I've really got into some of the contemplative ministry models, especially some of the stuff that Mark Yaconelli proposes. I really like the model of working from a place of space and rest, rather than doing youth work from a product-driven, programme orientated model.
However, by got into, I really mean, read, endorsed, tried out a little, but if I'm really honest struggle to put into practise. As the school terms play out, life gets busier, and stopping to pray before and after feels less and less like a priority.
At the same time there's the pressure to ‘achieve'. This comes from myself, the church I work for, and from others. It's inevitable but worth examining. My suggestion is, however, that it probably doesn't come that much from the young people.
They seem to love unstructured time, however guilty I may feel for meeting with them and talking about The X Factor rather than Jesus. Often they would rather play mafia than spend time in prayer together.
It then feels that when we get onto the ‘God' stuff we're having to stop the fun, or work against the grain a bit. I totally believe that God is in the fun, the community, and the rest of social time, but what I'm concerned with is how can we practically bridge the gap so that the ‘God time' or discipleship focused youth work is also life bringing, captivating and a joy to our young people rather than something that we feel we have to do?
I'd love to hear what you've found, if you identify, how you deal with this dilemma, and any practical ideas you have!
Becca Dean, Youth Pastor at Carpenters Community Church, Chorleywood
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