and another one bites the dust,

I don't want this to be my wailing wall, but I guess now is a good time to try to write a little. I am a slightly annoyed by some of my own ministry attempts here at church. We have this thing on Wednesday nights called ministry teams. They are designed so that students can come and get involved in the work of their own ministry. We have a drama team, a video team, a design team, an ecouragement team, and a few more. It all sounds like a good idea, but it isn't what I'd hoped for. Let me explain

First of all, we have way too many kids showing up. We might have between 40 and 50 high school students show up, but statistically speaking, we should only have a comfortable 20-25. That would be ideal. It seems crazy that I am not more excited that there are more students than i know what to do with, but the problem exists in the fact that they are simply showing up because everyone knows that you go to church on Wednesday nights for "youth group" Well, it isn't typical youth group anymore on Wednesdays, but they still come. And it is boring, yes, but our intent isn't to entertain, which incidently is their expectation. We want to provide a time for our students to come and serve God, and serve the ministry. Half of them come to hang out, or just because that's what they used to do on Wednesday. We've changed the whole outlook of Wednesday nights, yet nobody seems to catch on. And I hear comments like, "this isn't very fun." Well, it isn't about fun, it's about serving, and when your heart is in the right place, it is fun. I want to tell them, if you are looking for a good time, there is a baptist church down the road is probably having a pizza party tonight.

I have an idea of why our students aren't catching on though, and this is what frustrates me the most. It could be the fact that when you change something, it takes a long time for the people to get used to it (i can deal with that). But I have this overwhelming sense that the ministry teams aren't what we should be doing on Wednesday nights. I mean, if we are getting 50 high school kids coming, and we aren't even promoting the stupid thing, then am i using my 2 hours with them for the right thing. I mean, if they think it is a waste of time I want to know, are they wasting their own time, or am I wasting there time. If we can have 50 why not build a program that would better suit 50 students (go back to the old "youth group"); a time of worship, message, games, food.

One thing i have noticed, is that a potential problem might be that these ministry teams look and feel more like programming than a breathing organism of ministry. It can't work as a program, yet that was the only way to do it and get it moving soon. I am torn between how it should be, and how it can work right now.

Here's what it comes down to. I have about 200 hours of students' lives on Wednesday nights, I just want to make sure I am being responsible with that time. Should I "give in" and make plans to have a program on wed. or should I push forward in my own goals to literally create a unique student ministry where it is built and run by the students? If anyone has any ideas, i'd love to hear them thughes@harvestercc.org.

God,
I could use some wisdom here...hook me up! With love...Tyler