Happy New Year Awesome Person,
Troy Aikman once said something about rookie quarterbacks that feels uncomfortably familiar in ministry:
“I do feel that organizations and coaching has failed quarterbacks more than quarterbacks have failed organizations.”
He was talking about football—but he could just as easily have been talking about young youth pastors.
I saw this quote and it fired me up because I was once that youth pastor working in the wrong system. I used to think I could work in any church, that turns out not be true based on my experience of getting fired from two of them.
If you think you're failing because it's you, it may not be you, it may be the system. Let me explain.
Talent Isn’t the Issue
Every year, churches hire young leaders who are passionate, trained, and called. Expectations are high. Hope is high.
And yet, many of those leaders burn out, leave ministry, or get quietly labeled “not a good fit.”
The assumption is usually simple: They weren’t ready.
But what if the real issue wasn’t the leader?
What if it was the system?
Systems Shape Leaders
Even gifted quarterbacks struggle when the system around them is broken:
- The playbook doesn’t fit
- Coaching is unclear or inconsistent
- Expectations shift constantly
Young youth pastors often face the same reality:
- Vague expectations (“Just grow it”)
- Supervision without coaching
- Conflicting philosophies
- Little room to learn or fail
Put almost anyone in that environment long enough, and struggle is inevitable.
Calling Doesn’t Cancel Context
A real calling doesn’t protect you from a misaligned system.
A youth pastor can have strong gifting, solid theology, and a heart for students—and still struggle if the environment doesn’t support development.
That kind of struggle isn’t proof of failure. It’s often proof of misalignment.
A Better Question
When leaders keep struggling, the question isn’t just, “What’s wrong with them?” It’s also, “What kind of system are we asking them to lead in?”
Because sometimes the quarterback didn’t fail the team.
Sometimes the system fails the quarterback.
One of the biggest differences between leaders who survive early ministry and those who don’t is coaching.
Not evaluation. Not performance reviews. Real coaching—someone outside your system who can help you:
- Think clearly
- Name misalignment
- Grow without shame
- Lead with longevity
If you’re a youth pastor who feels stuck, discouraged, or unsure whether the problem is you or the system, coaching can help bring clarity before burnout sets in.
If that’s something you’d like to explore, I’d love to help—or help you find the right next step.
Grace and peace,
Paul
P.S.
If you're needing curriculum, planning tools or books on how to be a youth pastor, Check out my store.