People over Programs

Our middle school ministry has really be exploding lately, as in numerically. Not the violent sort. Its been a tough lesson learned, but over the years I've realized the importance of people over programs. Youth workers/ministers are notorious for pumping up games, pizza, crazy antics, pizza, games, etc. When a huge crowd arrives it may temporarily pump up our ego, but what measurable results are there after its over?

I recently went to a National Day of Prayer gathering in my community and there were three other youth ministers present from churches in my community. One of these peers walked from student to student, talking very briefly with them, and began pitching his upcoming summer camp, handing out flyers and the whole bit. It seemed like he only showed up to partially pray, but mostly to further his ministry’s event.

I’m all for evangelism, and I love summer camp, but it felt like the wrong venue.

I realized that youth ministers (myself included) have a tendency to focus so much on the EVENT that we forget about PEOPLE. If we aren’t careful, we can fall into a sort of evangelical-pharisaical ministry practice, focusing more on “doing” and less on simply “being” with God’s people.

Jesus always focused on the person in a relational sense, and then ministry could flow from that. Flipped the other way, it can quickly become about ego, numbers, and “salvations”. I’m all about seeing students get saved, but I want to do it God’s way, not in a way that has me charging ahead without listening to the Spirit’s guidance.

Ministry is about relationships: our relationship with students, (more importantly) our volunteers relationship with students, and everyone’s relationship with God. If we forget that and focus only on events and flash, our ministries can have the outward appearance of “health” when in reality they will have no longevity, and the discipleship we worked so hard for in the live of teenagers will not carry over into their young adult years.

Its a lot harder to slow down and seek relationships with students over event planning. It takes time, patience, risk (especially if you’re an introvert) and so much more. But it is what God is calling us to do.

God sought us out first for a relationship with us (1 John 4), shouldn’t we seek to do the same with students?

Kingdom Vision doesn't involve "youth getaway" weekends

We just finished up a "retreat" weekend with many of our Clemmons:One youth and youth from Lewisville UMC.  In total, we had 62 youth and adults.  Instead of just "getting away", we spent our Saturday completing eight different mission projects around our city.  We had the fun retreat time at a local camp along with worship in the evenings, but we also did something with what we believe, instead of just talking about it.

The theme of our time together was Kingdom Vision:  What is God's kingdom?  What is hindering you from seeing more of God's Kingdom?  Do you know you are being called to join God's Kingdom? 

I've done this for three years now, and you know what?  Its bigger and better than ever.  They absolutely loved it.  Teenagers have a deep desire to see justice played out in the real world.  They want to be part of the solution.  They really do.  I believe this is far more effective model for discipleship than always "getting away."  They get to see real social and spiritual change in their neighborhoods and immediate communities. 

They aren't just verbally challenged to see God's Kingdom: they are encouraged to go out and SEE it.

Why can't we "get away" while also serving others? Fight the urge to choose between the two.

I put "retreat" in quotes at the top of this post, because I have a problem with exclusively doing youth getaway weekends.  Only doing a youth retreat is ineffective to this postmodern generation, because:

• They are insular
• Many options, like ski trips, are expensive, dangerous, and youth groups are a marketing target with which to turn a profit.  I have a problem with that.  You could argue that ski trips are an outreach to friends.  While true, ski trips are ultimately a dumb waste of time AND money.  Hey, its my blog.   People can, and should, go skiing on their own time.
• Its not effective discipleship:  I'm not sure God wants us to teach teenagers that Christians are always supposed to "get away".  I see Jesus getting away often on his own, as we should as well, but when the sun was up, Jesus was with the people A LOT.   Sometimes we have to push people out of the nest and make them DO STUFF for God.  If we really believe that God is with the poor, and we say we want more of God, than why aren't we spending more time with the poor?  If we say we follow Jesus, why do we want to run the other way, away from the poor, in order to "get away"?

Have I done youth getaway weekends in the past?  Definitely.  Can God use a getaway weekend, like a ski trip?  Of course.  But is it the BEST way to disciple this generation?  Does it possibly teach the ulterior message that we are raising a generation of Christian consumers?  Maybe.  Why risk it?  What do you think?