We had a great time last night at Bethel University's MegaRally with several Ignite students. Our group was a bit smaller due to some last-minute cancellations and schedule conflicts, but it's not about size, it's about quality! Everyone who went had a blast, and a couple of students their first taste of Cold Stone Creamery on the way home.Although guest speaker Efrem Smith did a fine job and the drama portions were well done, I didn't think the experimental format of this year's rally did justice to Efrem's fabulous communication gifts. While enjoyable and helpful, I don't know that there was any specific long-term impact on our students due to the presentation.
However...I began to think about the wonderful group bonding time we enjoyed together. We laughed and joked as well as having some more serious conversations during dinner and the trip there and back - about an hour each way. The students may not remember the specific content of the talk (although several committed to go deeper and take the next step in their walk with Christ), but I don't doubt they'll remember the trip and the time we spent together.
Like in parenting, ministry is so often about quantity time, not just quality time. Quality time is important, but not a substitute for the extended periods spent together. Ministry at its core is relationships and to build relationships requires time.
This is something that new student ministry volunteers sometimes have trouble fully grasping at first. Often a rookie volunteer will say something like, "Just tell me what to do." Just telling a new adult sponsor to "hang out" and "build relationships" can be very intimidating to them. Sometimes volunteer forget how cool it is for a teen to have an adult show an interest in them as a person. The time factor is just so crucial. I call this the "ministry of presence". Just being there makes a difference. This is why I tell our relational sponsors that they are welcome to come to anything we do together. There are no 'throwaway' events as each one offers an opportunity to get to know students and allow them to know the adults who are investing in their lives.
At the core of every great youth worker is a caring adult who likes teens. That's pretty much the foundational prerequisite. Maybe you've thought you had to have extensive Bible knowledge, be a great small group leader, know lots of wacky games, be (or just look) cool, be young and energetic yourself, or have a tattoo or piercing in order to volunteer with students. Nope. You have to love kids and be willing to invest some time in building a relationship with them.
As we head toward the launch of our new Wednesday night large group environment, 7 , we are going to be looking for additional adults who will commit to building relationships by spending time with students. If God is nudging you to try it out, let me know! I'd love to talk to you more about the greatest ministry in the world!
