Student ministry is known for wild and crazy antics, but student leaders deal with a lot more than errant dodgeballs or wondering how many pancakes a kid can eat on a retreat before he gets sick. By the way, the answer to that one is 23 – and I know that because I watched it happen.

In some office environments, you can put a sign on the door that says "do not disturb," or you can interrupt someone mid-sentence and say, "I don't have time to hear this story right now. But in a church office, that's rarely something that is done. And church office interruptions aren't usually short bursts of time; they're often emotional moments that require a little bit of time to come down from after.

Most Elders have self-identified as someone who believes that giving their time and talents to their local church something they're called to do. Most elders bring various skills and knowledge from their workplaces to create a well-rounded team. And most elders enjoy seeing people get to know Jesus and watching their church grow.