so this is what has been on my heart ALL WEEKEND... losing sleep, great conversations, coming off a conversation with some buddies last week over lunch...
i guess the best and easiest way to start the process would be to ask a question... and the best, most practical way to ask the question i guess would be...
Q: what does SUCCESS look like in youth ministry?
i just think that "we" (youth pastors, people with teenagers, etc) continue to be OK with the status quo in terms of success in youth ministry in america. the PRACTICAL and TANGIBLE often times (lets be honest, most times, if not always) trumps the work necessary to build "cultures of learning." not even necessarily the work but the patience it takes to build PEOPLE in place of building PROGRAMS that people attend.
Q: what does america and the world need most?
i cant help but to think that we need PEOPLE... and people building people. building people takes time, strategy, energy, a new culture... but when it happens the self sustaining power behind the movement creates the reality of what will be.
i know that it is both/and... it is both people and programs BUT what more and where will the shifts and the nudges takes place to build people and not just more people attending cool events?
thoughts?
F
Comments (3)
Fred,
"in their shoes"- i would need something real/authentic, captivating and interesting, and something that i can rely on. I wouldnt want a place of refuge to be temporary, i want connection and reliability.
But thats just something that someone may consider if they wanted a place to start. I think that real sucess comes from the _____(word referring to how something retains it's meaning and passion...?) of the group throughout its lifetime. Centrally putting God at the throne ALWAYS, but never becoming redundant or dull. REFRSHING.
Posted by weiss | June 9, 2008 2:45 PM
Posted on June 9, 2008 14:45
pretty much im trying to say that people building people is something beautiful and influential.
Posted by weiss | June 9, 2008 9:11 PM
Posted on June 9, 2008 21:11
As much as I would LOVE to see the Realm packed with people, if they are just there because of the event or some activity or whatever...I would much rather only have 20 people there who are ALL there just totally united and living for Jesus...
But I also think that if that were the case, we would attract others to the Realm and then it would be packed because of our unitedness (is that a word?) and the fact that we just love.
Like Ryan said: beautiful and influential
Love just really amazes me...to no ends.
Posted by Liz Caro | June 12, 2008 5:36 PM
Posted on June 12, 2008 17:36