Charles Harrison

Go Where God Goes

Charles Harrison — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 04:36:23 +0000

“What difference does knowing John Wesley make in your ministry as a Youthworker?”

The first way to answer this question was to start with God. Be theological. Not anthropological.

The second way takes the next step. Go where God goes. Where is God? Where did the early Methodists find the spirit most accessible and obvious?

I have found The Spirit often in my own journey, in those times I spend on the edge, on the margins of society and culture; especially in areas where good people (people created in God’s own image) are being crushed by unbelievable poverty, some who have no choice but to live in impoverished conditions, some who actually choose to live in particular situations of crushing poverty because it is slightly better than a previous condition of crushing poverty. Many of these people work long days for little money to produce things that Middle Class folks easily discard after a few uses.

“What does that have to do with God or Youth?”

When I started in Youthwork, I must confess, I thought my job was to keep Youth busy and happy. And especially to keep Parents happy! AND…. of course to keep the Senior Pastor of the Church happy! AND….. also to keep the Church Staff Committee happy and for that matter the whole church happy and….. if I just keep the Youth busy doing “fun” things everybody would be soooooo very happy, right? NOT!

I mean, just how many times can you sling a raw cow’s tongue across the fellowship hall with your teeth before it gets boring and starts making people UNhappy??? What if it rains on the canoe trip or what if the bus gets stuck on the ski trip or what if there are shark warnings on the beach trip? Let me tell you all kinds of UNhappiness breaks out!

Now think with me for a minute. What can we imagine makes God UNhappy? Flat tires on church vans? Not enough football players or cheerleaders in Youth Group on Sunday night? Lame ham sandwiches for snack supper…. again?

(*HINT* the answer was “no” to all of those.)

God must cry in bitter UNhappiness at the way we ignore our brothers and sisters who are being crushed by poverty, disease, hunger, violence, neglect, loneliness. God must cry at the way free-market logic and rugged individualism shapes the practice of the church in North America. It can’t possibly make God happy. And God must cry, the God who knows how many hairs we have on our head, that God must cry tears of UNhappiness that we don’t even know the name of one person in our own community and neighborhood who is being crushed and marginalized.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that we ignore UNhappy Youth and Parents, I am not suggesting we purposefully make Pastors and Church members UNhappy.

I am suggesting we start with God. And then go where God goes. See what God sees. Be UNhappy with what makes God UNhappy.

The Point

What if our entire Youth Ministry was shaped and implemented around a desire to go where God goes and be in relationship with the people, the images of God being crushed by poverty?

What if we trade the ski trip for a mission trip? Would it work? Yes! I’ve done just that. And do you know what the response was?

Youth: “Thank you for making this change, I grew way closer to God this time that I did last year on ski trip.”

Parents: “Thank you for taking a less expensive trip.”

Pastor: “Thank you for keeping our insurance from being revoked by another head injury on the slopes.”

Church: “When is the next trip? Can I go?”

OK, it wasn’t exactly like that, but you get the point. Were there still some UNhappy folks? Of course. Was there now a family who used to live in a cardboard house now living in a safe cinder-block house? Yes. Was God happy?

What if instead of another Youth Group Game night where we waste food in disgusting olympics we make good food and go out in church vans and serve it to the homeless on downtown streets? Or maybe we go to an impoverished apartment complex and have a cookout? Would God be happy?

What if instead of another Disney Movie Night we watch a movie or TV show about food issues and nutrition and then brainstorm ways we can start to make a difference in our own communities where children are dying of obesity issues? Would this make God cry?

If we start theologically, if we start with God, we can do nothing less that to serve those most in need because in building our capacities to serve, we grow in our relationship with God and in our relationship with Neighbor.

John Wesley said in his Journal on May 25, 1764: “… true religion does not go from strong to weak, but from the weak to the strong.”

What if we changed the idea that Youthwork is about keeping people “happy” and instead we decided it was about being with the people God is perfectly “happy” to take special interest in?

Are YOU ready?

Yes and No

Charles Harrison — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:47:22 +0000

Have you noticed lately that it seems like our culture has de-evolved into a society where people can’t get along with each other very well?

What I mean by this is that we can’t seem to agree. And when we seek agreement, we really only mean that the Other person should fully accept our idea/view/desire 100%.

The seems to me to be something like Idolatry.

Let me explain. An Idol is something that is a false form. It lacks truth. You don’t have to be particularly religious to understand this. Some are glued to their TV sets to find out exactly “who” the next American Idol will be. Now this person may be a great vocalist, but nobody actually believes they are due any amount or worship. Envy maybe, but not worship.

Now, there are some who treat their own opinions and ideas as though they rise to a god-like level of correctness. And even when a significant amount of people point out the possibility that they might not be “right” they Idolize their own “rightness” by showing that people have always believed their idea, or that maybe popular opinion favors them in the majority rule, or maybe even a sacred text give them some sort of foundation (often one in which the original ancient author would not even understand or agree to), etc. etc.

So what are we left with? Everyone seeking agreement? Who holds truth?

For those of us who claim to believe in God, and not just any old god, but the God of Jesus Christ, I believe we have a standard to live up to when seeking another person’s “yes” or respecting another person’s “no” to our idea/view/desire.

Let’s start with our relationship with God. It seems that God is often saying “yes” to some things and “no” to other things whether we agree with God or not. Some things are good and loving and other things cause harm even to the point of death at times. The Christian God says “yes” repeatedly to the things of love and “no” repeatedly to the things that I’ll call not-love.

Now, I think even a person who thinks there is no possibility of God could agree that love is good and not-love is bad. But I am willing to entertain the notion that I could be wrong even on this.

So in my little journey with God, I often find times when I think God is saying “Yes” do this or do that and my response is: “I don’t want to.” Maybe it involves giving my last $20 to a good cause, or giving up my vacation to serve others, or giving up my weekend to help a friend in need. If I am honest, often, I don’t want to do the most loving thing.

Now there are also times when I think God must be saying “no” that’s not a good idea/plan/direction and I respond with “Yes I want to anyway.” Well of course we all do this and often there is nothing original about saying “yes I want my way not yours” to God.

But, if God is God, and if we are to grow as a reflection of God, not just for our own good but also for the benefit of the entire world, if we are to reflect God’s Image and not the image of some lesser “idol” then we will allow ourselves to say “yes” to God’s “yes” and agree our own “no” to God’s “no” because we can agree it is actually best. Our “no” changes into God’s “yes” because we decide that we don’t hold all of the truth.

Now, if our relationships with each other are to be God-like, then we will seek agreement on a “yes” or on a “no” with each other because God seeks the same with us. It is all about relationships. If my relationship with God has nothing to do with YOU, then this is indeed a stupid idea that I am articulating. But, if my relationships are tied up with your relationships, and God’s relationships, then how can I/you/we idolize our own idea/view/desire and not seek agreements?

Sometimes the difference between “yes” and “no” is a very thin place. If I say “yes” to eating beef all the time, in excess of anything reasonable, not only am I effecting my own health, but I am doing damage to you and your world. If I burn pollutants without any care for you, then I am just not in “right-relationship” with you, or for that matter with God.

If I think you are not entitled to the same care, concern, and value that I am, because am rich, or popular, or American, or white, or male, then I can not agree with your plea for help/change/repair.

My “yes” and my “no” somehow have greater value than yours. It is an Idol. Because it also means that my “yes” and my “no” can be even greater than God’s. The ethic of love in relationship would say that your “yes” and your “no” would hold at least equal weight to mine but that God’s “yes” and God’s “no” would be the standard. The thin fragile line between yes and no is where agreement can be found only by those who seek the greater good.

So, how can we agree, become of one mind, one heart, one course?

It would seem to me that we have a perfect example of how God works toward our saying “yes” to love and “no” to not-love. It is in the person and work of Jesus. It appears in the Gospel story that Jesus does indeed seek the greater good. Jesus seeks love. Love of God. Love of neighbor. Love of self. Read the story. Can we agree?

Let our “yes” be God’s “yes” and our “no” God’s “no” for the greater good in all things at all times. Let’s agree to work to agree in all things at all times. Too hard you say? With God all things are possible. Can we agree?

Theological or Anthropological?

Charles Harrison — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 04:40:23 +0000

“What difference does knowing John Wesley make in your ministry as a Youthworker?”

I believe that is a question EVERY Youthworker in a Church with Wesleyan DNA should be prepared to answer, and answer well. Unfortunately most of us know little about John Wesley and even less about the Methodist Movement. Why have we lost this valuable history and praxis? Why does it not yet shape how we do Youth Ministry?

So let me start where brother John started: God. Not game books. Not retreats. Not mystery rambles. Not Ipod giveaway nights. Not ski trips. God.

“What is God doing in the world today?”

Do we ask this enough as we plan for our ministry with youth? Do we help youth to ask that question? Or do we start with “What do I need to do to make my Senior Pastor happy this week?” OR “How can I get these parents off my back?” OR “How do I get Junior High kids to want to go to Big Church worship?”

So, what is God doing in the world? This is the ultimate theological question. Unfortunately, we often say we don’t have time to be theological. I’ve done it. Maybe you have too. The schedule, the pressure, the pizza; this keeps us from thinking about God too much.

John Wesley had a preoccupation with theology. He wanted to know God. He saw God’s claim on all of life. He saw the Christian’s journey as one of being restored/restoring the Image of God in each person. While this is God’s work in us, it is also our response. Randy Maddox calls this “Responsible Grace.”

Practical Atheists

Don’t get me wrong. Wesley was interested in many things. Science, medicine, politics, etc. He was interested in culture and society. But, he ALWAYS started with God. Theology wasn’t an academic exercise with Wesley. It was life. Life with God. Abundant life! He talked about Christians who were “practical atheists” who maybe had some nice thoughts about God but who lived without God in the world shaping their lives by a God-reality.

How many of our Youth Ministries are neon banners for “practical atheism?” If we have been personally converted to the God of Jesus Christ, then surely our work with Youth must also be converted so that it reflects what God is doing in the world. Is doctrine simply some boring “ideas” we teach in Sunday school to overly bored Youth OR is doctrine something we live out with excitement and enthusiasm about what God might do next as all of Creation is being restored?

I can’t help but think that this Theological Foundation was the main component of the Methodist excitement and movement. There is great power for good in joining God. But, how difficult it is when we don’t have time for God, or when we don’t see what God is doing, to have time, to have energy, to have focus, to have renewal, to even invite others to join us in following the God of Jesus Christ. Difficult if not impossible.

“Why do we even do Youth Ministry?”

Today Youth Ministry is shaped more by the free-market logic of consumerism than it is by the gift of Grace logic. We are more interested in Anthropological questions that we are in God questions.

Why do we need Youth Ministry? Why that helps grow the Church, DUH! You know, we are just one generation away from extinction! Really? (I’ve heard that one a few times too many.)

Why should we have a Call to Ministry event? DUH! We need more pastors!

Why should we build bigger buildings? DUH! To get more Youth inside the buildings!

Why do we need 10 Guitar Hero stations in that new building? DUH!

The Practical Plan

What if, just for a season we tried to do all we can to help Youth experience God’s love in new ways by joining what God is doing in the world? What if we equipped the Youth we have to ask “What is God doing in the world today?” and to point others to that God.

What if we stopped competing with culture and just got very intentional about joining God.

What if instead of asking how to get 100 Youth to come to our fancy new building, we simply took the 40 or so kids we have already and we steeped them in Scripture, Prayer, Worship, and Service? What if we taught them to care for and love others the way God cares for and loves them? What if those 40 kids went out and each shaped 3-4 of their peers, pointing to God, and pointing to what God is doing in the world?

Don’t even have 40 kids? Start with 12. Or even 4. You know, it worked once before that way. And that is why there are still people who follow Jesus and look for what God is doing in the world today.

What difference SHOULD John Wesley make in Youth Ministry? John Wesley reminds us to seek out what God is doing, join in with God, and invite others to come with us.

Are YOU ready?

Homeless

Charles Harrison — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 05:00:33 +0000

Several years ago I was invited to be the United Methodist Youth Ministry representative at a meeting in Washington D.C. sponsored by Tobacco Free Kids to write curriculum for Youth groups. I was honored to be asked to participate in this group that had representatives from almost every denomination and group I could think of. About 40 people in all.

After a very long day of meeting, we disbanded for the evening. It was late at night, winter-time, cold, and I was hungry. I was also about 6 blocks from the White House. So, I thought, I can’t stay in my hotel room. I bundled up and headed out (Please don’t ever share this story with my Mom!).

I walked down to the White House walked around a little, I noticed many people sleeping on some steps to a local church. It was pretty cold. Too cold to sleep outside. Too cold for a guy from Texas to be walking around so late at night! And I was even more hungry.

I noticed that if I went down into the subway, there were some fast food places. So I went down, found some warmth and was glad to find several places open. I decide on some tacos, got my food and drink and sat down to eat.

As I took my first bite I heard “MMMMMM, that looks pretty good.” I carefully glanced around and noticed several men wearing a few too many mis-matched clothes. They looked tired, dirty, and I caught on pretty quickly they were hungry. Soon I heard “I wish I had a taco” and “I am as hungry as I am cold” so I knew this was an opportunity to be Good News. But I’ll be honest, even though I know the Scripture passage that talks about “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat” I really didn’t see Jesus in any of these men.

Out of a sense of comfort more than guilt I turned and asked “Would you all like some tacos too?” My new friends seemed shocked. I had responded to their words. I guessed it didn’t happen too often. So I asked again “Would you all like some tacos? Tell me what you want and I’ll buy it.” The response was sort of a muffled “Whatever man, thanks.”

So I got up, bought several tacos for each person and drinks, brought them over, set the tray down and then moved my tray to sit with them. (OK, in my head was my Mom’s voice saying do not talk to strangers, and I could just imagine she would mean ESPECIALLY homeless strangers, especially in Washington D.C., especially in the subway, especially close to mid-night!)

As we all ate, I asked their names and told them mine. We talked about the cold. They could tell I wasn’t from there and when I told them I was from Texas they called me “cowboy” and laughed. They wanted to know why I was in town, I told them about writing anti-tobacco curriculum. They said how important it was to tell kids not to smoke, even as they puffed on their cigarettes. They told me it was bad for health and very expensive and very hard to quit.

As we started to finish up, finally one man said very loudly “Dammit!” Then he looked at me with his one good eye and said: “Don’t you know not to talk to strangers?!?!” (In this moment I had a brief panic attack that my Mom had set this whole thing up just to prove a point.) I responded that I believed that it was important to show hospitality to strangers because often we are entertaining angels unaware of their identity. They all laughed and said “I hope you can see there are no angels here.” Again I was asked “Don’t you know you are not supposed to talk with us?” I simply responded that I didn’t know the rules and even when I know the rules, I don’t follow them very well.

They went on to explain: People ignore them because they are homeless. Occasionally someone gives them a dollar or two. Nobody goes and buys the food and hands it to them. And nobody ever sits down and talks with them. And nobody ever ever ever looks them in the eyes when they are talking.

I had done everything all wrong. Then they said “Hey cowboy preacher, could you be praying for us?” And I felt that maybe by breaking the rules, I had done some small thing right.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, had 3 rules for his people. The second rule was to “Do Good.” In every way and every time do all the good you can. As much good as you can do, do good.

I didn’t cure cancer, pull a baby out of a burning building, or invite anybody into a personal relationship with Jesus. I was even somewhat reluctant to do anything. Certainly the Spirit moved me to do what little I did do. Buy tacos and talk. Not much.

What does it really mean to share good news?

Why do you want to be an Evangelist?

Charles Harrison — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 05:03:14 +0000

OK, the question about Red Shoes was a lot easier to answer. It was a God-thing (really) that it even happened.

But, you know, I am kind of thinking the Evangelist calling is a God-thing as well.

I certainly didn’t ever plan to be an Evangelist. I don’t have a TV show, big-hair, slick hair even, my Bible is not very big and I have never personally thumped it at anyone. I am not a Fundamentalist by any stretch of the imagination (just ask my ministry friends). So, why me?

Let me tell you a story about Lorraine.

I travel a lot preaching/speaking at conferences and retreats, teaching/lecturing at seminars and workshops, mentoring/coaching folks in local churches. So I tend to eat out a little too much. My favorite meal by far is breakfast! So, you can find me anytime of day inside IHOP or Waffle House or some other type of place that serves breakfast 24/7.

Well, one afternoon, I went about 3 p.m. to eat. I knew it would not be too busy about that time and by eating late, I would not get very hungry while I was doing my evening preaching gig.

I sat down with a couple of books and my Bible to keep me company in the quiet while I waited for my food, drinking coffee and making some final preparations for the evening. Just in case the Bible didn’t completely give me away, I was also wearing a t-shirt from last Youth Group Mission trip. (And yes, I was wearing Red Shoes!)

The wait-staff person quickly came to my table to begin serving me. I ordered my usual breakfast and some coffee. As I did I also noticed a BIG smile and very kind eyes. I looked at the name badge and I told Lorraine “Thanks” as she rushed off to put my order in.

I’ll be the first to admit I am not the most observant person in the world. In fact I am pretty ADD when it comes to paying attention to details or to people I’ve just met. But when Lorraine brought my food I picked up on a couple of things beyond her name and smile and kindness.

Lorraine had a brace on her arm that she used to carry the dishes out with. I can only imagine how a large tray with several people’s meals must really hurt her. I also noticed she wore some shoes I recognized. My 85 year old mother wears the same orthopedic shoes for people with really bad feet. I continued to receive smiles, fresh coffee, and more kindness.

She left me in peace to read and write some notes and eat. But she did show up to refill my water and coffee. She asked questions for a few moments during one of those acts of service. Where was I from? Why was I in town? What is the deal with the Red Shoes?

Not meaning to impose myself or my theology on her, I simply said I was speaking at a conference (I didn’t tell what kind) and I would be heading home the next day.

It came time to leave and I looked at the ticket and took my money out. I had no $1 bills but several $5′s so I left a couple of $5 bills on the table and headed to the cashier.

My Dad taught me a lot of things. I wished I had actually learned all the things he tried to teach me! One thing he always told me was to over-tip breakfast wait-staff. Why? Because it is the most inexpensive meal, and they work just as hard as somebody who serves and expensive dinner. So be extra kind, leave more than normal.

I’ll admit, the 2 $5′s were a little over the top. But, I thought, you know, Lorraine was so nice, and she was so eager to serve me, and you know she just made my day, so I didn’t think much more about it as I went to the cashier. As I paid the manager behind the counter, I heard Lorraine’s voice say “Sir, you’ve accidentally left these on the table.”

She was holding the 2 $5 bills. I quickly responded saying: “No, no. Lorraine, those are for you! thank you SO MUCH for serving me today! You really made my day!”

She looked at the bills and then looked back up at me. Again, she looked at the bills and then looked back up at me. And again, she looked at the bills and then looked back up at me. And even again, she looked at the bills and then looked back up at me. As she started to shake her head back and forth in a no motion, she said in a soft voice: “That never happens.”

My heart began to sink. Then she looked me in the eye and asked: “Are you a Christian?” My heart sank even more.

I stumbled over my words: “Well I am trying very hard to follow Jesus, sometimes I am better at it, sometimes I am not so good at doing what Jesus did.”

She came and sat down on a bench with me as we talked. And the manager came out from behind the cashier booth and sat down next to her. She said: “Do you know what day of the week is the worst day to work here?”

I was puzzled. ”Monday?” I guessed. ”No!” she said. ”The worst day of the week to work here is ALWAYS on Sunday!” To this she got several “uh-huh” affirmations from the manager. Lorraine continued: “YOU PEOPLE come in here on Sundays in your fancy dresses and nice suits, come in straight from Church I imagine. And then you call me names, and are rude, and never have a kind thing to say. And then you leave me maybe 2 quarters on the table if I am lucky. Sometimes a whole dollar.”

I could only respond with a weak “I am so sorry” but she continued.

“So, when you came in here, I saw your Bible, and I can see you wearing that Christian shirt, so I guessed you must be one of those Christians. But then you were polite to me. But then you said you were in town to speak, and I knew then you must be talking at some Bible meeting. So, when you left two nice $5 dollar bills on the table, I just knew it must be a mistake, because NO Christian would ever do something like that!”

I wanted to crawl under a rock somewhere. The whole time the manager just kept agreeing with her and adding in his experiences of insults.

So, there I was, a choice before me, do I answer the call to be an evangelist in this moment? Do I run? Do I say somethings funny and try and make everybody laugh?

I said: “You know, you are an important person. You deserve to be treated fairly by everybody. You just gave me the best service I have had recently. Thank you so much. If I lived here, I would ask for you to be my wait-staff person every time. I don’t know why Christians act that way. I think it is wrong. I think Jesus would think it is wrong too. I think it makes God sad.”

Then I told her about my Dad. She wished more Dads taught their sons about breakfast! Then I ask if she and the manager would both be praying for me. They seemed astonished. ”Pray for you?” they both said. ”Yeah, I am speaking tonight to a group I don’t know very well and I am a little nervous.” The manager said “Son, with those shoes (the Red ones) they will be so distracted they will never know if you make a mistake. Don’t worry too much.” We all laughed.

Then they asked me to pray for them. I felt honored.

I think the first job of people who follow Jesus is to simply “Do No Harm” as they live out their lives in the world. Now I wasn’t smart enough to think that up on my own. It was John Wesley’s first rule for his Methodists.

I hear stories all the time about people who consider themselves Christians who have done much harm. So, here I am, trying to follow Jesus, and maybe the first thing that does harm is simply wearing the Christian Youth Group T-Shirt because somebody is thinking “Oh, another one of THOSE people!”

And somewhere in all of his, God is telling me to be Good News, to share Good News, to Love. To especially love people like Lorraine. And I think, maybe my calling as an Evangelist is to un-do the damage by being a different kind of Evangelist from the ones who are out there now.

And I don’t just mean the Big Hair Bible Thumpers on TV!

Why Do You Wear Red Shoes?

Charles Harrison — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 05:06:17 +0000

OK, so here is the story:

Awhile back in the 20th Century, I was leading some workshops in another city. You know, the kind of thing where you stand there all day, say a few wise things, manage a crowd, and try to help people grow a bit in their thinking and practice.

So the hard part was standing there all day because right before I left town I had played softball and ended up covering both shortstop and second base, each just long enough to get cleated hard on the top of each foot. OUCH!

So, after day #1 of workshops I totally hated the dress shoes I was wearing. UGH! I made a quick trip to the nearest mall and the MOST comfortable shoes I could find were some high top sneakers. They just happened to be red.

Fortunately, red actually goes with everything, so it worked out well for me on day #2 of leading those workshops.

And my feet felt so much better! In a prophetic tone at the end of the day, one participant said “Hey, Red Shoe Guy, why do blah, blah, blah……?” Of course everybody laughed. ha ha ha

The next day a friend of mine came up and said I had come up with a really good idea in my workshop that people had been talking about. Right before my ego got too big, he said “Ya know, they couldn’t remember your name but they did know you were the only guy here wearing red shoes!”

So, it stuck. Now, about 15 pairs of red shoes later, they still don’t always remember my name. I have actually had people get angry when I don’t wear red shoes. Can you believe it? When somebody books me for a retreat or something, they always ask “You are going to wear your red shoes, right?” or something of the sort.

I’ve found that red shoes inspire people to strike up a conversation with me in airports, coffee shops, hardware stores, camp, and even in Church. I’ve even had a few de-churched folks say “Hey, if I found a church that would let me wear those shoes to worship, I’d get back in the habit!”

So, I have begun to think of my accidental brilliance as a Spirit thing, post Pentecost of course (hence the red). Imagine people casually talking just because of some shoes? And imagine that conversation moving towards faith talk. Mine. Yours. Ours. Theirs.

So, go ahead, forget my name…..but…..you’ll know it’s me when you see me!

When Grace is the Chauffeur: A Wesleyan Model of Youth Ministry

Charles Harrison — Tue, 01 May 2007 04:44:32 +0000

Ever wonder what it would be like if John Wesley was the Youth Minister at your Church?

Well a few years ago a few seasoned United Methodist Youth Ministers sat around a table in North Texas and asked that very question.

What would we do differently if we paid attention to Wesley’s Way of following Jesus?

What would old John say about our models of Christian Discipleship?

How could we help stop the rapid turnover in Youth Ministers while preparing Churches for the spike in possible Students to reach with the Gospel in the early 21st century?

How would curriculum, programs, and structures have to change to emphasize the core of Wesley’s theology of Grace?

How could we reach Students at every level of their spiritual journey and then equip them on their journey into full Discipleship?

What if we worried less about how good the t-shirts looked and worried more about praying with and for students?

How do young people form their Identities?

How does Conversion work?

Why is the Christian Community so important for faith formation?

What if we started with a theological foundation for Youth Ministry that didn’t worry about the numbers, helped students spend time on the margins serving others, and empowered them to answer their vocational call to participate in the Reign of God here and now?

What should we teach about Discipleship, Mission, and Evangelism and what is the best way for students to learn?

What if we served food to the homeless in the downtown area more often, spent more time in small groups building houses in Mexico for families who currently live in cardboard homes, empowered students to read their Bibles more (and even carry them!), instead of planning better games, bigger concerts, and frequent trips to the waterpark?

Well, we seemed to ask more questions than we had answers for. So we spent a lot of time in fellowship, Holy conversation, study and reasearch. We came up with a framing image; an image of Grace in motion.

You see, we believe Youth Ministry should start with asking the question “What is God doing in the world today?” and we believe that the best theological concept for God’s work is simply Grace. God’s love working in and through all of creation. We think Grace is like a Chauffer because Grace simply comes and picks you up and takes you where you need to go. It is that simple. You can’t buy a ticket. You can’t earn the ride. You don’t have to jump any hoops to participate. You don’t have to know any secret handsakes or formulas.

So, many workshops and Power Point slides later, yeah, we’re working on a book. But we would like to hear from you. What do you think? Have you been asking any questions about Youth Ministry?

How has Grace been at work in your ministry? How did you learn who you are? What is your conversion story? Where are you now on your journey? How do you participate in God’s Reign here and now? What difference does being a Disciple make in your life and ministry?

Join the conversation. Please. We need you. Or it just won’t be the FULL community of Jesus Christ God intends for us to participate in. I hope to hear from you soon.