Youth Ministers and Gospeled Change
A couple recent pictures of Reese Kathryn Cope:
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I’ve written before about my appreciation for youth ministers. That appreciation continues to grow as I hear stories of youth leaders who are instilling a deep sense of justice and compassion in their teens. Someday we may look back and realize that there was a dramatic shift in our churches — a shift that focuses more on God’s work to restore the world (in all ways). And we may realize how much of that took place from the teaching and modeling of youth workers.
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Insightful words about the gospels from N. T. Wright:
“No historian, no reporter, nobody ever tells things ‘just like they happened.’ All stories about all events involve the story-teller in selection, collection, arrangement and hence ‘interpretation.’ That doesn’t mean the whole thing is a pack of lies. It just means there is no such thing as a point of view which is nobody’s point of view. Nobody is ever a fly on the wall. All storytelling is story-telling with a purpose. The Gospels are no exception. To read the Gospels, then, we must continually be alert both for the question ‘what is this telling us about Jesus?’ and for the question ‘what is the evangelist trying to say, through this tory about Jesus, to his own contemporaries?’”
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My name has finally been removed from the www.foracappella.org site. It took quite a while for someone to figure out that I didn’t endorse the statement there. Hmmmm. Hadn’t read my blog, I guess. Keep hoping they’ll take down the scandalous articles that indicate instrumental music is a matter of salvation and fellowship. I’ve read some comments indicating that no one should bother to say anything about it. But those comments are wrong. That teaching is heretical. It reduces the gospel and throws up barriers that shouldn’t exist. Neither singing a cappella nor with instruments is heretical. Teaching that one or the other is necessary for salvation and fellowship is heretical.
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I’m expecting a short World Series, aren’t you? It’s hard to imagine either the Rockies or the D’backs matching up well with the Indians or Red Sox.
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I’ve been concerned about the need for the recruiters of Christian colleges to give the same perspective to potential students that the leaders on campus are providing once the students get there.
E.g., if a Christian college has banned people from speaking on its campus, that’s fine. The administration certainly has a right to do that. But wouldn’t it be ironic if the admissions people wound up recruiting from the congregations where those ministers work? Are they making it clear that they would like the students to attend even though the ministers they’ve grown up with are aren’t welcome?
Or let’s suppose that the administration generally believes that something like instrumental music will condemn you. Wouldn’t it be dishonest if the recruiters went to students from instrumental churches and encouraged them to attend, leaving the impression with the students and their parents that they are brothers and sisters in Christ who are in full fellowship?
The point is that there needs to be a consistent message between the policy and practices of the administration and the impressions given by the admissions counselors.
Perhaps it’s time to take Micah 6:8 seriously. And it wouldn’t hurt to, as has been said, to view all w/ Jesus eyes/heart, and make sure we major on the big 2–love God, love people. It seems to me that Jesus responded thusly and basically said: “‘Nuff said.”
It’s a big mistake for any University to take a stand on a theological issue. I am sad that we won’t see Mike or Jeff at a Harding function. I pray that will change, and that the process will draw us all closer to God.
Apologies for not getting a chance to read through all these comments. There’s a potluck of thought on this post!
Free, open, and honest speech on conservative Christian campuses (which describes maybe all but one or two Church of Christ affiliated university, and that includes ACU as conservative because they make their teaching staff sign faith statements pledging membership only to CofC churches)?
Does anyone remember the good old days at ACU when an innovative and non-traditional, yet very thought provoking Prickly Pear was deep-sixed and banned from the annals of ACU literature? Or when certain phenomenal Bible professors were terminated when they required their students to think outside the box?
‘The point is that there needs to be a consistent message between the policy and practices of the administration and the impressions given by the admissions counselors.’
The problem with this point, Mike, is that at the end of the business day, policy and practises are ruled by The Bottom Line. There are wealthy trustees who sit on these Christian university boards, many of them power brokers in their communities. You get a board-room full of A-type VIP’s, CEO’s, head pastors/preachers, with large bank accounts who are godly men but also very human. They are used to sycophantic admirers who prop them and their egos up, all in the name of God and country. If they do not agree with how things are run in their own companies, communities, or churches, everyone feels the heat. Many men who sit on these boards only relinquish their position when they die, or are close to it. Their CV’s are crowded with news of all the boards they sit and posture on.
One mustn’t lay the blame totally at the feet of these young recruiters. They and the admissions counsellors are the foot soldiers for the development programmes at these schools. They are chosen for their loyalty and they are groomed in the company way with the company spin. Many of these recruiters grow up to become politicians and Karl Roves. Somehow they are taught how to ‘seduce’ young high school students who are young, impressionable, and extremely vulnerable. I remember some of the ones I fell for (sigh… that old heart throb crush!) who recruited me actually turned out to be ‘Mini-Me’s’ of some of the Board of Trustees at ACU. I was just too young to know it back in those days of my youth. The art of manipulation is a powerful tool used in recruiting and salesmanship.
Recruiters at Christian universities have a double-edged sword to wield: not only must they entice teens to attend universities that are not as high profile as others, but they must also promise anxious parents, in blood, that their perfect child will remain in a hermetically-protective Christian Wonderland bubble bodysuit, and will learn to conquer the world before age 22. Lots of sacrifices are made to pay the higher-than-state-uni costs, and these parents have to get their money’s worth. They don’t really want to know their kids are going away to a place where they will learn different ideas, live in a heterogeneous community, smell alcohol, or inhale hazy smoke.
That’s not to say there hasn’t been some tremendous leadership. The balance just needs to be better adjusted. And Christ’s principles need to be continually revisited and applied.
For the Churches of Christ to put out the message that they are each totally autonomous in the church governance, they sure know how to collectively hold Christian educational institutions in a strangle-hold.
Come on, Mike…those “scandalous articles” are someone’s conviction. Be willing to grant them the freedom of their convictions, just like you want them to do for you.
Beth,
You aren’t allowed the freedom of conviction when you start jacking with the core message of the gospel, which is exactly what these folks are doing. Taking any of the work of salvation off of Jesus and the cross and placing it on us is an abandonment of the faith. There are some things worth fighting for. The preservation of the gospel is one.
At what point does A UNIVERSITY NOT TAKING A STAND ON THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS remove the rationale for having a “Christian University”?
Yeah qb. Oh how I wish it were as simple as making a choice on whether or not to use instruments when we worship by singing. We could close the books and agree to disagree, or we could take turns. But, as others have said, the practice of whether or not to sing with instruments is not the problem. We are like God’s people from the beginning of time—the problem is in our hearts, isn’t it. It is about whether I am trusting in God or myself. Who knows what all I might choose to add to His gospel, because it’s often difficult for me to lay down my own opinions and long-held ideas, my own pride and my fears. But, I believe following Jesus calls me to do that. It’s His gospel not mine.
BTW, looking at Reese does help me put all this in perspective. She makes me want to get to the heart of this issue and work toward repentance and reconciliation.
Reese is TOOOO Cute! Love those little baby arms! Thanks for the pictures! I bet she is getting scads of love in Abilene!
So… Has your alma mater been recruiting at Highland?
(That was sort of a joke. Please don’t send hate comments.)
I like it when people are not afraid to tell you how they feel or where they stand on a subject/issue. Be it a University or a preacher on his blog, up-front honesty is always appreciated. It’s no fun to have to guess where people stand.
Mike amd Brian,
Brian has made clear Dr. Wright comment about history. I attended ACU 1962-1964 and ALL of the main campus buildings had plenty of nice lawn grsss–I don’t beieve thst is was destroyed 2 years later. what did occur the year after I graduation is that enrolment was limited until the facilities could catch up.
A most noteworthy evident that occurred at the lectureship preceding my transfer in the fall of ’62 was that Dr.Carl Spain, Bible professor, at ACC got up and questioned the scriptureness of admitting blacks from African countries and not admitting blacks from the U.S. The campus was still buzzing about that and it was the catlyst for change.
Eddy, good question relating core faith values; Theological issues; and a “statement of faith” ie. creed. Do we expect the University institution to create “robots” of our young people by standing on a statement of faith – creed – in order to carry the name Christian? So safe boundaries rule over nearness to God. Remember what CS Lewis said about Christ; that He is not safe but He is good. Oh, but CS Lewis worshiped with an instrument on Sunday morning, so we have to burn his books. LOL
So, our arguements are flawed when we seek “safety” rather than nearness to God. “The journey of drawing near to God is fraught with risk and suffering. We avoid that like death itself”-Larry Crabb.
Quoting Dan Kimball:
“What if we could have the missional courage to do whatever it takes to escape the Christian Subculture and be citizens of the Kingdom rather than citizens of the bubble (John 17:15)”.
I just hope and pray that one day we will set aside issues and strive for unity. I hope and pray that all Christian Universities will prepare are Ministry Majors for real ministry. Preparing them for teaching, preaching, visiting the sick, lost, doctrines of the Holy Spririt, church growth, how to handle church conflict and work with elders and deacons. I believe this lack prepared ministry is why we seeing such a turn over in ministry longevity and ministr leaving and completely burning out. God play help our youth ministers and ministers stay strong as the minister in Churches and prepare others for service, and reach out to the lost.
May we as a Church once again be revived and reach those who need you Oh, God.
Preacherman,
In my opinion, many of our Christian Universities ARE preparing young people for those very things… but when they get out there in the trenches, they are hit by elderships or congregational structures that hammer them into a focus on the tivial issues. Most of the C of C ministers whom I know who have left the C of C have left it so they CAN focus on those real things you list, with real people who are in need, unhindered by false arguments over trivia.
I’m one of those.
Scott,
Very true.
I agree.
As somone who has been both a youth minister and a preacher I appreciate this post because I think in many ways being a youth minister is the most difficult position in a formal church setting. They have to help the kids they work with while sometimes dealing with parents who have different expectations of what the youth program should look like. They have to learn to live within two or more groups of people in the church, by being a friend with the kids, while still being and adult and leader. It really is a difficult limbo sometimes.
Mike I too am glad that youth ministers really have been the ones that seem to be leading the younger generations back to the core of the Gospel by teaching the about living out their love in the world rather than bickering over trivial doctrinal issues that divide us and hurt more than they help.
News alert – men at Harding can wear a beard. Carry on with discussion that matters.
Mike (and others as well),
Just in case you’re in the neighborhood (ha!), N.T. Wright is going to be speaking at Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky next month.
This lecture series is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis, and will be held in Estes Chapel on the campus of Asbury Seminary.
Nov 13, 11 a.m.
Use of Scripture in Contemporary Political Discourse
Nov 14, 11 a.m.
God is Public? Biblical Faith in Tomorrow’s World
7:30 p.m.
Acts and the Contemporary Challenge of the Gospel
Asbury Seminary is located in a beautiful part of Kentucky, surrounded by some incredibly scenic horse farms, and just up the road from Shaker Village http://www.shakervillageky.org/
It would make a great spiritual retreat!
Dig around for more info on the lectures here:
http://asburyseminary.edu/
Have you already installation a fan web page about Twitter ?.