Frontal Lobe Phobia

by | Sep 25, 2026

For years, I’ve heard people say that the minds of men––particularly the “frontal lobe” of the brain––does not develop as fast as those of women and is not fully developed until a man is 25. The implications of this suggest that a man can’t fully use his noggin until he’s 25, so it is sometimes best not to make big decisions until then.1

Whether or not frontal lobe has anything to do with it, modern men are delaying in life. They’re delaying moving out of the house. They’re delaying starting a career. They’re delaying getting married. They’re delaying having kids. One of the prevailing mindsets in this generation is contained in one word: “Wait.”2

I believe this mindset has crept into the ministry as well, particularly related to being a pastor. The Lord calls a man to preach, and if the pastor and church affirms this man’s call, he may be encouraged to go to Bible college. Then, he’s pushed towards seminary. Once he graduates, he’s guided by mentors to join a church staff or pursue an internship. While each of these components is valuable (this is an article on a seminary website!), the focus on preparation apart from practice just increases the delay. Thus, I would like to offer some reminders in thinking about serving the Lord as a pastor and starting while young.

Youthfulness is Valuable

1 Timothy 4:12 states it most clearly: “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” People can debate how old Timothy was when Paul gave him these instructions, but if the Lord wanted us to know the age He would have included it. Rather, He inspired Paul to write about “youthfulness.” Timothy’s youthfulness was not something to be looked down upon or to restrict him from serving, but instead it was meant to be an example. Before this, when discussing the qualifications of a pastor, Paul did not address the age of a person’s life but the nearness of their conversion (“He must not be a recent convert,” 1 Timothy 3:6). Spiritual maturity can be developed by a young man who will heed the commands to devote himself to the Word (1 Timothy 4:15–16). God, by His Spirit, equips men with supernatural gifts, regardless of age, and those gifts need to be used!

I thank the Lord that He called me to preach at a young age, and I praise the Lord that there were men who encouraged me and gave me opportunities to preach at the age of 16. By my senior year of high school, the Lord allowed me to preach in local churches a majority of Sundays, as well as preaching at the nearby nursing home. The summer I graduated high school I became the interim pastor of my home church, and at 19 I officially became the pastor. Did I do everything perfectly? Nope. Was I fully ready? I will never claim to be. But I knew the Lord called me to preach, I loved His Word, and I was ready to serve His church. When I fully surrendered, He was gracious to allow me to serve as a pastor even at that young age.

The truth of the matter is that you’ll never be ready, and if you wait until you are, then you’ll die waiting. Some people need to wait to start pastoring, but there are some men who are comfortable where they are and need to get after what the Lord has called them to! This claim will face all kinds of objections. Everybody’s story is not the same. I’m not trying to say they are. Rather, I want to encourage men called by God to actually go do what God’s called them to do. And there’s a reason for this.

There is One Life to Live

As C.T. Studd is attributed with saying, “Only one life twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” You’ve got one life to live. James reminds us in James 4:14 that the life we have is like a vapor. It’s here one moment, and then it’s gone. If we’re honest, we don’t have time to wait. There are souls to be saved, sermons to be preached, and churches to be served. Why wait?

Join the prayer of the psalmist in Psalm 90:12, “So, teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” If God has called you, yes, preparation is valuable. Some of the best preparation, however, is found in the “school of hard knocks.” There are things you will never learn until you throw yourself into the practice of pastoral ministry. You’ve got one life to live. Use it all for serving the Lord.

The Church Needs More Laborers

Timothy was instructed to equip other men as a young man himself (1 Timothy 2:2). You might be reading this as a pastor, and you need to take on the responsibility of praying and raising up other men to shepherd the flock of God. You may be one who is called to preach and have benefited from mentorship. Devote yourself to serving the Lord, and don’t forget to do what others have done for you.

Part of the work of the Caskey Center in strengthening church health is addressing pastoral shortages. Thousands of churches in our nation are like sheep without a shepherd. Pastors are quitting each year, whether it be due to the stress of the position or moral failings. The Church needs more pastors. Pray to the Lord of the harvest to raise up men to serve His Church from now until He comes (Luke 10:2).

Young men, mature in Christ, put your hand to the plow, and don’t look back.

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3621648/.
2. David Alan Black addressed this issue in 1999 with his work, The Myth of Adolescence: Raising Responsible Children in an Irresponsible Society.

Jakob Harris

Jakob is the Pastor of First Baptist Church Pearl River, LA and a current PhD student in Biblical Exposition. He is married to Abby, and they have two daughters.