What was I thinking? We packed 40-60 kids onto a haywagon and drove from the house to the church—and from the church to the boat landing over 4 miles away!!! No railings or seat belts. Just kids, loud music and a rockin’ good time.
What was I thinking? It seemed like such a good idea at the time. I should have been fired.
Can you relate? Oh, sure some of my mistakes—and yours—make for really funny stories now. Unfortunately, I think I have more than my fair share of mistakes. But so do you. I actually want to collect them because we youth workers are famous for not thinking clearly—for letting our weird ideas take us too far.
What was I thinking? It seemed like such a good idea at the time. I should have been fired.
Can you relate? Oh, sure some of my mistakes—and yours—make for really funny stories now. Unfortunately, I think I have more than my fair share of mistakes. But so do you. I actually want to collect them because we youth workers are famous for not thinking clearly—for letting our weird ideas take us too far.
Mike Yaconelli used to say: “If you are a youth worker, and your church hasn’t made a rule because of your ministry—then you aren’t a very good youth worker!!” I love that.
Some of my mistakes are funny. Some are not. Some cause me to smile and ask “What was I thinking?” But, others cause me distress to this day—and I wonder “What was I thinking?” My leadership has been filled with the potholes of naivete, lack of focus, spontaneous unpreparedness, misplaced optimism as well as my own ego and sinful nature. It is all there.
And yet, here I stand. Like others before me, I can only go back to God’s grace. It is an old theme—found in the pages of the Bible—but fleshed out in the lives of many of us today. It is my reality as I write to you. I remain a mess, but God continues to use and refine me.
Wherever you are today, don’t stray too far from grace. It is a good church word—but it is filled with everything you need to stand firm as a leader, and remain true to your calling. I should have been fired—but God hasn’t fired me yet. It keeps me passionate about working with imperfect leaders who work for imperfect churches led by imperfect pastors.
Send me some of your mistakes and really dumb ideas!! I would love to collect them and post them for our mutual encouragement, humor, and reminder that someone else out there wasn’t thinking clearly either!!
Some of my mistakes are funny. Some are not. Some cause me to smile and ask “What was I thinking?” But, others cause me distress to this day—and I wonder “What was I thinking?” My leadership has been filled with the potholes of naivete, lack of focus, spontaneous unpreparedness, misplaced optimism as well as my own ego and sinful nature. It is all there.
And yet, here I stand. Like others before me, I can only go back to God’s grace. It is an old theme—found in the pages of the Bible—but fleshed out in the lives of many of us today. It is my reality as I write to you. I remain a mess, but God continues to use and refine me.
Wherever you are today, don’t stray too far from grace. It is a good church word—but it is filled with everything you need to stand firm as a leader, and remain true to your calling. I should have been fired—but God hasn’t fired me yet. It keeps me passionate about working with imperfect leaders who work for imperfect churches led by imperfect pastors.
Send me some of your mistakes and really dumb ideas!! I would love to collect them and post them for our mutual encouragement, humor, and reminder that someone else out there wasn’t thinking clearly either!!
Tiger... you were an awesome youth leader, I don't care what they say! I can SOOOOOO relate on the "doing dumb stuff" as a youth worker. I've gotta list, but this is one of the best: Took a group of 25 teens into the Amazon jungle where we tubed a tributary to "the" Amazon River. It was almost dusk and you know how dark it gets in third world countries. Well, lets just say we almost lost two students and an adult leader down the Amazon, because we just couldn't see them floating away past the point we were suppose to get out! AAAAHH! We went after them in a motorized canoe, whew!
ReplyDeleteDad, you're such a good writer. Thanks for posting. I dig.
ReplyDeleteWe all make mistakes. I often say that it's a good thing we're saved by grace! Thank you for sharing your experiences, it's wonderful, and you're a very brave man!
ReplyDeleteOkay, so I'm an 18 year old volunteer at my home church youth group. The youth pastor asks me to take the junior high girls up to winter camp for the weekend in the church 15 passenger van (which I have never driven before). I agree and take off on a Friday night in a huge snowstorm with all TWO of the junior high girls (good thing we had the van, right?!)The roads are terrible and I can't see more than 5 feet in front of me. After a couple of hours of VERY slow going in blizzard-like conditions I pull over because it is just too dangerous to continue. It is as I pull off the road that I notice the darkness before me...That's right. I forgot to put my headlights on. I told the girls never to tell anyone and pulled back onto the much-more-visible highway. I should've been fired - BUT I WAS A VOLUNTEER!
ReplyDeleteMy first year of youth ministry in a congregation was 1988. I had always heard that excellent youth ministry meant having a lock-in. So I advertised for a middle school lock-in. The only problem is that I forgot to ask for adults to help. When I finally figured out that it would be good to have some other adults there, it was too late and of course those that I did ask said no(they were no dummies). So I got my one volunteer, my wife to help(ok, I begged her). So there we were with 29 middle schoolers all night long. They ransacked the church. Doors were hanging off the hinges, lights got broken and my wife vowed to never do another lock-in again. I think I have reluctantly done two since then. Of course, I didn't get fired because all the kids said, "It was awesome!" I didn't have the heart to tell them I didn't agree. I should have been fired!
ReplyDeleteAt Christmas one year we took a break from our normal confirmation lessons to play a fun relay game. Each of our small groups competed against each other as they decorated one brave small group member like a Christmas tree. The relay was long and intense including wrapping gifts, cutting out ornaments, making a star hat, decorating with garland, and lights... and my favorite, standing in a bucket and having one student pour water on the tree, into the bucket.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think about it until after the relay that we had 8 students wrapped in cheap strands of lights being 'watered.' I'm lucky no one was electrocuted... I probably should have been fired, or at least given a stern talking to :)
Thanks for your additions!! Good ones. No headlights, lock-ins and electrocution risks!! Youth ministry is great.
ReplyDeleteOkay - so here's my story. On the way to a National Youth Gathering in New Orleans quite a few years ago. As a leadership team we agreed to upgrade one night and stay in a hotel and have a meal that wasn't fast food. We stopped in St. Louis Missouri - and unfortunately I didn't do great research. The hotel we stayed at was in the business district, which essentially closed down at 5 on weekdays. A few adults wandered with me in search of a restaraunt. We found one, prices were reasonable, and most importantly they were willing to accomodate a group of 60. Brought the group back and all was good - for a while. One young man went to the bathroom and when he returned a buzz went around the table - suddenly all of my high school boys needed to use the restroom. I was new, but not THAT dumb. I quickly went to investigate and learned that he had walked right into a Strip club show - I had taken my youth group to a STRIP CLUB! Food had already been served and so everyone was ordered to stay at the table while I phone the Senior Pastor - unbelievable. I now plan ahead much better!
ReplyDeleteSecond story - we wanted to do an outreach event with some low income apartment buildings near the church. I made up fliers inviting them to come - much to my chagrin I had indicated that there would be "Free Pizza and Pot" - amazingly spell checker didn't catch this because pot was indeed a word. Interesting turn out and buzz was created on that event!
ReplyDeleteShawna,
ReplyDeleteLOVE these!! You SHOULD have been fired too!! Thanks.