state of affairs

I've been researching how student ministries actually do ministry. Through web research and conversations with youth pastors, I'm continuing to learn not just what student ministries are doing, but how they are doing it.

Some of it is very encouraging...some churches are on point and nailing it. Some were confusing. The ministry just seemed to exist with a bunch of different branches and no cohesion in direction. Even as a student pastor I struggled to find the direction beyond a quite lengthy mission statement.

As of last summer, we chose to do some things differently in student ministry in the area of camp. Camp has always been a 'holy grail' of sorts...ya know, the huge spiritual high, the friendships, the alter calls...you name it. In some people's minds, camp is the epitome of student ministry. Why on earth did we do away with traditional camp then, if it was so impactful?

The truth is camp was a blast. Whether it was wakeboarding or skiing or all day free time, people remember that. The problem is, that's the only part most people remember. In a very short time when the "mountain top" experience wore off and when the music wasn't playing...camp ended. That was it. Now it's time to wait for the good times next year. As student pastors, we were uncomfortable with the fact that all the time, money and energy would go into something that was so short lived. There had to be more.

After our trip to Mississippi last spring break, we began to see the difference. This mission trip was different...it was a blast, it was a spiritual high and good friendships were made. But it was different.

The time, money and energy was totally worth it...not only were our students heavily impacted, so were the homes and lives of people we worked with all week. A month after we returned, they were begging to go back. They couldn't wait.

Wow. Here's the difference. Even if you go on a misson trip and you don't get impacted, you at least impacted the life of someone else. (credit to JR) Add to that many spiritual lessons on selflessness, being a servant and the principle of unity. It's not a lesson that ends at the end of the week; the lesson continues throughout life. It also opens the students' heart to missions and learning they can be an effective minister for Christ as a High School student.

It makes sense. As a student pastor who is accountable to God, parents and students for opportunities for growth, it just makes sense doesn't it?