Doug Fields

With over 25 years of experience in youth ministry, Doug Fields has been a pastor to students at Saddleback Church in Mission Viejo, California since 1992. He is a respected youth leader and Bible teacher with a passion for reaching today’s youth as well as meeting the many unique needs of youth workers.

As the President of Simply Youth Ministry, Doug seeks to help other youth workers by providing them with vital resources for their ministries. Understanding the demands of working in youth ministry, he provides materials and products that will simplify and save time for youth workers.

Doug is also a member of the Youth Specialties National Resource Seminar team and is involved in the training of youth workers in the US. He speaks at Youth Specialties events around the country.

With an M.Div from Fuller Theological Seminary, Doug has authored or co-authored more than 40 books. His highly acclaimed book Purpose Driven Youth Ministry, has altered the course of youth ministry. Other books he has written include Help! I'm a Student Leader and Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry.

Doug lives with his wife and children in California.

Doug Fields “Unplugged”

Our team has spent the past few years with Doug on various youth ministry projects. Recently, we spent some time asking him a few questions about being a youth pastor and working with teenagers. You can hear more of Doug’s thoughts on one of the video resources at the right.

What is one of the things you enjoy most about being a youth pastor?

Doug Fields: One of the true joys of my life as a youth pastor is to look students in the eyes and say, ‘congratulations, you are gifted…you’re gifted in a way that God hasn’t gifted me. I believe that one of the things that God wants us to do is take our gifts whatever they might be and use it to God’s glory…when teenagers understand this idea that they are gifted, they don’t have to wait to be the church of the future…they are the church of today. I wish there were more students in my ministry that would step up and say I’m gifted I’d like to do that or I’d like to not waste my life.

How do you encourage your students to have an impact?

Doug Fields: I think one of the greatest ways that Christian teenagers can impact the world is by serving. I tell the students in my ministry that you’re never more like Jesus than when you serve. Jesus said that he came not to be served but to serve…and we can give our lives in a serving way.

How do you encourage adults to be an example to today’s youth?

Doug Fields: I think one of the greatest things that you can do for the kids in your church is to let them see that you’re real and that you do struggle…you missed a house payment and that brought all this chaos and you’re struggling in your job…this Christian life is a journey…you are a little bit further ahead than they are.

How do you deal with kids in your youth group who struggle to fit in?

Doug Fields: I see people all the time that don’t fit in…they’re lonely and it breaks my heart. I also see a lot of people who give the illusion that they’re fitting in. They may be in a crowd, but they’re still lonely. What I would say to anybody who’s trying to fit in is don’t compromise who you are, be the person that God has created you to be. Look for opportunities to get involved. There are some cliques in our ministry and some kids that don’t fit in. But when they get involved in a project whether it be running the sound or doing the media…all the sudden they have something to do and they’re serving together. That common task brings them together with other people like themselves.