Have you ever been called a "jack of all trades"? The misfortune of this label is that it comes with a backhanded curse… you are a "master of none"! Over the years I have come to embrace this description for myself. I’m the guy that knows a little bit about a lot of things, but not a lot about any one thing. Not only do I see this reflected in my life in general, but also in the skills I utilize to achieve quality youth ministry in today's culture.
For example, I know a little bit about music and I sing ok–but I can't play the guitar and lead music for youth. I know the basics of a sound board–but I can't set up a full band with monitors. I can navigate around Photoshop–but all the layers and custom options make my head explode. I know a little about web development–but it gets complicated managing domain registration and web hosting. I also know how to connect to a wireless network–but Proxies, TCP/IP, DNS, FTP, ABCDEFG: Yikes!
It sure would be nice to have more expertise in some of these areas. However, while I am continually seeking to learn more, I am also cautious to dive too deep into the details of any more technical aspects of dynamic ministry. The reality is that I am a youth minister. While my purpose is to lead teens to Christ, my primary task is leading our ministry, setting a vision, creating excitement, and organizing and inspiring volunteers to help carry out that vision. Youth ministers are asked to wear many different hats, but none is more important than the role of manager and ministry leader. There are so many moving parts within youth ministry, and so the role we must learn to master is that of a leader and manager who delegates.
Perhaps being a "jack of all trades, and a master of none" is actually a good thing. And in fact, maybe that adage isn't even altogether true. The benefit of being a "jack of all trades" is that it forces me to learn to master the art of delegation, and even more so, the ability to raise up other people to use their gifts to meet the various needs of our ministry. I am always on the look out for people who have advanced skill in web development, music, public speaking, graphic design, video editing, sound engineering, and networking to name a few. Identifying and utilizing the gifts from our communities is a win-win situation. Not only does this increase ownership and involvement from our parishioners allowing them to share their gifts to build the Kingdom of God, but usually we can find individuals who are "masters" of these various trades much more than we could ever be. And it is one less "hat" for us to try to wear!
Another benefit of being a "jack of all trades" is that it helps me to utilize the various tools that make "jack's" like me look really good. For instance, web content management systems like eCatholic make it easy to have a professional looking, regularly updated website. Additionally with a few simple tutorials you can learn how to integrate other tools like Facebook, Twitter and Flocknote directly into your site.
Another tool that makes a "jack" like me look like a "master" is Flocknote. When I explain Flocknote, I tell people it is sort of like the well-known communication tool, Constant Contact, combined with Evite but designed specifically for Catholic churches. What a great tool!
We are always trying to stay on the cutting edge to utilize technology to help us carry out our mission in this age of the New Evangelization. In addition utilizing basic tools like Facebook groups and a YouTube channel with videos, with the help of various people we been able to do things like:
While technology can be a great blessing it can be a curse if it distracts us from our primary mission. So just be open to learning more about the various tools available that will help you carry out your mission more effectively. And don’t be afraid to embrace the "jack" within you and be on the look out for the various "masters" that God will bring into your path.
Kurt Klement has worked in youth ministry at St. Ann Catholic Church in Coppell, TX since 1996. While at St. Ann he has helped develop one of the largest and most dynamic Catholic high school youth ministry programs in the country. Currently he serves as the Director of High School Youth and Young Adult Ministry.