I know I am biased, but my wife is pretty awesome. I’m sure if you met her you would agree. But let me tell you something, she does not serve in our student ministry. GASP! I do not know if your spouse does or not, or maybe they are “expected” to as a two for one deal or something. But here is the deal, even though she does not serve in student ministry, she is still a phenomenal youth pastor. It’s amazing.

I think whether our spouses serve with us or not, if we are in youth ministry they are, for most part, a part of the youth ministry world. My wife Kristin, works here at the church but in a different department. She works on our Worship arts team. So she does her ministry and her job separate from me but here is why she is still an amazing youth pastor. This might be the same for your spouse as well if they do not serve in student ministry.

  • When I invite students over to my home. She is there. She hangs out with us. She bakes snacks. She is hospitality queen. She is there hanging out with my small group guys and investing in their lives. She leaves when we get into study, but she is there and knows them.
  • When we are out and about, we see parents of students. They meet her, she get involved with them in conversation and will see them at church on the weekends and ask them how they are doing. She is in parent ministry.
  • When we are out and about, we see students that we know. She meets them, talks with them, encourages them, and prays with them right then and there if they are going through something.
  • She remembers student’s names when she sees them at church on around town; even when I am not there. She is better at that than I am!
  • In her ministry, many students volunteer for her. So she talks with them, invests in them, ministers to them. Those students have an “in” because they know she is my wife so they talk to her and she engages.
  • She mentors girls. Students that I have grown close with I want to help move them to their next steps in their faith. When it is a girl and I do not have one of our staff or volunteers near me, Kristin steps in and ministers to these girls and will follow up with them. She is quite incredible.

So my wife is not a “youth pastor” but she still is an incredible one. She is my partner in crime and ministry. I love it. She loves it. I am grateful we both get to work in the same church for the same purpose and be in different departments but still do youth ministry together. That goes for most spouses in youth ministry. Even though they might not directly be involved in your ministry, they still are a part of it and get the chance to interact with students at some point during the week just like we do, it just may not be during youth group time.

Does your spouse volunteer with you in your ministry? Does your spouse volunteer in another ministry at the church?