Is Youth Ministry Really Where We Went Wrong?

"⁴² And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³ And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ⁴⁵ And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved." - Acts 2:42-47 (ESV)

It's been said that youth ministry went wrong somewhere - shocking statistics about how many students leave church after high school. And I agree - for many church became just a "thing" they do. However, I also wonder if the blame can really be upon student ministry. As I walk into our church each week - I notice something about what we are trying to do in student ministry. We don't at all have it perfect - but I look and reflect back on my experience in student ministry and realize there was something happening there, something good, which often time is missed in terms of the large church.

I had leaders who pursued me, pursued me weekly. Currently, our team is about connecting - having each student, even first time visitors, connected to a leader. Someone who remembers their visit - who follows up. Because it has to be about more than that Sunday morning or Wednesday night, it has to be a living, breathing everyday thing. Because our walk with God is a living, breathing everyday thing. We gather as a community - to worship - united as one in worship to our God and King. We have moments where we eat together, where we talk throughout the week. That we laugh together, call each other out, etc. Sure - some only come for fun times - but I've noticed a change. Because we are genuine and real - students who "only came for fun things" have begun to desire to be connected. To belong to a community.

So my question now becomes, as students engage in this community, focused upon Christ, what do I have to pass them off to? Because honestly, when I walk into a sanctuary of 800+ it does feel as though something is missing. It does feel as though many are just going through the motions. It is too easy to be comfortable, to be lost in the crowd. I've never felt pursued by others there. I don't know many names - I don't have opportunity beforehand to build community. I watch others slowly file in to their rows, thumb through bulletins or iPhones, wait for the music to start and keep to themselves. And "adult bible fellowships" seem to function more like classes to learn than communities to learn, challenge, grow, and walk alongside one another.

Now - I love being able to worship and gather - and it is important. But I think there is a great aspect missing here. Because I worship with these students - but beforehand we don't just sit idly. And if I see a student sitting alone - if our students see someone sitting along - we change that. We approach, get to know - invite to come over to the cafe and drink some hot chocolate. Things we do to intentionally build community, to create relationships. To learn about each other and to learn about God together, to be able to challenge, to be able to trust, to be able to live life together.

I guess what I am wrestling with is, is it student ministry that causes students to leave the church? Or is there something bigger that is missing? Is there an aspect of faith that is overlooked, forgotten, lost in our big services and big ways of doing church?

- Brummy

Where do you turn in times of trouble?

"I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

Lets all admit it: life is a mess sometimes. We have trouble, and lots of it. There are a lot of us who are hurting right now. Things have been said, we seem to be stuck in cyclical habits, our families seem like they are falling apart. We are tore down on every side, so where do we turn to? For some of us, we feel hopeless and lost. But let me tell you: you only feel this way if you look to the world for a solution.

This past week has been a huge challenge for me, but I must constantly remind myself that the only place to turn to is Jesus. His words here in John 16 must be what I cling to: that he has overcome the world. Let me challenge you this: if you are angry, if you are hurting, if you are lost, nothing the world can offer will fix it.

You won't find healing in drugs.
You won't find healing in porn.
You won't find healing in sex.
You won't find healing in drinking your problems away.
You won't find healing in money.
You won't find healing in a job, a profession.
You won't find healing in a video game, music, or anything else.


Apart from Christ - things will not get better. Is it a guarantee that in Christ things will be better? No. But this I can tell you:

sex, smoking, drinking, porn, money, music, video games, none of these filled me. none of these fixed me. none of these healed me. none of these gave me purpose.


And in my lowest point, God met me, the arms of Christ embraced me, and His peace was set upon me. A peace which God continues to place over me, that even when I am stressed, I look to him. Knowing I can rest in the fact He has overcome the world.

Friends, family, whoever is reading: know this - God has overcome the world. He desires an intimate and personal relationship with you. Know that whether someone from in the church or outside has hurt you, whether you feel like because of what you have done, you cannot be loved - Christ came not to condemn the world but to save it. To buy you back, to call you His own. To give you a peace, not a happiness, not a carefreeness, but knowing that in times of trouble, you and I can rest in Him.

I love you all dearly, and whatever you feel, think, don't think about God - it will never change this: He loves you, He died for you, and He desires to call you His own. You can run, but His love is unrelenting. Take heart - He has overcome the world.

- Brummy

Holy...Have we lost sight

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" - Isaiah 6:3

 My heart has been uneasy lately. I am not sure why, perhaps it is getting to the midway point of my first true year in middle school ministry, so I am processing things I have done, what could be done better, what must change, mistakes I have made, mistakes I am making. Amidst all this I am trying my best to stay focused on God. Trying to stay focused on God for who He is, amidst how I see God responded to in light of what I will call the "modern American church."

I have realized that our culture has shifted greatly from the culture of the Israelites and the New Testament early church. And I realize in this transition we may have lost something. We are preparing this week to begin a series on Christmas, although it does not have the traditional "nativity story" start. It begins back with Moses, with Yahweh, at the command to build the tabernacle. Some reading this have no idea what the tabernacle was. Read Exodus, there are like 11 chapters there about it. Essentially, it was the place where God dwelled among the Israelites, a place set apart just for God. It was the Holy place. The word holy is the Hebrew Qadesh meaning: to be set apart for a special purpose. To the Israelites, the understood God in light of his holiness. He was feared, because he was holy. He was perfect in his goodness, in his attributes, and he was feared because they realized how far from him they were. The place God dwelled could only be entered once a year by the high priest, and even then was the fear of the priest being struck down by God, because God is holy. And we are not.

In the light of todays present society, we lose sight of what it means for God to be holy. Too often we take for granted what it really means for God, in his holiness, to send his Son to die for us. For God to dwell, to tabernacle in us through the Holy Spirit. Do we take time to realize a holy God paid the price to buy us back, amidst all the times we have turned from him?

Israel based their lives around God. True, they were not perfect. But the tabernacle was with them, they were led through the wilderness. Did they have their times of doubt? Absolutely. Their times of failure and distrust? Absolutely.

Today, however, I get the sense we based God around our lives. We take for granted His holiness, focusing on the fact we have his grace. If I can read this morning, I will. If I can make it to church, I will. Oh, I'm just too tired. If the High Priest was too tired to make the sacrifices, it could mean his end, the people's end when he entered the Holy of Holies. Today, we are so focused on self. We have created a culture dependent upon us. Until something goes wrong, and then still we become upset with God for not making things work our way. The Israelites had this too, anger at God for leading them into the wilderness to starve, anger at God for leading them to the promised land which was filled with giants. For us, we like making it on our own without God, and we grow frustrated when we don't see Him do things our way.

I am in no way an advocate for saying one must attend church every Sunday because that is a true Christian. But if we honestly search our hearts, when God searches our hearts, what is our life built upon? Is it revolving around a holy God, who in His perfect goodness reached down to us, came down to us, paid the price for our sins, was the ultimate High Priest, so we may be in relationship with Him again? Or is it based upon the fact God is simply God, a good choice, someone we sometimes follow, when it is convenient to us. Because life is busy. Yeah, God, life is busy, you know this. I mean, I have to work to support my family. My kids need to play sports because this may be the only time they can, they're only kids once. And we really need to do this, and that, and this. Yeah, we'll read our bible here for an hour each night. But when we create God to be a time-slot in our lives, we lose sight of his holiness, who he is.

Let our lives be focused on Him, and all we do come from His love, His goodness. When I work, I work because of the work he has done in me. When I am with friends, I am a light to them. When I am with family, I love them as He has loved me. When I play sports, I play for the Lord, giving Him glory and thanks. God is not a "time-slot" in our day, in our lives. He must be center stage, for He is perfect in goodness, He is holy.

disclaimer: these are just some random thoughts stirring in my head, spit out here. I don't pretend to be an expert, to have it all right.

- Brummy

A Psalm to God

O Lord, How Great is Your Name,
You are worthy to be praised,
Your name is higher than all these things,
You are greater than these videos and games I put before you,

Music in my ears has become an idol,
Take from me these hands which have become unclean,
How stupid we have been to forget the wonder of your name,
You put others to shame, no athlete, artist, actor, actress, king, president, or any other compare with You

In the end all will see your name lifted high,
Our billboards will crumble,
Our homes will lie in ruin,
Faded and destroyed will be our mansions,
Black and dim will be our entertainment centers,
Our phones will sit unused, billions of text sent wasted for eternity
All will be drawn to You and your name

Why do they not see? Why do they not hear?
They have been blinded and confused
They have lost all wonder for your name

The mountains we thought we conquered, you built,
Your power is still evident in the great hurricanes which wipe away our filth,
That it did not take loss of lives to realize how blind we have been,
O God, let us surrender before you that you may spare those times,
But let your wonder be known, for You are God alone

These trophies we collect sit in dust,
Can we still run as swift? Can we still swim as fast?
What about this mountain? What about the sea?
They speak the might of God, our trophies are worthless before Him

They speak of the money they have, the things they buy
God clothes those in need, causes the food to grow,
provides for those in need
Your father buys you things,
Our Father has everything we need, And He is all we need

O Lord, How majestic is your name
Draw us back to you
Let our hearts not wander
Let your name be known throughout the earth