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Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ...28 29 30 NextAn article in last week’s “New York Times” summarizing the results of an early December CBS News/New York Times poll reveals the effects of our economy, not just on adults but on kids. According to the article, 4 in 10 unemployed parents have noticed behavioral changes in their kids that they attribute to the parents’ difficulties in finding work.
Of course, the good news of Jesus’ birth is ultimately what Christmas is about. But many, many families are feeling the effects of this economy. And if you’re a parent, you know that your kids pick up on your stress and fears.
So this holiday, make sure you give space and a place for teenagers to talk about their concerns and fears. Spend time during your youth group Christmas party praying for those families who are unemployed. Send an extra text or make an extra phone call to kids who you know are going to have a different Christmas than normal.
Wouldn’t it be great if teenagers knew that we were adults who were safe places to share about their struggles?
Last week, I received the following e.mail update from Kris Rocke. I’ve come to respect Kris, who is one of teachers in our FYI Urban Youth Ministry Certificate program, and the Executive Director of the Center for Transforming Mission. I haven’t verified the data below, but I love the idea of welcoming the “Jesus from below…” Maybe this can help you have a more justice-centered and authentic discussion about Christmas with teenagers.
“If John the Baptist teaches us anything, it is safe to say that, in all of our preparations for the messiah, we almost never prepare for the one that actually comes. Biblically speaking, Christmas ALWAYS comes as a surprise. The invitation of the Gospel is to learn how to welcome the Jesus that actually shows up, whether we’ve prepared for him or not.
When we take the stained glass off the text and set aside the sentimental projections of ourselves, the Jesus of the Bible is breathtaking and takes on a decidedly subversive shape – one that I am not altogether comfortable with, if I am honest. However, my hunch is that for every person in the world who is afflicted by this portrait there are at least 10 others who are comforted.
The following is a simple portrait of Christ that we use in our training. We call it ‘Jesus from below.’ It is the Jesus that emerges when we read the Bible with and for those who have been labeled the least. It is a decidedly different image from the one that emerges when we read the Bible from the position of power, which often yields a Jesus that justifies us.
The portrait deserves more explanation, but hopefully you will be able to see its biblical roots. The inset facts represent those who might find comfort in this messiah. May it be so this Christmas.
ASIAN-BORN
The Middle East is Asiatic
Nearly 60% the world is Asian born
MIXED RACE HERITAGE
See Matthew’s genealogy
Multi-racial is fastest growing demo in the U.S.
SCANDALOUS GRANDMAS OF CHRISTMAS
Grandma Tamar (prostitute)
Grandma Rahab (prostitute)
Grandma Ruth (Incest survivor)
Grandma Bathsheba (Murderous Affair)
4 million women, children victims of sexual slavery and trafficked as sex slaves in world worth $20 billion annually.
SHAMEFUL BIRTH
Not everybody bought the virgin Birth story.
79% of births to teenagers in U.S. are outside marriage resulting in bastard children.
TEENAGE MOTHER
Mary was probably 13
One million teenage girls become pregnant every year in the U.S.
POOR
Temple offering of the poor
1.7 Million U.S. children are in families that live on less than $6645 a year for family of 5.
POLITICAL REFUGEE
Flees persecution to Egypt
50 million people in the world have been forced to flee their homes in the last 10 years.
IMMIGRANT
Returns to Israel
8.7 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.
DRUNKARD & GLUTTON
Friend of sinners
8 million suffer from alcoholism and 15 million from drug dependency
MENTALLY ILL
Jesus’ family thought he was “out of his mind”
45 million suffer serious mental illness
URBAN
Went through cities of Galilee
By 2020 over 60% of the world’s population will be urban, young and poor.
HOMELESS
No place to “lay his head”
3 million homeless men, women and children, last year in US
OUTLAW
Broke Sabbath Laws
25% of Young Adult African American Males are Incarcerated or on parole.
DESPISED & REJECTED
Seen as cursed by God
The leading motivations for hate crimes in U.S. are “race” 53% religion 16% and sexual orientation 15%
INNOCENT VICTIM
Blameless
Every 11 minutes a child is reported abused or neglected in the U.S. – nearly 3 million.
FORSAKEN BY FATHER
“My God, My God…”
Of 72 million young people in US, almost 25% live w/o their father. 50% for African-American
MURDERED
Crucified
Black males (14-24) make up 1% of the U.S. population but 30% of all homicides.
RESURRECTED AS WOUNDED HEALER
Shows Thomas his eternal wounds
150 million suffer from a chronic medical condition. 5 Million suffer chronic pain. 15% of vets suffer severe depression/PTSD.
For over ten years, our youth have served at the Rescue Mission by providing chapel services once a month. They offer greetings, readings, brief messages and music. It’s a tremendous opportunity for them to develop their leadership gifts, and they are all forced out of their comfort zones.
The hardest part is getting them there. Often they come straight from a game or practice. One time one of our boys arrived in his baseball uniform after pitching a game. To me it looked funny to have this boy in leggings and bright red cap playing his pink electric guitar up front. But as I chuckled to myself, I came to realize that nothing looks crazy at the Rescue Mission. It is a place full of obvious brokenness and pain. In the midst of addiction, poverty, mental illness and homelessness, the last thing the visitors are worried about is what we look like. Unlike everywhere else I go in this beach town full of beautiful people, no one at the mission sizes me up when I walk in.
Another time, a young girl of fourteen from our group was set to share. Ideally, when a student volunteers to speak, their small group leader meets with that student to help them prepare. But sometimes that doesn’t happen, and this was one of those times. This girl walked up to the rickety podium and said, “Hi, my name is Sherry (not her real name). Today I’m going to talk about temptation. Now I don’t know how familiar you are with temptation…” You heard a murmur rumble through the room of 90 or so. Given that one of the primary factors of homelessness is substance abuse, this was definitely a group familiar with temptation. I gritted my teeth. Sherry described how tempting it is for her to fight with her younger brother over using the computer or watching her shows on TV. “Oh dear,” I thought to myself. “These folks are going to be so offended by our privileged, easy lives.”
Yet the exact opposite happened. As Sherry talked about fighting her desire to hit her brother, people shouted out encouragements like “You go, girl!” or “Keep tryin’, Sherry!” She shared verses that helped her in her struggles and thanked them for listening. Everyone clapped as she headed back to her seat.
This is the best part of the Rescue Mission for us – it is not merely a place of service for our students; there is true give-and-take. The visitors minister to us by offering encouragements and welcome. They are the most accepting and forgiving audience our youth have ever faced. Teenagers’ voices can be off key, beats can be off tempo, messages can lack polish, and these folks simply do not care. They are so pleased our kids want to be with them that mere attempts are more than enough. It has been a delight and frankly, a huge surprise to me.
It is not hard to find scriptural support for this ministry — but the passage that best expresses our time there is found in Mark 5, when Jesus encounters the hemorrhaging woman on his way to heal Jairus’ daughter. Jesus is pressured by a large crowd; nevertheless, he stops to listen. Keep in mind, she told him the whole story. Think how long it takes to recount one trip to the ER! Imagine how long it would take to sit through twelve years of treatments, doctors, hopes dashed, etc. Jesus extends intimacy and relationship to an outcast. He doesn’t write her off. She is worth time and relationship.
For us the Rescue Mission has in fact rescued us – from our mistaken notions about who the homeless are. We have discovered they have something to offer us as well. As Jesus says, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Bring teachable hearts, and you’ll never be the same.
Note: a longer version of this post appears as an article in the Nov/Dec 2009 issue of YouthWorker Journal. See a preview online.
A research report was released this week from the Pew Internet & American Life Project called Teens and Sexting, authored by Amanda Lenhart, Senior Research Specialist for Pew.
There’s been a lot of speculation about how much this phenomenon is happening, but this report focused on WHY—the scenarios and attitudes that lead to sending provocative sexual images by phone. Lenhart identifies three primary scenarios:
1. Exchanges of images solely between two romantic partners
2. Exchanges between partners that are then shared outside the relationship
3. Exchanges between people who are not yet in a relationship, but where often one person hopes to be.
Teens’ attitudes toward the practice are fairly widespread, though quotes like this from a 9th/10th grade boy offer a lot of material for good conversations:
“No, [it’s not a big deal] we are not having sex, we are sexting. It’s not against my religion or anything.”
Here are two really interesting quotes from Lenhart herself about the role sexting is taking among adolescents:
“Teens explained to us how sexually suggestive images have become a form of relationship currency. These images are shared as a part of or instead of sexual activity, or as a way of starting or maintaining a relationship with a significant other. And they are also passed along to friends for their entertainment value, as a joke or for fun.”
“The desire for risk-taking and sexual exploration during the teenage years combined with a constant connection via mobile devices creates a ‘perfect storm’ for sexting. Teenagers have always grappled with issues around sex and relationships, but their coming-of-age mistakes and transgressions have never been so easily transmitted and archived for others to see.”
Read the Full Report
In a season that often elicits stressful feelings, recent research points to a couple of groups of adolescents who feel more stressed than average. Visit the links to learn more about each group:
Teens from Military Families
College Dropouts
Good reminders to consider the ways we are caring for them in our ministries.
Last week I posted an entry about teaching two different groups about Advent this season: an adult Sunday school at my church, ranging in age from 40-75, and the student body of a Christian high school where I am the Campus Pastor. I thought it would be a cool challenge to keep my lessons the same for both age groups (either that or I’m really lazy and didn’t want the extra work!).
Full disclosure: I have chosen to not stick with my original goal to keep my lessons the same. Not only are these groups in very different places spiritually, but I am teaching year-round with the youth, and this adult Sunday school class was a simple 3-week series. So relationally I was in different places with each group, and that affected my presentations more than I expected. Nevertheless, the “bones” of the lessons were the same, but came out in some different ways.
What stayed the same?
1. I gave both groups the same quiz about Advent to see how much (let’s be honest, how little) everyone already knew about Advent.
2. The quiz got all the historical info and specific details about Advent to the groups in engaging but informative ways.
3. We looked at Luke 1 and compared the annunciation stories of Zechariah and Mary. This was an especially fertile time of Bible study for both groups.
4. I spent extended time challenging the groups to take Advent beyond a special Christmas tradition and make it a way of life.
5. Going in this direction, the teachings were more focused on ongoing spiritual disciplines than on the particular elements of Advent at Christmas time.
Most of the differences in presentation and content in the two classes were small, and not worth noting. However, one difference was of profound significance: The essence of Advent is found that it is about the coming of the Messiah, both in his First Coming at his birth and in his Second Coming as Triumphant King. The challenge comes in focusing our worship in expectant anticipation at his return, and not just reflecting on the power of his incarnation 2000 years ago. For the adults, this was a welcome shift. They really connected with the yearning for heaven and the vision of Revelation 21:3-5.
But for the youth, it was a big stretch. I asked them, “Do you look forward to heaven?” They blurted, with big smiles, “No!” “Why not?” I asked, inquisitively. “Because we’re having too much fun now! We aren’t thinking about heaven.” This speaks to far greater issues than just Advent. Much of youth ministry nationally is grappling with moving our teens from thinking that Christianity is just about being good (Christian Smith’s term is “moral therapeutic deism”) into a deeper and more accurate understanding of the transformation available to us in Christ. I’m using these lessons as building blocks to speak to these needs, but I have a l-o-n-g road ahead!
Today we released a special edition of our FYI E-Journal to our subscribers (shameless plug: you should become one!) listing the top five most-accessed resources on our website during 2009. In case you missed it, here’s that list:
- Urban Ministry Self-Care Toolkit: Sabbath Rest in a 24/7 City
- Just Guys: Understanding and Escaping Guyland
- I Think I’m Gay: Having Healthy Dialogue with Kids who Struggle with Sexual Orientation
- Good Sex Excerpt: Free Parent Meeting Planning Guide
- Beyond Skin Deep: Responding to Kids Who Cut
Thanks for making it such a fun year to serve you here at FYI!
Always on the lookout for ideas about connecting youth and adults in intergenerational expressions of faith, we caught this article in Leadership Journal, available free online: “Let the Little Children Come,” by Angie Ward. If you haven’t read it, it’s worth your time to hear the stories of specific churches trying new strategies. And if you’re like me, when you’re done you’ll probably pass it on to your senior pastor and folks who lead age-level ministries and worship in your own church.
I subscribe to several weekly emails from various ministries. In the past week, all of them sent messages about Advent. Regardless, I read each of them with a sense of interest and curiosity. Since I grew up in an unchurched home, Christmas memories are not about dressing up for church, nativity scenes or the lighting of Advent candles. Despite 30+ years of knowing Christ, Christian traditions are still a bit foreign and intriguing.
These Advent emails were all the more intriguing to me this year because, unexpectedly, I was asked to teach about Advent in two distinctly different contexts: to an adult Sunday school at my church, where the ages range from 40-75, and to the student body of a Christian high school where I am the Campus Pastor. I thought it would be a cool challenge to keep my lessons essentially the same for both age groups (either that or I’m really lazy and didn’t want the extra work).
After only two weeks of this grand experiment, I have concluded that no one, whether aged 14 or 75, knows much about Advent! What a sad state of affairs. Advent dates back to the fourth century and is a remarkably symbolic, powerful spiritual exercise. Before I started preparing these lessons, I thought Advent was about cute little kids, candles and calendars with candy. So did everyone else! Boy oh boy, are we missing the boat. Consider this: did you know that the circle of the wreath is to remind us of God himself, his eternity and endless mercy, which has no beginning or end? That the green of the wreath speaks of the hope that we have in God, the hope of newness and eternal life? Candles are used to symbolize the light of God coming through the birth of his son. The four outer candles represent the period of waiting during the four Sundays of Advent, which themselves symbolize the four centuries of waiting between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Christ. This is rich stuff!
Advent is not only a reminder of how God-followers waited for Messiah 2,000 years ago; Advent guides us in our own wandering today as we wait for that dear Messiah to come again for us. In other words, it’s not just about the first coming; it’s about his Second Coming too. Advent is intended to be practice for an entire life of “Advent faith,” where we wait daily with hope and expectation.
After my first lesson, a dear older man named Woody came up and said, “I have to admit, I came today out of habit. This (adult Sunday school) is just what I do every Sunday. But after hearing what Advent really is, I realize I need to come each Sunday much more expectantly.” If an elderly retiree recognizes that he still has things to learn about Advent, we all probably have some things left to grasp. In my next post, I’ll let you know how the students responded.
Can the good news of God’s abundance be trusted in the face of the story of scarcity?
In this odd season where our culture simultaneously tells us to produce dispositions of gratitude while also obsessing over shopping for and posturing at holiday gatherings where we feel the opposite…this question whispers a haunting undertone.
The question comes from theologian Walter Brueggemann, in an essay entitled The Liturgy of Abundance, The Myth of Scarcity. He aptly notes about our culture, “We have a love affair with ‘more’ — and we will never have enough.” At the root of it, we don’t trust the story of generous abundance laid out for us in scripture. Rather, we buy the shadow-story of scarcity, the line that there’s not enough. It doesn’t matter what “it” is — money, time, prestige, people who care about what we think, kids who show up at youth group — our tendency is to say, “Not enough!”
Brueggemann reminds us that the story of God speaks in opposition to this. He writes, “The Bible starts out with a liturgy of abundance. Genesis 1 is a song of praise for God’s generosity… [it] affirms generosity and denies scarcity.” From manna in the wilderness to a small lunch feeding thousands, the story goes on to tell that “the gifts of life are indeed given by a generous God. It’s a wonder, it’s a miracle, it’s an embarrassment, it’s irrational, but God’s abundance transcends the market economy.”
So the question before us, that we will prove by our actual response this Advent, is…do we trust this story to be true?
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