Relationships in YM or is it the Teaching?

Kind of like asking what came first the chicken or the egg?

Does one have a relationship with their students prior to teaching or teach and build that relationship?

I think it depends. You do have to earn the right to be heard, but a part of that comes from both sides of the idea of "RESPECT."

Would a relationship result from the Biblical teaching? or does a relationship help give audience and opportunities for teachable
moments?

We should be offering relationships in Ministry but as Group magazine Sept/ Oct 2006 but it in their Main article "Don't Buy the Lies"; Lie # 3 pg. 78 "Close relationships are the goal of youth ministry" Relationships are a means, not the end. We've tried to do different types of ministry methods including: Student-led, family-based,relational, postmodern, anti-games, pro-games, etc. But somehow we miss the point. That of it being about Jesus.

I think relationships are good, but recognize that some youth workers pride themselves on being a "Hero" of sorts of being all and cool and having a relationship with the kids (And sometimes acting like them and forgetting he or she is not one of the teens ....Teens don't need more buddies, they need more Jesus).

We have to get beyond this idea of this is the ONLY model of YM and how do we go about building that relationship with kids to pointing them to well ...what it is all about, Jesus.?

Crying Wolf

Seems there are alot of people bitter, cynical and well almost self-righteous in their evaluation of the Church. Phrases like "Oh, the church is in bad shape" "We need to remove these things" "We should do this"

The focus shifts from ranting to attacking to depending on themselves to fix the church. It is almost a "Bullhorn" scenario of sorts. Whatever happening to things like extending Grace, forgiveness, loving your enemies, mercy, being patient, truth in love.

I think we want to just rave and be bitter without being able to change a thing. Or the things we see to be removed in all reality cna't because we're working with broken people with a broken past who are in the process and are being healed.

I have Hope for the Church. I don't want Her to stay the same; but to be transformed. It all starts with me. For those people crying wolf (Reminds me much of some very "legalistic" people like Fred Phelps and some other organizations I've come across) STOP IT!!! It isn't your job to be the convictor but God's.

To those who need to be have a prophetic voice, USE WISDOM!! Prophets both foretold and forthtold. They told the truth and edified and encouraged. Let the Word speak for itself.

I much have the full story than this doom and gloom some wolf callers I've come across.

Where am I in the Emergent Movement?

Good Question. Am I even in it? I got cautioned over lunch today by a former youthworker to "Be careful of the Emergent Movement" and just listened to his concerns. I didn't tell him my background in it.

So here it is: My background into this dialogue called the "Emerging Conversation"

(I could go all the way back to creation and my birth but I won't)

It all started when I became disenchanted with the structure and institutionalized church and was kindly asked to resign in 1997. Since then I've been online and found some common voices of concerns that the church was too structured, too institutionalized, too focused on self and not on God. Thus my exposure came through other church leaders, pastors, through Youth Specialties, and ultimately theooze.com in the late 90s early 00s.

Because of this disenchantment I read books Stories of Emergence (It was almost like me) edited by Mike Yaconelli, Adventures in Missing the Point, The Emerging Church, and even this year General Orthodoxy. And of course other resources by Miller, Jones, Bell, Driscoll and so forth.

In 2001 I joined theooze community. I had already been a part of the YS community. In 2003 I started to blog about my own frustrations with the church and my own journey. Mark Driscoll has pointed out some valid criticism of the Emergent Village and some things he'd like to distinguish as that of conservative versus liberal.

There have been many critics of the Emergent Movement. I like it for it's missional, and call for us as a church, to BE THE CHURCH.
Some concerns would be of issues of a few - I don't embrace Universalism like Spencer Burke does; nor agree all the time with Tony Jones or Brian McLaren - and vice versa. If there is one thing I do like about the Emergent Movement/ and the Emerging Church is the way to relook at things, question our motives, and see if we are really doing things because God wants us, or doing them because of our own modernity and comfortable state.

I'm a part of the Emerging Church dialogue and with all things use discernment and wisdom. I love the church. I don't like her as I see her now but what she can become and that is why I want the Church to be emerging day by day to be more the Bride of Christ than she was before.

The Danger in Church Conflict.

Article


1. The Church needs to know how to respond to blog criticism.
2. Technology can be a good but also dangerous thing.
3. Address the issues, don't attack the person.
4. Allow room for communication and personal interaction. The more you address stuff both online and offline - the better.
5. Extend Grace.
6. Treat others as you would like to be treated. Hmmm maybe this applies to putting yourself in that person's shoes? Would you like someone blogging all your "dirty" laundry?
7. Pray for all involved.
8. Choose your words wisely.
9. Allow for feedback. (See #4)
10. Don't allow personal feelings cloud the issues.