1 Week Down, 3 To Go…

In youth ministry, every trip has a certain appeal.  The Canada mission trip next week is going to be quite strenuous and equally rewarding.  NYG is exhausting and ridiculously expensive.  All overnighters are straight from hell.  And Junior High Camp in Colorado is FUN!!!

It’s bittersweet to be sitting on the floor in our living room (somewhat ridiculous in itself that I still don’t always use the furniture), but I’m not yet ready to get camp out of my system…hence waking up at my conditioned 6:00am to get a warm shower turned into blogging as the sun pours through the blinds.  Today, I miss Colorado.  I don’t walk out to a brisk sunrise over the evergreen and red rock covered mountains.  Instead, I’ve got a window with a bush and an oak tree.

The scenery is spectacular at the Circle K Ranch outside of Delores, Colorado where we have held our camp for the past 30 years.  In this serene valley which has non cellular reception, it’s easy to be aware of the God of the universe.  Like every year, there are certain themes that protrude and happenings that occur to make each year memorable.  Here’s the rundown:

• “I wanna go home…I don’t wanna leave” syndrome – Homesickness seemed to be rampant among our incoming 7th grade girls through Tuesday.  They all wanted to go home and pulled a 180 by Thursday morning.  I learned a lot about their families this week.
• Boundaries honored – This group of 19 was the most enjoyable group I have ever taken anywhere.  They respected the boundaries set and backed off when they crossed. 
• Meredith the youth counselor - Against her strongest efforts, Meredith has become a youth leader.  The girls love her and always look to her for help, advice, and encouragement.  She is their number one!
• “We want sleep”- Our kids didn’t just go to bed on time, they were begging to go to bed 30 minutes before lights out.  It gets even stranger when you consider they every bunkhouse in the entire camp followed suit.  Weird, huh?
• Medics and Biffers - Any game that allows counselors to hit kids withsocks filled with flour is awesome!  It feels like a ridiculous “This is Sportscenter” commercial.  “Get up kid…you’re mom signed the waiver!”
• God is always present - Kids praying, forgiving one another, and showing the grace of Christ is one of the greatest sights in all the world.  Just speechless!
• Breakouts are good – Meredith did a breakout about her battles with anorexia and I spoke about pornography.  Combined with 8 others, breakout sessions were definitely a high point of learning for students as we discussed some very relevant and somewhat uncomfortable topics.
• Counselors always have the most fun! – One of the reason I love this camp is so enjoyable is that I get to work alongside my friends for a week doing what we all love.  Ministry is even better when done alongside friends.

Grandness Straight Ahead

Bring it, summer!

I’m better prepared for summer this year than I ever before.  Youth trips planned…check.  Transportation for youth…check.  Personal vacation…double check.

I’m really excited for this summer.  We are taking our largest group ever to junior high camp and it’s just a great group of kids who love being together and having a great time.  We leave next Sunday and return 5 days later.  Many times we can learn a lot about the kids we work with by spending some time with their parents.  Well if this holds, true I’m really looking forward to working with this group considering nearly every parent I asked jumped at the chance to help drive…one who could because of a medical issue even offered to pay for gas!  There are good years ahead here.

3 days after our return to Yuma, we (Meredith and I) will be hitting the road.  We are going to Napa Valley for a friend’s wedding/vacation with parents with stops along the way to see two great friends from our past.  We will also get to visit the camp that I worked at for a summer during college.  It will be great to rekindle some old memories from the Santa Cruz area.  A trip to the Bay Area is always great…this is one of our favorite spots in the country.  There are so many different cultures, artists, and historical sites.  And most importantly, there is a plethora of fantastic food!  (Yeah, I’m a food snob)

Upon our second arrival back in Yuma in less than 2 weeks, we will turn around and depart the following morning for seperate destinations.  I’m headed to Washington on my way with a group of senior high students for our annual Canada Mission Trip.  Meredith is headed to St. Louis and eventually Chicago to see her family and her best friend since childhood.  Exactly 2 weeks later, we will rendezvous at no other than PHX Sky Harbor (baggage system from hell) Airport.

By that point it will be August 22nd and school is just a few weeks away!

TMZ Churchworkers

Working in the church adds new oddities to your life.

Today the church is blessed with an abundance of written and electonic communication (some of which is quite useful).  There are books widely available to the public on every conceivable topic.  Websites and blogs dedicated to the betterment of the Body of Christ.  And of course, conferences for everything!  Personally, I can’t keep up with everything and don’t have the time or desire to dedicate.

Have you ever been at a ministry conference and been talking to a colleague that can’t answer simple questions about their own ministry beyond their running numbers, but can tell you everything about Saddleback, Willow Creek, Northpointe, Lakewood, Mars Hill, (insert mega-church of choice here), etc?  How often does your discussion center around what other churches are doing and becoming without taking a serious and honest look at your our church?  Both of these situations have happened to me and both lead me to cringe.

The connectivity and networking available to us today has some great benefits and allows us endless amounts of information and data at our disposal.  That is geat!  But it also gives us access to information that breeds envy, slander, jealousy, and contempt.  Who of us hasn’t been jealous that someone else’s group is growing while our group holds in stagnation?  Who hasn’t frequented the website of another youth ministry just to see what they are doing?  Have you ever been pissed off at God because the place you’re at and the people that surround you aren’t focused on Christ as you desire?  Or designated some churches as the best places to be while ignoring the call God has given you to serve at the place you are right now?  What about envying a younger worker because they get to work with staff that you like better than the one you work with everyday?  Ever been more interested in another church’s ministries than your own?

I know I could answer “yes” to every one of those question at some point in my ministry career.  It pathetically sinful and embarassing.  I have to continually remind myself that God has called me here to preach his “good news” to these people at this place at this time.

I’m reminded of this when I look at the epistles that Paul wrote to the different churches.  Each of the letters while proclaiming the basic truths of scripture and Christ, also speaks to the issues of each congregation.  It reminds me of how there is a struggle with sin everywhere.  It reminds me that we are all united in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It also brings my focus back to Jesus and the Holy Spirit’s work in the people surrounding me right now and reminds me that my focus needs to be in line with my location.

It’s so easy to be more interested in the ministries of other churchworkers.  I think this is true because it allows me the ability to avoid shining the light on myself and exposing the brokenness that is in my midst and my own ministry.  It encourages me to be lazy and ignore the call to serve.

In Colossians, Paul instructs the people to set their eyes on higher things.  To be united in the power of the gospel and focused on the unique call we have received to serve.  May we continue to have more fervor for our calling to ministry rather than the ministry of others as sin continues to manifest itself in all our advances in communications and technologies.

 

Senior Anointing

This year, we have 6 seniors graduating that I know personally (along with another half-dozen on the list that I’ve never met).  Every May, we have a time of prayer know as Senior Anointing.  This is one of my favorite events of the year because it brings parents, siblings, and students together in prayer.  It’s indescribable to hear the prayers of a parents intermittent with tears bestowed upon a child who is no longer a child.

My initial count of 4 seniors in attendance quickly dwindled in half hours before as 2 students couldn’t “work it in” to their schedule.  My anxiety grew as failure seemed imminent.  The only place 2 for 6 seems to be worthy is a baseball diamond.  But finally the time came.  The 2 seniors showed up promptly and were ready for this event they had heard me rave about for weeks.

After a few minutes of conversation and many quick glances toward the doors in hope of more people, they opened.  One of the adult Bible studies that met on Sunday evening decided to bring their group.  After a few more moments, the narthex was filled with 20 adults and 2 graduating seniors.  At 7 minutes past 7:00, it was time to get started.

Everyone filed through the doors and sat in the front rows of our darkened sancutary lit only be the rays of the remnant sun pertruding the stained glass (yes, 2 very un-Lutheran things at once).  After a few minutes of welcoming everyone and explaining exactly what we were doing, we began with some slides with various passages paired to ambient music (see Explosions In The Sky).

Next came the prayer.  This is the part of this event that I have no control over (something I prefer to avoid).  When it comes to prayer, all the power comes from the Holy Spirit giving people the words to speak.  We started with our first senior and surrounded her placing our hands on her.  Twenty-five minutes later, “Amen” was proclaimed.  We rose and moved over to our next senior and placed our hands on him and began with “Father…”.  Another thirty minutes went by before we rose.  Then as a group, we circled up and began to pray for all of the seniors who were not present.  Twenty minutes passed before hands released and eyes opened.

This was an unforgettable evening for everyone.  The seniors were overwhelmed with the love, care, and support that this group of redeemed sinners had for them.  The group, which was comprised of parents, teachers, and many people who had no relationship to the graduating seniors other than they love Jesus, was also overcome with the power of the Holy Spirit to bind people together in the name of Jesus Christ.  Besides the prayers that lasted for over an hour, there was a community formed and revived between the people present.  Tears, memories, and emotions filled the words of all who spoke and it was good.  God was there (and we knew it). 

Numerical Satisfaction

One of the mantras of youth ministry is to avoid the numbers game.  I generally do a good job of placing my focus on the spiritual growth of students, but it’s hard to ignore such quantitative data.  While numbers aren’t the end all and be all, they many times are quite indicative of the truth.  My ignorance of numbers and statistics are much more intense when I know my groups aren’t growing (numerically, emotionally, and spiritually) as quickly or deeply as I would hope.

Honestly, the numbers game has been a brutal one for me in my first couple years.  If numbers were everything, I would be a miserable failure.  After surviving quite a few challenges from some very opinionated parents and students, I’m in a good place.  Not only have I adapted to the culture of the community I dwell, but they have adapted to my values, standards, and dreams for youth ministry.

In light of churches’ obsession with numbers, it seems the numbers are starting to follow my vision for youth ministry.

• Last year we took 11 students to our junior high summer camp.  This year we have 18 registered.  A 64% increase.
• Junior High Nite (JHN) is steady at 25-30 7th and 8th graders.  Next year, we are planning for 35-40 with larger class sizes in our school.  A 40% increase.
• Our Senior High group consists of 8 freshmen and sophomores.  Next year we will have 15-20.  Over a 100% increase.

These numbers aren’t everything and they certainly won’t be the force behind the continued growth of our youth ministry, but they are encouraging.  In the lonely world of youth ministry, such encouragement and hope is all we need to keep on going.  And that’s where I find myself today…satisfied with the hope for next year and beyond.

Anger Issues

Anger expressed through frustration seems to be a common theme in my life at this time of year.  As school projects and test take center stage, youth ministry seems to go into the orchestra pit of priorities for students and parents.  Attendance wanes and nobody seems to care nearly as much about junior high summer camp as I do.  Stage right of the lack of participation, I begin looking to next school year and dread the job of replacing some excellent adult leaders who are stepping down for a variety of reasons.  And stage left, I’m reaching a point of exhaustion and fatigue after another very busy spring semester.

Yesterday I was feeling all of that anger.  At 1:21pm, I left the office to go read at a local coffee shop.

I started paging through the prophets and before I knew it, I was at Jonah (the one book I wanted to avoid).  One of the downfalls of being a theology buff is that I know the places to avoid in the Bible as well as where to look concerning my current situation.  I sank because I knew the truth of God’s Word was staring straight at me.  All I could do was submit.

But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry.  He prayed to the Lord, “O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still at home?  That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish.  I knew that you are a gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.”  – Jonah 4:1-2

There was no escaping the truth that these words spoke about the condition of my heart.  I can certainly identify with Jonah and the brother of the “Prodigal Son” (who was enraged with the same anger).  It would be just fine with me if we stopped with those two verses and my complaints were heard, but unfortunately that’s not where this ends.

But the Lord replied, “Have you any right to be angry?”  – Jonah 4:4

This is a dangerous question to ask an angry man, because nothing will piss him off more than having his expressions examined.  I often believe that my anger is justified for the simple matter that I feel it.  The fact that I’ve been hurt by someone or something.  There may be some more complex explanations of this, but in the end it comes back to the narcissism that I too often allow to guide me.

There is a moment at the end of John when Peter is reinstated.  You know the one where Jesus tells him “Feed my lambs” and explains how his life is going to play out (tangent alert!  how terrifying would it be to have Jesus telling you how your life is going to go in the future?  tangent complete).  As Jesus shares this with him, he notices John (the disciple who Jesus loved) out of the corner of his eye and asks Jesus about his future.

Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?  You must follow me.”  – John 21:22

When I find myself angry, I need to follow Jesus’ advice and focus on myself before others when searching for the cause.  If my anger is justified because I feel it, I need to ask more questions of myself, not others.

Unforgettable Youth Ministry Moments

I left the office early yesterday afternoon after our weekly staff meeting to head home for some rest as I had woken up at 1:37am the previous night with an unquenchable sore throat and felt exhausted when David Crowder’s “Remedy” (the song set to my alarm on my phone) started playing at 7:00am.  After 6 hours in the office lacking productivity, I realized I could accomplish even more if I was at home in the recliner passing out intermittently during the early Sportscenter (du-nuh-nuh, du-nuh-nuh).  Following my inclinations I found myself in my living room drowsy and hopped up on Clariton and nasal spray.

During one of my intermittent dozes as noted previously, my phone started vibrating and singing Linkin Park’s “Shadow of the Day” (BTW, my affinity for this song makes me feel like the prime target of those cheesy mix stations playing the best of the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s that I loathed in my earlier years).  It was 4:33pm and one of my youth leaders asked how I was feeling.  I told her I’d experienced better shades of livelihood and asked the question “What’s up?”.  She preceded to share with me that one of our students had been in a car accident that look quite terrible after school.  I thanked her for thinking of me, kissed my wife, and headed to the hospital.

The drive was only about 5 minutes and filled more intensely with prayer than erstwhile logged.  Terrifying thoughts ran through my mind as I thought of the possibilities of how this accident had impacted this student.  Were they seriously injured?  Shaken up?  Bruised?  Or God forbid dead?  It was too much to bear as this student is one that I’m very close with and spent countless hours listening, talking, praying, encouraging, mentoring, and all the other things youth ministers do.  God has worked so miraculously in this student’s life so far, it wouldn’t make sense for anything so detrimental to find its way into their life.

I arrived in the waiting room of the emergency room to a group of 6 other students and parents where the mood was quite somber.  After exchanging hugs and handshakes, I asked the obvious question which was most difficult to say.  I asked in a soft murmured voice to one of my guys, “How is she?”  He responded “They are both okay and in good condition.”  I was shocked to learn that there were 2 other people in the car, one a friend, one her younger sister.  I was so thankful and grateful for their safety and couldn’t wait to see them.

After a few minutes, I went back to see the girls.  I saw the sister first and it was great to see a smile on their face.  After the first exchanges of asking about their condition, she asked about my day.  I was so relieved to see there were no injuries beyond the a few minor scrapes and bruises.  I prayed with her, gave a hug, and told her “I love you”.

After 10 minutes with the sister, I went to see the girl I initially heard was in the accident.  I was greeted with a great familiar smile and a hug.  She said she felt fine, but was really shaken up mentally and emotionally.  One of the things I love about this girl is how she thinks of others before herself.  Here she was in a hospital bed telling me that when it happened all she could do was pray for her sister and her friend in the truck next to her.  Hearing this from a relatively new driver makes me love what I do.  We talked, prayed, and shed some tears over the next 15 minutes before I left her to the care of the nurses and doctors.

I love these 2 girls deeply and would do anything for them at a moment’s notice.  I love their family and am so grateful for the opportunity that God has given me to be a part of his plan in their lives.  What is interesting about this whole train of events is that I felt fine from the moment I left the house to moment I returned.  While these girls are amazing and I care for them dearly, he truth is that I have about 50 junior and senior high students I would do the same for in a heartbeat.

After a few hours at the ER, I decided that it would be best for me to go home as it was certain they would be released that evening.  I got a couple burritos from a local taco shop and returned to my sickness.  This morning I feel 110% better (ala Ferris Bueller) after 10 hours of sleep on the couch of all places (Meredith doesn’t want my sickness).

Being “Authentic”

Last fall I was watching TV one evening and came across a show on Travel Channel called No Reservations featuring an older gentlemen (Anthony Bourdain) that simply went to different corners of the globe, ate interesting food, and drank like a coed on spring break while sharing his life narrative.  Fast forward 6 months and I often find myself perusing the TV guide hoping for an episode in the coming hours.  I love watching as he explores cities in ways that normal travel periodicals ignore.  But the real star of the show is the host himself.  His happy-go-lucky, tell-it-like-it-is attitude is always in plain view.  Best of all, he talks to the camera like it’s a good friend enjoying another round of drinks and reminiscing on old memories.

The authenticity and “real”ness that Bourdain brings to No Reservations is the same that is desired in youth ministers.  Everybody wants someone who is like-able, relevant, “cool”, honest, genuine, real, and authentic.  After serving in youth ministry positions for almost 4 years, I’m not fully convinced that authenticity is really as desired as much as liked for the way it reads on a job description.

Authenticity means telling the truth and being who I am.  This is in no way acceptable in the church as I have discovered when it comes staffing.  If it did, my resume would include the following:

• Loves Jesus
• Eats unhealthy
• Loves sports
• Drinks beer
• Enjoys cigars
• Occasionally lazy
• Can be quite critical
• At times selfish
• Loves most people with the exception of Christians who are always “great and happy”

If I actually put included this information on my resume, I would probably wouldn’t have to worry about a second interview.  But in the “Church, Inc.” culture that exists in many of our congregations, being anything less of Jesus makes you unqualified. 

The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (of which I am a member) has a wonderful system for connecting church workers with congregations.  It is dubbed “the call process” and is exactly what it sounds like.  We believe that God calls individual church workers to a specific place for a specific time to do what they were created for in that time.  In many days past before transportation was so efficient, interviews were rarely conducted.  The search team would simply pray over the list of names they had been given by the governing church body and issue a call to ministry for the person as they were led by the Holy Spirit.  That’s it!  They prayed, listened, and followed God.

I sometimes wonder if we have become so interconnected and overloaded with information that we are no longer sensitive to the nudgings of the Holy Spirit in our calling of church workers.  In the search for the “right person” for the job, many search committees ask too much of candidate and too little of God.  And the same is true for many church workers.  In the search for the “right job” we ask too many questions about buildings, budgets, and bodies and too little of our God.  Too often both congregations and church workers are seeking something that has relatively nothing to do with God.

There’s a great saying in the LCMS that “the person does not seek the call, the call seeks the person”.  There is great beauty to this statement that suggests that we are to be authentically about God above all things.  In the discussion of interviewing I often hear comments like “they sound like a great candidate” or “they have great references”.  I can’t wait for someone to say “they don’t sound like they walk with God” or “I didn’t sense the presence of the Holy Spirit in their life”!  Not that those should become the new interview buzz-phrases, but that we would be at the very least authentic to the heart of God that judges the heart rather than appearance.

From church workers, we need to be honest about our own lives.  We aren’t perfect and are fools to try and convince anyone otherwise.  Most of us can’t stand when people gesture and position themselves to appear “great” and “happy” when we are looking.  Why should we expect a different response of anyone else?  Above any of this, we need to seek God’s desire and call for our life.

Churches need to stop looking for the perfect fit or skill set in their workers.  They need to seek the counsel of the Lord.  They need to stop exhausting themselves trying to offer every program that might appeal to everyone without taking into account who is in their midst.  Churches need to understand who they are and what God has called them to do (here’s a hint: it’s not everything the big church down the street is doing).

I think we can learn some things from Mr. Bourdain (other than how to chain-smoke and do jager bombs).  This show successfully appeals to a specific audience because it understands its identity and keeps it at the forefront of production.  We (church workers and churches) are about Christ the risen savior and we are at our best when He remains our focus.

Easter’s Over!!!

For accountants it’s February through March.  For teachers, it’s April and May.  For the unfortunate souls that work in retail, the most wonderful time of the year, December, is the most dreaded.  Many professions have a time of the year that is busier than others.  A period where personal lives, originality, and deep thinking are exchanged for cruising in constant work mode to avoid falling behind.  These are times that we love because of all the progress and work accomplished and we hate because our relationships and personal lives are sacrificed at the aforementioned alter.

For folks who work in the church, that time of year is Easter and Lent (the 40 days leading up to Easter).  During this stretch, multiple worship services, soup suppers, and youth conferences all converge to make this “that” time of the year.  I love Easter and Lent because of the festivities as we await the ultimate celebration (Easter) of Christ’s death, resurrection, and victory of sin, death, and power of the devil (can you tell I teach confirmation?).

During the same period, my energy dwindles and my time with my wife dissipates as I tend to so-dubbed more “important” matters at work.  My writing becomes mundane and patterned sounding more like a text message than something considered worthwhile reading.  My thoughts go from focused, concise, and provoking to bland, monotonous, and unworthy of filling space.

So with that all behind me now, I can move forward with writing that resembles a soufflé rather than mush.  Hallelujah!  Jesus is risen!  Here’s to great writing and fantastic reading!

A New “First”

This past Wednesday marked a “first” in my life.  A few weeks ago when I was golfing with a fellow youth ministry friend, we got to talking about speaking in front of students.  I told him that I didn’t do it normally because of our setup, but had been having an itch to do more speaking.  Seizing the opportunity of having a week off, he quickly informed me that I could speak at their youth service on a Wednesday we didn’t have small groups.

 As I was preparing my message, he told me that I should expect about 90 to 100 kids to show up which I told him would be easy considering I give chapel messages monthly to the 350 kids at our school.  I had some preliminary thoughts about what I thought God wanted me to say, but basically wrote my script during Wednesday afternoon.  My message focused on accountability: why it’s important?, what it does?, and how it works? 

Without getting too deep into the details of the talk, I found something that I really enjoy and would welcome any opportunities to speak in the future.  It’s good to do something you enjoy and have the chance to share the message you’ve been given.