But that's where unconscious incompetence comes into play. You can be very successful with the things you know, but you'll never have a clue about the things you haven't been exposed to. I think a lot of young youth workers, for example, tell kids it's absolutely wonderful to separate from your family and rely on your peer group in junior high. But research shows exactly the opposite is true. And so I think there's the tendency to perpetuate some myths out there in youth ministry because we're not aware of the research and don't have the necessary level of education.
Youth ministry can be a dangerous baby-sitting service.
So I'm glad to see we're trying to gird it up with education. I went through graduate school in architecture. But since God's called me out of that and into youth ministry, I know that if and when I go back for more advanced education, I'm going to be a totally different student. After seven years in my youth group, I can see why I need education. I have a quick story on that.