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Summary (421 words): Youth Ministry is a marathon, which needs to be run like a marathon. It requires discipline to make sure pace is kept. At the beginning of the race, everyone starts out as one mass. Rookies start out talking and being very optimistic and happy, but serious runners with experience are silent, thoughtful, planning, stretching, and in the zone. There is a mental state a runner has to be in since a marathon is also a mental marathon. As the miles progress people spread out more, and some even drop out of the race. By mile 10, some people have started to walk. By mile 15, many have stopped to eat an early lunch. By mile 20, only those who started realistically, and who are the most prepared, have a realized chance of finishing well. Running a marathon is like the big-picture of youth ministry. Its not easy. Its long, tiring, often unrewarding, complex, unique, intense, humorous, joyfilled, painful, and can take everything out of you if you are not careful. The longer someone works in youth ministry, just like a marathon runner, the easier it becomes. This is why setting the proper pace is so crucial to thinking of longevity and sustainability. Aside from the wild animal reference in Exodus 23.29-30, youth ministry is much like how the Israelites could not handle God giving the Promised Land in one day. They would have been overwhelmed, so it was Gods plan to gradually conquer Canaan. Gods pace was the right pace. This scriptural principle applies to your youth ministry because God wont give you everything at one; instead, Hell develop a foundation of your youth ministry gradually. So, we need to focus on Him first, and the development of this realistic foundation second. Youth workers would love Doug to simply hand a checklist of exact steps to take, but its an impossible request because youth ministry is so diverse. There are 10 commitments given in this chapter to prayerfully consider as a foundation for your youth ministry to be healthy, effective, and sustainable. 1. I will move slowly 2. I will regularly check my motives and evaluate my heart
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