• Choosing a new identity for youth ministry

    Choosing a new identity for youth ministry

    Disorganized. Uncommitted. Unreliable. Unprepared. Unprofessional. Immature. Hot-headed. Last in, first out. One-dimensional. Sloppy.

    Youth pastors are disposable.

    These are the words used to describe our profession by outsiders.

    Youth ministry needs a makeover. While that makeover may need to include some changes in strategy this is really a makeover of something far more important than how we look.

    If this were a marketing issue some would argue that we need to think about re-branding our profession. (Kind of like airline stewardesses became flight attendants.) You are already seeing some people try to shift their verbiage to say, “I’m a student pastor.” But that’s not the kind of makeover I’m suggesting.

    I don’t think we need to change the name of our profession as it serves us well. Ultimately, this isn’t a marketing problem.

    We need a new identity.

    See, the list of things I posted above aren’t really true for most youth workers I’ve met. And while you could throw up your hands and claim that a small number of people are giving us a bad name I don’t think that this is the problem, either.

    But let’s be honest for a minute. There really is a little bit of truth in all of us within those descriptions. Just like there is probably the same amount of truth in that with each person on the planet.

    What I mean by “we need a new identity” is that we need to think of ourselves differently.

    As I engage with oodles of youth workers each year I’m a little bit disappointed how the things above are actually how many in youth ministry think of themselves and are even proud of it. There’s a certain arrogance in saying things like, “Yeah, I don’t dress like a normal 29 year old.” Or “Of course I was late, I’m the youth pastor.”

    The stereotype we have created for ourselves, created our persona around, and even forms the identity of our community doesn’t accurately reflect the work that we do or the work professional youth workers do.

    We’ve type casted ourselves and it is killing us from the inside out.

    This is a thinking issue more than it is a reality issue. We in youth ministry need to start thinking of ourselves differently. We need to apply some sober judgement of ourselves and think about ourselves and our ministry in more positive ways.

    Most youth workers are hard working, loyal, loving, thoughtful, amazing people. In fact, most of the people I know who work at churches and parachurches are actually inspiring to be around.

    There is a difference between not taking yourself too seriously and not being taken seriously. There’s an important distinction between having a fun-loving attitude and loving to be made fun of. And there’s a big difference between being uncomfortable with the respect people naturally give pastors and feeling comfortable with a certain amount of disrespect.

    It’s my prayer that those who call youth ministry a profession would aspire to a new level of sophistication. I hope that we shed our whiney exterior and instead identify ourselves as faithful, creative, passionate servants willing to do whatever it takes to reach this generation with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

    Join me.

  • One year later

    A year ago today the sale of Youth Specialties from Zondervan to YouthWorks became official. On December 16th, 2009 I was on burning bush patrol. My prayer for wisdom was simple: “God, make it clear what I’m supposed to do.”

    As I went to the office that day– I was almost giddy to see the day come. Not because I knew something no one else did and not because I was particularly excited about the deal actually closing and what that could mean. It was mostly that the staff was exhausted from waiting. I was firmly in that camp. I needed the deal to be done so I could move on with my life.

    A coyote wandered our office parking lot as we waited for the HR people to arrive from Zondervan. It was an ironic and ominous sign. In my state of nervousness and exhaustion the scavengers arrival was infinitely amusing.

    Walking into that day I had four completely different action plans. The circumstances had forced me to build scenarios in which only one had me staying on at the new Youth Specialties. (I’m a husband and dad… of course I had plan B, C, and D.)

    For a person who had always carefully planned out his career path– this day was one of those big and obvious turning points.

    I don’t want to go back to that day! Both in memory and metephorically.

    Yes, it feels like a year ago.

    This week, the San Diego staff of Youth Specialties has been in Minneapolis for a staff retreat called, “Fuse.” (Since it’s about 8 degrees outside I think it should be called “Freeze.”) In some ways it feels like I’m still trying to get to know the YouthWorks staff. My hope this week has been to get past just trying to know everyone’s names and get to the point where I could appreciate what role each person fills.

    A year ago I knew a little about what YouthWorks was about and a few things about what they do. A year later I think I’m finally starting to use the word “we” instead of “they.”

    This Fall at our National Youth Workers Convention I got asked the same question over and over again. “So, how is the whole YouthWorks things going?” Here’s the four things I tried to communicate.

    1. YS is still YS. While our YouthWorks co-workers have worked hard to understand us– they’ve not sought to change our culture. In fact, if you sense ways in which we’ve changed… please let me know. We are working hard to stay true to our unique place in the church.
    2. Tic Long is where he belongs. There’s no other way to say it. I don’t think my first point would be valid without his leadership. The last 12 months have been a blast– largely because YS has been able to stay YS.
    3. YS is moving forward. We are going to continue to morph and change just like we always have. I’m really excited about YS Palooza— which we are really hoping is our next big thing. And if it isn’t we’ll just have to come up with something else.
    4. The YouthWorks staff are great people to work with. All through the acquisition phase last year we only got to hear about YouthWorks because we weren’t allowed to talk to them. (Weird corporate legal move, there.) My friends who met with them kept saying the same thing over and over again, “They are good people.” A year later… that’s a great way to describe them. Our staff has been well taken care of. We have generous benefits, we get tons of support, on and on. Most importantly, YouthWorks is a ministry and not a business. YS has always been a ministry that did business. It’s fun to be back at that.

    It’s no surprise that I’m emotional today. It’s a great anniversary.

    We’ve come a long way. And it’s great to point to December 16th, 2009 and say “I don’t ever want to go back to that place ever again.”

  • Why did Jesus come here?

    It’s a perfectly logical question for this time of year.

    The incarnation of Jesus: God becoming flesh in the form of a baby. St. John covers this pretty good in chapter 1 of his gospel account.

    Here’s a hint: It didn’t have anything to do with Christmas. How do I know that? When Jesus was born they didn’t celebrate birthdays. His parents didn’t even use the Roman calendar we use to declare his birthday as December 25th. Maybe somewhere someone wrote down the day Jesus was born. Heck, we’ve got a 1 in 365 day chance that he was born on that day. But considering they used a 360 day calendar it’s safe to say that Christmas isn’t really about Jesus’s birth.

    So let’s instead focus on the incarnation of Jesus the Christ. All of that birthday stuff is just a distraction from the really good stuff.

    Christmas, from a religious holiday perspective, is about Jesus bringing the Good News to earth.

    I’m pretty sure the incarnation of Jesus has nothing to do with having his birth celebrated by giving one another gifts financed by debt. Oops. Sorry, too personal?

    And I surely know it had nothing to do with putting a ton of your churches resources into putting up decorations and hosting a pageant. God didn’t take on flesh as an outreach event. Yeah, I’m looking at you.

    The incarnation, a quick review

    1. John 1:12 – “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” [Let’s be honest, we like this statement best because it has to do with us. It’s OK, it’s good news to us. It’s awesome news to become a child of God!]
    2. John 1:9 – “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.“

    The Good News of Jesus is personal. I’m an evangelical and boy do I like that! It’s all about me, baby!

    Or is it?

    John 1:9 is oddly inclusive. It implies that it’s not just about me. And it’s not just about bringing people to church so that they can be exposed to the message of Jesus.

    The incarnation of Christ includes bringing a more general Good News to the earth. To everyone. And for those of us (myself included) who see the incarnation through an evangelical lens… this idea messes with our theology a little. We talk a ton about personal salvation and accepting Jesus into our heart. But John makes it clear that there is some general good news brought to the whole world through Jesus’ light.

    Think about the physics of bringing light into a dark room for a second. Let’s say you are in a dark movie theater. It’s full of people… a thousand of them. And suddenly the screen goes pure white.

    Who does that white light effect? Just the people who chose to be effected by the light? Of course not! Everyone who was in darkness is effected by the light. Personal choice has nothing to do with it. Everyone in the room was in darkness and is now experiencing some sort of the benefits of the light shining.

    So, as we think about the incarnation of Christ we must think about “What does it mean that Jesus brought light to the whole world, practically?”

    It’s a lot to chew on. And I’ll step away, asking you to reflect on these two passages which I think move believers towards the reality that Jesus is asking us to bring Good News to our neighborhood more than he is asking us to grow our church. (Specifically, he is expecting Good News to flow to your neighborhood through you.)

    Mark 12:28-31 – “One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

    “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

    I love how the teachers of the law ask him a singular questions in Mark 12 and he gives them two answers. Take that!

    Ephesians 5:8-12 – For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:

    “Wake up, sleeper,
    rise from the dead,
    and Christ will shine on you.”

    I love how Paul says, “You were once darkness.” Not, “You were once in darkness.” No, things were dark because of you. We’re all in the same boat there.

  • Ten Top 10 Lists I Don’t Want to See to End 2010

    1. Top 10 places you made out with your smoking hot wife. I know she’s a stone cold fox. But keep your special sauce under wraps, OK?
    2. Top 10 iPhone apps you used on the can. There’s a good chance your #1 app while making a #2 is Angry Birds. Oh, the irony.
    3. Top 10 Christian fiction books. When it comes to great works of Christian fiction, Joel Olsteen wins every year. He’s like C.S. Lewis with a good smile.
    4. Top 10 favorite speaking engagements. Any variation of a top 10 list which is really a brag list pretty much ticks me off.
    5. Top 10 jobs you held in 2010.
    6. Top 10 royal family moments. Someone alert the media, the United States declared independence from England. Nothing says “We don’t care” quite like a war for Independence.
    7. Top 10 reasons Brett Farve should have retired in 2010. New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets… that list is only 8 losses long. That’s a DQ.
    8. Top 10 mug shots from 2010 of former Disney Channel stars. The only thing more funny than the video of Miley Cyrus hitting a bong would be if Mickey and Goofy were at the party, too. That would be the best of both worlds.
    9. Top 10 Country Music award shows. Is it just me or is there one on ABC every Sunday night?
    10. Top 10 favorite tweets you posted on Twitter in 2010. Could anything be more narcissistic than a list of 10 things you said in 140 characters or less?

    What about you? What are some top 10 lists you don’t want to see to end 2010?

  • Sarah Palin in Haiti and Me

    The other day I got connected to Emily Troutman, a reporter working for AOL News in Port-a-Prince, Haiti. She was looking for Americans who had travelled to Haiti since the earthquake and I fit that description. After a quick exchange of emails, she told me she was just looking for a couple of quotes about an article covering Sarah Palin’s visit last week. I was happy to comply.

    I thought it would be interesting to share the final essay she published and also share my full responses to her questions.

    First, her essay:

    “Haiti has been a country that has suffered in the past and is going to continue to suffer until some fundamental changes are being made here,” said Palin, who was accompanying the Rev. Franklin Graham, director of Samaritan’s Purse, an evangelical charitable organization operating in Haiti.

    If Sarah Palin wants change for Haiti, though, I hope she will first be changed by Haiti.

    Tuesday night, a roving gang, setting fire to a car, aimed rocks at my head when I attempted to take a photo. I just threw my hands in the air, in surrender. By today, I was catching photos of Palin’s cheerful, determined grin. And again, I was tempted to throw my hands in the air. The country was catapulted further into crisis this past week, after many felt the presidential election, mired in fraud, failed to reflect the democratic vote of the people. For three days, Port-au-Prince was shuttered and innocent bystanders sprinted through the streets to find safety.

    Read the rest

    My name never really appears in the article. Which is fine… I knew that going in. If you read the whole essay though, you’ll see some themes that I brought up appearing scattered throughout. I thought it was pretty cool.

    Here are my answers to her questions:

    Happy to help. And I didn’t know Sarah was coming to PaP. Very cool of her. I hope her heart is changed the same way mine was.

    Feel free to use my name or not. It’d be cool if you could send me back a link if you publish something. (Even if you don’t use my stuff.)

    Adam McLane
    San Diego, CA

    Why did you come to Haiti?
    I came immediately following the January earthquake to minister to survivors in tent cities and evaluate what further opportunities there could be for American college students and young adults to serve those displaced.

    Did you choose Haiti over another impoverished place? If so, why? Or was it always just Haiti that you wanted to visit? Why?
    No, I responded to a specific invitation from an NGO to come to Haiti after the earthquake. Such a trip had never been on my mind before the invitation.

    How did you feel when you were here?
    I had a lot of fear in coming to Haiti. My whole adult life I’d only heard terrible things. I’d heard it was a place of violence. I’d heard horror stories of those who practiced the Voodoo religion. What shocked me was that my experience was the exact opposite. From my arrival (driving in from the Dominican Republic) until the time I left, I had never been to a place more friendly, and more hospitable. We were greeted everywhere with warm, generous smiles. Surely, when we encountered tent cities who had nothing to eat or drink there was desperation. But we never felt in danger, never saw expressions of anger, and were warmly received. (Whether we came just to help people process what they were going through, praying with them, participating in worship services, or coming to deliver aid, we were treated the same.) As I left in February I cried because my time had ended too quickly. I vowed that I’d be back to serve again. (And fulfilled that vow in July)

    I expected Haiti to be a nation heavy with mourning and instead found it a place of hope!

    Did anything surprise you?
    Lots of things! I didn’t expect to enjoy the food so much. From fresh fruit bought on the street to amazing meals of rice, beans, and goat.

    On my return trip in July, what surprised me was how little progress had been made. The tent cities were filled with the same people and the rubble was in the same place. Likewise, the people in the tent cities were frustrated by the big NGOs promises to help. They knew billions of dollars had been given in aid but only a few things had happened. (I wasn’t there with Oxfam, but in several of the camps we worked in we were impressed by the sanitation/water systems installed by Oxfam.)

    How did you feel when you went home?
    On both trips I was sad to leave Port-au-Prince. I feel strangely alive while I’m there. It’s hard to explain how amazing of a community it is, even amidst the great disaster. I had a hard time explaining to people what I’d experienced. Their minds were filled with the horror stories portrayed on the news while I wanted to share stories of the great hope for rebuilding the nation we felt as we met with people in tent cities, pastors, and various community leaders.

    Did you feel different? Culture-shocked? Grateful? Tired? How long did it take for that feeling to subside, or did it?
    Coming back, first there were the silly things. On both trips I was overcome with emotion in the airport upon coming back to the States. On my first trip, our team sat down for lunch and collectively felt guilty. We had each just spent $10 on lunch… enough money to feed a family for 10 days. On my second trip, it just didn’t make any sense to me that a short two-hour flight from Port-au-Prince took me a world away. It was trivial, but after going through customs and checking in to my homeward flight, I cried in the bathroom. It was just too clean and unused to make any sense. That was definitely reverse culture shock.

    Did it subside? Of course. But I’ve been changed forever.

    Will you come back? Why or why not?
    I will come back. Why? There is too much work to be done. And for anything I’ve given it’s been returned to me ten times in blessing.

    I originally had plans to return after Christmas but they’ve since fallen through. I’m currently looking for an opportunity to come back with an NGO to continue working in the tent cities. I would love to be a camp manager.

    Are you glad you went to Haiti?
    Absolutely. Haiti is a place that intrigues you with its paradox. It has a rich, proud history of being the first free black nation. It’s people speak a beautiful language and love to learn. But it’s also defined by a history of corruption and deep poverty. That paradox sets it apart and calls me back!

    Here’s the deal: Haiti still needs help. It still needs people like you. If God is calling you there and you aren’t quite sure why. Let me know.

  • Metrodome Collapse Video

    Whoa. That was intense!

    Act of God? Or maybe, just maybe, there is a conspiracy! I kind of think that Minnesotans will do anything to see Brett Farve never play in their stadium again.

    This makes me giggle knowing that I’m looking for sunscreen on my way to the Chargers vs. Chiefs game today.

    But the jokes on me since I have a 6:35 AM flight to Minneapolis in the morning.

    ht to Blake

  • 5 Sources of Creative Inspiration

    Getting stuck is a big deal. In my world it means progress stops. So getting from an uncreative space to a creative space is integral to thriving.

    One thing I’ve learned about myself is that restarting the creative process is typically a matter of moving in one of two directions. I refind my mojo by taking things from very structured to very unstructured or visa versa.

    5 Sources of Creative Inspiration

    1. Improvisational jazz or intensively introspective classical music. I have a few works from Miles Davis and Rachmaninoff that seem to come in handy at different times. The ordered chaos in Miles Davis seems to help my brain make sense of things when I’m going a million different directions on a project, all of which I like but can’t figure out how they fit. And the acapella All Night Vigil has a unique ability to both calm and awaken my senses. Anxiety, particularly that my work will be rejected, is a major block. For some reason Rachmaninoff helps me release that.
    2. Magazines. I like the staccato pace of magazines. While I do get a few regularly I can’t say that I read one all the time. But when I’m stuck I tend to gravitate to a magazine. There’s something about the page turning, the ads, and getting stuck on a story that always leads me to my notebook to draw or sketch. (Or Evernote if I’ve got new ideas.)
    3. A walk or bike ride. Sometimes I just need to think about something else for a while in order to think about a project in a new way. Taking the dog for a walk in our neighborhood or riding my bike somewhere is a great stress relief and for some reason typically helps me clear my mind enough where eventually, almost accidentally, my mind will free enough to release a creative idea.
    4. Web design showcases. For some reason this helps me even if I’m not working on a web project. I subscribe to several web design sites and when they publish showcases of cool designs I always bookmark them for later. There’s something inspiring about seeing how people are using the latest HTML5 tags or what’s hot in Polish web design or the hottest trends in mobile app sales.
    5. Deadlines. I’m a middle schooler on the inside. The pressure of a deadline gets my juices flowing. Maybe it’s the desire to get stuff done on time and maybe it’s the pending reality of failure? Who cares! I find the approach of a deadline an important part of the creative process. It helps me get to past the point of something needing to be perfect and into the frame of “What is the best I can do with the time I have available?”

    Creative buzzkills

    These are probably unique to me but maybe they are stopping your flow, too?

    • Novels and non-fiction books. I find biographies sources of inspiration. But novels and non-fiction works tend to suck creativity from my brain.
    • Pressure to perform in the moment. There are times when I can come up with amazing things in a group setting. But typically, my best group work comes in lulls in the action. But if you walk up to me and demand three ideas for something I know nothing about, I’ll punt every single time.
    • A palette too big or too small. I do best with some parameters. A few, not too many.
    • Interruptions. It can take me a couple hours of fiddling around to really get into a creative groove. But it can take only a single interruption to get me out.

    I suppose this all just proves one thing. I’m a pain in the neck to work with!

  • My life in photo

    Amazing the digital footprint we leave, isn’t it?

    ht to William Hartz

  • Perspective

    That’s what 2010 has been about.

    My life was turned upside down multiple times in the past 12 months. All of which I’m entirely grateful for.

    Haiti – On January 12th, as news flooded in that much of Port-au-Prince had crumbled in an earthquake, I prayed a crazy prayer. I asked God to comfort those who were dying, bring emergency help if possible for those who survived, and if He wanted I was willing to go.

    Little did I know that 5 weeks later I’d be standing amidst the rubble. We helped where we could. We prayed with people and met plenty of pastors looking for aid. But the thing that rattled me more than anything was to feel a nation suddenly turn their heart towards God. An emotion leapt out of every person that sang in the streets, “I’m alive, so I can celebrate! I’m alive because of Jesus! I will celebrate even though I have nothing!” The only way I can describe that is that it felt like I’d been given the opportunity to dip my toe in a river of God’s benevolence. It’s was more powerful than anything I’d ever experienced.

    My perspective was changed when people who slept in tents on the rocky bare ground asked if they could pray for me. That re-defined what it means to be poor.

    Baby – One Sunday in late June the game was changed. “I’m pregnant.” Two words that I’ve wanted to hear for a long time but never really thought I’d hear again. Over the next few months we’ve had to wrap our minds around what it’ll mean to have a baby in the house again. Unlike with our first baby the question we’ve been asking ourselves is, “How little stuff do we think we can get away with acquiring?” There are, of course, bigger questions to be answered. How will this baby change our family? How will we handle child care? Will this baby finally have curly hair like Kristen?

    My perspective was changed when the reality set in that this is an opportunity to apply what we learned with Megan and Paul. In many ways we’re brand new parents.

    Openness – For some reason I’d kept a muzzle on myself. I suppose I had a fear that if I really opened up and said what was on my mind– instead of what I thought people wanted me to say– that people would like me less. And I certainly felt the sphincter effect on my creativity as more and more people began reading my blog after Marko left YS.

    Then, late last year I woke up and realized something. “I just don’t care. I need to be 100% me 100% of the time. This is who God made me and I need to be gaudy in that. Let the chips fall where they may.” It’s been interesting to see the results in 2010. I’ve written things in 2010 that I literally done with fear and trembling… and time and again those things have been affirmed as not just OK… but words that people needed to read. More good things have happened as a result of trying to be true to myself than I ever would have thought possible.

    My perspective was changed when I internalized that the world has enough pretenders. Sometimes you need to do things that are counter-intuitive to break through a barrier.

    All of this has given me new ears to listen. New levels of obedience. And an overwhelming excitement for days to come.

  • Youth Group in Russia

    Yeah, don’t even think about trying that in the States.

    Just curious how safe it is for all those people to be on a nice snowy roof!