What I learned

Whew... what a summer...

I can't say enough how incredible my summer was. This FTE project helped me focus my interests and learning on at-risk youth in new and meaningful ways. I met tons of awesome people and think I've made some healthy relationships with other colleagues in ministry all over the country. Not to shabby.

But, did I learn anything? Well- duh! Of course I did. But what? Well... First of all, I learned some things about myself. I learned that I already have the gifts of being able to work and live with vulnerable and at-risk persons. Actually, I wouldn't say that I learned that, so much as that gift was affirmed in me. For whatever reason, I believe God has given me the ability to see people where they're at, and to bring my love and care to them there-- so that they can experience God's love. Also, young people seem to dig me. Maybe because I actually take them seriously. Maybe it's because I'm tough, while being funny, real, and caring at the same time. Over the summer, my ability to be able to see wider systems at work and to see broad themes was affirmed by those with whom I met and worked.

Now, what does all of this have to do with my original goals for the project? Well, I originally asked this question in my project proposal: How are [effective] youth ministries able to offer hope to at-risk young people? HOW-- How do they do that? How can I do that? In every conversation I had this summer, in some way, shape, or form, the same answer was given-- by creating healthy and loving relationships with young people. Relationships. It's all about relationships. Meaningful, consistent, stable, boundaried, accountable, affirming, positive, faith-centered, loving relationships.

These relationships are the goal. They are not means to an end. In ministry we do not engage in relationships for the purpose of changing young people or getting them to live more Christian lives. We are in relationship to them simply because they are children of God and we love them. As God loved us. Christ is the model for relational ministry with at-risk people... For no other reason that God so loved this world, God came to be with us. That is the incarnational promise and good news of the gospel. No strings attached, Jesus came and walked among us. Still dwells in and among us. Professor Andrew Root talks about this very concept in his book, Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry. I tell you, this book, which I didn't my hands on until the end of my summer project, basically states everything I've been feeling, thinking, and learning this summer. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in youth ministry.

Anyways, each place I went to this summer approached relational youth ministry differently. As you can see in my earlier blog posts. But, they all emphasized it in some way. So, my challenge as a minister is to discover the ways in which relationships can be made and grown in each of my congregations and communities. Then, and only then, can real hope be shared with those at-risk.