Looking BEYOND

One of the greatest aspects of National Youth Workers Convention (NYWC) is how the Youth Specialties (YS) team affirms our calling to youth ministry. There is nothing more encouraging than someone saying in various ways "What you do matters!"

Mark Matlock, the president of YS, during the first Big Room of NYWC challenged us to look BEYOND. The busyness of ministry has a way of forcing us to continually focus on the minutia: the right settings on the presentation software, the water level of the Keurig, the trash taken out in the youth room. Matlock and YS called us to look BEYOND those things to the bigger picture.

"We are running offense and defense for teenagers to have access to the Word of God."

What a terrific description of youth ministry! Citing Matthew 19, he explained that there is so much that can hinder a child, teenager, and adult from having access to Jesus. Our job as youth pastors is to defend that access and advance that access to those who are blocked, indifferent, or rejected.

We have to look BEYOND the overwhelming busyness of ministry and be reminded that we are guardians. We are guardians of precious, life-altering news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are guardians of a broken, messy movement called the Church. We are guardians of a dangerous, radical way of life that is to be lived out in our homes, our schools, and our workplaces.

How can we look BEYOND?

Change our measure of success. 
Are you measuring your success by how many teenagers are present at programs or how much they are transformed into Christ's likeness over time? When you sit back to say you've succeeded, what is it that has happened? Jesus' measure of success was not the number of His followers or positive responses to His teachings and miraculous works. "Go and sin no more." "Not so with you." "I have come to seek and to save that which was lost." How do you measure success?

Remind ourselves and our teams. 
Can you say in one sentence what you are seeking to do in your ministry? Mosaic Youth Ministry exists to connect teenagers to God. It is not easy, but it is simple. We were all far from God at one point. To be connected means to be daily yielding our will and receiving His grace. How can you remind yourself and your team why you do what you do?

Celebrate successes.
Stop regularly to celebrate all that God is doing through your ministry. Ask your team for stories of "wins" they have experienced. Share "wins" that you hear with the rest of your team. Nothing energizes a team like knowing the team is making strides toward the goal. How do you share stories with your team?

"Looking BEYOND my messy desk, out the dusty window, and to the beautiful horizon reminds me that we are not the sum of our tasks."

Looking BEYOND my messy desk, out the dusty window, and to the beautiful horizon reminds me that we are not the sum of our tasks. We are made for more. We are the guardians and messengers of the greatest news and adventure on earth. How do you look BEYOND?