Youth Ministry Confessions
October 11th, 2007 by Steve
This last week I had coffee with one of my seminary students who has been in youth ministry, but is currently working with at-risk adolescents.
He made a comment that pierced me. He reflected on how, if he knew then, what he is learning now about adolescents, he may view some of them differently. And then he said, I wish I could go back and tell them he was sorry.
He’s right.
It made me think about the need for my own youth ministry confessions. I wonder what it might look like for the tribe of youth ministry leaders to pursue an ongoing posture of continual confession. Here’s my first swing…
I Confess…
- I confess being more worried about my big message than the little, daily conversations.
- I confess my lack of compassion.
- I confess sacrificing relationships for tasks.
- I confess my ignorance in understanding where some of my students were coming from.
- I confess not understanding divorce.
- I confess my blindness to diversity.
- I confess superimposing my faith journey on adolescents, expecting them to follow Jesus just like me.
- I confess my over-programming, which I thought was a sign of strength, but may actually have been a symptom of insecurity.
- I confess getting caught up in the youth ministry fast track.
- I confess counting numbers.
- I confess favoring students that were more like me.
- I confess giving simple answers to complex problems.
- I confess using examples that make me look like I have it all together.
- I confess my ignorance in thinking that their adolescent experience was just like mine.
- I confess to being a poor listener.
- I confess not wanting to understand homosexuality.
- I confess my temptation to impress rather than love you.
- I confess emphasizing your “spiritual life” without taking into account the developmental, relational, and emotional you, as well.
- I confess measuring your faith through an adult lens rather than an adolescent lens.
- I confess my overemphasis on being a teacher rather than a fellow, journeying guide.
- I confess that I fed you too much junk food while teaching you that your body is a temple.
- I confess using competitive games and asking you to believe in a gospel where God doesn’t look at people as winners and losers.
- I confess anything that may have discouraged you.
- I confess not confessing enough.
Please forgive me for showing you a partial Jesus and a distorted Jesus message. Thank you for being patient with me and often showing me a clearer picture of Jesus.
God bless you. God help me.
October 15th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
[...] October 07 Confessions … Posted by Tammie under youth ministry This is an incredible post over at SteveArgue’s blog. It’s a list of confessions of a youth leader. Some that hit home … [...]
October 16th, 2007 at 2:04 am
Dear Steve,
I just wanted to thank-you for being there for me during my adolescent years and getting me through what were then the toughest years of my life.
You met me where I was at. You always listened, you always challenged me, and I strongly believe you never gave up even though you completely disappeared from my life.
There was a long time that I was angry; that I felt abandoned by you- and for that, I want to ask your forgiveness. You had every right and reason to leave and to cut me off when you did. I understand that now.
Please forgive me…
Your Sister in Christ Eternally,
Trish
PS.
I hope you have not completely forgotten me, but if you have, I understand; God has clearly continued to use you in amazing ways.
October 17th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
>i confess the fact that i taught you about Jesus and didn’t follow His lead.
>i confess viewing you as a means to a monthly paycheck.
>i confess that many times i saw you coming into the room and purposely looked in the opposite direction.
>i confess that i scheduled student events around what i wanted to do or felt comfortable doing.
>i confess that i was wrong when i told you that you would have to remain celibate because you desired love from a person of the same sex.
October 19th, 2007 at 9:57 am
what a powerful post…
thanks for that!
October 19th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Very good post. I hope you have a great time at the convention.
October 20th, 2007 at 8:47 am
AMAZING POST!! i’m linkin!
March 31st, 2008 at 8:51 am
youth ministry confessions…
sometimes, we just have to confess…
April 1st, 2008 at 12:07 pm
“I confess my over-programming, which I thought was a sign of strength, but may actually have been a symptom of insecurity.”
Dude, I struggle with this all the time. Thanks for saying it out loud.
April 9th, 2008 at 1:11 am
[...] Youth Ministry Confessions Some very convicting confessions: “I confess my over-programming, which I thought was a sign of strength, but may actually have been a symptom of insecurity.” [ht PlugRug] [...]