I was a volunteer in our church’s student ministry for 10+ years. I finished my time there a week and a half ago. I began to write a long post full of my observations of Student ministry over the last decade. But, as is disconcertingly typical with me, the words just weren’t flowing. But I can summarize:
Students are wonderful. Sometimes people who don’t know them can think that they aren’t spiritual, or that they are scary, or that they are sinful and lost. Well, of course, many students, like many people, fit those descriptions. But my hope for the future is always boosted when in the presence of a student who loves God (and there are many). And I’m not just talking about high school students. You know those seventh graders you avoid? A lot of them are awesome – get to know them.
Students understand community in ways we don’t. They are bonded to each other. They understand that they can’t be alone, even though many of them, through no fault of their own, are. The wisest ones understand that they won’t make it as a Christian without others. Why do we lose the ability to have community when we get older? I know, I know, we’re more busy. We have families.
But why don’t I know my neighbors better?
Selah
Many students don’t have families to speak of. It positively, absolutely kills me. Their parents are either gone or distant. And so they have to make it through their young lives essentially alone, and they fight battles that they should never have to fight, and carry baggage that should never have been placed on them. They shouldn’t have to wonder which dad will walk them down the aisle at their wedding, and they shouldn’t have to wish that the answer could be “neither”. They shouldn’t have to live vagabond lives, sleeping at relatives and friend’s houses because their parents don’t appear to care where they sleep and don’t appear to give them much acceptance. They shouldn’t have to inherit all the pathologies and personality-scars that their parents pass down to them, with the attendant probabilities of repeating the cycle. And I shouldn’t have to wonder why their parents never come to see them at church. Leading worship is not about performance, but to have a parent be, seemingly, completely uninterested in the fact that their child sings as a lead-worshipper for over a hundred students each week makes me sad.
When students are together, it’s amazing. I was allowed into their culture from time to time (a great act of grace on their part, I might add) and it’s a wonderful place. They love each other. They strive for God. They want to live epic lives, and believe God can take them there. They are afraid for their future. And they still know how to live in the now.
I said I miss them. Which is ironic, because I haven’t moved away and most of them haven’t either. But I am called to serve in the main church body and, like many churches, the students are somewhat removed from that. I don’t understand why, but I don’t think this is a healthy thing. There are people who I love dearly who I will never, ever see, even though they “go to my church”, unless I walk the 150 yards over to the student building. We are two churches. I’d love to find ways to make us one again without diminishing either side.
I could write a lot more. About how amazing it is to go to, for instance, the wedding of a student you were close to, and see that person grown up now, and still loving God. I have two more weddings of past band members to go to this fall. That’s awesome! It’s amazing to see them start their own families. It’s a bit twilight-zonish to see them become adults.
Some of the ones I’ve known have gone into ministry, or onto the mission field. And that’s been so great to see. I’ve always told the worship band members that the most important thing is that they continue walking with God after the band’s done. And, for the most part, they have.
Students need loving adults to shepherd them. Maybe you? There’s nothing like it.
I miss them. And I’m so thankful.
You are so right about how sad it is that students are not a part of the main body in most churches. This is sad…and wrong, I think.
i don’t know that i have anything new to add. i think this would be a bad place to think out loud on the subject.
it definitely is a problem and please know that we are aware of it.
bill, it is weird for you to be “gone.” know that you are missed at least equally as much as the the students are by you.
Stroke,
Thanks. I hope my comment wasn’t taken as a criticism. It’s not meant as a criticism of the student office by any means.
I think the key is to unify without diminishing either side of the ministry. And that’s hard to do. 249 is a beautiful thing, and I’d never want our church to do anything to disrupt all the awesome things going on there. I think the church can learn much from what’s going on there, and more of our adults need to get invested. Students are impacted every day by your ministry. It’s awesome.
It is strange to be gone. I’m still getting used to it.
i miss jr. high kids.. every week all the time!!! God is sooo Amazing… I dont know if you have heard.. but i might lead worship in kidzone this year. praying about it…! weird?? love and miss you!!
Mego!
Brad and Kevo told me that you might be leading in Kidzone this year! Well, that’s awesome! I’ll pray for that too, that you make the right decision. Isn’t that just like our God to give you that opportunity?
So nice to hear from you – I miss you too, my friend. Was listening to you sing today on the CD – so good!
love ya
bill
Bill- Thanks for writing this.
Now how do we get it into the hands of the rest of our church . . . hmmmmm
yah, i’m not really sure where I stand entirely on the issue of having the students serve within the main body, or on a seperate entity , or “youth group”.
Generally my view has been Henk Rietsema’s View [my mentor at L’Abri], Churches should generally run between 200-400 people, enough people to effectively transform your community, and a small enough people to develope your own community. Kids in elementary school who are not old enough to truely contemplate or.. hmm. I don’t know how to put this. I do not think its wrong to have a Kidzone, or a childrends ministry, we have that at my Church [Ecclesia] and I see nothing wrong with having all of the 1-7 year olds leave the main body to venture off, becaus they must be taught on an entirely different level.
Otherwise it seems to be most beneficial to have one body remain together. OF course, practically speaking this means smaller churches.
Anyway, good luck with figuring all of that stuff out.
I don’t believe in luck, but you know what I mean 🙂
Thanks Steven – I’m glad you commented! I get where you’re coming from
I hope no one thinks I’m for dismantling student ministries 🙂 – just ways of having the ministries interconnect better. I’d love it if our students felt that what happened in “big church” related to them. I’m not precisely sure why they don’t feel that way (and don’t feel like this is the best place to talk about it)
And I’m not really sure if I’m in a position to change anything, or if its my place, or if there’s anything that needs to be changed, necessarily. But I am hopeful for more unity in our church.
It’s great to hear from you, by the way! You’re a great one!
basically. i just wanted to say. you still. continue to minister to many students. even though your not on the inside any more. continued relationships/ even this blog will minister to kids. but i miss you hanging out by the sound booth. and seeing you sundays. although i got to see you yesterday! which was good. you looked so adultish! shirt tucked in. etc. what a fine young man you are.
your awesome
“you looked so adultish! shirt tucked in. etc. what a fine young man you are. “
LOL!
Thanks AJ for the constant encouragement!
I noticest you mentioned students feeling related in big church, or spoken to well.
well… thats probably why I prefer exegetical versus topical. Its leaving church being like “man, I’ve learned alot about john 21” rather than topical.
Now… once again i’m not trying to be a pharisee, or a harsh critic [though I am one at heart, I mean, i’m an apologist!]. Is there any reason you happen to prefer topical? Or supposing you prefer “going through the bible”, why do you prefer that instead?
I happen to prefer flat-out bible because I feel like the bible is relevant enough as it is. The bible clearly displays the conditions of the human heart and provides sufficient answers for any need at any moment. That way we are not trying to make something relevant, we infact reveal it to relevant to our very day to day needs even if we do not use various topical metaphors, it is still is extremely applicable. It also allows more room for, the great word of our decade, Context. Context is one of the largest things lacking from biblical literacy. This approach also provides further opportunity for a more balanced view of the bible, not simply messages of victory, or the law, or condemnation, or redemption, or this or that, you have it all if you stick around long enough. This also seems to the more traditional method of the early church, and of the jewish church.
Proof texting encourages room for further error, misinterpration, and can lead to stray from the central doctrine.
Anyway, I’m sure you have various reasons to support, whatever stance you take [and I trust they are valid even if they are disagreeable to my own].
2 john 1:12
–Steven
P.S I love you.
I MET THIS AMAZING GIRL, MAN. I’m learning So much about manly and woman responsibilities, and dying, and yah. c.s lewis compared a marriage to a crucifixion, saying the “best marriage is the one that resembles the crucifixion the most”
HOW EXCITING! oh yah, and john piper “man and womanhood” has some great lectures on it too 🙂
Hey Steven
I love you too 🙂
Regarding topical verses expository. I like expository (exegetical if you will) myself, and agree with what you’ve written above.
I think topical can be great as well, if done properly. My bottom line is this: we have to let the Bible speak to us, and not just pull things from it that support our point.
So I think we’re on the same page here
That’s awesome about the amazing girl 🙂
you wouldn’t know of any magical drug that makes people fall in love with you?
I mean, your married.. so I figured you have one or something.
Nope, sorry. 🙂
But I remain a firm believer that if you become a man of God, someone who loves Christ with all his heart, you will become extremely attractive to the right kind of girl. Love Him more than you love her (I’m still learning this)
As to how I convinced Jill to marry a scruff like me. I have no idea . . . Grace is a wonderful thing
so i’m such a dork. and a) didn’t find this post until today and b) didn’t even know about this blog until a couple days or even a few weeks ago.
mb, i miss you so much. really. i miss the band so much. all the people. and just the atmosphere. you helped grow me into who i am today. and even though, i fought it sometimes that year, and what a DORK i was then…if i could go back in time and change some decisions of mine…ohhhh i would. But God orchestrated it the way He wanted it, and so i know it was for the best.
and i think i realized that’s where God wants me. in music. for life. stages don’t matter, the crowd doesn’t matter, perfect lighting and perfect sound doesn’t matter. it’s not about the right chords or notes. it’s about hearts…about people falling on their faces at Christ’s feet, knowing they’re not worth anything without Him.
i miss it, so much. but this time has allowed me to grow in expanding my views of worship…so much further beyond music alone.
i couldn’t thank God enough for that opportunity, and i can’t thank God enough for you, mb. it’s crazy, but you are like a father. the one i pictured myself having…but again, God orchestrates what He wants. and i love Him for it.
ok i’m gonna go on forever, but i have class in a bit. so i just wanted to leave that with you.
miss ya, miss the band, i miss learning songs in two days and singing the words when james forgot them. i know we weren’t exactly the greatest band…but i hope you enjoyed us for a bit, hehe.
ok well, talk to ya later. and i’m sure, there’s a whole lot more to this comment comin, but it may come in email form.
-kate
Kate,
Well, after reading your comment I’m kinda speechless 🙂 – but I love to hear about what God’s doing in your life, and where He’s leading you. I miss you too, a lot. I can’t wait to see where your life takes you in your walk with Christ, and in your upcoming marriage to Rope, and all that. You’re amazing and beloved by God and by me.
Oh, and what’s this “I know we weren’t exactly the greatest band” stuff? I loved you guys! You were a really good band!