A pastor's ministry is shaped by a number of factors, including the history and personality of the church served, the texture of the community, and the pressing needs of people. Add to that the age of the minister. That's the point in this article, a chapter from Mastering the Pastoral Role, co-authored by Paul Cedar, Kent Hughes, and Ben Patterson. The book is the latest in the Mastering Ministry series co-published by LEADERSHIP and Multnomah Press.

Our youth pastor, Dennis, came to me recently. "I want to rappel off the church," he said, "off the fourth story!" It was to be a scene for a youth video he was making, he explained.

I could have easily said no. First, it was dangerous. (I like to give my staff room to fail, but this gave a whole new meaning to the idea.) Furthermore, people could justifiably criticize me for allowing such crazy activities. But I decided the risk was worth it. Dennis is a creative guy. He relates well to the kids, and his idea was culturally hot. In addition, ...