A View of Life: Lies, Parties, Casual Sex and Facebook

It's How They See the World

“I just said; ‘You’re going home.’”

“Why didn’t you just drop them off right there?”

“You’re telling me she was out all night with you guys?”

“I guess, her mom thought she was staying at her friends house, then going shopping on Black Friday with her friend and her mom… so Yeah”

“How did they end up with us?”

“I don’t know, but when she threw her cell phone a second time after I told her to not bounce it off my dash and it cracked my windshield, I said that’s it! So I took them home.”

“You gonna make her pay for it? I’d be over there talkin to her mama telling her we gonna sit up a payment plan!”

“Wha’d your mom say?”

“He told her a truck threw a rock at it….”

I here it all the time, a casual handling of truth: Along with stories of sexual escapades, parties, 420 episodes, and the drama of “Facebook” statuses.  There are days I confess, I become numb to it, calloused, almost accepting it as the norm; they certainly do! Then from no where some of those same voices mention what they were doing at their churches on Sunday, or activities with their youth groups and it jolts me awake. I see for a moment with fresh eyes, the impact of relativism and the loss of absolute truth have had on our student population.

It doesn’t take a genius to see this; I know! It does take a purposeful focused approach to deal with it! My heartfelt prayer is that you as a servant to this population are making every effort to educate yourself, and transform your students, using materials like Focus on the Families; “Truth Project” or Charles Colson’s; “Doing The Right Thing”. Both are great resources for helping your students build a worldview based on God’s unchanging truth. Remember there are at least ten things written in stone with a myriad of life applications that render a “wishy-washy” approach to life, antithetical to truth, right and wrong, no exceptions! How are you doing in delivering this to your students? Remember never give them a what, or how, with out telling them why! In this case it’s about design, immutable laws, and the path to success now and in eternity future. It’s about LIFE vs. DEATH.

Not sure how to start? Try signing up and reading the “Break Point Daily”, then check out the resources in the links to the right like the two I mentioned earlier! If you really want to educate yourself start with Francis Schaeffer’s “How Shall We Live”.  You are on the front line of the culture war: Don’t be a victim the results are DAMNING!

Connecting The Dots

So much like a Puzzle; Connecting the dots of life is a daunting task for a Student.

We often paint the task as easy as this; if only it were true

I am more and more convinced students (people) struggle to connect with Christ because we have given them little correlation between their lives now, their desires; they little understand, and the message of the corporate church. I don’t mean the body gathered but rather the thing, the structure we have erected.

By God’s design, students are on this journey of autonomy; moving from dependence on their parents and leaders toward independence under God. In the process He has given them parents; who right or wrong, are first in line in this process. The over riding, providential hand of God always enacting; “What you meant for evil, God meant for good.” So, even though parents will be held responsible, for their execution of these God ordained duties, the students still must take responsibility for their lives and find their way. Of course a large piece in this; the body of Christ carrying the message of transformation: A message of completion, rescue, redemption and renewal. The message of Christ is supposed to offer hope for eternity… not just future, but eternity NOW! It is to deliver that broken piece of genetic code, mutated by sin causing all manner of abnormalities and death; so life will make sense, it will work according to His design; our fulfillment. All those appetites run a muck, will fall into place and His highest creation will do His will “… on earth as it is done in heaven.”

As I said, I am convinced however; the message we offer, often obscures the “dots” of their lives, it does not connect them. We tell them, what they should be doing: “Be holy for I am Holy” … we tell them, why it is important, with a broad application of the sacrificial love of God; “… for God so loved the world… He gave….”, the how we share is oft one of self discipline and behavior modification, through adherence to some superficial list; attendance at a myriad of events, supporting programs often aimed at sustaining the program; not developing the individual for truly living. All the time the students are asking; “What do I do with the me I am discovering?” What do I do with my passions, my desires; the things that come so easily to me? Not my moral failures, but my heart and mind that longs for all redemption is suppose to offer.

So what things are you doing to help your students connect the dots of their lives; so they see the unbelievable plan God has for their presence in the here and now: They see clearly their hearts and desires as part of God's plan. Here's a free download to help with the process and get them thinking. Just click the link and scroll to the bottom of the page; you'll find the download.  If you want another tool for your staff contact me and I'll send it to you.

"Then A Miracle Happens"

"...is this how you identify your ministry pieces and their workings?"

It's a no brainer, no really it's that simple! Ah but not that easy. To build a youth ministry that is focused, strategic and effective, your people, have to know how every part fits; why your doing, what your doing and it's significance. So you tell them at every turn, in every meeting: "This is what it is , this is why we are doing it." Repeat, repeat, and say it one more time, repeat. Simple! So why did I say it wasn't easy? Because it demands you have an almost "zen" like understanding of all your doing. (Obviously I'm using this term in a very broad sense, to represent the mystical, all knowing, intuitive, abilities presented in hollywood as the "supernatural" feats of such masters.) To put it in biblical terms you have to have an experiential understanding of your ministry, it's pieces and their expected out come. It's Paul's cry in Philippians 3, when he says he wants to "...know Christ and the power of His resurrection."

So unlike our friend in satirist Sidney Harris' cartoon, your understanding/ability of your ministry and philosophy, needs to be far more clear than: "Then A Miracle Happens". Start working it out, get the help you need. Again your ministry, students, parents, leaders and church will "...rise up and call you blessed"!

Get-R-Done

At any given point someone could walk into your youth ministry and be critical. They could, from one snapshot edit out all you are doing well, to turn your student’s hearts to Christ. I walked into a youth meeting kids were having fun, some playing a game of “sting-pong”, others laughing and chatting. Inquiring later on concerning the event or meeting, I received mixed reviews and summaries on the purpose and the impact.

I get it, students need a sense of belonging; it takes time and a lot of what appears as interaction with no purpose, to establish it. Given it’s so easy for things to be taken out of context what are you doing to clearly articulate the pieces, their integration and purpose of all you’re doing? It goes beyond mission statement and good marketing pieces. It starts with you having a “Master Plan for Ministry”. Do you? Chances are, given all the demands on your life and the fact that you’re groping your way through a whole bunch of reality not covered in your classes at school (funny how much simply can’t be taught, life is kinda like that, that’s why internships are so great!), you haven’t established all the pieces of one yet. Larry The Cable guy has the greatest piece of advice for you…. “Get-R-done”.  Check out the link and contact these guys. They can help!

That said; is there someone, farther down the road who you can interact with? Find someone to walk with you, mentor you, to be your confidant and sounding board. You need it; your students will be the beneficiaries. Next time: Repeat, repeat, repeat… tell them why, your doing, what your doing.