In the word...

So...the long awaited post is started (again). I think there has been a lot of demonic force put to prevent our updates to this blog recently. Sure, it sounds like Christian hocus-pocus, but it has really felt like something did not want me to get on here and post today, yesterday, or during the weekend. And when I did try to post, I ran into computer and network problems, multiple times. So...barring and unforseen hindrances, let my most recent post get underway.

I had a major realization this weekend. The epiphany came Sunday morning, yet had nothing to do with our Sunday service (sorry Pastor Dave). Let me take you back to Saturday night. (Aside: for any of my youth reading, here’s a picture of what went on in my head this weekend)

I had not planned my lesson for Sunday morning (something that never happens). Sure, I kid about not being prepared and often being unorganized, but I do take my lessons more seriously than I let on. So, Saturday night, I decided to plan my lesson before going to sleep. The next thing I know, I’m looking at my clock and it says 7am…no planning has occurred and I had fallen asleep with my light on.

Yet…I felt oddly calm.

Too calm. Calm like I had nothing to do that day calm. I had a reflection pop into my head that I’d heard a few months back: It doesn’t matter what you say or don’t say to the youth; God’s Will can be made known to them no matter how bumbling a youth leader you are. You aren’t the gateway to God – He can find other ways to reach the kids…

That was it. I’ve been worrying so much about how to affect the lives of my youth. I’d pushed God right out of the picture.

So, I got to church, still without having anything really planned. Although, I’d gotten the notion to use something from the dLog (in fact, my last post “Camp Hazeroth”).


When the kids arrived and we began to talk about Numbers, I asked the kids where they thought we were in the story.

::Crickets::

Okay, what came before this?

“God created the earth.”

(A little author’s interjection here: These are junior highs.)

Okay, so…let’s move forward a little bit. We’re talking about Moses. What was he famous for?

“Umm…parting the water.”

Yes…and why was he doing that; where were they coming from?

::More crickets::

(Internal Monologue): Oh my goodness, these kids are Biblically illiterate.

It was quite a simple revelation, but one that crumbled what I had founded my youth ministry upon. The youth have no idea how the Bible stories fit together, which means they can’t have any idea as to the relevance of the stories as a whole!


We used the remainder of the time to look at the 10 Commandments, and specifically, I went over the idea of a Sabbath with them (as it has been on my mind a lot recently).

During the service, I paid little attention to the sermon or really any part of the service (and I openly admit that…my mind was too busy thinking about this new information). Afterward, Jamie (my intern) and I talked about a plan to help the youth to know and understand the progression of time and story throughout the Bible.

I know that many youth curriculum were getting back to just telling the stories, but now I see why. And although I haven’t done much research, I think that this problem of Biblical illiteracy is spread throughout the culture. I think back to my own Sunday School days and I didn’t have that kind of knowledge either. Youth generations for the past 30 years or so have gone without a good understanding of Biblical history (and I’m not just talking about Old Testament. Could any of you give an accurate timeline of Jesus’ life when you were in junior high? High school? College? Now??

I can no longer assume that these kids know the basis for the lessons that I teach. We have focused too much on the “ideas” of Christianity. Yes, they are great ideas: love, joy, peace, patience, and the rest of the song; but without the history behind the ideas, they mean nothing.

I know that this (and many of my dlog entries) has gotten away from being devotional, but I feel strongly about this and it has been weighing on my heart to share with you, my peers in the field.

I send my love to you all. Please pray for our youth.

God, help me to always step out of the way to allow for your will to be done. If it pleases you, use me to affect the lives of the youth. Lord, help them to grow in their understanding of you and your ways. As always, help me to keep my focus on you. Thank you for the blessings that you give me. And thank you for the joy that I find in my work. Amen.