Two for Two (and...how my students rock my socks off)

I am sitting on my sofa like a proud mama. Even though I am often proud of the people in my life, I am sitting here today with a huge amount of pride (the good kind) for my middle school students. 

Last spring, I was on Twitter perusing though the many people I follow, when I came across one of my fellow youth director's tweets; it was about an event his church was having. This event was an outreach for new students. You see those students who already frequented the youth program were to choose a friend to spend the night, compete in some challenges, and then bring them to church the next morning. 

Brilliant! I thought. In fact, I was like, "shoot Sara, how come you didn't think of this??!" So I immediately decided that we would do this same sort of event, first thing in the fall. And... that is exactly what we did! 

I prayed about it, thought at length about it, talked it up, shouted it out, emailed it, tweeted it, and had it grace my Facebook only 100 or so times. (Ok maybe not quite that many) And last Saturday and Sunday, Grace Middle School Ministries had its very first Two for Two event! That is, Two friends, for Two days, trying to sweep a (the) competition! It was incredible...let me tell you why. 

It was not only a huge amount of fun for our students and their friends, getting to do some crazy and awesome challenges, but for their parents as well - as they took photographs and got to watch it all take place. And even though the fun almost trumped and took the 'win', what our students did, as a part of the bigger picture, was the real win. 

One mom told me that her daughter, as she was trying to decide which friend to she would participate with, really thought through the decision. You see, the rules were that you needed to compete with someone who did not regularly attend our Sunday morning program, SYNC. Well, this 8th grader choose a friend, who not only did not attend our church, but didn't have a church of her own, to call home. She could have easily picked her best friend, or someone she was a little closer with, who already, and regularly attended another church. 

Another mom told me that her son had chosen a friend that also did not have a church to call home - not only that, but he hadn't ever really been to church. This young man came, and not only had a great time, but is interested in getting to know what church is all about. And what cannot go without mentioning is, that this mom, has agreed to pick him up ANYTIME he wants to come to church, in the future. 

Here is the thing my friends. We talk all the time about evangelism, "Hey kids, parents, people... go tell others about Jesus," "share the scriptures," "tell them about the Gospel," and while this is hugely important, it can be really intimidating. I in fact, even as a youth director, find it really hard to "evangelize" outside of my normal christian bubble (which then might not even be considered as evangelism). But what our students did, how they shared their faith, was so simple... AND incredible. 

Our students invited their peers to enter into their life, to come and walk alongside them. And even if it was just for an 18 hour time period, they planted a seed in the life of a friend, that could one day grow into to something amazing. I think a lot of students (and older folks too), hear the word evangelism and either have no clue what it means, or they think of that crazy street preacher hitting people on the head with a Bible. Or perhaps, it is this thing that Christians are supposed to do, but it is too scary, intimidating, or abstract of an idea. 

But working in a church, and hearing the passion that our Outreach Pastor has when he talks about this very thing, I think our students hit it right on the head (and not with their Bibles). They extended an invitation (with intention) to someone in their circle of influence, to come inside their life, and see what it's about and with no pressure or expectation. 

What an example they have made, and how high a bar they have set. I think if we could just see past that guy preaching on the corner, and those vague ideas about sharing the Gospel, we might actually have the courage to do exactly what our students did last weekend. And that is, in the most simple of forms, just inviting someone you know, that needs our incredible Jesus, to enter your world. Letting them see how you live, how you love, what you value, and how you treat others. This too is evangelism, and perhaps, in my opinion, one of the very best ways to go about it. 

Ahhhhhhh. I love learning things from my students. Go middle schoolers - you rock my socks off! 

Will You Save Me a Seat?

I beeped my car, grabbed the rolls, and headed to the front door. I felt a wave of anxiety as I approached the house, I even felt a bit awkward and out of my element. I heard the sound of the dog barking, and took a deep breath as the door opened. 

....

It was about five months earlier, when I was in the deep of planning for our incredible summer missions project, that I was sitting in my office amongst papers and in the slue of an already 12 hour work day, that I had a life and ministry changing revelation.  

It occurred to me that in the hustle and bustle of the last couple of months, that I had not been spending very much time with students, and spending much more time in my office. I even began to cry a little, because often times, and I am not sure about you other YP's out there, but I get overwhelmed by my office time and by the end of the day I am so spent, that doing the thing that I love the most (hanging with students) doesn't get to happen. Youth Ministry is not a 9-5 kind of job, if you are in this field you know that. But for many of us, if we do not monitor our time in ministry, it begins to rule our lives, and the rest of 'us' begins to suffer. Balance is a weighted word, and not just for Ministry professionals, but for many professionals out there. 

That day I sat there in my mind playing back the past three years (that is how long I have been at my current church). And in those three years, the majority of my time has (and please do not gasp) has not been spent with students, it has been spent in my office. Now of course, this does not include events, outings, or retreats - but I spend (and this is just brutal honesty here) very little time building relationships/discipling students. But let me just just say, here and now, it has not been because I have not desired to. I, like most, even my co-worker in the office next to me doing HS Min, feel the constant pressure to be all and do all - planning over the top events, doing administrative work, making sure that our main program is in top shape, preparing lessons, equipping leaders, emailing parents, AND finding the time to do the most IMPORTANT part of our job, walking with students (and see that all of it happens, and happens with excellence). 

So, I had to ask myself a question? What is more important, the Gnome Scavenger Hunt or Discipling Students? And the answer is, both. What a hard place to be, I thought. For the most part, and like many youth ministries out there, we are short staffed, and a staff run program all in one. We need to have events, we need to have a great program, and we need disciple students. But that day in my office, I felt at a loss - because if I devote myself to one, another suffers, if I spread myself over all, they all suffer.  But at the end of the day, I had to ask myself, why are you in youth ministry Sara? And even though there are many things that my job require, that I can do, and do well, they are not the reason I wanted to, and felt called to be in ministry. 

The reason I wanted to be in ministry, with this age-group of students, is because I want them to know who Jesus is. I wanted to be able to walk alongside them during these three years in middle school, which we all know is a crazy time, and help them to build and shape their faith. How does this happen? Well it happens with the lesson on Sunday, it happens with the help of small group leaders, it happens when students feel at home during events, and in many other big and small ways. But here is the kicker, it also happens (in a HUGE way) when we get to step right into their lives (outside of church). I have seen this example, and the impact it has on a student, when their leader steps into THEIR lives - is monumental.  

I no longer want to just see and hear about this impact, or hear stories of winning touchdowns, or family game nights - I want to be a part of them. I want to truly be in the lives of our students. I want to know them personally, I want to be involved in their lives, outside of Sunday.  I want to get to know them right where they are, at home, at their games, at their activities etc. I believe that part of knowing a student, is also knowing their family. We are in this together, and the things that help to shape a student's faith, that help them to know Jesus, well they begin, at home. 

So this year, we are doing something different. This year we doing something that will feel and does completely foreign to me, and to our families. This year I am going relying more heavily on my volunteers to become significant voices in the lives of students. This year we are having fewer events, and the ones we are having, are being done with an even more specific purpose and position. This year I am going to get to know my people, my students and their families. This year I am hoping to see winning touchdowns, bench time, the sound of choral voices, your messy living room, your teens bulletin board, and your dog Fluffy. 

This year, I need parents to share the sports schedules, the dance schedules, the performance times. I need families to invite me to dinner, to the picnic on Saturday, or to Sunday Lunch. This year, I want, I NEED my sweet families to invite me into their lives. I want them to know me, and likewise, I want to know them.  We are in this journey, at least for three years (hopefully more), together. I am praying they will let me. 
....

As the door opened I was greeted with the warmest of welcomes. I walked in and began my first dinner, in three years of ministry, with a wonderful family.  We had pork chops for dinner, my first cherry pie for dessert, and a game of cards to top off the evening. The food was fantastic, the conversation was funny and delightful, but most of all, the time I got to spend with the Kikers, was something I won't forget. I saw them as a family, unique and special. I got to see them love each other and experience them love on me. They got to hear all about my just beginning adventure with seminary and my hopes and love of this wonderful MS Min. I got to not just know their MS son better, but also, their elementary daughter. I heard about their family traditions, their favorite things, and just got to know a side of them I never would have, at an event or on a Sunday morning. 

I can plan events with my eyes closed, I am great with details, I can even write a Sunday morning lesson - these are things I KNOW. But getting to KNOW a family, even though it was out of my element, was one of the best things in ministry, I have ever known. 

I am thankful and so grateful for my first family dinner. I left knowing that even though we are changing up things a bit, this is exactly how it is supposed to be.