Trouble

Trouble...my thoughts for today are spawned from my recent reading of Mike Yaconelli's article "The 'Trouble' With Youth Ministry."

It's dangerous...when you and I are trying to follow Jesus, we're going to get into trouble. In making disciples (of ourselves and others) we take on the role of introducing people (in my case, young people) to the life-ruining Jesus who causes nothing but trouble.

Often joked about in youth ministry - did you know if your church doesn't have a rule that exists just because of your ministry, then you aren't letting Jesus have first place in your ministry? What would the session say about that? I've just entered the start of my fifth year with GSPC and no rule...YET! We'll see if we can work on that one in the coming year!

So, what's with the "life-ruining Jesus" part? Isn't this church, Jesus, following business supposed to make everything orderly? Ha! take a look at Matthew 6:33 ("But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness...") - if you want to be a disciple (and don't we all?) but if you really want to be His disciple, a follower of Jesus, nothing can be more important than Jesus.

If work is more important than Jesus, then work has to go. If surfing the internet is more important than Jesus, then the internet must go. If school (or school related activities) is more important than Jesus, (yes, I'm gonna say it), then it's gotta go. If your boy/girl-friend is more important than Jesus, then he/she has to go. Are you getting the picture here? If anything in your life is more important than Jesus, then whatever 'it' is, it has to go!

I know what you're thinking "it's hard to be a disciple!"
ding ding ding - we have a winner! No one, including Jesus, himself - ever said it would be an easy task. What do you think "take up your cross daily" means?
but in the end - being a disciple is the only thing that will really matter.

Youth Ministry causes trouble -- an example: a youth worker with a heart for the lost, was ministering to gang members in her church (a job in which she was specifically hired to do) - long story short - eventually the gang members decided they wanted to go to worship - so they did! When the minister announced the giving of the peace one of the gang members stood up and said "hey, dude, you are cool!" The entire congregation turned around in shock. After the service the youth worker was told to not bring the gang members to church until they learned how to behave.

They should have given the youth worker a raise - they didn't - She was fired!

Unfortunately, many people in the church are more concerned about rules, policies, and procedures than they are about the unbelievable, miraculous, spectacular, unprecedented, once-in-a-lifetime event that occurs when someone starts to get well. When people get well, it exposes the sickness of those around them.

Rather than getting mad, there should have been a celebration because a group of gang members miraculously desired to be part of the church. Who are the gang members in your church?

Sometimes I wonder if it's easier for the rocks to cry out in the presence of Jesus than for some church members to celebrate the "trouble" that genuine youth ministry causes.

Woo Hoo, (in honor of the late Mike Yaconelli)
~C