So I came across the book, reTHiNK (is student ministry working?) by Steve Wright on the recommendation of a friend. Have you seen it? I think it is worth considering. It is a book that has gotten me thinking about new approaches and new priorities in the field of ministry to adolescence. His basic premise - those in youth ministry must rethink about the values and priorities of youth ministry because our current way or approach in ministering to teens is fundamentally flawed. His prescription: create a true church/parent partnership for the purpose of spiritually impacting young people (ala Deuteronomy 6)

In this portion of my review I want to focus on what I think Wright has done well.

1. He has raised a fair argument to suggest that youth ministry and it’s current dominant models of attractional evangelism, event oriented programs, and being an alternative to secular society aren’t working (as seen through numerous studies.) He also shows that youth workers are not adequately trained or prepared to carry out the demands that the current dominant models of youth ministry (as seen through studies that suggest youth worker retention, satisfaction and health are poor).

2. Wright does a good job identifying and evaluating the current values that inform the dominant models of youth ministry operating in the Evangelical Church of the West. He then offers alternatives. Here I think Wright is at his strongest. He suggests the following values as a correction:

moving from separation from parents to partnership

moving from student ministry to student development

moving from cultural relevance to biblical faithfulness

moving from internalized ministry to championing the church

Now - to be fair Wright sets these up as “either/or” options. Which probably is not realistic in every case. And the terminology does need some explanation - but here is my perspective (probably diverting a bit from Wright) on his 4 youth ministry values (revalued):

Family Ministry - a reframing of our purpose to embracing the whole family unit

Spiritual Formation - we must reconsider our role moving from program directors and communication specialists to spiritual directors and mentors who accompany youth through life.

Immersing Teens INTO the Story - adolescents don’t need bleeding edge technology (they may want it or it may be hip initially) what they are looking for ultimately is a story or narrative that makes sense of their past, present and future. Young people need to find an embracing epic that inspires, informs and is worthy of their investment. What students need is what we all need - not facts, figures, and statistics about the Bible - what we need is to be read by the Bible, to be immersed, caught up in, to find ourselves in the story.

Youth Ministry as a ministry OF the Church - no more is youth ministry done in isolation in the church. Youth ministry must be integrated into the life of the church allowing for a natural process of intergenerational ministry; mentoring; “on-the-job” training; and real-life experience of the ways, joys, and struggles of Christ’s Church. Young people need to both give and receive as vital members of the church - youth ministers need to be advocates for integrating young people into the life and ministry of the church.

To be fair, I am not sure if I have fairly represented Wright’s values in the four points above. But after reading the book and reflecting on it - this is my “reTHiNk.” What do you think?

So the first 1/3 or so of this book is what I have presented - Wright’s research on the dominant models of youth ministry (they aren’t working) and a revaluing of what youth ministry should be about. I think much of what he suggests in this part of his book is worthy of consideration. The book is a helpful read for this alone. His remodeling of youth ministry follows over the remainder of the book (I have mixed feelings about it) and I will look at that tomorrow.

The Association of Youth Ministry Educators published a study back in 2002 and I just stumbled across it. It would be terrific for someone to follow up and see if the findings are still true. They measured a ton of stuff among active and former youth workers - studying length of tenure in youth ministry locations; age when a person began the ministry; salary information; as well as satisfaction or “well-being” in a number of categories.

The issue that jumped out at me for obvious reasons was, most former youth workers (over 70%) reported that their relationship with God improved dramatically upon leaving full-time youth work.

That should tell us something.

It seems to me that the current or dominant models of “doing” youth ministry are not healthy for those who are carrying it out. Or the majority of those who are carrying out the dominant models of youth ministry are employing the current ministry models in a fashion that is detrimental to their spiritual health.

Something needs to change. This is unacceptable.

It is an older study - but I have a hunch based solely on my own anecdotal evidence gathered over many breakfasts and lunches with youth workers over the past few years - and I bet a new study would find very similar findings.

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ADDENDUM - by the way my own experience reinforces the findings of this study.

Ministry can be a deceptive thing. We can begin to do ministry as a big fish in a small pond mentality pretty quickly (starting to think ministry is about us - rather than the bigger picture of being a small part of God’s grand epic - the unfolding and revealing of God’s Kingdom). We can begin to have poor motives - ambition; success mentality and using people to forward our own agenda can all start to seep in and get mixed into our “ministry approach.”

So how do we avoid or at least attempt to keep our motives and ministry approaches fresh and pure? Regular time away with God and laying our motives before Him can be a great practice. Another simple practice is inviting a trusted friend who knows you and your ministry for feedback providing us another perspective on how we are doing. It takes rigorous discipline and some uncomfortable practices to serve God well and according to His will and way.

In that spirit here are 10 questions that could help in revealing and correcting our motives that can cloud and corrupt our best ministry.

Ten Questions: Ministry
By Craig Groeschel

1. Is our vision so big that we obviously can’t accomplish it without God?

2. Am I doing ministry from memory or from fresh direction from God?

3. What ministry (or program or meeting) has lost its effectiveness and should be stopped?

4. Is there a person who needs to be moved to another role (or removed), and I haven’t done it?

5. What faith risk is God calling me to take?

6. Have I repented to my team at least once in the last year for a failure in leadership?

7. Have I done everything in my power to make sure my team is living without unconfessed sin?

8. Am I expressing love and care for my team members’ families?

9. Am I living with delayed obedience toward God in any area of leadership?

10. Is Jesus my sole motivation for ministry or has my motivation become clouded?

My family’s calendar is probably one of the most important documents in our home. Before things are scheduled; before answers are given; before money is spent - the calendar is consulted. What is already on our family agenda? Who is already committed?

You get the picture. I bet you can relate - as well!

Our agenda’s and the agenda’s of others converge and make for the need to schedule, plan, look ahead, budget, make decisions, weigh options and create deadlines. We live by schedules - daily plans, weekly schedules and monthly and yearly calendars - and we try to balance a life of activity that too easily can spiral out of control with planned activities (trying to fit more and more into an unforgiving, inflexible, 24 hour day, 7 day week and 365 day year).

Enter the interruption.

The unexpected guest, the unscheduled “drop-in,” the knock at the door (”who could that be?”), the ringing phone, the “can we slide that appointment up?” How do we respond to the immediate need or interrupting visitor impinging on our well-planned agenda?

Jesus never met an interruption. It seems every intrusion (whether a Samaritan Woman crowding into a quiet moment by a well or a sick woman latching on to his garment holding him up for an important appointment) was welcomed not as an interruption but as an appointment - a divine intervention. Jesus’ agenda was always submissive to the Father’s agenda.

This kind of perspective is so foreign to me (and also our culture) where efficiency and effectiveness are the measures of all things successful and “right.”

“The effectiveness of work increases according to geometric progression if there are no interruptions.”
- Andre’ Marois

As I look back these past couple weeks it seems that the lesson and the pattern of my life has been - welcome the interruption as an in-breaking of God’s agenda. As I have been open to this and surrendered my calendar and agenda (and wishes and hopes) to the serendipity of God’s timing (interruptions) it has been amazing the conversations, opportunities and even accomplishments that have ensued. Long standing plans have delayed to open up an opportunity to serve a friend and organization; a knock at a door opens to a neighbor needing to talk; working in the barn is interrupted by another lonely neighbor; a “last minute” e-mail invites me to speak to my favorite youth ministry… and so it goes?

How open am I to this? Well, truth be told I like to know what I am doing and when… but I am learning God calls us to live by faith, not certainty.

I still cringe at the interruption - so I am praying, “God open my eyes to see you in the now. May I be willing to embrace your interventions and appointments that come my way.”

“Interruptions can be viewed as sources of irritation or opportunities for service, as moments lost or experience gained, as time wasted or horizons widened. They can annoy us or enrich us, get under our skin or give us a shot in the arm. Monopolize our minutes or spice our schedules, depending on our attitude toward them.”
- William Arthur Ward

I think the concept of helping people immerse themselves into the biblical story is one that we can’t take too seriously. I believe it takes time, energy, creativity and engaging the five senses to really begin to understand and perceive the mystery and the magnitude of what scripture is conveying then and now. It takes more than one step to move from revelation to application. To move from “what it says” to “so what” demands more than just a casual thought - and more than a single step.

How can we engage ourselves and others in the scriptures so that we capture the flow, the time, the issues, the heart, the emotion, the force and the tension that is present throughout the story of God and His people? I think at the heart of the question is the idea of how do we begin to “embody God’s word?” How do enter in and join in the unfolding narrative?

It is easier asked then answered. I think those involved with teaching and desiring to see people formed by the pages of scripture have been asking this for a long time. I know that there is no easy one-size-fits-all answer. Different learning styles, differing abilities, and differing needs of people means that we must have an assortment and variety of tools and strategies to capture the attention of students.

Well, I don’t intend to solve this problem in a blog post, don’t worry! But I hope we will work at attempting to be creative and be willing to take risks to help people get closer and more personally engaged (in a multi-sensory way) with God and the words that He has provided.

A few years ago I developed an experience designed to help students walk through the life of Jesus. It was an attempt to help students become familiar with key events of the life of Jesus and to move through His life devotionally. Through 13 scenes the participant focuses on His coming and on the final days of His life. It is an active process where I envision groups physically walking through the “scenes” in a manner similar to the Stations of the Cross. It is meant to be done with each station lasting on average of no more than 5 minutes so that you can complete the experience in a little more than an hour… or take a bit more time and complete it in two 35-40 minute sessions (you could divide it fairly neatly between the “Public Teaching of Jesus” and “The Lord’s Supper”). You could also use this effectively on a retreat where you were teaching on the life of Jesus… well there are many different scenarios - check it out and see if you can use it.

It is just sitting around collecting dust - read it; change it; use it; toss it; just download it! I only ask that if you use it you send me an email or leave a comment sharing how you used it.

journey-with-jesus.pdf

I have been repeating that six word prayer - as I have, one of the layers that has become exposed is - the is-ness of God. I am sure the following quote has something to do with piquing my awareness.

“The contemplative dimension of the Gospel is Christ’s program for getting acquainted with the Ultimate Reality as it really is, which is “no thing.” “No thing” means no particular thing, whether concept, feeling or bodily experience. God just is — without any limitation. And the way to connect with this “is-ness” is to just be, too.” [Manifesting God by Fr. Thomas Keating p. 2]

By the way - I found a pdf of an article I wrote that appeared in the Sept/Oct ‘07 edition of the Journal of Student Ministries - you can check it out by hitting the downloads tab up above (the newer article is called, “The Disciple As Refuge”).

A good friend and I were discussing the need for good spiritual practices this past weekend (I was speaking and he was leading music for a winter retreat for teenagers). As we were talking around a nice fire on a cold afternoon he reminded me of this old prayer and the value of regularly repeating it from the heart - it could do a world of good.

Hopefully I will follow this sage advice!

A Collect for Purity

Almighty God,
unto whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy Name;
through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

I have been thinking about my own attitudes about life. I have decided that I can be a very selfish individual. We keep a few animals on our property and I will sometimes feel resentful on the inside when their feeding schedule or such interferes with what I would like to do. I think - what an inconvenience to have to stop my activity or change my plans to meet this responsibility (sounds silly just to write it?!)

You see where I am going?

I have come to realize that just as the liturgical year, the liturgy of the hours and other symbols, traditions and ceremonies interfered or interrupted the schedules of those who have gone before us - that God has placed animals and seasons and weather into my life to remind me that I need to submit my wishes, desires, and my schedule to the real Author of the Story. I would love to script my own life - but as a follower of God it is a daily duty and privilege to surrender my will to live within God’s unraveling epic. It is so much easier to think of Christianity as a religion of destination - really concerned more about eternity than the here and now. A convenience that we take care of now to ensure a life in eternity with God (and than go on living our lives).

Clearly this is distortion. While we hear much about eternity in the pages of the Old and New Testament - it is clearly not the intention of the Gospel to merely take care of eternity while we are here on the Earth. I think instead Christianity and the Gospel that Jesus came proclaiming was a message of transformation and restoration which is an intrusion into our lives. A message that screws up and destroys or plans that we might be transformed into people who are fully human as we cooperate with God’s will, in the here and now.

How are we approaching our lives? Or better asked, what am I laying down that I might pick up the cross, surrendering to the Author of the Story?

Gotta run - a dog is needing to go out.

Sunday had a wonderful start - with no real “have to see” programming - I was able to sleep a bit. The general session with folks from my church, Len, & Matt was terrific. There was a comedian who “kicked” the morning off and I have to admit it had me chuckling! They had a “stage in the round” that was used very effectively throughout the week. And video screens galore to give everyone a feeling of a front row seat. One thing that is really unfortunate meeting in convention centers… there is no slope. So line of sight to the main stage was always tedious at best for this 5 foot 10 inch guy.

Jeff Johnson (with two violins and a bassoon) put together a reflective and meaningful set of worship for getting the session going. The art work that supported the Taize’, Celtic and Traditional hymns and chants was so powerful. The beauty was almost overwhelming. But the pacing/progression of music, prayer, silence and singing definitely drew me into a place where I was able to rest before God.

The general session speaker was Doug Fields (on the big screen Matt and I thought he definitely resembled John Elway - anyone else catch that?). He spoke on envy and did a great contrast between our tendency for envy (like the brothers of Joseph) exemplified by the multi-colored coat and the way that God see’s us exemplified by those dressed in white robes in Revelation 3. A helpful and healthy reminder.

The session closed with Crowder. That is almost enough said, but a couple observations. Can anyone grab a crowd quicker than this guy? Crowder is able to move from fun to intense focus on the things of God effortlessly, authentically and immediately. Remedy live is glorious. The band is TIGHT - every time I see them I go away thinking, not only are they unique and presenting great songs… there musicianship is quite good. Final thought - the NFL Fox theme… great encore!

After a quick bite - Chris, Matt and I got the room set up for Chris’ final seminar. A good crowd who I think enjoyed themselves. It was much more of a “presentation.” Good stuff on “Living, Loving and Leading in the Way of Jesus.” The crowd liked “free stuff” (everyone signed up for free goodies to show up in their in-box).

Enough NYWC - I was at my limit. So… Matt and I watched the NFL for far too long. It was great (Chris joined us after some of his final obligations)… we ate, laughed and I reminded everyone that the Bucs had won (31 to 7) down the street at the Georgia Dome!!

Wonderful day.

Saturday was a wonderful day! It started early as I attended Dave Ambrose’s seminar - “What Monks Can Teach Us.” It was a fun and helpful seminar that looked at both contemplative AND activist approaches to developing our spirituality. It was a good mix of both helpful content and interactive learning experiences.

Next was general session 3. All I can say is wow. Phyliss Tickle was someone I was really looking forward to hearing. Did she ever deliver. Amazing. This 80 (oops 72, thanks Heidi) year old woman came out and shared a “map” of the way in which Christendom has responded to the upheaval and revolutions that have rocked our world every 500 years (from the fall of Jerusalem, the fall of Rome, the great schism, the great reformation and now the great emergence). It was jaw dropping. It deserves a bit or reflection before I post anymore.

After a time of laughter with friends and some new friends. I attended Folmsbee’s super seminar, Story, Signs, and Sacred Rhythms (it was a real introduction to what SonLife is all about). It presents a helpful system or process by which to approach our ministry to youth theologically. It was a great group of folks who seemed to be engaged, asked good questions, and participated enthusiastically. Chris involved Matt and I by letting folks know we could field questions, etc. So, I had a couple of fun conversations with those who were there. (I also got to meet Josh!)

The evening was great! Wonderful conversations, laughter, refreshment, and just a great time with great people. (Riddle, Matt, Darian, Len, Josh, Chris, et. al.)