blogs, books, church, youth ministry, youth work

my “wrecked for the ordinary” interview

6 Comments

jeff goins, on his “wrecked for the ordinary” blog, regularly conducts an “8 questions with…” interview with an author. jeff sent me a list of 8 questions about youth ministry 3.0, and posted the results yesterday on his blog.

here’s one of the 8 questions (with my response). but click through for the rest of the interview.

——–
7) As a youth leader, what’s something that you just wouldn’t risk getting fired over (i.e. a nonessential)?

Hmmm. This is a very interesting question. I think I would risk getting fired over anything that I passionately believe – whether that’s about approaches and values, or about theological issues. So, I wouldn’t stand my ground on things like particular events or programming bits, but I would totally risk getting fired over a massive collection of things like: the roles of volunteers, the emphases and values of the ministry, our desire to help students meet the radical, life-altering, revolutionary Jesus (in other words, I have no interest in perpetuating the desire to create nice, compliant, church attending kids), the inclusivity of love, the call to justice, and a whole bunch of other things!
——–

how ’bout you guys? what would you risk getting fired over (from a ministry position)?

6 thoughts on “my “wrecked for the ordinary” interview”

  1. I would risk being fired over theological issues that I deemed as essential. I would probably risk it when it comes to people. If I was asked to do or not do something related to people that I believed passionately about I would prefer to be fired than betray people.

  2. PAY – yea right just kidding. I would have been long gone years ago.

    I would agree with values or beliefs that are essential. You can never compromise your beliefs.

    And really anything that gets in the way of putting the kids and their souls first within the ministry. I have seen a lot of churches try to mold a youth ministry for the youth pastor while not keeping the youth and their relationship with Christ in the picture.

    Which at that point makes youth ministry not relevant or an even better word useless and does not bring glory to God.

  3. I just had to resign from my job because I wanted to implement the youth ministry 3.0 philosophy. Don’t worry Marko, I blame you not.

  5. Interesting question. After having just recently been unemployed and then going through like over a dozen late-stage interviews and starting to sweat it out about providing for my family and losing our home and all that in the midst of a bad economy, I must say that I have a greater tolerance on many issues than I would have had in the past. For example, I have some differences in theology with my pastors over me that in the past I would not have been accepting with than I am now. So I would say that I do not have a “massive collection of things” that I would risk. I guess my theological issues that I deem as essential are fewer than they used to be. But when it comes to risking for the purpose of loving others and so forth in the vein that Marko suggested, I’m more for that. However, as I’ve been getting older, I find myself a lot more gentle in trying to bring people around to my point of view than the brash approach I used to use. I am more patient, forgiving and compassionate toward in my passions in youth ministry. Make sense?

Leave a Reply