I will be doing a few breakouts at the Shift Conference at Willow Creek Community Church this spring.

This is a helpful conference with some thoughtful people sharing their ideas on youth ministry. If you are looking for a Spring re-charge… this could do it for you.

Also, if you use the Promotional Code SMC950, you will get $50 off your registration! Just spreading the love…

Let me know if you’re headed to the Creek for this. Let’s grab coffee.

I have to confess that I didn’t make it to any session today, not that there weren’t good ones. Only that I had back-to-back-to-back meetings. Probably one of the joys an event like this is that you get to re-connect with people from all over the country. Conversations like these are precious.

I also got a taste of a Nashville treat… the Pancake Kitchen. You just know this is a good spot when there’s a line out the door for pancakes at noon. So, some of us went there and had everything from sweet potato pancakes to chocolate chip ones. It’s right by Vanderbilt University in a cool part of town.

The Pancake Pantry makes a promise that it’s the place you’re most likely to see a famous person. We didn’t see any country stars but… had a nice time with my good friend Michael Novelli. He just finished a book called Shaped by the Story. It explores the art of storytelling in our teaching and Mike has created some really helpful materials.

And… I ordered grits. A nice taste of Nashville before I flew out in the afternoon.

The convention goes through Monday. I wish everyone a safe trip back.

Peace.

Fun Snapshot

• Seeing college seniors wide-eyed and inspired by all the seminars and resources available at the conference.

Classic Snapshots

• Youthworkers giddy over the free stuff that was handed to them before the main Saturday evening session. 
• And yes, some didn’t like what they got… thus trading was happening instantaneously.
• The 4PM youthworker glazed over, zombie look from seminar overload.
• An eternal line in front of Starbucks.

Poser Snapshots

• Displays in the exhibit hall bigger than my house.
• Christian versions of, well, just about everything. 
• Youthworkers wearing shorts.

Centering Snapshots

• Meeting with some really great people yesterday.
• Thanks  Scott, Steve, Paul, Terry, Don, Jeanette, Shane, and our dinner crew.

Cultural Snapshots

• Cowboy hats.
• Country music.
• The Elvis statue.
• I think I’m starting to crave grits.

Sad Snapshot

• MSU’s loss to Penn State

Encouraging Snapshots

• Youthworkers talking with each other about current issues pertaining to church, culture, and adolescents.

Got into Nashville yesterday at noon and had a great chance to connect with old and new friends… and old and new youthworkers.

Met a dude on the plane named Scott. He was a … musician. Cool guy. We walked to baggage claim together and he gave me his CD. Welcome to Nashville!

I heard some great things about the super-seminars and the regular convention seemed to kick off without at hitch.

Last night a different format was tried where Shane Claiborne, Andrew Marin, and Tony Compolo each taked for 15ish minutes, there was 5 minutes for discussion, and then people could text follow up questions. I think it was an admirable attempt to bring dialogue into a convention venue.

From my observation, I’m not sure that people know how to dialogue with each other. Maybe it was the topics. Maybe people didn’t feel comfortable talking with strangers. Maybe people have a hard time finding their own voice. I’m going to have to ponder this one a while.

Planning on checking out a few session today and meeting with more people.

Speaking of meeting with people… Shane, our GRTS rep and student, Don and Jeanette (Cornerstone Youth Min profs) and I want to take youthworkers interested in theological equation for themselves or undergrad youth ministry of their student, out to diner tonight. Stop by Booth 919 at 5pm tonight and we’ll have a great meal together.

More later. Need to find a coffee, then its time to embrace today…

If you’re a rookie, EMBRACE that you are valued way before any youth ministry expert gives you advice.

If you’re a veteran, REMEMBER your first NYWC… and smile at the wide-eyed rookies.

SUPPRESS any cynicism that bubbles up.

RESIST talking about the size of your youth group.

WORSHIP… really worship. Don’t evaluate it.

LISTEN to the messages given … resist critiquing.

BUY someone a cup of coffee… spread the love.

RECYCLE…as much as possible.

JOURNAL… don’t just write down information… reflect on how you’re reacting to the information.

INVITE people to skip in front of you and take the seats you’re saving.

PLAN to give your freebees away.

Buy books… but put an EXPIRATION DATE in the book that declare when you’ll have this book read. If you don’t read it by this date… give it away.

Seek to UNDERSTAND the presenter before you disagree.

ATTEND a seminar that will challenge rather then reinforce your assumptions.

SHARE with someone back home your experience. If someone helped pay your way, share with them the fruit of their investment.

BLOG, FACEBOOK and TWITTER but don’t let it distract you from living in the moment.

I’m heading to Nashville for NYWC. Are you going? Let me know and let’s hang out!

There’s a bazillion great choices at NYWC. Here are some of the seminars I’m personally excited about. Maybe I’ll see you there…

FRIDAY

10-11.30 Early Bird Seminar

• Secret Survivors: Helping Teens Reveal and Heal Their Hidden Struggles?
• Megan Hutchinson, Jen Howver
• Two great people with thoughtful insights on what I consider issue in youth ministry. Programs address the “outer” issues of adolescents. What are we doing about their “inner” lives?

4-5.30 Seminar Series 1

• Transformational Leadership
• ?Dan Webster
• I’m currently fascinated by the concept of “transformation.” I’m interested in how Dan frames it. I’m personally tired of YM’s obsession with “leadership.” Maybe Dan can redeem it for me.

10.15-11.15PM

• Talkback with Tony Campolo
• Yep. Not much more needs to be said. You have to go.

SATURDAY

8:00-9:30AM Seminar Session 2

• Building Bridges with Gay and Lesbian Youth
• ?Andrew Marin
• Huge issue that we need to be thoughtfully and compassionately thinking through. Most of our YM practices aren’t cutting it here. Go Andrew…

2.00- 4.30PM Seminar Session 3

• Shaped by the Story: Helping Students Encounter God in a New Way?
• Michael Novelli
• Go for the content. Stay for the process. Michael is bringing an important form of teaching that we all can learn from.

SUNDAY

1.30-3.00 Seminar Series 4

• What if Dietrich Bonhoeffer Was a Youth Worker Today?
• Andy Root
• Andy’s doing a great job of integrating theological paradigms with youth ministry practices. He’s undermining shallow, pragmatic youth ministry. Go check him out…

3.30-5.00 Seminar Series 5

• The Role of Imagination in the Spiritual Formation of Adolescents?
• Sarah Arthur
• We read journeyed with Sarah’s book throughout our semester class. Sarah infuses “literature” back into the overused “story” in youth ministry. Thank you Sarah!

MONDAY

9:00-10:30 Seminar Series 6

• Middle School Students Can Change the World: Creating a Ministry That Believes in Students?
• Corrie Boyle, Steve Carter
• Two great people who love middle schoolers. If you work with middle schoolers, this is worth checking out.

Hope to bump into you in Nashville!

One of my professors offered this thought, which I have morphed to fit youth ministry circles:

“As [youth workers], we attend […] conferences with the expectation of learning something which will benefit us as individuals, rather than seeking to contribute to the learning of others or to our community of practitioners.”

I’m thinking about this as I prepare to go to Youth Specialties’ National Youth Workers Convention in Nashville next weekend.

What might it look like for youth workers to come to the convention seeking to contribute to others rather than “getting something out of it?”

It seems counterintuitive, doesn’t it? Isn’t that WHY we go to conferences… to “learn something,” “be refreshed,” “get something out of it,” or “get refueled?” The thought of giving is eclipsed by one’s great need to get.

And this poses a problem.

If everyone comes to “get” … is there anything left over? Conventions begin to feel like the 5AM post-Thanksgiving sale where desperate shoppers are poised to get the deal while leaving destruction of people and property in their wake. When everyone comes to get, limited resources are depleted with more leaving empty handed than fulfilled.

Getting also puts a lot of pressure on speakers and trainers. They are sucked dry by people who want to be taught, fed, encouraged, inspired, cared for, affirmed, and understood… all in their own special way. Participants quickly become critics (cynics?), evaluators (7.5!), doctrinal police (but you didn’t say “xyz”), and event connoisseurs (it was better last year) rather than co-owners in the convention journey.

What if we came as givers?

What if we brought what we had (big or little) to offer it to the tribe of youth workers we’ve chosen to join for a weekend?

What might happen?

• I’d see your worship and be directed godward.
• I’d hear your questions and be inspired to think more deeply.
• I’d experience your transparency and be assured that I have nothing to prove while here.
• I’d see your humility and it would disarm my pride.
• I’d see you desiring to grow and be inspired to take risks in my own growth journey.

A convention of givers rather than takers provides enough to go around for everyone. It also reflects the mystery of the gospel where, when one gives and dies… one truly receives and lives.

This fall semester, I’m teaching a “Theology of Youth Ministry” course at the seminary. We have a great group of people with a wide range of youth ministry experience and I’m already excited about the conversations we’re having.

The formal voices for our semester are the required texts. Here’s what I’ve landed on. Also, you can download my syllabus to read more about what we’re trying to explore throughout the course.

Arthur, Sarah (2007). The god-hungry imagination: The art of storytelling for a postmodern youth ministry. Nashville: Upper Room Books.

Dean, Kenda. (2004). Practicing passion: Youth and the quest for a passionate church. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishers. 2006.

Dean, Kenda & Foster, R. (1998). The godbearing life: The art of soul tending for youth ministry. Nashville: Upper Room Books.

Donovan, Vincent. (1978) Christianity rediscovered. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.

Root, Andrew. (2007). Revisiting relational youth ministry: From a strategy of influence to a theology of incarnation. Downers Grove, IL: IVP.

Thurman, Howard (1976). Jesus and the disinherited. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

Volf, Mirosolv. (2005). Free of charge: Giving and forgiving in a culture stripped of grace. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Webber, Robert. (1999). Ancient-Future faith: Rethinking evangelicalism for a postmodern world. Grand Rapids: Baker Books.

Historically, adolescences has shifted from a time of “transition” from child to adult, to a significant life stage that some experience well into one’s mid-twenties. There are many developmental and sociological reasons for this phenomenon.

It has been perpetuated, not the least, by youth ministry that has (on plus side) responded to the needs of this population but may also be (on the negative side) perpeduated a delayed entry into adulthood.

More broadly, it might be said that the road from childhood to adulthood has lost its way as adolescence is desired, worshiped, and longed to be preserved.

The lack of “signposts” toward adulthood have left gaps for other rites to be adapted. I wonder if the 21 year-old drinking age has become one of these rites.  Maybe this rite has had to take on a flood of meaning that, on the surface, shows itself as binge drinking, but underneath calls for something more.

One solution comes from this article by Dan McFeely that reports that some college presidents are suggesting the legal drinking age be lowered to age 18.

Derek Melleby from CYPU and others have written opinion responses in USA Today, on the topic. 

What do you think of this?

The argument goes well beyond our own personal convictions about whether one can enjoy a cold one. Might there be deeper systemic issues that frame this discussion?

What’s your view of minors using facebook?

As youth ministry leaders/volunteers/pastors, what is your view on being “friends” with adolescents on Facebook?

CNN posted this article pertaining to students and teachers which I think is timely. Youth ministry also has had to think hard about background checks, child protection, and when and where adults can meet with/disciple/counsel adolescents.

Some have done well to respond to this, others have had the painful experience of responding too late. What about the tension between building authentic, mentoring relationships and fearing inappropriate situations?

What about Facebook? Are there parameters we need to keep in mind as we enter adolescent space from yet, another venue?

Share your thoughts with us…