Caring for all of God's kids

Every church has children and teens that are on the autism spectrum, yet we often see very little action plans being developed.  We don’t hear about it too much—even though the rates of kids with autism has gone up over 78% in the last decade.    

In 2000 and 2002, the autism estimate from the CDC was about 1 in 150 children. Two years later 1 in 125 8-year-olds had autism. In 2006, the number was 1 in 110, and the newest data -- from 2008 -- suggests 1 in 88 children have autism.  Boys with autism continue to outnumber girls 5-to-1, according to the CDC report. It estimates that 1 in 54 boys in the United States have autism.

Bekah Miller—the Associate Director of Youth Ministry at my home church has been working on this issue over the past few years.  I have seen her be intentional about caring for students with autism—and she shares these thoughts as we prepare for a Youth Leadership seminar on April 8.

 

“I never really thought about students with Autism and how it affected my ministry. Then, I met Lisa and her son Ben. I learned from them the reality that most families with Autism don’t feel welcomed in churches. They also don’t feel like church is a safe place for their students to be a part of youth group. This broke my heart. I am in the business of trying to make ALL students feel safe and to create a welcoming environment that ALL students can be a part of.

At that moment I had a decision to make – I could keep ignoring this increasing issue, or I could choose to deal with it head-on, even when no one else was willing to.

I chose the latter, and I continue to choose it each week.

It is not easy. It often times takes extra time, extra meetings, and extra love. These choices though are creating a place, an environment, and a community for students that struggle to find them anywhere else.

Consider joining me and Lisa for a conversation about what this looks like to integrate students into your ministry that have Autism; where they can be successful and where they find a place to belong.  I look forward to continuing the conversation with you.”

Let’s talk.  

The Risk of Going Deeper

I have been hanging around youth ministry for a LONG time now, and one thing that has remained true over the years is that youth workers are fun.  We know how to laugh, we know how to eat lots of pizza, stay up late and hang out with students.  We aren't the boring adults that kids hate to be around.  In fact, some of you have stayed in youth ministry because the thought of going to adult Sunday School terrifies you!! 

I have always liked that about us.  We are fun.  Kids like us.  We are a party waiting to happen.

And that might be the problem.

Fun is great--but fun does not create disciples.  Fun does not draw a young person into the spiritual place where God can speak in a whisper and catch their attention.  Fun does not open the soul. 

Now, before you think I have turned into an old theological geezer, please hear me out.  Fun can be a great opening and create a caring, inviting atmosphere in youth ministry.  I am all for fun.  But, the problem is that sometimes we don't take the risk of going deeper and consider how we might challenge kids in the spiritual arena of their lives.  We don't build something on our atmosphere--we simply enjoy the relationships and activity in the room.

Too often youth ministry has become a program that meets at the "lowest common denominator."  We don't want to offend or go too deep in youth group, so we often just skim the surface with a little God talk, a spiritual nugget and a small group led by the most vocal teenager in the room.  We lose sight of the real vision for our ministry by falling prey to the affirmation syndrome--which is the downfall of most fun, extroverted youth workers. 

So, what can we do with those teenagers who might actually want to go deeper?  How do we create a fun atmosphere that might also include spiritual challenges and deeper opportunities?  How do you raise the bar on your youth group without joining the "Jesus Marines."? 

That may be the key question in youth ministry right now.  If we are going to build a faith that sticks--that doesn't become part of the drop-out statistic--what elements are required?  How do you lovingly confront spiritual apathy and call teenagers to actually have their faith shape them and lead them?  How do you give them biblical perspectives and information that is more than a flannel-graph Jesus who is nice to children?

I would love to hear what you think.  We will be wrestling with this at the next Youth Leadership 3 Hour Seminar on March 14th.  It would be good to hear your thoughts--here in this blog or at the seminar if you can make it.

Take a risk of going deeper--it really is the key issue of our ministry isn't it?

Peace,
Tiger