for those who work with jr. high, or
Dr. Strangelove - How to stop being a suburban turd and love the God.
In an email conversation with Deb, I've been thinking through what makes youth group more than a social get together. My first email to her was this:
"Grant and Deb,
http://firecracker8489.blogs.com/blog/2006/08/why_ive_given_u.html
Above is a girl that honestly expresses her dissatisfaction with her youth group. I am not making a single parallel with the youth group she went to and ours but I think that her post and the comments that follow are an interesting conversation about a very important distinction between a social club and a youth group (hopefully without overcorrecting into a boring bible study or strict sermon time). Let me know what you think of it.
Seth"
This is my second email to her, I believe in the subject bar is,
"Yikes. If you keep listening, I'll keep sending...
http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/ruin-the-ski-retreat-for-jesus#more-680
I automatically balked against his argument because of all the good I have seen ski retreats in the lives of keeping kids connected to the church(I know that at least Jerome and Ryan have fond memories from these) but I like where he ends - where he sees his ideas going, "They need a passionate vision and opportunity to give till it hurts, to sacrifice, to connect with the cause of Christ. They want the church in America to stop being a joke and to become the asset to world missions and church planting movements that it can be." and ending up here, "...the parents are afraid you’ll spend your college money starting churches in Mongolia or building clinics in Appalachia or tutoring in the inner city." That is a faith that postmodern kids long for, something way bigger than they can even make it something that has hijacked their life instead of accomodated it and doing something that leaves the world a completely different place.
I don't like looking at these kinds of changes because, at least for me, I kinda like just showing up and hanging out with kids or going to the mountains to run around with them. But we are responsible, way more responsible than I think we even know, to lift up those kids who desire more out of life and want Jesus to provide that and to challenge those who are complacent and comfortable with an apathetic role in building the Kingdom of God. Again, I must repeat, Yikes.
seth"
So, this can also be charged against the church as a whole. But are there limits to the application? A church is not simply a community service organization or a board of world releif. How does spiritual developement fit in? Can we justify a retreat for its balm of silence and reflection on a frayed and ragged soul? Are there creative ideas for merging a spiritual retreat and meeting a global need together? And most importantly, does the subject matter really justify seth's bastardization of a classic movie title? Wait...most importantly, what the heck are we going to do about it in our church?
seth
(sorry for the long post and for the monopoly I feel I have on this blog. the only cure is to have an uprising of people drowning out my voice with tons of beautiful posts and only then will I be put in my place and subjected to say, "thank you sir, may I have another.")
technocrati tags: youth ministry, missional church
posted by coemergentco at 9/12/2006 12:13:00 PM
2 Comments:
after reading the first email link, i completely understand that point of view. i never went to high school youth group consistently bc of that issue, yet i think i was also to blame bc i was lazy and did not try to fix the problem. the second one i skimmed somewhat, and i also agree that retreats are a good "bonding" time. they seem to be more social than spiritual,and kids dont want to give them up (i.e. winter retreat). but its good to really connect with those kids who need the friendship most. so i guess all i can really say is my opinion, bc i have no idea how to really answer them...
for what it's worth:
it always seemed to me that the idea of ski-trips (in the generic sense, including activities like them) were intended to "build community". the question at hand is one that is teleological [consider what is the goal or end in mind, and what means are employed in trying to reach it]?
if we assume that our community can be built on shared experience, or having "fun" is what brings us together, then ski trips are a good way to get people on the same mountain and maybe the same ski chair, have a shared memory or two, and maybe feel some sort of connection develop.
[now here is where I make a lot of assumptions and big unqualified statements.]
The only basis we have for being a community is Christ, and although some of us may enjoy common interests or be able to connect socially, these are tissue-paper thin "bonds" so to speak. Being a community is difficult, and preserving unity can only be accomplished through the holy Spirit and the communion of the saints. The community should be so amazing and varied and unified that it can only be attributed by the work of God: "you will know they are Christians by their love...".
Youth group activities should be ones which I think emphasize where our unity lies. Of course skiing cannot and should not be strictly relegated to a "secular" activity, but it seems to be about the individual enjoying himself or herself. I think social-justice type of activities would better emphasize the reality of Kingdom being at hand.
The other issue is, shall we say, capital, and how our expenditure of it reveals our priorities... something to seriously conisder.
I realize this didn't exactly address some of your questions, which are good ones. I especially liked the second article you linked, namely the sentiment that "we'll do the missions trip *next* year."
Thanks for posting this entry.
Post a Comment
<< Home