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    what happens when youth ministry and life collide?
dustin aagaard
I know at times you probably think you are superman,
dashing through the air, able to do anything at anytime, and invisible
to anything life will throw your way. The reality is we all get sick,
move, and lose loved ones, life happens. What will your ministry look
like when life hits you? I had to find out the hard way.
Let me
share my story I am a Church Partner with YoungLife, meaning I work
with junior and senior high students with our church and reach out to
a local middle school. I have been with
this church for 2 years now and it all started a little over a year ago.
It
was at that time I felt God calling me to coach baseball at the local
middle school to help with the overpopulated school that was understaffed. As
I applied I was told there were already 4 coaches for a 2 coach position
and the season was a month away. I said, No worries, and kept
looking for other ways to get on campus. One week later the Athletic
Director called me and said All the other coaches left, which just leaves
you, if you want the job you got it. I eagerly took the position
and began dreaming of how God would use this opportunity. One
of the requirements for the position was that I get a routine physical. I
called my doctor and set up the appointment. During the physical
my doctor noticed an irregular spot on my back. He sent it to
be tested and it came back positive for melanoma skin cancer. What? That
can't be right. I'm just 25 years old with a wife and a child that needs
me, a student ministry with students that need me, this just can't be
right. However, the results were right and my family and I began
preparing for a life of cancer, a life of unknowns, and a life of living
each moment to it's fullest. This was one of the best
things that could have happened to me and to our student ministry.
Our student ministry is fairly new, about 5
years old and I was starting my second year at this point. We were blessed with numerical growth
throughout my first year and I feared that my being out with cancer for
anytime meant major problems for our student ministry. I bought
into the lie, that it was all about me, as if the students needed me,
or my leadership, my talks, my anything. I often forgot that it
was God's grace and not my works that blessed our ministry. Thus
with this self-centered mentality I began fearing what would happen to
the ministry as I battled this cancer for who knows how long. I
forgot that it was His ministry, not mine. That He died for those
kids, not me.
As I headed into surgery I had
no other choice than to leave the ministry in God's hands and let the
other youth leaders lead. Although
I knew we had great leaders and I believed in them, I was the type of
person who needed to work on delegating. I often thought I not
only can do it all, but was the best person for every task. Being
forced to lean on the leaders was exactly what we all needed, especially
me.
While recovering from surgery I began hearing
updates. The updates
were very positive. I heard things like We didn't burn the church
down, the students led worship and loved it, the leadership team
grew more than ever, some leaders felt used for the first time and
loved it. It seemed as if everyone had picked up a piece and
ran with it. God had literally called up a whole ministry to leadership
by one situation. A situation that was necessary for leadership
to take place.
During the time I was out of commission our
ministry grew in so many ways. It reminded me once again that our ministries can not be
about a single person, place, or thing. I know a lot of us know
this, but are we acting on it. Are we preparing our communities
to be better even if we are not around? Would your ministry continue
if you were to suddenly be gone for 6 months? Would students still
be counseled and loved, leaders equipped and encouraged, parents served
and respected? Would God's Kingdom continue to grow without you? Would
discipleship still happen? What area of ministry do you
need to teach to someone so that when God takes you through life, nothing
falls through the cracks?
Now grant it, I know many ministries
don't have a leadership team to work with. Let me encourage you to take
a step back and ask yourself, what will this ministry look like in 10
years? Is what you're
building bigger than yourself? Who will run the ministry when
you are sick, on vacation, or move?
As for my cancer I awoke
from surgery with my doctor explaining that my body was now cancer free. I
said, Great, so you were able to get all the cancer out? The
doctor replied that the biopsy alone was all they had needed to get out. But
after retracting and studying the chunk of flesh from my back and armpit,
the doctors had no explanation as to how there was no cancer in my body
any longer. It
seemed as if the biopsy was incorrect, but after checking it several
times they determined it was correct. Still they just couldn't
explain the sudden change and disappearance of the cancer. This
is where it got good; from there I was able to assure the doctors what
had happened. It was an intervention from God. This testimony
made its way across my school, the church, and the school board, as well
as the hospital. The circulation of what God had done amazed our
community and grabbed the attention of the American Cancer Society. They
were planning on doing a fundraiser at my school just months after my
surgery and asked if I'd share my story and open the event with prayer. Little
did I know that many other cancer survivors had been in the arms of Christ
throughout their struggle and felt freed to share about it publicly after
I had shared my story from the stage. People of all ages and with
all stages of cancer were gathering around sharing what the Lord was
doing through their struggle. One woman even rededicated her life
to Christ as she was reminded of God's unfailing love and forgiveness.
This biggest thing I learned regarding student
ministry is that Jesus' ministry exploded when he left. He had equipped His leaders to
continue the ministry when he was absent. If we truly have a heart
to reach our communities for Christ then we must do as John 3:30 says,
He must increase, I must decrease. We must take ourselves out
of the equation and put in place God and other leaders that have a heart
for students. I knew this before the cancer but I didn't live
it. For the betterment of your community and ministry don't just
believe it start living it.
May the God that passes all our understanding
equip, guide, nurture, anoint, and bless your ministry and community.
I also don't believe this would have worked
out as it did without the amazing Christ-like love, support, and encouragement
from my wife (TJ) and family, my church (Church of the Redeemer), and
my community (Southside, Jacksonville, Florida). With all my
heart I thank you for the love we share.
http://www.simplyyouthministry.com/community-articles-from-the-field.html
dustin aagaard
I know at times you probably think you are superman,
dashing through the air, able to do anything at anytime, and invisible
to anything life will throw your way. The reality is we all get sick,
move, and lose loved ones, life happens. What will your ministry look
like when life hits you? I had to find out the hard way.
Let me
share my story I am a Church Partner with YoungLife, meaning I work
with junior and senior high students with our church and reach out to
a local middle school. I have been with
this church for 2 years now and it all started a little over a year ago.
It
was at that time I felt God calling me to coach baseball at the local
middle school to help with the overpopulated school that was understaffed. As
I applied I was told there were already 4 coaches for a 2 coach position
and the season was a month away. I said, No worries, and kept
looking for other ways to get on campus. One week later the Athletic
Director called me and said All the other coaches left, which just leaves
you, if you want the job you got it. I eagerly took the position
and began dreaming of how God would use this opportunity. One
of the requirements for the position was that I get a routine physical. I
called my doctor and set up the appointment. During the physical
my doctor noticed an irregular spot on my back. He sent it to
be tested and it came back positive for melanoma skin cancer. What? That
can't be right. I'm just 25 years old with a wife and a child that needs
me, a student ministry with students that need me, this just can't be
right. However, the results were right and my family and I began
preparing for a life of cancer, a life of unknowns, and a life of living
each moment to it's fullest. This was one of the best
things that could have happened to me and to our student ministry.
Our student ministry is fairly new, about 5
years old and I was starting my second year at this point. We were blessed with numerical growth
throughout my first year and I feared that my being out with cancer for
anytime meant major problems for our student ministry. I bought
into the lie, that it was all about me, as if the students needed me,
or my leadership, my talks, my anything. I often forgot that it
was God's grace and not my works that blessed our ministry. Thus
with this self-centered mentality I began fearing what would happen to
the ministry as I battled this cancer for who knows how long. I
forgot that it was His ministry, not mine. That He died for those
kids, not me.
As I headed into surgery I had
no other choice than to leave the ministry in God's hands and let the
other youth leaders lead. Although
I knew we had great leaders and I believed in them, I was the type of
person who needed to work on delegating. I often thought I not
only can do it all, but was the best person for every task. Being
forced to lean on the leaders was exactly what we all needed, especially
me.
While recovering from surgery I began hearing
updates. The updates
were very positive. I heard things like We didn't burn the church
down, the students led worship and loved it, the leadership team
grew more than ever, some leaders felt used for the first time and
loved it. It seemed as if everyone had picked up a piece and
ran with it. God had literally called up a whole ministry to leadership
by one situation. A situation that was necessary for leadership
to take place.
During the time I was out of commission our
ministry grew in so many ways. It reminded me once again that our ministries can not be
about a single person, place, or thing. I know a lot of us know
this, but are we acting on it. Are we preparing our communities
to be better even if we are not around? Would your ministry continue
if you were to suddenly be gone for 6 months? Would students still
be counseled and loved, leaders equipped and encouraged, parents served
and respected? Would God's Kingdom continue to grow without you? Would
discipleship still happen? What area of ministry do you
need to teach to someone so that when God takes you through life, nothing
falls through the cracks?
Now grant it, I know many ministries
don't have a leadership team to work with. Let me encourage you to take
a step back and ask yourself, what will this ministry look like in 10
years? Is what you're
building bigger than yourself? Who will run the ministry when
you are sick, on vacation, or move?
As for my cancer I awoke
from surgery with my doctor explaining that my body was now cancer free. I
said, Great, so you were able to get all the cancer out? The
doctor replied that the biopsy alone was all they had needed to get out. But
after retracting and studying the chunk of flesh from my back and armpit,
the doctors had no explanation as to how there was no cancer in my body
any longer. It
seemed as if the biopsy was incorrect, but after checking it several
times they determined it was correct. Still they just couldn't
explain the sudden change and disappearance of the cancer. This
is where it got good; from there I was able to assure the doctors what
had happened. It was an intervention from God. This testimony
made its way across my school, the church, and the school board, as well
as the hospital. The circulation of what God had done amazed our
community and grabbed the attention of the American Cancer Society. They
were planning on doing a fundraiser at my school just months after my
surgery and asked if I'd share my story and open the event with prayer. Little
did I know that many other cancer survivors had been in the arms of Christ
throughout their struggle and felt freed to share about it publicly after
I had shared my story from the stage. People of all ages and with
all stages of cancer were gathering around sharing what the Lord was
doing through their struggle. One woman even rededicated her life
to Christ as she was reminded of God's unfailing love and forgiveness.
This biggest thing I learned regarding student
ministry is that Jesus' ministry exploded when he left. He had equipped His leaders to
continue the ministry when he was absent. If we truly have a heart
to reach our communities for Christ then we must do as John 3:30 says,
He must increase, I must decrease. We must take ourselves out
of the equation and put in place God and other leaders that have a heart
for students. I knew this before the cancer but I didn't live
it. For the betterment of your community and ministry don't just
believe it start living it.
May the God that passes all our understanding
equip, guide, nurture, anoint, and bless your ministry and community.
I also don't believe this would have worked
out as it did without the amazing Christ-like love, support, and encouragement
from my wife (TJ) and family, my church (Church of the Redeemer), and
my community (Southside, Jacksonville, Florida). With all my
heart I thank you for the love we share. |
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