Revolution

There is a new revolution in youth ministry, a new thinking, a shift in the way that students and student pastors see ministry.  There is a discomfort and a discontent with the way things have been done and will continue to be done unless something changes.  Typically at the end of the year in most youth ministries in most churches we say goodbye to graduating seniors who say goodbye to us and their faith.  They move on to college and they make choices and their choices usually don’t include church, serving the church, serving others or having a faith that is revolutionary.

I lay at wake at night thinking about how to challenge students and make their faith active, transparent and relevant.  How to get students to realize how much potential they can have if they only give it all to God who in return gives them all.  I lay awake wondering if there is something out there that is not being done that needs to be done?   Is there something that can be done better, more efficiently or more effectively?

There is a new book out called Youth Ministry 3.0 by Mark Oestriecher that I am dying to pick up and read.  I have read the reviews and there are of course critics on both sides.  Nobody likes change.  Nobody except for me it seems.  I have never been afraid to stop, remove or change any program, event or idea if it can be done better.  I have never been afraid to think outside the box even though sometimes others don’t understand it.  I strongly believe that our students are the future of the church but I believe even stronger that they are the church now.  I love working at a church that believes that and gives me the freedom to demonstrate that with our teens.

On Mark’s blog he was questioned about discipleship which I am passionate about and have worked years at trying to develop leadership teams that model that in their walk and in their teachings.  I believe we have a great ministry, a healthy ministry and a growing ministry but I also believe we still have room for improvement, namely me.  One of the questions he was asked was:

When youth ministry talks about “discipleship”, what are we talking about precisely?

“Jesus instructed his followers to “go and make disciples.” He didn’t say “go and make converts” (we seem to regularly forget this). A disciple is simply a follower. So, when we talk about discipleship, we’re talking about helping youth become followers of Jesus Christ. This doesn’t just mean a one-time decision. Being a “disciple” of Jesus means living a radical, counter-cultural lifestyle that imitates Christ: a life of grace and love, of caring for the poor, of being passionate about justice, of being people of integrity and humility. Wow! Can you imagine what it would be like to have a whole youth group full of teenagers who fit that description?”

I wonder sometimes if we create programs insted of disciples?  Can you imagine what it would be like to have students who show grace and love?  Who give of their time and their money to care for the poor?  Students who are aware of the issues of this world and believe they can make a difference?  Students who are more concerned about who they are than what they can get?  Students who can own up to their mistakes and learn from them?  Can you imagine that?  I can, and it’s what keeps me going on a regular basis because I believe that is God’s heartbeat.