…When I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God…
Fifty-two
years of age seems old for a youth worker. When I started in youth ministry at Youthfront at the age of
18-years-old I was still a teenager myself. I had the stamina of an Eveready Energizer Bunny. I lived for all night lock-ins, long
road trips and non-stop sports competition. My energy source was a steady diet of McDonalds, Pizza Hut
and Taco Bell. Middle school kids
were my favorite (probably because I was too close in age to high schoolers). Middle school kids didn’t wear me out.
They energized me. I loved the
fact that they weren’t jaded. They
weren’t too cool to admit that they didn’t know something and they were curious
about everything.
A lot has
changed since those early days of youth ministry. I quit doing all night lock-ins ten years ago, a long road
trip now is a drive to Youthfront Camp South and right now (with my aching lower
back) sports competition is something I watch.
For the
last seven years my personal passion has been youth ministry with late
adolescents. Pre-adolescent
ministry happens with young people ages 10 and 11 (approximately); Early
Adolescence stages cover ages 12 to 14; Mid-adolescence stages are 15 and 16
year olds; and Late Adolescence covers from 17 to as late as 24 to 25 years of
age.
I wonder
if I focus on Late Adolescents because they are more focused, more thoughtful
and require less physical energy to keep up with? I am intrigued by the reality that Late Adolescence is the
time when a majority of young people leave church. I’m challenged to engage Late Adolescents in evangelism,
discipleship and Christian formation that nurtures them in a consistent walk
with Jesus Christ and engagement in their church community.
However, I
am the President of an organization that works with thousands of
pre-adolescents and middle school kids.
Youthfront is also partnering with Stuck in the Middle Ministry. Stuck in the Middle has twelve weekend
conferences around the country involving several thousand middle school
kids. We are doing Youthfront’s Feed the Hunger initiative at all the
conferences. We worked really hard
getting the curriculum and program together for a transformational encounter
with the serious issues of spiritual hunger and physical hunger. At the first conference it became
apparent that the middle school kids weren’t too interested in the information
part. They didn’t want to really
linger over the scripture. They
wanted to do the tasks – package the meals and write messages on the shipping
boxes to the children who would receive the food.
Yes, this
is how they learn. Some of the
verses will sink in, maybe as they are falling asleep or when they sit still
long enough to think back on all the reasons they participated in Feed the Hunger. But I was reminded how old I feel
trying to keep up with middle school kids. For now, I will let our younger staff wrestle with the joys
and energies of this age and I will stick with the high school and college
students.
However, I have a sweet little granddaughter named Lexi that is only seven years away from pre-adolescence so I’m saving up my strength for one more round of middle school ministry. I can’t wait.
Since my youth, O God, you have
taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am
old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next
generation, your might to all who are to come. Psalm 71:17, 18
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