Do you celebrate the big little things in the youth ministry you are a part of? You need to…
Many times I have had the opportunity to work with other youth workers on their ministry. We’ve covered a gamut of topics but the total goal has always been building and creating a youth ministry that transforms teenagers.
One of the first things I always ask those youth workers to do is to glance through their time in ministry and find those moments in the ministry where there is something to celebrate. It might not be one of these huge Billy Graham stadium conversion experiences, but let’s be honest, that isn’t the norm to ministry. But big events and happenings are very American and we & those who assess our ministry feel that is some real marker to success in youth transformation and discipleship.
The real transformation in Christ comes in the in-betweens of ministry and is subtle. So we’re liable to miss them if we do not intentionally celebrate them.
Last night I had a celebration moment. Anna, who was a youth placed in my care a number of years ago posted this painting on her Facebook page. Might not seem like a big deal, but it is a huge celebration moment for me. You see, Anna had never painted or even considered herself a painter until she went on a youth retreat with our group where we put together a experiential prayer space for the event. One of the prayer stations we had set up was a free range painted arts area. She painted her first painting then in an space that was safe and made sacred through the participation of her & hundreds of others.
This moment in its singularity was not super significant. We had a bunch of our teens painting and doing the meditations within the prayer space. But it was the start…
When the retreat was over she took home her painting, which was really good and then after touring a few colleges after the retreat she gave me a call: “Where did you get all that stuff to paint with?” “Uh, Wal-Mart…” to which she said, “Cool,” and that she wanted to try it again. Over four and a half years later she is still painting which gives me a great joy.
Her painting might not be overtly Christian in symbolism, but she is involved in the creation process and meditating on images of God’s creation which is very Christian. And, in my opinion, is just as great as finishing seven years of Sunday School classes with perfect attendance (do they still give out those perfect attendance ribbons?). Anna is restoring the Imago Dei with each creation and I celebrate that we as a youth ministry planted that seed.
I have many more moments like this in my life of ministry that I hold onto for those really dry periods of life in ministry. I am always trying to be aware of those new moments happening around me to have more stories.
Take a moment today and look over the scope of your ministry. What are some of those transformational times within your ministry that need celebrating?
How do you celebrate as a youth ministry team? Those you lead could use some time to celebrate the ministry as well.
About Gavin Richardson
