This coming May will mark the third year of my second installation as a youth pastor.  It has been a good journey.  There are few things that I have learned along the way and few more things that I wish I would have known before I embarked upon this great journey. 

A few things that I have learned.

1. When dealing with youth, leadership, parents and volunteers, it's better to be a person of integrity rather than being a person of creativity. Don't get me wrong creativity is good, but at the end of the day people want to know whether or not you are honest and have good moral principles.  Youth will respect you more if you are honest and transparent with them.
2. When dealing with youth they want to know that you care.  I tell my volunteers all the time that we want to create an atmosphere where the youth feel welcomed.  We want to be that place where everybody knows their name. The only way that we are able to achieve this goal is by showing that we care.  Creating an environment where everybody is somebody goes a long way.  Showing a young person that you are interested in their person hood means a whole lot to them. 
3. You don't need to be the smartest person in the room.  As a leader I try to do my best to gain insight and input from my volunteers so that we can provide the best ministry possible to our youth.  I tell the volunteers all the time that we all are collectively responsible for the growth and development of our youth.   
4.  When you make a mistake, own it!  I tell people all the time that I do not have a problem admitting that I am wrong.  In fact, this helps me to grow.  I even practice this principle with our youth.  If I do something that may not have been good, I admit it.  If I say something that I should not have said, I admit it.  Leaders can't practice this principle enough.  Oh, the arrogance we deal with nowadays.
5.  I have learned that you can never do enough with youth.  Youth are always looking for the next greatest thing.  They are always looking for more and better.  In order to deal with this potential problem we take down times within our ministry.  We do this so that the work never becomes more taxing than it ought, and that the youth understand that Jesus is still the most important factor.
6.  I have learned that it's ok to say no.  This is hard for some, but it's not that hard for me.  I have learned that in order for me to be productive, healthy, have a balance life, and live a good life that I must say no to some people, projects and events. 

A few things that I wished I would have known beforehand.

1.  I wish I knew that I could not make everybody happy.  Trying to satisfy everybody in word and in deed is not possible.  If you do you will get burned!  Some people will not like you, or what you do no matter how you do it.  It's that simple.  I have learned that it's not my job to make people happy.  I can't make decisions that will make people happy.
2.  Numbers don't matter!  Putting programs in place to attract more youth is not necessarily that important.  I mean, of course you don't want to put hundreds of thousands of dollars into a program and have minimal support from youth.  But, the fact of the matter is that reaching one youth is worth more than a million dollars, and if a few kids are reached with that 100,000 then it was well worth it.  You cannot get discouraged, or abort your mission because lots of youth are not coming to your programs. 
3.  Stick to your vision no matter what.  Do not deviate from the mission and vision that God has given you to reach youth.  Some programs may change, but never dump the vision because it seems like it is not working.  Vision takes time to manifest, and we must employ extreme patience in pursuing that vision.  Do not allow someone else to give you a vision that doesn't coincide with your vision.  Sometimes people have their own agenda's and you have to know this. 
4.  Be humble.  As a leader, we think that we know it all.  But, that doesn't work when it comes to growth and expansion.  Humility is crediting others for doing the work as much as you are credited for doing the work.  Being humble means that you remain open. 
5.  Value your own experience, knowledge, and expertise.  We are leaders for a reason.  God saw, or sees something in us and has put us in leadership positions for a reason.  We have to do a better job of accepting that fact.  I had to realize that I'm a leader because I'm a leader.  No matter what people think about us, it doesn't matter.  You are a leader for a very special reason. 

There are probably a few more reasons that we could name, and the list could be very long.  But, these are some of the things that have made me who I am today, and are making me who I am today. You probably have some as well in which I could learn from.  Please name them.  I'd love to hear from you.