Long-Term youth ministry

National statistics indicate that the average term a youth pastor stays at a church is 18 months. I am not very good with math, but that appears to be more than one year and less than two.

I hate to do this, but I must ask you these questions?

Are you youth ministry  for a paycheck, for some good ministry experience, or as a “stepping stone” ministry?  Really meaning you can’t get another job as a “real pastor”…so why not youth ministry?

I have had to ask myself these same questions during my time as a youth pastor:

Did I really go into youth ministry for the right reasons?

Am I still in youth ministry for the right reasons?

And by the way…what are the “right” reasons?

Even after serving as a youth pastor at the same church for seven years, I can easily fall into complacency and comfort and stay in youth ministry because it has become “easy” for me.

However, I contend that we all should go into youth ministry (and stay in to) in order to develop real, authentic, and life-long relationships with students.

We should be more about the “youth” than the ministry!

Think about what it says to students for them to experience a new youth pastor every few years?

The statistics mentioned earlier really bother me. Especially now.

Especially since in my ministry, life-change and trust only really starting happening about five years into my time with these students. They too had experienced a number of transitional youth leaders before me.

Especially since we are facing the reality that what really matters and makes a difference to students now more than ever are relationships. The kind of relationships that are genuine, sincere, authentic, and long-lasting.

And to be brutally honest, that is kind of hard to do in a year and a half!

Now, I understand that sometimes change must take place. Often, youth pastors are forced out by external circumstances, pressures, financial worries, and a different calling from God. These can all be very valid reasons to leave.

But I think too many youth pastors use these as lame excuses to leave a difficult situation.

Because after a year or two, youth ministry was not as fun or easy as they thought it would be (they probably read that in some book)

So I say, stick with the students during the messy, confusing, and troubling times of life.

Relationships + Longevity= Transformational Ministry

Celebrate with them through the fun, joyous, and wonderful moments.

See them grow and mature from wacky, 2-minute attention span Middle school kids, to college students, husbands and wives, and future parents.

Remember, our goal should not only be to convert a 15-year-old teenager and get him or her to attend our meetings. Rather, it should be to encourage them to continue following Jesus as adults.

We aim for 40-year-old Christ followers, not just 14-year-old ones.

If you build a ministry around yourself and your personality, then its likely that we you leave, so will your ministry.  But if you build a ministry around a team, the ministry will continue on even if you leave.

David Chow in his book, No More Lone Rangers writes, “Success is more about what happens after students leave the youth ministry than what they do while they’re in the ministry.”  Rather than asking the question, “how many students are in my ministry?”, the question should be, “Where will these students be ten years from now?”

But..will we even be in their lives when they reach that age?

Again, I realize that sometimes you must leave for the betterment of the church or your family or a different calling. I may not be in my current position or church forever either. Although if my calling changes, part of me really hopes to be able to stay at my church so that I can maintain these relationships with my students for years and decades to come.

But, no matter what happens with your career and calling, please stay involved in the lives of your former students. I remember talking to a friend and colleague of mine a few years back as he was heading out to Chicago for a wedding. When I asked whose wedding it is, he informed me it was a former student from his first youth group that he and his wife had stayed in contact with over the years. He had not “officially” been her youth pastor for over 15 years, and he was still invited to her wedding.

Needless to say, that inspired me because that is what youth ministry is all about.

Its about the youth and not the “ministry”.

So even if you don’t stay at your particular church forever, or leave the official title of youth “pastor”, you can and should always been a minister to youth…your former ones. That way, you can be in it for the long haul.

I once heard a youth ministry veteran say that youth ministry only ceases to exist when the relationship stops.

This simply means that as long as we are in relationships with students/young adults, we are still doing youth ministry.  Remember, being a youth pastor is not just a title, but a calling. I firmly believe that this calling can and should continue even when the title disappears or the position morphs into something else.

At my particular church, I think we have done a good job in student ministry up to the college years.  However, we are at a place now where we really have little for the continuing spiritual formation of 18-30 year olds.  These are young men and women who have come up through the youth ministry, but a lack of ongoing mentoring and ministry in their post-YG years can often take away and diminish the growth that occurred while they were under our leadership.

Now, some churches have great young adult pastors and there is a wonderful transition of trust between the youth pastor and young adult pastor.  But what happens when a church does not have that structure in place?  Often, the youth pastor steps in by default to continue that spiritual formation, but is extremely limited due to all the other expectations, demands, and needs of the current students.

Personally, I wrestle with this dilemma, because in my mind, I committed to the spiritual development of specific students (and that must continue well beyond their middle school and high school years).  I did not commit to “middle school students” in general.  To me, bouncing from church to church doing “youth ministry” has very little to do with ministering to actual teenagers.  If I am committed to my students (more aptly stated the students that God has entrusted me with), then I will be committed to them for as long as the relationship can continue. And in many cases ( and I think in ideal situations) these relationships will continue for decades.

What a priviledge it would be to watch your former middle school students graduate college, get married, and maybe one day perform their baby dedication as they now serve as committed members of your church body!

That vision often keeps me motivated and inspired. Just last week I attended a wake and as I looked into the tear filled eyes of one my high school girls, I prayed to God that one day I would be able to stand with her in great joy on her wedding day!  I don’t know if that will happen of course, but to me, that is youth ministry in its fullest sense.

Listen, more than likely, we will not be serving at our same church for the next 20 years. It may happen (and hopefully it is your heart’s desire and the desire of your church), but to be honest it would be rare if it did happen. I do encourage you to really move in and take root somewhere. Develop a passion for your area, community, church, and students.  You will be less likely to want to keep moving from place to place and your effectiveness in transforming teenagers and your influence on their spiritual formation will greatly increase.

But, if and when the time does come to move on, we must be prepared and have our ministries prepared.

If we truly believe in the importance of life-long relationships, then train those who will continue to be there at your church.

Develop your adult volunteers. More than likely, they are the ones who will be around the longest.

Having this team approach benefits the ministry long-term.  Too often we worry about how many kids are coming to youth group tonight and rarely think about what shape the ministry would be in if we were no longer around due a move, career change, or other circumstance.

“If you build a ministry around yourself and your personality, then its likely that when you leave, so will your ministry.  But if you build a ministry around a team, the ministry will continue on even if you leave.”

Teach and train them to do what you would do if you could be there for 10 more years to come. That way, your students will have caring adults in their lives for the long haul, even if it is not you.  I started working towards replacing myself within the first three years I arrived.  Now, almost eight years in, I am still working hard to leave the ministry in a better place if and when I leave.  I sincerely hope that my leaders, interns, and any staff I would bring on would grow and expand the ministry well beyond what I was able to.  Now, I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon, but I still believe working towards this end is healthy and effective.

Remember, youth ministry is about them (youth) and not you (ministry).

I have included a short post by my friend Jeremy Zach offering some helpful and healthy tips about staying in youth ministry for the long haul.

The Longevity of Youth Pastors

shifting our physical space in youth ministry

Ascetics makes a difference in youth ministry. What I mean is that where you meet and what it looks like impacts effectiveness. Now, I am not going to get all Martha Stewart on you and argue for garden-fresh and pleasing aromas and certain hues of earth-tone colors for your window dressings.

Over the past 10-20 years in youth ministry there was a move from the small to the big.

Youth pastors rallied together in their desire to move out of the youth room and into the fellowship hall (and progressively into the Sanctuary and then maybe….a local gym)

Personally, I would envision having bleachers full of students looking down at me, or me looking up into hundreds of faces (if I were teaching at a local theater)

Throw in maybe a fun skit, heavy use of media, and lots of loud music and free prizes.

It resembled a mini youth conference..and a school assembly morphed together.

Is that really what our students yearn for?

We must ask ourselves how often each week are students being taught at and being spoken to.

Think about their environments at school.  Teacher in the front of the classroom, instilling knowledge and facts to silent students all sitting in rows.

At home, the setting may be less formal and structured, but their parents still bark orders at them, telling them what to do and what not to do.

Now, I am not saying that either ways of communication and education is wrong, or necessarily out dated. However I do believe that by the time our students come to us on a Wed or Friday night, they are sick of it.

Where is the dialog, interaction, and participation?

At school they are instructed to face forward looking at the back of each others heads..kind of looks like church on Sunday morning.

No wonder why kids seem to hate both!

Could it be that today’s students do not learn best in a stagnant, uncreative, and individualistic environment?

Today’s church must rethink its structural set up for fear of losing these upcoming generations.

Take the example of Solomon’s Porch in Minneapolis. At first glance, I had to admit that their “church” resembled my youth room in many ways. Plenty of couches and chairs in a circular pattern. The speaker, Doug Pagitt, sits on a stool in the center and makes himself, and his message, very approachable during the teaching times. People are encouraged to interact with the message, ask questions, and be creative and conversational in their response. And, probably most importantly, is that everyone is humanized. They sit in a way that looks the other person in the eye and promotes physical contact and touch.

A bit different than the “sit 3 inches away from every one on the cold hard pew”…type of atmosphere that you and I may have grown up with..and sadly still exists in many churches today.

Nowadays, youth groups must celebrate and work back towards the small.

Youth rooms (old couches and half broken chairs) are not such a bad thing after all. Maybe we should thank those elders who vetoed our youth budgets all those years!

Now, if you really can’t fit in your (used to be a janitor’s closest) youth room anymore, then perhaps you really do need a bigger space to meet.

However, trying to jam pack more and more students into an already over crowded room (just so we can justify needing a newer and bigger youth room)…I’m not so sure that is a really good thing anymore.

Growth is good, don’t get me wrong. And many times, you will naturally grow numerically without having to try very hard.

But a word of caution for you: Don’t change your approach because you are growing.

Find new and creative ways to keep the eye contact, open dialog, interaction, and student participation alive in your meetings. Bleachers and movie theaters are probably not the best idea for that.

Lastly, I believe it is also important to find ways to utilize current space and transform it into sacred space. Much has been written about this topic and I would recommend the following resources. (listed a bit further down actually)

I will simply say that without too much effort, you can permanently transform places into sacred spaces for your teens. Or, a few times a semester turn your youth room or fellowship hall (or whatever space you meet in) into something new and different. Create atmospheres that allow for the mysterious, transcendent, and wonderful Spirit of God to be experienced in fresh and memorable ways by your students.

Teenagers these days are very into spirituality and mystical things, and while we don’t want to make Christianity into a trendy New Age cult phenomena, there is definitely a historical precedent to these ancient practices. So, in some ways it is nothing new, but rather a return to tradition.  (at least you can tell your parents and elders that!)

The Sacred Way- Tony Jones

Contemplative Youth Ministry- Mark Yaconelli

*Sacred Space:A Hands-On Guide to Creating Multisensory Worship Experiences for Youth Ministry

by Dan Kimball and Lilly Lewin

http://aidanslegacy.typepad.com/lillylewin/2004/09/stumbling_towar.html  (Lilly Lewin’s blog)

*http://www.creativeprayer.com/index.php?blog=2 (an index and description of great prayer stations)

http://www.labyrinth.org.uk/

(youth specialties always does one of these and you could probably do in a fellowship hall,  sanctuary without pews, or a gym…and might actually be the best use of a gym you could find)

Youth Ministry 3.0

I recently read an abbreviated version of Youth Ministry 3.0 entitled “Marko’s manifesto for the next generation”. It was published in Youth Worker Journal November/December 2008.

In this article, Marko continues to elaborate and expound upon his premise outlined in his most recent book.

He argues that in the past, Youth Ministry 1.0 was built and focused on proclaiming messages to students.

Youth Ministry 1.0 = proclamation-driven

Generations later, a new wave of youth ministry began focusing on programs to attract, retain, and educate teenagers.

Youth Ministry 2.0 = program-driven

Times are changing, as we all know, and we as youth pastors need to adapt our methods, philosophies, and strategies of youth ministry in order to effectively reach students with the radical love of Jesus.

It’s not a structural thing.  Changing our mid-week program or adding a new “community” or “mission” program might be a temporary quick fix, but will not withstand the growing needs of today’s teens.

Quickies never last very long nor are they deeply satisfying.

No, our entire approach to youth ministry needs to change.

This new wave of youth ministry is described by Marko as “not-driven”, meaning having less agendas, less structure and formal ministry times, and less ministry ad on’s.

Youth Ministry 3.0 = Not-driven

As youth pastors, are we willing to substitute our mid-week programs to build better relationships?

Can we eliminate our Sunday evening worship team rehearsal and annual youth conference for intentional times of small groups and community service?

Marko makes a point that perhaps Youth Ministry 3.0 will include the morphing together of local youth ministries in order to provide opportunities for all types of students to connect and grow. If we don’t do that, then head to the church down the road….that type of thing.  But this would be done intentionally and withing the framework of networking and partnership together, not to satisfy the consumerist nature of teens.

He also argues that this new type of youth ministry may include multiple youth ministries (not cliques) within the same church. These could provide the opportunity to establish “contextualized, present (not-driven) ministries of communion and mission in multiple youth culture contexts.”

Meaning this…for one type of student, delving into the Word of God is necessary and beneficial for their spiritual formation.

For another type of student, they truly grow closer to Jesus by serving the less fortunate and demonstrating acts of compassion.

Yet another connects with the presence of Christ in the fellowship of others sharing a meal, movie, and a laugh.

Others…it is worship and still others develop spiritually through the ancient spiritual disciplines.

I think you see the point.

Now, a youth ministry can try to offer all of these each week (probably not going to happen)

Or, it can try to incorporate these elements over an entire semester/year.  Our youth ministry has been striving towards this end for a few years.

But I wonder what it would look like to restructure an entire youth ministry around these “multiple youth culture contexts”?

It certainly could have geographic and demographic implications, but I tend to believe that different students need to encounter Jesus differently and at different times, so the implications and affiliations would hopefully be more spiritual, cultural, and contextual.

Perhaps our mid-week one size fits all approach to “youth group” is really only ministering effectively to a few groups of students.  I mean, others come and may even play a few games and listen to the message, but month after month they are not seriously connecting with others or with the God who they desperately yearn for.

“For teenagers desperate to define their identities through affinity, we need to help them experience true community. True community doesn’t mean once-a-week, highly programmed youth group meetings…True community is life-on-life, eating together, sharing journeys, working through difficulties and serving side-by-side, wrestling with praxis (theology in practice), openness, accountability, safety, cultivating shared passions and holy discontent. True community is not a program, not something people sign up for, not something we force.”

What an incredible and challenging thought from Marko. This strikes me to the core as I realize how often in my ministry I have tried to promote a program for building community and making disciples.

But the last time I checked, discipleship is not something taught and learned, it is something lived.

The same is true for community.

I wonder what would happen if youth pastors joined together and starting caring less about how many students come on a given night, and more about how many students we truly connected with each week, month, year, etc.. How many lives we actually entered into it.

Marko issues this challenge:  “Strip down your programming so you have space to spend time with teenagers and God and consider rebuilding something new and fresh”.

I hear ya Marko, and God help all of us to put into practice what we know we should be doing..and why we we hopefully went into youth ministry in the first place.

no more throwing stones at the church

As youth pastors we can get frustrated with traditional churches and the hierarchy of institutional denominations.

We want to see change happen, but often are not the ones in the positions to speak about those…let alone implement them.  Sometimes we hold in our clenched fists these “stones”…all of the problems we think need fixing.  The worship, the structure, the leadership, the youth budget (or lack there of), the rules and regulations, the atmosphere, the Senior pastor, the parents, the theology, the hymns we have to sing, etc…

Over time these lists can pile up like a bunch of stones and before long the only thing to do with them is throw them at the root of the problem…the church.  And if the church has stained glass windows, you might be in for a real treat!

But rather than standing outside in the parking lot throwing stones the church, we must get inside and try to bring change from within. I credit this phrase and idea to my friend and colleague John a.k.a “Bags” and our conversation at the Zoo Bar in Pittsburgh.

One way to begin change from within is to transition away from the programmatic and education-based model of traditional youth ministry towards a more holistic, missional, and emerging form.  I will delve into these areas and issues at a later date, but simply wanted to comment that we make a difference.  As our youth programs transform, as well as our students, the church at large will take notice. Remember,  a fire usually begins with a spark…or a cigarette but.

I believe in the Church…the body of Christ. I am not one to easily bail out of something imperfect.  I am imperfect…we all are imperfect. And the Church is full of imperfect people like you and I. But I love the people at my church…not all of them mind you, but the vast majority!

I have made life-long friendships here and have seen countless students grow and mature from awkward and smelly middle schoolers to proud, confident, and solid college grads.

I have hope for the Church, for your church and for mine. Rather than leave and start my own church or go the way of the “organic”, unstructured, and non-denominational (none of which are bad by the way) I have intentionally and deliberately stayed at my church and within my denomination. I may not see eye to eye with members and elders in my church, and I may differ in matters of orthodoxy and orthopraxy with my denomination, but I believe that growth happens as a result of these relationships.

I grow in wisdom, knowledge, and humility all the time through accountability and differences. And hopefully, the church will begin to change and grow as the Spirit of God leads on toward a new generation of Christians.  And who shall pave the way?

Youth pastors and the current students in our ministries.

So, don’t give up or quite on the church.  Anything is possible!

Shift happens.

Change happens

Rather than being a problem pointer, be a part of the solution.

Be the answer to your own prayers.

Instead of throwing stones (figuratively speaking of course), use them to pave the way towards the future.

Let God use your desires, plans, and vision to light a match under the church and be a catalyst for change.

You never know what beautiful thing God can make out of the mess.  Places your stones in His hands, join with Him in hopeful confidence, and let him take care of the rest.

crowd control vs. relational youth ministry

There used to be a time where I wanted to host big events…I have to admit.

The more students who walked into our doors, the more impactful I thought the night would be.

In my mind, this equation was constantly at work

more students= better youth group

Things have changed however.

Just a few months ago we hosted a Halloween party with another youth group.

We packed the place out, the kids were crazy, and it took us about 2 hours to clean up after. Of course with that came a bunch of noisy, chaotic teenagers running around our church loaded up on candy and dressed funky.

At first i thought I was the man!

I mean really…having that many kids in our church at one time (I could even somehow manipulate the numbers so it looked like our average attendance was increasing..brownie points for elders!)

But as I got to reflecting and conversing with my team, I realized that something was amiss.

I asked these important, and often missed questions, and received these answers.

How many conversations did you have with new kids?- zero

How many in depth conversations did you have with our own kids?- zero

Do you think the kids felt or experience the warmth and love of Jesus?- maybe, but doubtful

Then it hit me like a bulldozer plowing into an old building..or more like getting smacked in the privates if the truth be told.

We were so busy doing crowd control that we could not do youth ministry!

So, why did we do this event in the first place?

Now, sometimes these events are worthwhile for a number of reasons

1)  You can get to know new students and have new students get to know your program.

2) It can provide and safe and easy way for students to invite their friends to church.

3)  Once you have them in your church, you can lock the doors, give them pizza and then trick them into listening to a message about their sins!

But what I have experienced and conclude is that an overall approach like this is unhealthy and unwise and should not be our ultimate aim or goal (as it was mine when I first started out)

I mistakingly thought that we would really “arrive” as an established youth ministry if we could begin hosting large events like this maybe once a month. I would lie awake at night imagingin having multiple youth groups, kids coming in from the streets, maybe even atract a football player or two!

All the while, never realizing that what we have already been doing…had been incredible and powerful.

The Wed nights, emails, conversations, coffee times, MacDonalds visits, recitals, dinner invitations at home, with the group we already had…these were building long-lasting friendships.

We were really entering into the lives of these students, their pain and suffering along with their joys and hopes.

It is hard to do that with teenagers you meet just once and hardly have the time to even get their names right.

Too much crowd control (like too much sugar or caffeine) can never be good.

It can give you a necessary jolt or burst of energy, but a steady diet of it will always be counterproductive and unhealthy over time (not to mention the increasing stomach pains and doctors’s visits)

National Youth Worker’s Convention….a reflection

I just came back from Pittsburgh, PA where I attended Youth Specialties National Youth Worker’s Convention.

This was my 5th year in a row and I wouldn’t miss one for the world.(mostly because I am curious to see what kind of funky new hair style Marko will be wearing)

I met up with some old friends, colleagues,and mentors in youth ministry and made a bunch of new friends.

As always, an emphasis on ministering to hurting teens was evident as well as rethinking traditional ways and philosophies of youth ministry.  There seemed to be an added emphasis on emergent theology and conversation, with the presence of Doug Paggit, Tony Jones, and Mark Scandette.  Additionally, they added something called “Sanctuary” to provide another avenue and place participate in soul care.

Most things remain the same:  good seminars, big name speakers, worship bands mixed with a heavy dose of entertainment and opportunities for quietness of mind, soul, and spirit.

Plenty of laughs, conversations, and meals are always the norm.

I noticed one thing that has changed over the years…me.

Each year I come with different thoughts, questions, needs, dreams, and fears. I have participated in the Labyrinth and Prayer Chapel each year and find that those opportunities are the best gage I have each year to see where I am at personally and spiritually from year to year.

It amazes me to vividly remember my prayer requests, fears, and burdens that I gave to God last year in the Labyrinth, and how he provided for me.

I can still remember my prayers on the Wailing Wall at the Prayer Station and moments of vision and inspiration from the Reflection station from last year.

I thank God for the NYWC, not only for the great training and resources, but for an opportunity each year to remember, reflect, pray, and celebrate what God is doing in and through my life and ministry. Each year I am reminded how far God has taken me and also how far I still have to go. The journey is long and sometimes the path difficult, but praise be to the Lord for his constant presence in the process.

Changes for NYWC in 09?

Regarding YS conventions, I continue to meet youth workers by the dozens who are struggling to do ministry in the “chosen frozen” of the Northeast. Metro NYC and New England to be exact. As you can notice from the recent Presidential election, there North East is very similar in its ideologies, philosophies, worldviews, and perception of religion..especially “Born Again Christians”

Often, they fellow youth workers share similar frustrations with these type of conventions in that there is no voice from from the Northeast. The ministry and societal realities in the rest of the country are MUCH different than the Northeast (even southern NJ and Philly are different).

The concept of Christian clubs at public high schools is foreign, See you at the Pole is not a highly favored, attended, or welcomed event, and the idea of a “youth pastor” hanging around the locals schools and parks seems kind of creepy and scandalous to many.

So I propose that YS offer a forum for discussion or a seminar about the difficulties, struggles, and hopes of youth ministry in the North East and what it could mean for the future of youth ministry across the board.

What works in other parts of the country simply does not work here.
Also, for the vast majority of youth workers in the North East, they will never have a big budget, big youth room, and hundreds of students and volunteers. We do not have a culture of Christianity or youth ministry and I do not see that changing anytime in the near future.
That is just the way it is..and it does not have to be frowned upon or looked at with discouragement anymore. Perhaps God is doing something new in the North East that will help transition youth ministry into the coming postmodern culture.

Usually the trend in the past (if they have previously attempted something like this) is to find someone from the biggest youth program in the are and label them the “expert”.

Speakers like that (even if from the Northeast) still leave me thinking “But that is not like my church at all”, or thinking that the bigger the program and church the better. (which i happen to disagree with at some levels) Often, the end result once again is that we end up leaving more frustrated and discouraged with our own context and situation than before.

My other though about possible additions/changes to the National Youth Workers Convention for 2009 is to somehow putting flesh on the bones of “emerging” theology and thinking in the realm of youth ministry in a traditional church.

For most of us who find solidarity with much of the this emergent type of thinking and ministry, going out to start a new church is not an option or desire. Yet, many of the speakers have done that or are simply authors, and no longer in the “trenches” of denominational church youth programs.

Over my six years attending, I have seldom met a seminar speak who is also engaged (as I am in) in the thick of youth ministry.  Many times, they oversee large number of volunteers who actually do the youth ministry, or again they might be youth ministry authors or professors.

When was the last time you saw a convention speaker also sit in with his or her staff for the rest of the seminars or browse through the resources in the exhibit hall looking for new ideas.

Personally, an elitism seems to permeate many of these conventions, and therefore it makes it hard for me to really find commonality with many of the speakers. A lack of commonality often can lead away from inspiration and hope and towards isolation, envy, and discouragement. I know that is not Youth Specialities intentions.

I do appreciate the number of speakers who have take time to meet with me, dialog about ministry and family, and offer their friendship to me (and not just their business card and discount on their book!)

So..I propose YS finds your everyday normal youth pastor to lead some seminars for the vast majority of these attendees who are and always will be serving at some small local church.

Additionally, some seminar entitled “finding ways to transition from traditional youth ministry to emerging ministry without having to leave your church!” could be attractive and inspiring, especially if delivered from somone who is still in the process of trying to figure out what that looks like in his or her context (not an “expert”).

2008 Election and the future of Youth Ministry

I don’t know about you, but I spent most of the night watching the election coverage and flipping between about nine different channels. It was interested to note the blue and red colors on the map. I remember the day when the vast majority of states were in red.  Now, the entire East and West coast (and most of the upper Midwest) are blue states and for the first time in history, New England does not have one Republican in the House.  Growing up in NH, we used to vote Republican, but apparently that trend is now a thing of the past.

We are truly living in unprecedented and changing times.  One of the CNN correspondents keenly observed that the face of American culture is transitioning to a much more moderate to liberal position.  Obama was able to sway the popular vote in many suburbs that have previously been Republican.

One political analyst remarked, “Barack Obama does not transcend race, rather we are living in a post-race America.”  In many ways America is becoming post-race, post-denominational, and post-Christian. The things that used to divide us are becoming fewer and fewer…and I am not so sure that is a bad thing.

Personally, I believe that over the next 5-15 years, the shift from red to blue will sweep across the nation. Some may argue against that and others may weep at America’s “moral degradation and ethical demise”.  However, it should be note the higher % of Catholics and evangelical Christians who voted for Obama and the growing shift toward the blue by the next generation of Christians.

What does this all mean for youth ministry?

Rather than trying to fighting against the coming tide (which some may attempt to do), I believe we must acknowledge where we are heading in America.  Our nation is following in the footsteps of our birth parents…the European nation and is thrusting forward into postmodernity.

Take the North East for instance. If the general culture is moving away from certain ideologies, “modern” worldviews and modes of thought, what shall become of the church if it holds ground?

Now, I am not advocating for compromise, but for a shift in the way the church sees itself and its place in society.

We can go one of two ways:  Keep pushing back against the coming tide, call it “protecting our identity and the sacredness of God” (or something along those lines) and continue to watch the church’s role  society dwindle towards nothingness.

Or, we can try to see what God is doing in our county and how He might be already at work to bring about some of these positive changes…and try to get on board.

Listen, if our faith is not strong enough to remain and grown within postmodernity, then how strong was it really?  The amazing thing about our faith is that it has always been able to morph, adopt, and adapt to changing times.

You can hold off and label yourself one of the “remnant” or face the facts, pray for wisdom, and seek to partner with God as he continue to bring restoration, redemption, justice, and reconciliation to our society and world.

It used to be that if you were into philosophy, questioned some of the doctrines of Christianity, were a “tree hugger”, and voted Democratic, then the church (and youth group) was not a place for you to belong.

We would preach against those things, and advocate a change of worldview, principles, ideologies, beliefs, and practices. That’s quite a great deal to radically change before a student can belong or fit in with a youth group!

If we stick to that philosophy, I am not sure there will be very many students left in the North East (and eventually America) who will actually fit in.

As the great songwriter Bob Dylan once sang, “The times…they are a-changing”

Will youth pastors embrace the changing times and partner with God or will we hold fast, fight against the evils of “liberalism” and postmodernity and wait until God does something about it?

Which option is more proactive?

Which is more hopeful?

Which will seek to bring the gospel of Jesus to more people?

deep ministry in small pond

I must confess that over the years I have struggled with finding the balance between “outreach” and “discipleship”. Like many youth pastors, I cleverly created and labeled two distinct programs to accomplish these goals in hopes of finding that happy medium (like ordering extra large fries and then a Diet Coke!)

In my mind, “outreach” meant putting on sweet events that targeted the “unchurched” and “unsaved” students in our community.  Our music and message needed to be cool and relevant and not too churchy.  If we could get 50 kids to show up at something and somehow through the semi-controlled chaos, speak to them about Jesus, then we had done our jobs.

This mindset then carried over to our mid-week programs and our “open door policy” aimed at community kids coming to youth group.

On the flip side, discipleship would occur Sundays (seemed like a good day to do spiritual things). Sunday mornings we had Sunday school and Bible Study, and then during the evening our small groups met.

The challenge was always to get the mid-week students somehow interested and committed to becoming “Sunday” or “core” students.  Perhaps this model sounds familiar…thanks Doug Fields!

Seriously though, I do thank him because it worked and has worked in many situations and contexts.

It just doesn’t work anymore for me.

The quandry I found myself fighting was how deep and spiritual do I get at youth group. I still wanted to have this open-door policy and provide an atmosphere conducive for new kids to come, yet now I wrestled with how much real life-change and transformation was taking place during Wacky Whiffle ball and What is the Bible? messages.

Here is what I am convinced of. As a youth leader, we should take our students as deep as we have gone…and are in the process of going (meaning that we ourselves must continue to grow)

Even though we may hinder the masses from coming, those who do come will put themselves in opportunities each week to let the Holy Spirit work in their hearts and lives.

Remember,  we are striving to not just to see 15-18 year Christians, but to produce 30-40 year old Christians.

Let’s not short change long term spiritual growth for the sake of making things “cool”.  Ultimately it may hurt our students in the long run.  We want them to experience the fullness of partnering with God in a broken world and bring wholeness and health in every way.

Provide atmospheres in what you do to allow the students to connect with each other and with God in ways to bring about restoration, renewal, and reconciliation.

Now, I still have a real long way to go, but just over this past year, we have witnessed tremendous spiritual r. Healing, transformative prayer times, deeper spiritual insights, and alive and active faith leading to action.  Our pond may be small, but we are doing deep and who knows what lies at the bottom (besides bigger fish)

I would rather have a small but deep pond with some really good fish in it then a wide and shallow lake full of tiny guppies.

Help I’m not Doug Fields!

You’ve probably have seen those self-help youth ministry books aimed at leaders starting a new role such as Small group leader or Jr. High worker.

I’ve always wanting to see one entitled Help! I’m not Doug Fields.

I really like Doug and he has inspired and challenged me on many occasions. But I often wonder what youth leaders think after they attend one of his conferences, hear him speak, or read one of his new books.

After all, he is at a mega church, probably has a bunch of paid youth workers, is a great communicator and teacher, and well…just has that cool youth pastor look (especially for a guy in his 40’s)

So, what if you are not funny, don’t really fit into that youth pastor culture, love the Bible but have a hard time communicating it effectively to ADHD teens, and happen to work for a small church with a nonexistent youth budget?  If you can’ be the next Doug Fields, then can you succeed in youth ministry?

The question is now out there…and so it hangs in the air as you ponder.

I say a resounding YES!

You may never have or be all the things that someone like Doug is and represents to youth ministry (or anyone else you might know and envy in the field) and be honest…we all envy at times.

But perhaps the real funny youth pastors have a difficult time empathizing with struggling teens.

Or perhaps the ones who can do amazing skits or speak to thousands of teens finds talking to them one on one uncomfortable and extremely challenging.

God made you unique as well as the teens you minister. They need and want you…not Doug or anyone else.

God has placed you in their lives for a reason, and with God’s help and strength each day, you can and will effectively use your unique passions, talents, and gifts to equip them to love and serve Jesus.