Chandler had a birthday yesterday and the present I got was when he decided he wanted to share with me a text he had gotten from the youth director at our local church after attending summer camp. In it he expressed what a stud Chandler was becoming and that he hoped he could spend some time with him in the future.
Hearing about this prompted Marti to say that youth directors should be paid twice what pastors get. She was referring to their importance in such a significant time of life when a person is forming their belief systems and choosing their friends. It was a youth director who led our two adult children to the Lord when they were in high school and baptized them in the Colorado River. We want to kiss this man whenever we see him.
Then I got to thinking, Why do only youth directors do this? When did it become okay for pastors to preach sermons and spiritually massage everybody once a week? Why aren’t pastors looking forward to spending time with members of their congregation and imparting truth through their lives, and when appropriate, baptizing them in the nearest body of water?
Then I got to thinking some more. Why do just pastors do this? Why don’t we all do this? Aren’t we all called to be disciples of Christ who go out and make other disciples of Christ? And how do we do that? By spending time with people and imparting truth through our lives.
That really, in essence, is what discipleship is. It’s not a 40-day curriculum or a 12-week seminar. It’s walking alongside people, opening your life and imparting everything you can think of that Christ has imparted to you. It’s not really that difficult.
It can all start with a text: “Wow. Look at the person you are becoming! I’m so looking forward to spending some time with you in the future.”
Come on, you guys (and I’m speaking to myself here as much as to you) what else is life for?
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20)
John Fischer The Catch 
Each one, won by One… through one. It’s all about relationships.
I also committed to dwell on the altar of His Glory as a living sacrifice from the invitation extended by a youth pastor. It has been transformative, in every way! I think I’ll send him a ‘thank you’ note.
i’ll add an Amen to today’s Catch and to my Catch buddy Carole’s comments… 🙂
We have some churches that don’t have paid pastors for this very reason. The Amish don’t have paid pastors.
There is something to be said for leadership that rises from the congregation. These leaders aren’t set apart from the congregation, they are one of them.
I’d still rather just pay someone to do it but my point is we have created this separation.
One of my concerns with church is as soon as our kids hit Jr High we count on someone else to finish what we started. Kids are encouraged to cling to youth programs and youth pastors and the church does everything it can to separate parents from youth.
There hasn’t been a doctrine discussed I couldn’t grasp from my youth and discuss. Why hasn’t the church concentrated on classes that bring parents and youth together for this discussion? We have separate Sunday school classes, etc…
I know we need activities that are apart from our kids but activities that regularly include parents that invoke spiritual discussion seems like a good idea to me.
I pitched this idea once in church but it didn’t fly.
When I was a kid the youth leaders were volunteers, I was the “chaplain” and the leaders were as good a friend with my parents as they were with me.
I feel we’ve lost the feeling of being all in this together.
Thanks for indulging my ramble 🙂 It’s John’s fault, I read his thoughts and it sparked mine. lol
sigh…I agree with all that has been said. I see John and Marti “a voice in the wilderness”…a wilderness within the church walls that leaves no room for All THINGS BEING SUMMED UP IN CHRIST!! I believe God has posted some within the walls and some outside the gate (me being one) not to try and fix the church system but to point the way home, to welcome not the church system but to welcome the KINGDOM OF GOD. A provocative book “The Misunderstanding of the Church” by Emil Brunner is a must read for those who struggle with what they see in church and Christianity!! It left me finally at peace learning to live and walk in the Spirit day by day and welcome daily encounters as the hand of God and potential brethren in Christ…as the kingdom of God is everywhere there is liberty.
Good thoughts Karen, I may order the book.
My friends public library got a copy for her use. I ordered a used copy from http://www.abe.com
Thanks Karen
Totally agree- our learning is as much caught as taught; by hanging out together we increase the chances of passing on valuable stuff. “The Lost Art of Lingering”, by Rowland Forman is a new book that presents a way of doing this kind of mentoring. Personally, I learned about being a follower of Jesus by observing other women, in all kinds of situations- in the home with a burden of work, at camp under pressure,etc. The lecture from the pulpit may help a little, with the theory but practical illustration is best.
My heart’s desire, (and willing to face the criticism for leaving the warmth of the pew) is to become more fully, no matter what the cost, wherever the Way will take me – like Paul – through the indwelling Christ – “a living epistle to be read by all men”. I’m going to see if I can get your book from my library…thanks