It’s That Time Again…

…no, not New Year’s.  Although it is a new year, I’m looking at another familiarity.

It’s time to remember that I can’t do ministry on my own.  I’ve been in youth ministry for a long time – and in some respects, it’s like riding a bike.  When I first began learning the two-wheeled wonder, I had some crashes, some ugly starts and stops, and more than my fair share of bumps, bruises, and bandages.  But true to legend, the more I rode – the better I got.  Soon – I no longer gave it a second thought when I hopped on my bike.  I didn’t have to.  It was auto-pilot for me.  It’s not that I ever lost respect for the bicycle or the injuries sustained at its influence.  I was just confident that I had what it took to ride well – and any impending injury would be worth the ride.

Sometimes doing youth ministry is like that – it’s not that I’ve ever lost sight of the fact that Jesus works through me – or the holy calling that is youth ministry.  I’ve just become confident in my call and the worth of any bumps or bruises obtained in its pursuit.

There have been times, though, when even my experience wasn’t enough to keep me from teetering on two wheels!  Changes in venue or responsibility or life-stage…they always serve as a reminder that I am NOT on auto-pilot here.

2011 will be one of those moments.  And though I’m trepidatious and uncertain about my own ability to ‘ride this bike’ – I never doubt for a second that God knows all my days – planned out since before the day I was born.  He saw the end of this stage in my ministry before I saw the beginning.

I am stepping in to lead our church in the absence of a senior pastor. And God is reminding me that…

A) His plan for me is good (even when I question that.)  Romans 8.28

B) I need only take the next right step – I don’t need the entire path laid before me.  Proverbs  16.9

C) He loves His church – so this is on His shoulders, not mine. Ephesians 4.15-16

D) I can step outside my comfort zone confidently. Philippians 1.6

E) Though my job duties may change for a time, my call has not.  1 Peter 5.2-4

Thank God it’s that time again – we never ride more courageously than when we’re forced to ride without training wheels for the first time….

Adapt or Lay Awake at Night

You have to be able to adapt.

Sometimes things don’t go as planned.  In fact, usually they don’t.  Are you the kind of person that gets uptight if your ducks don’t walk in row?  Because it seems like, in youth ministry (at least in my youth ministry) the ducks never walk in the row to which they have been assigned.

One thing I have learned as a tried and true principle in my ministry –write it all in pencil…and make sure you have a good eraser.

This year, we decided to do something we’ve never done before.  We actually took our students tent camping for one night of our summer camp experience.  I hear your incredulity – ‘you’ve never been camping?!’ – ‘is there any other kind of camping besides tent camping?!’ – ‘why only one night of camping – are you a pansy?!’

Yes – yes to all!!  I’ve never taken teenagers camping.  There are LOTS of other types of camping that do not include sleeping on rocks and pooping in holes.  And, yes, thanks for noticing – I am definitely a pansy.  My idea of roughing it is running out of towels at the Holiday Inn!  But, alas, because I love my students and they begged me – we decided to give them ONE night of tent camping to start off our summer camp experience.

At about 2 AM, Mountain Time, I realized I would have to adapt to survive the evening.

I don’t know if you know this about me – but I am what most grandmothers call ‘husky.’  Most teenagers call it fat.  I call it preparation for being lost in the wilderness after tent camping.

I don’t know if you know this, either.  Most sleeping bags are not made for ‘husky’ guys.  I was trying to sleep on a self-inflatable pad (that didn’t have very good self-esteem apparently) in a sleeping bag that was a size and a half too small for a husky guy.  I would dose for about ten minutes and then awake as some part of me either fell off the pad onto the hardened ground or slipped out of my straight-jacket called a sleeping bag.

Finally – in the middle of the night and to the symphonic sounds of coyote calls – I finally decided I needed to adapt if I was to sleep a wink.

I unzipped my sleeping bag so it was the biggest comforter I’d ever seen (yes, even big enough for a husky guy), positioned my self on my flate-less inflatable mat in the most comfortable position I could muster – and slept deeply and soundly until morning.

Now what’s the point of all the TMI?  There are times in ministry when things just don’t go as planned.  Someone throws a monkey-wrench in the carefully-thought-out mix of your ministry ideal.  Equipment doesn’t work to its potential or for its intended use.  You step WAY outside your comfort zone only to find it’s VERY uncomfortable there.

You can spend the entire night resisting adaptation – trying to force square pegs into round holes (husky guys into slender bags).  Or you can simply adapt.  You can adjust to the circumstance.  You can show your students how to make the best of a bad situation.  You can get a good, deep sleep in the midst of coyotes.

Youth ministry, of all professions, is about adaptation.  We adapt to trends.  We adapt to everyone else’s calendar.  We adapt our eating habits, sleeping styles, and musical tastes – all in an effort to love God by loving students.

So the next time things go awry in your ministry – your mattress doesn’t inflate, your sleeping bag is too small, or the coyotes are singing the wrong song – remember…you can adapt.  You can sleep well.  You can find Jesus EVEN in the midst of tent camping.

Darren is a veteran youth pastor in Corpus Christi, TX, and the co-host of Mi Podcast – a weekly podcast for parents of teenagers. (www.facebook.com/MiPodcast)