I can't even begin to count the number of heart-to-heart talks I have had with youth pastors regarding their senior pastors. While the reasons for the tension may vary, oftentimes at the core is a youth pastor's longing to have an affirming, loving, stable dad-type figure in his or her life. However, what is easy to fail to take into consideration is that it can be tough for a senior pastor to give away to others what he may have never experienced for himself.

This issue of Youth Leader's Coach is NOT meant to help you fix your senior pastor, but to give you 12 simple, doable suggestions on how to improve upon your relationship. And, in doing so, you might end up with exactly what you most desire. For your greatest limitation will never be the leader above you, but the spirit within you.

Lovingly,