We have had to postpone the Friday night youth thing due to some disrespectful behaviour, we have been getting numbers of between 70 and 80, with a lot of new youth coming along in the younger bracket, and this has been where the behaviour has been coming from. The way I have seen it, is, the older lot never had anything, they have just had to hang about outside, they seem to respect what is going on a bit more, than the younger lot, who have just walked straight into their own youth club and don't respect it at all.
I think it is a case of boundaries, the younger lot do not know theirs yet. By shutting for a couple of weeks, we want to remind them that their are boundaries.
The other thing we want to do, is regroup, work out how to put things in place so that boundaries are more apparent, so everyone can enjoy themselves safely.
I also really think we have to have something else, something that makes us more than just a youth club. Anyone can run a youth club, the youth service runs a youth club, our youth club is run by christians. Shouldn't it be different, or am I having an ulterior motive?
I suppose in part, it is an argument about what is missional? Talking about being Jesus' hands and feet, but also just doing what a hundred other charities are doing. Being more missional and more intimate? Is it just an excuse to be more inward looking as a group, so that the self is looked after, and then 'doing good works' so that we can show we are doing something and remove any guilt, that we are not really being 'churchy'.
Just some questions...I do know though, that I have to be out 'there' more, but in doing that, I have to be something more that just a do gooder. Jesus has to be in it, He has to be first in it and I have to really make sure that is what I am doing and how I am doing it. As to intimacy, I believe it is right to be built up and strengthened as a smaller group, I crave that, but it has to be , to have the strength to walk out.
Just some thoughts.
3 comments:
You should watch your brother's video again.....He doesn't care who he helps in Ibiza or how he helps them. So long as he believes that he is bringing people (and himself) closer to his God and religion.
An admirable philosophy, even for a non-believer like myself.
Perhaps by helping young people in the manner that you are, you will gain enough respect from them to be able to tell them about your beliefs and values? And for them to listen!
Sorry another comment from an Anonymous friend...
Don't forget that you are getting into the Sales business.
Whether you like it or not, these kids are hounded by sales people and marketers every day of their young lives. Some of which gets through and some of which doesn't. But you are fighting against this...You are fighting against the rock stars who say that drinking, fighting and taking drugs are cool...and that your beliefs are not.
In my view your aim (now this will sound a little sordid, but is not meant to) is to sell Jesus to them by offering them a place to hang-out and get their attention in the process.
I have learned that the best way to sell something to someone is for them to ask about it first...
You need to build trust and friendship with these kids so that they ask about what you stand for. Only then will you have a group of people who listen to you and respect what you are saying.
I don't know the bible very well, but surely the bible says that Jesus gained a lot of respect by helping people (leppers etc...sorry for being a bit flippant here) and this type of respect is surely what you are aiming for, albeit within a modern framework.
I know that it might seem very cold and calculated to think this way but from a complete outsider but I truly believe that if you read as many sales and marketing books as you can get from the library then you might come up with a much better (less organic) plan for getting the right people for you and developing a lasting resource for the wider community...
Good Luck
I wouldn't have shut it down but at the same time I think anon is right you don't have to produce a spiritual slot or think of a way to sell Jesus, you just have to be Jesus.
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