Maybe for you this is a non-issue. In fact, maybe you're so good at youth ministry and love what you do so much that it easily could become your relationship with God. If so, remember that even a shepherd needs a break from his sheep. As Jeanne Mayo encourages, "God will always care more about you than he does about your ministry." Knowing that God's eye is on me motivates me to keep my eyes on God—first.

Is there a balance? In some ways, it seems there'll always be conflicting messages in ministry. One says, "You can never do enough! Don't just stand there; do something!" After all, 1 Corinthians 15:58 advises to "be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." The other message says, "You can't earn God's favor by works—that's legalism. Don't just do something; stand there!"

The tension between these two can be confusing and frustrating. We have to know exactly what God has called us to do. I've heard big leaders make condescending remarks about small ministries as though there was a difference in the quality of love and energy poured into the ministry because the numbers were fewer. I've heard leaders of small ministries make subtle comments about big ministries, insinuating there was no God-breathed effort to grow this thing: "Surely it's 90 percent hype and show." Last time I checked, big ministries didn't just sprout up out of the ground without planting and watering. Christian businessman Jim Rohn has written that the greatest form of maturity is at harvest time. "This is when we must learn how to reap without complaint if the amounts are small and how to reap without apology if the amounts are big."

So, do we ignore the researchers? No. I still read the studies because hard data can make me think and rethink methods and principles. So I learn from it; but if I'm honest, I'll admit that half of the time I forget stats and percentages five minutes after I've turned the page. Statistics represent exhaustive research, and I appreciate that; but I'm still much more concerned about the specific kids in my local church youth ministry than about all of the statistics in the world.

I've served in a ministry of 500 youth and young adults with 75 in our leadership core, and I've been part of a church plant when the first night of youth group yielded 11 warm bodies, including leaders. To this day, one of the most freeing statements I've read came from a youth pastor who wrote, "Don't grow big groups; grow big people." To this day, that's my goal with teenagers. A large quantity can be fun, and there's nothing wrong with it. Few things are more exhilarating than being in a loud, passionate worship service in an auditorium packed with bobbing young people (which serves the dual purpose of almost making you feel like one of them); but quality beats quantity every time. There's nothing like seeing the light bulb go on in a young person when she's learned some deep truth from God in the daily quiet time you encouraged her to maintain.

Maybe like me you just need periodic reminders that God smiles on you for what you do, small or big, for the kingdom. What God really wants for you is a heart like Jesus—not the heart of a hired hand, but one of a shepherd.