Is it necessary for a Youth Pastor to have a magnetic personality?
Often I find myself wondering whether all the great Youth Pastor’s are people who have extroverted, outgoing, positive, and magnetic personalities.
On one hand it could be argued that a magnetic personality is almost essential as part of the role. Someone who is able to draw people to the ministry, interact with young people in a meaningful way, and have leaders that are willing to follow means there is some form of magnetism required to the role.
It might be helpful to think of this in reverse too. If a Youth Pastor is sour, socially awkward, unable to interact with people of all ages, and wants to hide away from any form of public speaking then maybe the role isn’t for them.
I wonder whether you believe it is important to have a magnetic personality as a Youth Pastor?
However, it is unfair to discourage people from leading in youth ministry if they don’t conform to our preconceived ideas of what a youth leader should be like. In doing so we deny people within the body of Christ from contributing in their own unique way. After all, as a body of believers, we recognise that God has created everyone in his image and that each one is a gift for the church.
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptised by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)
While character, maturity, and skillset of each person needs to be taken into account, there is no biblical edict regarding personality that informs the type of role a person should have in the church.
Whether introverted or extroverted, each personality should be able to find their place to serve and build the church.
It may be helpful to be a people person in a people-focussed work, it is not necessary for there to be some special type of magnetism in youth ministry leadership. People may well be better suited to sharing from the front while others are better suited talking one-one-one with others. Some are better suited at interacting with parents and welcoming new people, others are better suited to sorting out the games or the supper for the night. Some leaders might be best suited to help in administration and not be involved in a youth night at all. There are plenty of ways to serve in youth ministry and it doesn’t matter what their personality.
When you consider your own gifts, skill set, and character, where in youth ministry do you think you would best serve?
This post is a free writing exercise in response to The Daily Post topic ‘Magnetic‘.
Life and Faith 
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