior to (and in the middle of) working in youth ministry period.
Why not spend a moment and review them right now – can you still answer them all with a yes? a firm yes?
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Am I willing to make more than a short term relationship with this young person?
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Do I have genuine interest in them and not just in their problems?
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Am I willing to suffer personal setbacks and discouragements?
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Am I willing to be involved in their total life and not just Sundays?
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Am I willing to work co-operatively with other people interested in their lives?
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Am I prepared for defeat?
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Do I recognise my limitations?
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Will I make very effort to understand their point of view without becoming judgmental?
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Am I willing to be inconvenienced?
If you struggle with one or two of them then don’t quit but find a friend/mentor/guide to talk them through with and see if they are temporary issues.
