What to say to a new youth pastor (part 5)

The next thing I would say is the importance of establishing “why.”  So many times we focus on the “what” (vision) or the “how” (strategy).  But these are lifeless without the why.

The why can be summed up in our core values.  The interesting thing is that most churches have basically the same vision statement.  It goes something like this… “reaching lost people, investing in lives and making disciples.”

The thing that makes each church unique is its core values. (For a more in-depth understanding of this principle, check out Church Unique)  When we understand the why for our youth ministry, we can begin to define who God has called us to be.  A better term for this is discovering our DNA.