I admit it. I fell into the trap. I was visiting Gordon-Conwell Seminary in the fall of 2004 as a prospective student. A friend took me to one of his classes there and thoroughly sold me on it. "The class is on youth ministry and it is dynamic and interesting." After his sales job I couldn't wait to attend this class. That's when I put my foot in the snare. I began imagining this youth ministry class and foremost in my imagination was the professor, who would be young, relevant, cool, funny, energetic and all of the other words we associate with effective youth leaders. I had a clear vision of this successful youth professor.

I walked into the class and my heart sank. He was old. The guy was a grandpa! To make matters worse he was an Espicopal priest, which is not an issue at all except that he chooses to wear the white clerical collar all the time - what a nerd. The man had grey hair, wrinkles, a clerical collar, glasses and was a scholar.  But I still remember what he taught in that one class over 5 years ago. He spoke at length about the ways he had engaged the Goth culture in his community and ministered and developed deep relationships with those angry, death metal, dark make-up, chains and boots youth. This grandpa-priest was "in" with the Goths. And he knew how to love them. And wanted us to do the same. Professor Dean Borgman forever has my respect.

I had thoroughly judged this man before I ever met him and loaded him with expectations that were not only unfair, but also full of completely false assumptions. Most of us live with the delusion that the primary qualifications of an effective youth minister  are 1) young  2) cool (and really funny)  and  3) physically fit.  But we are faced with a terrible truth - many of our best youth leaders and volunteers never hear the call of God to work with youth because they are  1) older  2) not hip  and  3) don't enjoy playing dodgeball. They've been told in so many ways, "sorry, gramps, you just couldn't pull it off."

Moses was old when God called him. Abraham was 75 when he left his lifetime home. Paul was already well into his ministry when God knocked him on his back and blinded him with a new calling. And then there's Martha. My wife grew up in a youth group where one of the volunteers, Martha, wore Depends. No, seriously, Martha wore Depends and the youth knew it - they would laugh about it together. There's no secret how she could do this - it's because she cared about them. Martha loved them, laughed with and at them and gave her time to them. So they listened and loved and respected in return.Those are qualities that know no age, lingo or fashion.

Our youth in America could use a lot more leaders who are old, nerdy and really effective.