One of my favorites, though it’s not a classic, is a compilation of articles by Mike Yaconelli, the late great youth worker guru. The title of the book tells it all—Getting Fired for the Glory of God. I’ve reread this book numerous times over the past few years when it first hit the bookstores in 2008. I don’t know if it’s more of his personality that comes through in his written word or if it’s the mandate of “just love Jesus!” that imbue them, but, whatever the case, he knows how to write with conviction. Don’t believe me? Just read Mike’s thoughts on the state of youth ministry and the church for that matter:
I’m very concerned about the souls of America’s youth workers. Youth ministry here is precariously close to collapsing under the weight of its own success. We seem to be caught in the spell of a media-driven, techno-event culture that’s dazzling the life out of us. We have a spectacular array of seminars, products, conventions, rallies, crusades, and programs that draw large crowds and make lots of noise—and we wait expectantly for the next spectacular array of events. Sadly, an increasing number of youth workers have opted for more instead of deep. All over the country, one youth ministry after another is becoming a monument to our charisma, a tribute to our technology, a testimony to our management skills…and one more nail in the body of Jesus….The modern senior pastor operates like a CEO instead of a spiritual director, mentor, or fellow struggler. Numbers, activities, and programs dominate our agendas, and we soon discover that in today’s institutional church, mission statements, strategies, and results matter most. Efficiency and control rule. The bottom line is tangible growth. The youth minister’s soul is irrelevant. Then we wake up one day with very successful youth programs, only to discover our success has cost us our souls.
Mike’s words reverberate with me. He definitely causes me to take pause. He gives voice to a number of us, church workers, who nod our heads in agreement with his description of the Church’s underbelly and the way in which staff can lose themselves within the Church’s “doing” ministry model. But we don’t have to settle. I mean, Mike’s words don’t have to become a self-fulfilling prophecy for the rest of us as the Church thrusts itself unto the cultural landscape of the twenty-first century.
Our churches don’t have to look like mega churches or what people have come to expect, but then again, that’s quite alright. For example, I’m not against growing churches for the Kingdom of God, but I am against growing churches for growth’s sake with all the latest gadgetry and gimmicks. So, the challenge that’s set in front of us all is to look at “being” the church in the face of what we’ve been “doing” in the church for all this time.
Maybe if we look to the future with a pinch of creativity, integrity, and vulnerability, the Holy Spirit may show up and surprise us all.
To God be the Glory. Amen.
