?So, if the ?Zombie Apocalypse? occurs, what skills will you bring into the new future?
It was a confusing question. The family was sitting down for a picnic dinner and my young adult children were playing a game called Zombie Apocalypse. It was ?What can you contribute to the general good?? sort of game? which is not an uncommon young adult sort of question. What did zombies have to do with it? A staple of horror films, zombies are formerly dead characters walking this world mindlessly attempting to consume the life and flesh of the living.
My eldest daughter explained her understanding of the game, ?We?ve grown up with so many real-life villains ? from Columbine to the 9/11 terrorists to Hurricane Katrina to British Petroleum – that zombies pretty much reflect them all. The game reminds us that we must all share what we have with one another.?
The zombies of my own youth came to mind, the back-up dancers in Michael Jackson?s video ?Thriller.? As dancers they were choreographed to be slow and stilted in their gate, emotionless in their steps, and slightly menacing.
This summer, youth ministry programs around the nation will be taking young people off to summer youth conferences, leadership camps, and work-camps helping those in need. During these summer days, they will attempt to live out the model of the early Christian Community, devoting ?themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers.? (Acts 2:42)
In these moments, they will experience the Church that Pope Benedict XVI discussed in his instillation homily in 2005. As a Catholic, I was emboldened when he proclaimed ??The Church is alive. And the Church is young.? As these young people return to their own church communities, this is a good time of assessment for us. Are they returning to a Church that is alive and young? Or might it scarily resemble the slow, lifeless, faith of the undead?
As faith communities, there are many things that we can do to ensure that the vitality and vibrancy of our Church.
> We must find more ways to inform, form, and transform the faith of parents. They are the first witnesses of faith for young people. Whatever kids understand about the Church was likely both taught by and caught from their parents.
> We must make a commitment towards greater inclusion of young people into the ministries of the Church, especially within our communal worship. We must work towards inclusion in our worship and engaging ?the life? of young people into it.
> When we do minister with young people, we must find ways to elicit their energy, passion, and skills towards making a meaningful difference in the world. Pope Benedict encourages young people to make ?definitive choices? regarding their lives and faith and we should do the same.
As Church, we need to recognize that young people are fully ready to engage against that which is perceived as assaulting civilization with hostility towards human life. Young people must recognize the Church as alive and young; we cannot risk sending them the perception that we are a lifeless zombie culture.
From their summer experiences, hundreds of young people will be returning to parish pews this summer and will look at the Church through new eyes and ask ?What can you contribute to the general good?? Our response must match the rhythm of their lives, expressive in our response, and slightly reassuring for the future. Let us consume the fullness of life together with the One who came who that we might have life more abundantly. (John 10:10)
D. Scott Miller is the coordinator of adolescent Faith formation for the Division of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He blogs at www.catholicYMblog.com
I’ve been a little crazed of late and haven’t given the blog the time it deserves (I have some fun posts coming very soon, including my Comic-Con wrap-up), but for now enjoy this bit of Summer Happiness.
There are a lot of changes happening in our student ministries right now. In the midst of the crazy summer so many other components are moving in different directions. Many of the changes are great, and needed. And it will be exciting to see how God will unfold all that we have been praying for. But there are a few changes that I (as the wife) do not like so much and don’t understand. It is these changes that I don’t know what to say, and not say, and just what to do. My pride wants to shout at my husband, “Hey, did ya think it all through? Are ya real, REAL sure about that one?!” And my favorite, “Listen to me, listen to me, just listen to me!” BUT…..I know I shouldn’t.
I don’t know if I’m alone on this one, or what?? Anyone else fear change as much as me? I totally trust my husband and his call to this ministry. I do believe he is brilliant and gifted and a wonderful leader. Buuutttttt, what do you do when you don’t agree with it all?? Nothing? Pray? Vent, and visit this site?
I did take a big step (for me) this weekend. Our Pastor asked us to choose one area in which we would come to God daily for the summer and ask his guidance. I was certain that I was going to ask for wisdom concerning all these changes happening for us [...]
Here’s just a few things I did in the last 2 years:
All this and my wife still likes me. That’s amazing. Well, I think that’s a testimony to the type of wife God has given me!
But the truth is my family and I need a break. I’m not burned out, but I don’t want to be either. I try (key word there is “try”) to keep up on email, Facebook messages, twitter mentions and DM’s, blog posts and comments, on and on. I think these things are ultimately helpful and I plan on continuing this part of my ministry. However, Sunday afternoon (after teaching at Colossae) I will be completely disconnecting from all these things for the next two weeks.
I’m going on vacation with my family. I’m not bringing my computer – I won’t even open it. I didn’t even want to bring my cell phone, but my wife talked me into that in case we happen to need to get a hold of one another. I’m sure it will take me 4-5 days before my brain shuts down, but I’m praying it will. I want to take naps, play with my kids, laugh as a family, and spend hours upon hours putting together Hello Kitty puzzles, building forts, and having tea parties with my girls. And I’m really looking forward to sitting outside, enjoying the beautiful Oregon summer weather, with my wife after our girls are asleep and just talking for hours with her – and not about ministry stuff.
I want and need to disconnect entirely. I have a lot to do before I get there, but I am looking forward to this time. See you August 2nd…
Click to Play
Summertime is in full swing, and Doug, Matt, and Josh are joined with week by Cathy Fields, sitting in for Katie. After recapping summer camp (and sharing some great ideas), the team discusses your questions. ;Topics include: not having enough leaders for camp,
I am having a hard time this week dealing with the disappointment that comes with ministry…especially ministy to girls. For the last 6 months I have walked with a girl to help her make a good decision about her future and in the last week she chose differently. And I keep giving myself a pep talk- I know God can use any situation or relationship to change a life/lives but this week I am feeling the pain of disappointment. And trying to be the “grown up” in thesituation…
Students don’t always chose God or his ways.
Students don’t always listen to our advice.
And some days, it feels like a total bummer. Today is one of those days.
God is faithful. God is one who calls us to ministry. God is the redeemer.
I believe that even today.
No? I told you to! Go to www.simplyyouthministry.com and get a download of “Meet the Prodigals.” ITS ONLY 9.95!!! How wrong could you go?Read the post before this one for the reaons why.
Here’s areafewpromised programming ideasthat work great for small (or large) groups:
1) Prayer Stations – the story is full of multi-sensory moments. Set up stations where your kids can touch, taste, smell, hear, see parts of the story. Ideas could include a carrying a heavy suitcase, hands prints from a mud pile, taste a party cake, something that smells REALLY bad…you get the idea. Prayer stations work really well for small size groups because it doesn’t matter how many kids participate. Its all about them one-on-one with God anyway.
2) Rings on the finger: After the son comes back home, the father gives him the family ring. Have a “Come to Jesus” time and make rings available as a memory-maker from the night. To top it off, use a father-figure dressed in costume to place the rings on each student’s finger.
3) Music choices: SO many good songs to fit this theme like Daughtry’s “Going Home” or “???” (What WAS the name of that song from Thursday night of Workcamp? Just can’t think of it now but I’ll get back with it.) And of course, there’s thedrama so many youth groups are doing now, “Everything” by Lifehouse. Good stuff.
There’s 5 Sundays in August and 5 segments [...]
The crew is working on a brand Simply Junior High catalog and could use your help. If you have pictures of your junior high ministry in action (serious pictures, goofy pictures of kids, pictures of adults interacting with students etc.), we want to put them in the catalog.
Please send pictures to Riley at rhall@simplyyouthministry.com
Thanks!
A few thoughts and highlights as I get ready to head home…
- Overall, the conference has been a great one. From my perspective it feels like there were lots and lots of new topics offered in seminars, the general sessions were solid and as always it was a weekend jam packed with coffees and meals with old and new friends.
- I think my only complaint (complaint feels like way too harsh a word…) is the length of the general sessions that were often THREE hours long. I find it really, really hard to stay put for that long. I typically found myself slipping in later and later each session. Last night I snuck in just in time to hear Tony Campolo. The general sessions have always been long, but for some reason they felt longer than usual this year.
- Tony Campolo: As always one of my favorite speakers because he says a bunch of stuff I don’t totally agree with, and forces me to re-think my theology, my world view and my methods of living out my faith in Christ.
- The exhibit hall was, as usual, a strange mix of publishers, camps, mission organizations, fund raising opportunities, universities etc. However, this year there seemed to be more than the usual amount of just plain weirdness.
* Hume Lake’s booth was an opportunity to ride a mechanical unicorn while people in Elves costumes cheered you on and blew soap bubbles all around you. Your prize was a fake mustache.
It was like an acid trip meets strawberry shortcake meets cotton candy meets that candy mountain cartoon on youtube.
* There was a guy dressed up in a vampire costume promoting some sort of “Bite” ministry.
* Another guy had a huge snake around his neck.
- I felt like the seminars I taught were average. My first one was a 2.5 hour introduction to middle school ministry. I tag-teamed with my friend April Diaz who is a super sharp young youth minister. It was well received but I’m realizing I’m not a great person to teach alongside because I’m long winded, go off on tangents, get out of order etc. and I’m sure it was frustrating for April at times. The second seminar was on the topic of ministering to the parents of middle shoolers. It is a subject I’ve never formally taught on and an area in our ministry that has lots and lots of holes in it, so I felt somewhat insecure in presenting the seminar, but hopefully it provided some insight and encouragement.
- I haven’t bought anything yet, so I think it’s time to make a final pass through the YS bookstore.
My life-long buddy Chris and I rolled into town early this morning and have been going non-stop ever since, although at the moment I can’t seem to find him. A few highlights and observations from day one:
- At lunch we ordered what, without doubt, were the tartest, tangiest, most bitter glasses of Lime aide ever put to lips. Delicious.
- During the opening session Mark Oestriecher said what he always says: “relax, eat a good meal, make new friends, skip sessions…do what you want to do to make the weekend a great one for yourself”. I’ve heard that for years, but this year it really sounded good. I think I’m more tired than I realize and will probably sleep, read and relax at least as much as I do “conference stuff”.
- In that spirit, I snuck out with some buddies to see Body of Lies. Good flick.
- I’m posting from a little internet cafe smack dab in the middle of the meeting hall and worship is in full swing. Feels a little awkward to be online while 3,000 others are engaging in worship (although there are three other people online next to me) so I think it’s time to sign off.
- I’m excited about NYWC in Sacramento this weekend. It is always a great time of connecting with old ministry friends and meeting new ones. I mentioned trying to grab a meal with frequenters of this blog, but my meals are all booked! But if we see each other in the hallways, be sure to say hello.
- Speakers are no longer allowed to promote their books, resources, ministries etc. in their workshops (a good policy, I happen to think…) so be sure to drop by the simply youth ministry store in the exhibit hall to check out all the newest junior high resources.
- Don’t go see American Carol. Even if you agree with the politics in the film, you will be shocked at how appallingly un-funny and offensive it is.
- Disney sent my family invitations the the High School Musical 3 premiere in LA next week. I’m not sure who’s more excited my kids or their parents! They are excited to see the movie and the stars, I’m excited to walk the red carpet and be mistaken for a star…an aging, balding star.
I’m trying to create a list of helpful resources for parents of young teens. Websites, books, newsletters etc.
If you have a favorite, would you mind sharing it?
On the hunt for small group curriculum?
I’m super excited about two brand new small group resources created specifically for junior highers.
Bible Stuff Vol. 2 video curriculum contains five video-driven lessons. Each video sets the small group leader up for some really great discussion with their students. Bible Stuff Vol. 2 focuses on God’s story.
Active Bible Studies contains 20 hands-on, experience-driven small group lessons.
- Weekend at Church was really fun and really busy. Started it off Friday by going to a high school football game, then popping into our high school ministry’s ’5th Quarter’ which was really fun. On Saturday I went to our 4:30 JH service for our 4th week of “Face of Love” and then skipped our 6:30 service to attend Mariners Church for the grand opening of their new student center. On Sunday I attended our 9:00 a.m. JH service then hustled over to our Irvine campus to be a part of their 11:00 a.m. youth program. Whew….!!
- In addition, each year our JH ministry ‘cancels’ October and replaces it with CHOCTOBER…a month of chocolate games, chocolate prizes etc. Week one was a huge success.
- Pastor Rick took a whole crew of us to see “American Carol” last night. Fun idea and really great to be out with him and a bunch of the staff…but TERRIBLE movie. The best way to describe it would be a wacky “Airplane” type movie. But in order to even have a chance at laughing at the gags one has to be really, really well versed in the Left vs. Right politics of our times. That mixed with the fact that it just wasn’t funny made for a rough ride.
- Interesting that it seemed like the media was united in calling for the “bail out” and now only a couple days later they are united in questioning if it was a good idea. I once heard that much of the media exists to first build people and stories up and then tear them down. This feels like an example of that.
- Does anybody watch “The Unit”? It is quickly becoming my favorite show.
- My wife has been laid up for over two weeks and today is her first real day up and around. She took one of the kids to school which made our morning much less hectic.
- Spending date day with Rachel by having breakfast together then taking my dad to the doctor followed by prepping for my Youth Specialties workshops. Not sure where the date in date day went!
If you are interested in downloading a free HSM3 Bible study/discussion guide to use with your students, you can get that here.
After much deliberation from our judges, the three prize winners for the HSM3 promotional stuff are:
3rd Place: “It’s the start of something old…” submitted by Rob
2nd Place: “HSM8…The 20 Year Reunion” Submitted by Chris Trent
1st Place: “The parents’ crisis intervention team realized after an initial panic that it was not Harry Potter robes on the youth pastor after all.” Submitted by matthew mcnutt
If you three will send your mailing address to me at Kurtj@saddleback.net, we will have your prizes mailed out early next week. Congratulations.
If you work with students, you understand the juggernaut that High School Musical has become! Disney Studios and Grace Hill Media asked if I would be willing to work on a project to help youth workers take advantage of the fact that virtually every kid in their youth group is going to see HSM3.
I haven’t blogged much this week because my wife, Rachel, has been in the hospital with a pretty severe kidney infection.
Last Friday, she started complaining of some pain in her side and had a bit of a fever, but she wasn’t feeling too bad and we figured it was just a small bout with the flu. This continued over the weekend and when things got a bit worse she went to see her doctor on Monday. He said she had a kidney infection and prescribed some antibiotics.
By Monday night, Rachel’s fever was higher, and she couldn’t keep anything down so we took her to the ER first thing Tuesday morning. That’s when they discovered that her kidney infection was quite severe and admitted her, hooked her up to and IV and began pumping her full of 3 different types of antibiotics to fight the infection.
She came home yesterday afternoon, and as we were leaving the doctor told us, “If you had waited another 24 hours before bringing her in, she would have been here for several weeks”. It was weird because we didn’t feel like she had waited or tried to “tough it out”…we just thought she had a flu bug.
Anyway, she is home now and resting. Starting last night, we have had really yummy meals showing up at our door. Not sure it’s worth what we’ve been through the last several days, but it sure is nice to see the body of Christ in action.
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