Within the sphere of Christian ministry, a great number of things stay the same.  We “contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 3). We preach Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2).  The greatest commandments are still: Love God and Love Neighbor.  Our Commission is still “Make Disciples.”  Our anticipation is still in his coming return and reign.

For how much the great truths of the faith remain unchanged, there are continual changes with people and culture.

Tim Elmore (growingleaders.com) lists out the preferred methods of communication and information for young adults aged 16-24.

1. Text messaging
2. iPods & Podcasts
3. Instant messaging
4. Internet (FB, blogs, etc.)
5. DVD/CD
6. Books
7. Email

Email, #7?  Elmore shares how one student described email as “a way to communicate with older people.”  Dang, 32 years old and I’ve been deemed an older person (You’re darn right I email).  I wonder how Moses would have fared in this culture?

If you’re anything like me, you struggle to keep up. I struggle to stay well read on all the “necessary” blogs.  Updating my own blog ended two weeks after I got it inaugurated.  I struggle to keep up with Twitter and Facebook because, well, I have a full-time job. “I gotta podcast ‘what’ sermon?  I don’t even know who that is.”  All this has the potential to overwhelm.

One of my Aha! moments came through a realization that the people we’re serving don’t necessarily need us to be another source of information.  They got plenty (excess?) of that.  But, they do need help processing it all (Picture: Dr. Leo Marvin from the movie What About Bob?, but in such a way where you and I don’t end up losing our minds).

So, if we’ve established some relational “cred” we can fulfill a much-needed role – helping them sift the wheat from the chaff.  We can help them interpret all that stuff being thrown at them from a Christian/Biblical worldview (see: Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount | “You’ve heard it said… but I tell you…”).  We can help them forecast the destructiveness of an unexamined life (we’ve all seen the train wrecks!) and the blessing of a life lived in a manner worthy of the calling we’ve received  (Eph. 4:1).  We can help them to develop a filter by which they can distinguish good from evil (Heb. 5:14) so that they’re prepared to walk with Christ long after our time with and influence of them has passed.

More than this, oftentimes, WE are their gauge.  They look at US in order to determine whether or not Jesus is legit.  Do WE believe this stuff?  Does it make a difference in our lives?  Has it impacted our marriages and families and work?  Does it result in us bringing life to those around us?  If not, they’re going to send us a text (sorry, an email) saying, “I’m out.”

Listen, a blog-a-thon like this gets me fired up.  I get excited to hear of new strategies, opportunities, and pathways that are being tried and blessed by God.  I’m tempted to think there’s a magic bullet that, if discovered, would bring a breakthrough in my ministry.  Largely, that’s not the case (right?  But, if somebody’s sitting on something, I want to hear it!).

I found in that there’s no shortcut in ministry.  It’s tough.  Love God and Love Neighbor takes a daily effort.  The charge to make disciples must be measured in years, not days and weeks.  Many times we’re in the place of caring more about our students’ faith than even they do.

But, at least for me, there’s no place I’d rather be!  I’m excited for another fall.

With that I’ll just say “Woot.  WOOT!  wOOt!”  (What is that?!)

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