I ask 150 youth workers what they would be if they were not a youth worker… here’s what they said

A few months ago I wrote to a huge number of vocational youth ministers and said this:

‘Finish this sentence: If I wasn’t a youth minister than I’d be…’

The following list is the results. On the surface this seems like an odd, slightly fun, but irrelevant question. If you read carefully, however, it provides some interesting insight into the heart, attitudes, skill sets, passions, and varieties of people in youth ministry.

Some of these were what people used to do, some are what they would like to do – others or a little more existential! Here’s the answers…

A tree surgeon (that one was me)

Working in the copier/printer industry

Running a golf club

Living in a van down by the river!

Dead

A millionaire

A rollerblading coach

Much better rested

Selling dolphins on the black market

Police Officer

Social Worker

Open my own health food store/cafe

Working for the outdoor channel/have my own hunting show that ministers to men/dads and their families

A rodeo clown. Sometimes I feel like it’s nearly the same line of work!

Account manager

Funeral industry

Bored

I’d get my alternate certification and teach at a High School

Miserable, unless I knew God was leading me in a different direction

Teacher/Coach

A teacher or missionary

A dentist

Sane

Teaching high school English

Military

Rich probably, or at least have a comma in my bank account

A funeral director

A Pokémon Master!!!

Not answering this question

Indiana Jones

Social worker

Board game/coffee shop owner

Living somewhere else

Bartender

A chef

Financially stable

Server

Still discipling students

Well rested

Missing our

A coach or a teacher

A college professor

Coach

Accountant

Relaxed and full of free time…just kidding…kind of.

Coach

Missing my kids

School teacher or coach

Mobile sales

Happy

Real estate agent

Working in technology of some sort

Game show host

Web or graphic designer

Less tired

Financial advisor

Pursuing a job at Disney

Sad

In HR

Politician or Insurance Salesman

Owner of a gymnastics gym

Sane

Bummed

A voice over actor! I do a mean Mickey Mouse!

A volunteer youth worker, with some job that pays the bills and drives me crazy

Radio DJ

In Coaching or Teaching at a high school

Sane

Coach or teacher

Marketing guru

Teacher

Wildlife Biologist

Social worker

Bus driver

Searching

Taco/Chicken wing Food Truck owner

Paying all my bills on time

Driving a new F150

POTUS or food critic on the Food Network

Working at one of my businesses

Working with people with cognitive disabilities

Full time counsellor

Small business owner. Specifically in coffee

Bored

Idk… can’t picture myself doing anything else honestly

A real pastor

A Jedi Master

Preacher

Working at a 5 star resort serving everyone

I would try to open up a live music venue/coffee shop. Coffee shop during the week, shows on the weekend!

Well rested

Either a small-time politician or an author

A Care Bear! Oh wait….only in youth ministry can you be a Care Bear

Running a comic/game store. Holding events for tabletop role playing. Interacting with youth that way

Lounge singer on a cruise line

Distilling bourbon

Surf bum

Actually do the whole “Jesus Thing” by being a fisherman and a carpenter that tells everyone to be nice to one another and fights for love and equality

History Teacher or a brewmaster

Fishing

Teacher

The epic movie trailer guy/ voice overs /audio book narrator

Either a HS Teacher or a Law Enforcement Officer

A coffee house owner

Teacher/coach and/or do bass fishing tourney’s full time

Photographer

Real estate investor

Unemployed

Photographer

Architect

On broadway

Well slept

Missing out on my dream job

A police officer, still working with youth and mentoring

Financially strapped

A family counsellor

Artist

IT Tech

Graphic designer, journalist, or writer

An Ancient Near Eastern Historian

Rich

Lumberjack

A cruise director

Public Address Announcer for a college or professional basketball team

A comedian

Rich

Without a career, because I put all my eggs into this basket

Board game store owner

Lost

Sane

Either high school teacher or an electrician

An ice-cream taster

Videographer/editor

Writer

Asleep

Venture capitalist

A youth volunteer…… or in politics

Not living in a one bedroom apartment with a 1996 car

Depressed. I love what I do

Landscape Designer

Cabinet Maker

Salesman

Able to afford date night regularly

Fuller brush salesman

More rested

Married

Strength and conditioning coach or mna fighter

Designing logos for companies all over the world! Or playing pro ball

Salesman

In jail