"I'm not as focused anymore."

Yes, with age often comes clarity—but the youth workers at the forum spoke about losing the clarity of purpose they once had. This resembled burnout more than mere boredom; in fact, the way many described it leaned toward mild depression: "Is there anything I do with teens anymore that really matters?"

"I'm not enjoying ministry as I used to. All I wanna do is have some fun." These youth workers could sing that right along with Sheryl Crow. The fun isn't fun anymore. Church is a drag, meetings are dull.

"What are my options?"

Few at the forum felt they had any marketable skills outside youth ministry. "Who will hire me?" asked one full-time male youth pastor. "I have a bachelor's degree and a decade and a half of local church ministry. How does that translate into the mainstream job market?"

"I feel like I'm always frustrated."

Though this is hardly unique to over-40 youth workers, 20 years of it can wear on you. Chronic problems—budget crunches, tension with parents, little supervisorial encouragement—only reduce one's threshold for frustration.

What You Gain by Staying in Ministry as an Oldster

There is the other hand, however. Forum members listed more than 45 advantages of staying in youth ministry while growing into middle age—advantages that you could bundle into six general categories.

A decreasing learning curve: "You keep learning from your mistakes," said a female participant, "and the older you get, the faster and easier it is to process those issues. Just having lived longer counts for a lot in ministry. These days," she added, "I work smarter, not harder."

Thicker skin: Aging youth workers don't wear their feelings (or their principles) on their sleeves, as novices tend to do. "I know I'm no longer cool," said one, "but unlike 10 years ago, that fact doesn't bother me now. Or my students, for that matter."

Credibility: Older youth workers usually are perceived to have been around the block enough times to be trusted. Forum members overwhelmingly agreed that such credibility is due mostly to gradually becoming peers of students' parents—simply a matter of passing time.

Authentic counseling: "I've become a better listener and counselor as I've gotten older," said one of the forum participants. "I think I'm more tender, and I don't believe in giving easy answers anymore."

"I have more extra time now," a volunteer youth work said. "I'm more available to be a surrogate parent to teens with absentee or divorced parents."

Trend tracking: Many thought they could spot youth trends easier as they age; though most of them confessed they had trouble keeping up with all the music groups, they were able to quickly familiarize themselves with trends (most commonly with the Internet).

Approachability: Most of these over-40 youth workers believed they were "safe" to talk to and confide in. "I'm amazed how many more students were willing to share their hurts and problems with me now compared to a decade ago," said one, reflecting a consensus in the room.

Stay or leave? Are you a youth worker who, after weighing the pros and cons of remaining in ministry, are inclined to explore other careers? Take heart—there are commonsense steps and many helpful resources for you. Among them:

• The annual What Color Is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters & Career-Changers by Richard Bolles (Ten Speed Press) is a long-lived volume because its premises, insight and assignments make sense. (It is, however, only one of many, many titles on the subject.)

• Generally speaking, finding jobs that fit you best will emerge from networking, not the classifieds.

• Unless you're unusually realistic about your abilities, your desires and your dreams, think seriously about getting some career counseling.

• Play to your strengths, not your weaknesses. Avoid pursuing prospective jobs that consist of your least favorite aspects of youth ministry.

• Get help writing and designing resumes that are tailored to each prospective employer.

• Make job-hunting your job. Get up early, shave or put on makeup, and spend the day—or as much of the day as you can afford—researching and networking toward a job that fits you.

See also...

• Part 1: The Grace and Calling of Growing Older in Ministry

• The Graying of the American Youth Worker