Good Cop/Bad Cop

This is copied and pasted directly from "Stuff Christians Like." Enjoy.

1. A group of youth group members are caught red handed about to pull a prank during a retreat.
A. You confiscate all their prank materials, put them in separate sleeping areas and call their parents in the middle of the night to let them know that their kids suck.
B. You tell them that what they've planned is a good start but they're going to need a lot more shaving cream to get the full effect they're going for.

2. While on a fall hayride through a scenic apple orchard, some of the students start throwing rotten apples at each other.
A. You unleash a righteous lecture on all the apple throwers that covers Eve in the garden, the insult it is to God to use His creation the apple for sport, and how there are teens in other countries that don't have apples to eat, never mind throw.
B. You use you're heightened adult strength and advanced wisdom to throw the apples harder and more on target than any of the students.

3. A student forgets to bring a signed parental waiver for the day at the water park.
A. You tell the student to "kick rocks" and leave them in the parking lot as you drive away to the water park without them.
B. You tell the student "We just throw those wavers into a cardboard box under the secretaries desk. Promise me you won't sue the church and get in the van."

4. You hear rumors that some students are sneaking out of camp at night to go to McDonald's because the camp food is questionable.
A. You search the garbage for evidence of wrappers and use a ultra violet blue light you saw on the show CSI to search for greasy finger prints.
B. You immediately confront the teens you think are involved and place an order for a Big Mac.

5. Despite your best efforts to break down the cliques, a "cool bus" forms as you get ready to leave for a retreat.
A. You create a complicated algorithm that measures coolness and spread the cool kids out mathematically among the three vans your church has.
B. You start bringing big bags of candy in hopes that you will become the "Official Cool Van Driver."

6. At the lock in, someone is found playing loud, non Church approved hip hop.
A. You confiscate the iPod until after the lock in is over and make the teens learn a "danceudrama" to a Carmen song.
B. You ask "Is that the new Akon? That is my jam!" and then proceed to do the worm.

7. You're asked to give your testimony at youth group one night.
A. You treat the opportunity like one of those "scared straight" shows where they bring teenagers to jail and at least 3 people end up crying.
B. You tell your story and make references to as many teen cultural items as google could find you, at one point remarking, "I guess you could say my life was like that show 'Gossip Girl."

If you answered A for most of the questions, congratulations, you’re a bad cop. I hope you’re the youth leader my daughters have when they grow up.

If you answered B for most of the questions, you’re a good cop and are probably very familiar with the phrase, “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission.”

The best youth leaders I had growing up were a hybrid of both. Able to be an adult and keep things moving in the right direction but not afraid to laugh and admit how fun a life spent with God can be.

The Unlikeliest

Maybe you have a kid like James* in your youth program. Maybe you have more than one. James is the kid that I wrote off quickly after meeting him. Disrespectful to myself and the other leaders, goofs off too much to take anything seriously, and doesn’t show up enough to feel invested in the program. I accept that he attends and I try to love him as I would any other student, but deep down I keep my expectations incredibly low, never expecting him to rise past his current level of spiritual (im)maturity.

And then I came across the stories of Paul Potts and Susan Boyle and spent a long time thinking about how I treat students like James. Paul is a cellphone salesman and Susan is an unemployed 47 year old with a unique sense of humor and fashion. I imagine these two have been written off as void of potential more times than they would like to know. But then they’re given a chance to do what they were created to do. And WOW. Just watch the videos linked below.

Although I might view students like James as unlikely candidates for future leadership potential, spiritual maturity, or success, I always need to ask, “What does God have in mind?” Doesn’t He have a tendency to do big things with the underdogs? There might even be a bible story of two about him doing something up this alley.

Even when dealing with the most difficult and unlikeable students, the ones that I assume will never reach any real spiritual maturity, is there ever a point at which I write off a student and his/her future potential? I suppose I should ask whether God ever writes any of us off, deciding that we’re become irredeemable, not up to the task He has planned for our lives.

Am I called to treat students based on their likelihood of doing something great? Or am I, are we, called to love each student as a precious child of God, set apart for greater things than these? Because whether the student is Paul or Susan or James, God has something great for him or her to accomplish for his glory.

*Name changed for obvious reason.

Paul Potts

Susan Boyle

Holy Week or HELL Week?!?!

Easter is always a wonderful time of year for those who consider themselves Christians. The weather is getting warmer (unless you live in Indiana). The flowers are blooming and you get lots of candy from the Easter Bunny. But for many Pastors, including myself, I find Easter to be one of the most stressful times of the year.

My schedule looks like this...
-Start planning for Easter about the first of the year
-Have several meeting between the first of the year and Easter week
-Do something for Palm Sunday
-Set up and facilitate the Stations of the Cross for the entire Church
-Run a stations of the Cross service on Wednesday
-Run Family Communion Night on Thursday
-Participate in Good Friday service
-Run an Easter egg Hunt on Sat (which I organized and planned)
-Not to mention Sunday's stuff: sunrise service, church wide breakfast, teach
Sunday school, go to normal service, and then we have our youth service
that night.

Long and short of it......I'm so busy "Celebrating" Holy Week that I find myself tired, annoyed, and not happy about it at all.

So if you find yourself where I am, here are a few tips to get yourself through Hell... I mean Holy Week.

1. Make sure you are spending PERSONAL time reflecting on Holy Week.I find myself saying that I'm spending so much "church time" reflecting on Holy Week I don't need my personal time.....WRONG..... Never underestimate the personal journey!!!

2.Make sure to build into your schedule quality time with your family. Spending time with my family always reminds me of God's great love and recharges me. Schedule specific time during Holy week to spend with your family...if you don't schedule it, you and I both know it won't happen and by the end of the week your family won't even recognize you. (P.S. Spend some time reflecting on Holy Week as a family. Don't just lead at church....lead at home too.)

3.Don't "go" to church and "run" the event...ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE!!!
To often we get so focused on "running" the event we don't participate and miss a great chance to ministry to God and be an active part of the Church. Don't loose focus or space out....STAY ENGAGED AND PRESENT.

4. Go in late...Make sure your getting your sleep, if your boss will let you, don't feel guilty for coming into the office late if you need some extra sleep. (P.S. Don't be a tool and take advantage of this either!)

These are things that I have found that help my Holy Week truly be a great experience and not a HELL Week. Hope this helps you!!!

"Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is NOT here; he has risen, just as he said." Matt 28:5-6a

Lovingly Cheering Each of You On!!!
-Zach