Many of us got into youth ministry because we love students. We love to hang out with them, teach them, and mentor them. But it doesn't take long to discover that youth ministry is much, much more than that. Sure, there are always students to hang out with, but there are also a host of other responsibilities. Some days we try on more hats than a city slicker at the dude ranch gift shop.
In fact, youth ministry is a world of many hats. Sometimes we wear hats that fit us well, and other times we wear hats we wish we didn't have to wear. It's all part of the deal. The good news is that, if we stay in this for a long time, the best hats await us.
In this episode, Steve and Mathew share what they did yesterday (the day before we recorded), which epitomized the many hats of youth ministry. They also talk about the FX series The Americans, wonder what life would be like if they got commission from travel arrangements, and question whether carrier pigeons would be an effective form of communication with parents. All this, plus Steve puts on his counselor hat and consoles a hearbroken Mathew regarding the departure of Jordy Nelson from the Green Bay Packers. 
You'll be quite dashing in your new hat if you listen to Episode 12, The Many Hats of Youth Ministry.