Today I went to the gym to get a lift in before I started the rest of my Saturday festivities. I did all the lifting I planned on doing, but my last set made me a little light headed. I had planned on jogging home, but instead I decided to take my time and walk. I still had my headphones in and caught myself in this moment where I felt like I could be in the video of the song playing if it had a video.
I was listening to Sigur Ros who I have just recently been turned on to (great music). I was walking by a chain link fence that surrounded what used to be a tennis court. There were some weeds that had grown up in the grass area that separated the sidewalk from the fence, and the wind had caught them just right as they swayed to the rhythm of the song. I couldn’t help but wonder if a camera could capture what my eyes were taking in as this song softly played in my ears.
Music is simply inspirational. I love music, and I realize its power to tug on heart strings. I’m sure that with the right construction of worship songs in a service you could appeal to anyone’s emotions and create for them an amazing worship experience; but we must be extremely cautious with these types of inspirations.
Please don’t hear me wrong, I believe God delights in well composed and well played music; I believe God works through people’s speaking talents and their abilities to paint amazing pictures in our imaginations; but we can’t get caught up in trying to create a worship experience.
I recently reread a book called “Amusing Ourselves to Death,” where the author walks through the negative affects Sesame Street had on education. Learning became fun and kids began to like school… as long as school was like Sesame Street.
I think the same goes for church. We can make church fun and set out not to bore students, but we must be extremely careful with the environments we create. Sure students might begin to love church if they have drama, games, buildup worship songs, great public speakers, and buildings designed to cater directly to them… but what happens when they leave the youth group? What happens when they love church as long as church is like youth group?
I feel like we're constantly battling people who want us to try this model of ministry or that model of ministry. We are constantly dealing with people in the church who want us to do more gimmicks to get students in the doors. We are constantly dealing with these people getting inside our heads as we evaluate “success” on their terms.
What would happen if a student ministry running 50 students scrapped all of its activities and dropped down to 12 students? What would happen if the youth minister was only able to deeply invest in three of these students? What would happen if all they did was go throughout their town and teach the gospel and minister to people’s needs?
To the consumer driven society, which influences the church, that sees a business not turning a profit and recognize it as a dying business they would probably see this ministry as a dying ministry. To those who run a pumped up Wednesday night program for the sake of “getting them in the door,” they would probably see this ministry as unsuccessful. To the church that is more concerned with Sunday school attendance than the actual material being taught this ministry would be seen as digressing.
Would this youth minister keep his job very long?
What is more important, doing ministry to please the eyes and ears of the masses or doing ministry to glorify Christ? That answer is easy, to glorify Christ; but what does a ministry set out to glorify Christ look like? Does it look like its dying in the eyes of the consumers, or does it look like its exploding? Does it dwindle down to nothing before shaking up everything?
We can inspire students through all sorts of things, and any cult can pack out a room; but what should youth ministry look like? Should we be creating an atmosphere that makes church fun and set students up to leave the church when church no longer appeals to their emotional needs? Or do we set out to build disciples through Christ-centered teaching that historically won’t appeal to the masses?
If Jesus were a youth minister how would the consumer driven society that has its hands in the inner workings of the church evaluate his ministry? Successful or unsuccessful? If Jesus were a youth minister in your town which church would have the greatest numbers?
Would Jesus keep his job at the average church?
If you’re still reading I might need to apologize… I really don’t even know where I am going with this… I just needed to get some things off my chest; but if this has spurred any thoughts in your mind please leave a comment and let me know.
Rid Yourselves of Hypocrisy
7 years ago
1 comment:
I feel that many people view youth ministry as a “good thing” for their kids to do. A “good thing” that gives them time away from school but in a socially “good” setting. For some, it’s another bragging right or nomination for parent of the year because their child is involved in youth & youth activities. This leads parents to a desire for their child to be in the most “Godly” youth group defined in their minds by the amount who attend and activities. I conclude from this that many parents view youth ministry as a more social event than a time of personal growth in Christ. Youth ministry, in their minds, becomes a time each week of games, song, etc. that includes a reminder each week that Christ died on a cross for their sins and they should believe in Him period.
I feel that many (not all) parents do not long for their child to be challenged spiritually. Frankly (I could be way out of line) because parents, themselves, do not want to be challenged spiritually (they may desire to look like they do on the outside). They are content in their bubble in life and to know Christ deeper would shake up their lives and require more of them as well as more of them in their children’s spiritual lives. Another thought is that parent’s have the mind set that their child does not have the ability to grasp God. I know that may sound ridiculous but I feel that parent’s are content, yet again, that any insight their child gains of Christ is bonus instead of this is the most important relationship in my child’s life and is of the utmost importance and they need to began to understand and really know who God is regardless of how hard it may be for them to understand. Also, I feel there is a tendency for parent’s to lose focus because they are busy keeping up with the world’s standards in their child life rather than Christ (which this could be true for all of us.) They also see their child as having time, plenty of time for them to get to know God when they are older when they can more fully grasp things as an adult. Obviously this is a straight up lie but an easy mind frame to fall into.
Two simple words came to mind when I read this: accountability and ministry. I believe that you are given a vision of ministry and lead to that ministry for a purpose. The way your heart longs for that ministry to look will fit the need of the community that is there if your listening to Christ. Hard..yes..looks different..definitely…but necessary…obviously.. or else you would not be there to be used. I also, as cliché as this may sound, think it’s important to remember who your accountable to ultimately, God. He is the one that you will answer to for leading and teaching those who are in your youth. Of course, you have to take in consideration the thoughts and feelings of parents and others in the church/community but you’re the only one who knows what God speaks to you and what He has willed in the ministry He has placed you in right now.
I think that is a great question if Jesus would keep his job as a youth pastor today? My thought would be no. He would be up the creek without a paddle but at the same time I believe that His ministry would offer something that youth need, Him. The simple truth of that does not die no matter how it looks.
Post a Comment