How do I get kids to understand the kingdom of God? How do I shift
their conceptions of the Christian life? These are essential questions I have
been asking ever since I was hired a few months ago as a youth pastor at First
CRC of Grand Haven. I’ve never actually led a youth group, but like most young
people in ministry, I make up for it in eagerness, optimism, and consternation.
This summer I exercised my brain, wringing it for ideas, vision and strategies.
I put together all the scriptures for the whole semester so as to walk the
students through the basics of the kingdom of God. I imagined students’ faith
light bulbs flashing weekly with fresh revelations.
As it turns out, ministry is much less linear than that. Piled in
my lap are more questions than answers. I have more vagueness than
determinations. From a distance, solutions seemed clear. But as I have engaged
in community relationships with students, I have somehow entered a thick fog*.
It’s as if I have inherited some of their condition; I feel what they feel
about their faith: stuck, unimaginative, and yet mindlessly hopeful. O God,
have I gone down into the pit only to need rescuing myself? I thought I was
supposed to be the leader with the plan!
“How do we lead the church when we are tangled in theological
puberty?” led Kyle Small in our class the other week. “We don’t lead out in
front of our congregations, we are drawn by the Spirit into
new space. We immerse ourselves in scripture, the Word of Love. And like a word
of love from a loved one, scripture echoes in our hearts. We dwell in this Word
and let it speak to us over and over again.” As he gently led us through
dwelling in the Word together, I was refreshed by the Spirit; I was reminded
that the Word of Love is not concerned so much about destination.
Two months ago I was asked by our director of discipleship to lead
adult education on a Sunday after church. She and I thought it would be a great
chance to introduce myself to the congregation and to communicate my vision for
the youth group. The date was approaching and I was praying, “God, what do I
say? How do I get these adults on board with the youth ministry? How do I fill
my allotted time?!” The “dwelling” experience with Kyle Small came to mind.
That Sunday we gathered in the sanctuary for Adult Ed and I shared
my story. The Spirit was present as I told of my upbringing and my
shortcomings, the times I had questioned God and the times he had revealed
himself. I invited us to open scripture to Luke 10. I prayed. I read it slowly.
I invited them to share with one another. I invited them to share what they
heard with everyone. Hands all over the sanctuary went up with rich questions,
curiosities and insights. I showed how God was sending students out into
mission. I closed by leading a time of communal prayer. Afterward, I received
this text from our director of discipleship:
Thank you for your Adult Ed today! I have coordinated Adult Ed for
2.5 years now and there are only a few times during Adult Ed where the Holy
Spirit has been so palpable. Your session was one of those times and we were
blessed to have you guide us to the work of the Spirit among us!
All I can say is praise God! Maybe it’s okay for me to have
questions as a leader, to not always have a clear vision. This week I have been
drawn to dwell in the Word myself. It is a work of grace. As I enter deeper
into the fog with youth, may I be a leader who is drawn by the Spirit to dwell
in the Word with students.
*other
than adolescent B.O.
No comments:
Post a Comment