Welcome Tim Bistline, Guest Blogger

We are thrilled to introduce Tim Bistline to you, as a guest blogger.  Tim has a ton of experience in youth ministry!!  We know that you'll find Tim's thoughts to be helpful and thought-provoking!  I asked Tim a few questions as a way to introduce him to you:

How long have you been doing youth ministry?

I started working with teenagers in 1989.  I was focused on the national youth ministry of the Churches of God, General Conference denomination, based in Finley Ohio. 

What attracted you to it first of all?

We were doing a week-long, youth-focused seminar with speakers and bands and breakout groups.  It was the largeness of the event, seeing teenagers get excited about their faith.  I wanted to bring some relevancy to what we doing.

What’s your current role?

Pastor of Impact Ministries at St. Mark’s UMC in Mt. Joy.  Right now it’s overseeing youth ministry and youth adult ministry (18-30) and ministry to the community.  It's a non-ordained role. 

(What a great name, Pastor of Impact Ministries!)

What do you love about youth ministry?

The energy and the openness that teenagers bring to life and faith.  I like dealing with their doubts and their fears.  I like helping them navigate culture -- and having their faith to inform their culture.  I’m passionate about helping kids have a biblical worldview.

What’s the hardest part about youth ministry in today’s world?

I’ve done it so long now, that the hardest part is busy lives and busy schedules.  If people don’t have enough to do, they’ll make time for church.  Busyness is a huge factor.   There are many distractions in a teenager's life: school, sports, internet, cell phones, jobs, parents expectations.   Now, it’s a marketing nightmare.  You have to market your ministry differently and in more ways for them to decide whether to value it or not.  In a typical week, I might send out the same information five times, but I send it out in multiple ways. 

When you’re not involved in ministry, what you doing?

Spending time with family and raising my kids, being active in their lives.  We’re passionate about Lancaster City, so we do a lot in the city.  I like watching movies, reading books, listening to a lot of different kinds of music and coaching soccer on an intramural level with little kids. 

My wife Sharon and I have been married 22 years.  We have two teenage daughters at McCaskey high school.  Both are looking at a career in teaching.  And we raise seeing eye-puppies.  It’s my daugher’s gig but we do it as a family. 

 Prior to serving at St. Mark's UMC in Mt. Joy, Tim was involved in the youth ministry programs at First United Methodist Church and First Presbyterian Church in Lancaster City, Highland Presbyterian Church in Manheim Township and Hempfield United Methodist Church.

I had a chance to work with Tim at Highland way back when (early 1990s!) and was impressed with his leadership even then.  Tim and my husband Dale, who is currently the Director of Youth Ministry First Presbyterian, Lancaster, have been buddies for a long time. 

Welcome, Tim!  Blog away.