Princeton Theological Seminary is the leader in theological research and reflection concerning youth and family ministry (www.pts.edu). Youth leaders across the country can finally be encouraged. One day the local youth minister will not be considered just the "energetic yahoo" who exists to keep the youth entertained. Rather, research is indicating that the youth and family minister should be considered the resident theologian in the church. It is possible that the one who works with those in their first 1/3 of life will actually be considered the minister who best understands and interprets the culture. This is the challenge for all churches who mistakenly and unknowingly operate on a 1950's model of ministry. For instance, teenagers and young adults are driving what America is about. Whether it be fashion, technology, movements, or voting...young people are where you go to figure out where the world is heading. The struggle will be found in how well churches allow the youthful energy to find a place in the structure of the church. For decades the church has seen the congregation operate fairly well as long as the youth and children stay in their separate departments and designated area. This was described as the two-eared Mickey Mouse model where the larger church is symbolized by a circle with youth and children ministries symbolized by attached yet smaller circles. What would the church look like if these two ministries were active within the larger circle of the congregation? I would love to see this model at work.
A "just under the surface' reason that I attend the PTS seminars is to remind myself of what a great church FBC Memphis is. There are many troubled churches and many depressed ministers in this country. Many of them love to attend conferences so they can get away, become inspired, and complain to others. Well I got away...I became inspired....but I did very little complaining. FBC Memphis certainly has an uphill climb. It will be a while before we are prepared to write a book on church growth and discipleship. But I pray that we are well on our way. The survival of our church will never be based on glitz, glamour, or even programming. And for this we should not be ashamed. Just trying to attract people to the church is an old, tired, model that people do not trust. Rather, midtown will respond to a church that has a purpose, community, and offers opportunities for connection. But even more so, the church will move ahead because it is filled with imperfect believers who will not settle for anything less than a lived-out understanding that God dwells within them. Remember, if we simply believe that God is NICE, then we will only believe that the goal is to be nice to one another. This will not allow true and significant relationships based on faith. And if Jesus was simply therapeutic, meaning that our faith is only about the individual, then we will never see the needs around us. A life constructed by any person is never a life worth living. And if our image of God is deistic (God divided) then we will never really understand that God has made his dwelling place within his followers. He is not over there, or somewhere else, Jesus abides within me. Sounds radical but it is merely biblical.
A "just under the surface' reason that I attend the PTS seminars is to remind myself of what a great church FBC Memphis is. There are many troubled churches and many depressed ministers in this country. Many of them love to attend conferences so they can get away, become inspired, and complain to others. Well I got away...I became inspired....but I did very little complaining. FBC Memphis certainly has an uphill climb. It will be a while before we are prepared to write a book on church growth and discipleship. But I pray that we are well on our way. The survival of our church will never be based on glitz, glamour, or even programming. And for this we should not be ashamed. Just trying to attract people to the church is an old, tired, model that people do not trust. Rather, midtown will respond to a church that has a purpose, community, and offers opportunities for connection. But even more so, the church will move ahead because it is filled with imperfect believers who will not settle for anything less than a lived-out understanding that God dwells within them. Remember, if we simply believe that God is NICE, then we will only believe that the goal is to be nice to one another. This will not allow true and significant relationships based on faith. And if Jesus was simply therapeutic, meaning that our faith is only about the individual, then we will never see the needs around us. A life constructed by any person is never a life worth living. And if our image of God is deistic (God divided) then we will never really understand that God has made his dwelling place within his followers. He is not over there, or somewhere else, Jesus abides within me. Sounds radical but it is merely biblical.
Oh, and I did have an opportunity to visit New York. I always travel on the train into New York so that I can be reminded of why I love green grass, fishing ponds, and a slower pace. Great place to visit though.
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