Author: Wick

Mark Devries is a pretty sweet guy, I won’t lie.  Hanging out before the session started, and his teaching throughout….there was evidence of a fruit-filled life, and a man who has been/is involved in Kingdom building deeply.  He was talking about a working model for family based youth ministry.

First, he talked about the danger of “terminal vagueness” when we don’t set goals/pay attention to facts in our ministries.  He listed some “norms” from national studies of youth groups.  Not recommendations, models, or problems…just simply what the averages were across the board. Here are a few:

1. Most churches spend around $1,000 per teen, including salary package for youth pastor.
2. Churches generally have 1 staff member for every 50 members.
3. Youth Groups usually run around 10% of the worshipping congregation attendance.
4. Often there is a ceiling around 20% of the worshipping congregation that youth groups cannot easily crack.  Some that do are often the only youth group in town, or one of a few.
5. Usually 1 volunteer for every 5 kids.
6. 30 Teens are averaged when a youth group combines JR and SR highs.  When divided, each of those groups will usually average 30 a piece.

He had a very well developed diagram, that described how youth ministry often removes teenagers from the natural flow from childhood to mature Christian adulthood…in order to meet them in today’s culture, which is pushing them the opposite direction.  God calls us to minister within the context of that flow.  He talked about Kara Powell and “Sticky Faith“.

Very important to remember from his session, was the fact that the #1 predictor of whether a teen continues with Christianity post high school to becoming a mature Christian adult = How many close relationships they have with Godly adults.  Parents, grandparents, influential people at church, family friends, relatives, elders, etc.

A youth pastor, in regards to the above, must become a “relationship architect” of sorts.  “Youth Ministry is always a veiled excuse to connect teens with Godly adults.”, Devries says.  Our jobs as youth pastors and as parents, is to call out the coming victory before any visible evidence appears.  We need to connect the young with other older people who will relate to them in such a way, toward and with Jesus Christ.

So the title of this session really threw me off.  Turns out “Caught between Reading Ted Dekker and Searching for Kat Von D” had very little to do with current culture, and was actually taught by an Old Testament Scholar about people like Ezekiel ministering across cultural lines.  He also emphasized Jeremiah 29, and the commands from God to settle down, build houses, and to seek the good of the culture.  Nevertheless, Dr. Garnett Reid’s presentation focused on 22 main areas of reaching out cross-culturally, that he sped through toward the end.  These are:

1.  We have 2 homes – Culture and Kingdom, we are called to engage and be faithful to God.
2.  Look UP! – Ezekiel had a vision of God’s GLORY, which is not simply a nebulous spiritual good thing.  He had a great illustration of “glory” here, referring to Springfield, IL having some of Lincoln’s glory everywhere. 🙂
3. It was their choice. – Ezekiel was reminded that some WILL NOT choose to listen/follow, but remain faithful.
4. No Fear. God is with us.  Not about brute strength, but about peace no matter what comes.
5. Be Scripture Soaked – To understand challenges that come in the light of God’s Word.
6. 4:20 (his illustration that we need to be aware of culturally relevant symbolism and language/mind-sets)
 – We consider/hear the culture and aim to engage/respond
 – Today has a large culture of “self”, and is very fragmented, offering many opportunities for separate identities.
7. Avoid “Water-cooler Theology” – coined by Phyllis Tickle – Many people seek a validating God, and see many paths toward that goal.
8. He’s Here! – God is with us, as we leave comfort.
9. Take it to the vet!  (test, appraise, and discern in the name of Jesus)
10. Are you talkin’ to me? – Community is important, but we answer to God individually.
11. Power of One – Ezekiel 22 – God sought ONE.  Will you be that one?
12. Double Agents – Some may turn from God while in culture…be aware of that possibility.
13. What are you prepared to do?  Ezekiel 16 – to lose his wife?
14. The Good, the Bad, and the Ungodly – We are tempted to please ourselves sometimes, as the leaders of Israel did early in Ezekiel.
15. Kitchen-Table Answers – We are invited/invite others to a gracious, forgiving, and truth family table.
16. Crowd-Sourcing Turned Ugly – Crowd pleasing brings only smiles, content for more smiling.
17. Semper Fi – we are called to be, as Christ, always faithful
18. Solus Christus – Jesus will do what no one else can. Ezekiel 34
19. “The biggest thing about you is the gospel” – John Piper..(yup, Baptist-sourced event yielded more than a couple Piper quotes.)
20. Immigrants ALL – We are ALL of other citizenship, and thus transcultural in our existence.
21. Over It! This culture will come to an end, and we Hope toward it being swallowed up by Life!
22. Total Glory – Ultimate Goal = His Glory among the nations.

So yeah….a bunch of bullet points, many with little explanation, though I’m sure he had it in his head.  Plenty there to chew on anyway.  He ended with quoting 1 Chronicles 12:32, and challenging us to “know what to do, and make Jesus King….”

In context of such phrases as “Family Ministries”, where do singles fit in?  And not just those who aren’t married, but also those who are divorced, widowed, or “spiritually single” (the only one in their family who is open to Christ).  Randy Stinson brought some good words for those of us married with children and ministering to people from different home situations.

– No one comes to church without their family.  We have all been adopted in Christ.  Find ways to call people to relate as Mother/Father (as elders of children), or Brother/Sister (of each other), or Daughter/Son (of God).  No one shows up and finds themselves an island….or shouldn’t at least.  Ministry to single people often comes in relating to them not as “single”, but as a family member.

A good point was made that all of this “D6” talk was not about programs, but about a climate change.

We are called to help single (all of the above types) people anticipate what might be coming next as a son/daughter of Christ.  What is likely?  Marriage, kids, career, bringing justice, restoration, healing, relating, joining with God in making all things new.  To create a “connectional climate” in our congregations, where relationships are being built.

Someone asked a question during the Q/A time, “What about a single who says they might change churches to find someone to date, because selection is limited here?”

There came the reminder that church services are not a dating arena, and definitely weren’t historically either, with men and women always being separated in worship areas.  Encourage extra-curricular activities, church events, mission trips, possibly even partnering with another church, and don’t discourage them from joining a “single’s” group from elsewhere.  Obviously, many times…they won’t ask. 🙂

Stinson closed lamenting the current “Generation Me” which he said included people in their mid to late 20’s (me).  That this is a generation all about themselves, and have that mindset “What’s in it for me?” when attending a worship service.  I don’t think it’s limited to my generation, but I would agree with his general point there.  But pointing it out isn’t helpful, unless we respond somehow to move those we love from a self-serving experience of God, to an “other”-oriented approach…as seen throughout scripture.