Mr Libbon sent this link out which I recieved just in time to use to introduce a seminar on building community in youth groups. It is rather stunning to read the thoughts of a 17 year old looking for substance in youth group but not finding it. What do you think?
http://firecracker8489.blogs.com/blog/2006/08/why_ive_given_u.html
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Exciting blog – and dead on. Mostly.
Especially read all the YM comments below. So many of us are frustrated that things aren’t moving faster and kids aren’t growing deeper. And then one girl or guy walks in with this amazing passion – I get so excited. Maybe she can make a difference in this group. But she gets bummed out and leaves before even learning people’s names.
I’ve seen this a half dozen times. That’s one reason I use worship songs and prayer time. I encourage Bible use and praise reports. But, in my overall ministry, I keep it mixed up.
Why? Not every kid is like every other kid. Not every kid is in the same spiritual place. To some, they need memory verses. Others need ministries to run. Others need to have the guts to say their first prayer out loud. Others will never come into the door, it’s too risky.
I would love to drop everything and just have hard-core Bible study and active ministry all the time. But God didn’t me that group this year. This year I have a variety of needs, and I have to prayerfully keep my eye on many balls at once.
This leads me to an interesting observation. I don’t put too much trust in process. In YM we seem to spend a lot of time talking about the shape of ministry – the how’s. Is it entertainment? Is it emergent? Is it community? But I find if I focus on the why’s – the goals and results – then I am more clearly thinking. My goal is to see every kid grow somehow in their faith this year. My desire is to have a group that is truly becoming a Christian community. Some might run a Bible study or small group. Others, might just make it to actually answering a serious question once.
I feel for this girl. But I also feel for her youth pastor. He has 100 other needs to juggle. What I tell my kids who start talking like this is “Hooray! You are ready to get out of your diapers! Time to stop thinking about what minister’s to you – BUT now how can you minister to others.”
Now the real juggling begins!
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