Hello friends! It’s been a while since I’ve given the blogging experiment the attention it deserves. Rest assured it’s been 50% busy-ness 50% laziness. Its graduation season, as I’ve said many times before, and part of that is having to talk to people’s old relatives that I don’t know. The first question, typically, is, “what do you do?” I tell them I’m a youth minister which is followed up with, “what does that mean?” That’s a valid question. Sometimes I wonder that very thing. We in conservative Lutheranism have made our schools into our youth ministry, so the idea of a youth minister is a foreign idea to most. That being the case, it makes the fact that I even got a call in the first place something that is truly Divine. BLH had no idea what they wanted in a youth minister and I had no idea what to do as a youth worker. It wasn’t until I was able to learn from some amazing youth ministry icons like Doug Fields and Duffy Robbins that I found how impactful a youth guy could be.
To take the time to really explain what I do is something that I don’t mind doing, but isn’t necessarily grad party conversation stuffs. So I usually sort of play it off and say I play a lot of Guitar Hero and eat Taco Bell. I probably shouldn’t joke it off so much, and I might come across like I don’t care. I hope I don’t but really what can you do? Truth is, I would guess most people in our fellowship don’t think there’s a need for youth ministers, after all you and I never had one, and we turned out OK. Regardless, after I joke off my job description, roughly half the folks I talk to ask the worst question I could possibly imagine. I’ve had roommates and romantic interests ask me the same thing and it is really hurtful and down right rude. They ask, “When are you going to get a real job?”
I know what they mean, and I don’t plan on being a youth guy my whole life. But the idea that people over 30 years old are no longer relevant to teenagers or the pouring of ones life into the lives of kids isn’t a “real” profession is absolutely maddening.
Alas, at the risk of sounding either conceded or over dramatic, I will not do my best to describe what it is I do. Take that old guys that smell like pickles.
I mentor kids. If it isn’t terribly apparent from reading this bla(h)g, I’ve lived a heck of a life so far. There ain’t too much I haven’t done. That doesn’t make someone a good mentor, a long live of idiocracy, but I think it makes me a person who doesn’t judge and after 5 years of this gig, I’m someone who cannot be shocked anymore. More than that, I am 10-20 years older (and hopefully wiser) than the lads and lassies with whom I work, so I have a perspective on life they do not have. As such I’m able to be their conscious for them, if necessary, and ideally steer them in the right direction when it comes to life’s decisions. The greatest part of a mentorship is I get to share my faith. As Norb says, the Bible calls us to be witnesses; all we can do is express how we’ve seen God work in our lives. I know God is real because I’ve seen Him work in amazing ways, and I get to share that and give that assurance to kids every day. Its pretty awesome and the thing I take the greatest joy in. But someday I’ll get a real job.
I hang out with kids. Sometimes it is Taco Bell, other times its video games in the church basement, or watching a UFC fight in a bar (and grill). I always make a concerted effort to include as many kiddos as possible. Its so much fun. I get to connect kids to each other, help build community and encourage strong, Christian relationships. It is through hanging out that trust is built. What starts as going out for wings every once in a while can lead to, “hey so I really need to talk to someone”… you know? By spending time with kids when things are good, I’m letting them know that I’ll totally be there for them when times are bad, if that makes any sense. Maybe I’m giving myself too much credit, but the bottom line is I really love spending time with teenagers. Its fun to hear all the things that are going on in their lives and it truly keeps me up to date on the current youth culture. Good times.
I counsel kids. Life hurts, God heals. I am so humbled every time a kid approaches me with an issue or quagmire that has been burdening them. The fact that they would turn to me is the greatest honor. I tell ya, though. It is amazing the hurt and scars and turmoil that some kids have to bear. It is truly heartbreaking. I can’t even begin to tell you. There have been nights that I have honestly wept after an hours-long phone call or meeting because I was so painfully made aware of sin in this world manifested in the lives of kids that are stronger than I will ever be. The cool thing is there are so many ways to reach out to kids now- e-mail, texting, Skype, AIM, Facebook Chat… there’s a world of possibilities, and its really cool to see God working even on social networking sites.
I'm an advocate for kids. Sometimes there needs to be a mediator between kids and parents or between friends. Every once in a while that’s me. I know my kids. I see where they’re coming from and I try to be sympathetic even in with they’re being pathetically apathetic. Sometimes parents need a second opinion, and sometimes kids need validation. Sometimes kids who are being picked on need an adult to step in. I get to be a voice for kids who are unable to articulate for themselves, and that’s pretty neat. Nine times out of ten they have no idea I’m even involved, and that’s the way I like it.
I get to share Jesus with kids. I’ve written about this before, but it goes hand in hand with the previous paragraphs. The Lord has given me opportunity to every day share His sweet grace with His children. Is there anything greater? Today I spoke to 110 4th-10th graders at basketball camp about how we can honor God even in playing a sport like BBall. How cool is that? Or to see a big tough manly man of an 18 year old break down in tears when he hears that the crap that he was put on probation for is forgiven in the blood of Jesus… wow. Jesus is a reality to me, and it is my professional endeavor to model His love, share His grace, and help it become a reality to kids who are trying to figure out what the heck is going on in their crazy worlds. Awesome. But someday I’ll realize that it’s all silly and find something more adult to do, I’m sure.
Those are the cool parts of my job. I also plan events, clean up messes, make messes, get yelled at by church folks for using the kitchen, drive all over the world to see events and cheer kids on, put out fires, unwittingly cause fires (literally and metaphorically), sit in council meetings, and spend way too much time writing about what I do. :) There’s much more, I’m sure, but I think you get the gist. The bottom line is I'm blessed beyond words to get paid for what I do, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
So old school old people, ex-girlfriends, and annoying roommates: I have a real job and it rocks. Moreover, while you are drowning in a pool of self-loathing in your 10x10 cubical working for “the man”, or wallowing in your elderly plight in your plastic-covered Laz-E-Boy, I’ll be playing with Little Forrest, eating wings, and playing 500 with the coolest kids this side of the Mississippi. For Real.
This really says it all:
No comments:
Post a Comment