When I talk with youth workers I have been known to ask, “If you had to say what most signifies the ministry to youth in your local church would you say it is a calendar or a cloud?” Most of the time that question gets a pretty confused look as the first response. If I push most say, “A calendar.” But in a way you know that they know that isn’t the “right answer.”

I would say that the youth ministry I help right now - the most important document (well besides the Bible) is the monthly calendar. We ensure it gets published and well circulated. We refer to it. We live by it. We plan it far in advance. We try to fill it with variety. We try to fill it… cause it stares at us and asks, “what are we going to do.”

The tyranny of the calendar. The nagging question, “what are we going to do?” Well, events and meetings are important no doubt, but in time what happens more than we would like to think - is filling the calendar becomes an end in itself. The calendar driving our ministry… acting as the brain of our ministry… dictating our direction, energy and future.

Clouds aren’t so predictable. Just ask the weatherman! They are dictated by a complex system of tides, pressure, and humidity levels (among other things I am sure). Clouds in the Bible also remind us of the mystery and presence of God. I wonder what our ministry would look like if we allowed the cloud to be the predominant metaphor and representation/symbol of our ministries. Rather than mechanistic clocks and predictable calendars dictating our wheres and when-fores… what if the mystery of God would truly chart the course of when, where, and why we met. (now I know this is what we are all after - but HOW DO WE GET THERE?)

Are we led by God merely by an openning prayer before we meet with our volunteer and student leaders when we plan the calendar? Are we led by God when we ask him to bless our plans? I am sure that this is part of it… but does being moved by a cloud rather than a calendar necissitate a more radical departure from our 21st century way of life and event planning?

What represents your ministry to youth in your local church - clocks & calendars or clouds?

Some more thoughts on clouds in Part II… when the tides, humidity and pressure do there thing.