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    on a mission in transition
josh mcqueen
Transition isn't easy, partly because of our nature.
Change is something we humans tend to resist. It's been said that the
only one who enjoys changing is a baby with a dirty diaper. I would argue
though, having a 1½-year-old son who isn't a big fan of the changing
table…
Though we as youth workers pride ourselves on being
spontaneous and are often the change-agents in our churches, we have
a hard time surviving change just like any other- check the stats on
longevity of the average youth worker. When it comes to enduring the changes
that transition into a new church or a new position brings we aren't
so hot. There
are plenty of pitfalls to avoid and principles worth acknowledging as
you navigate this kind of major change. If you're in a similar
season I'd love to share a couple of those principles with you from
my own recent experiences.
I jumped into my current youth ministry position about two years ago. Within
the first few weeks on the job I had received a four-page email from
a group of concerned parents documenting the on-going, historic problems
in the youth ministry, was called into the Executive Pastor's office
for using the American flag from the sanctuary in a Capture the Flag
event (a story for a different article…maybe one with a title to make
Trump proud, something like “You're Fired”), and was severely reprimanded
by one of those concerned parents in front of my supervisor for making
a statement that his wife would later explain, “Actually, honey, Josh
wasn't the one who said that.”
I don't know who came up with the expression, “honeymoon
period,” but I'm pretty sure they never spent a day doing youth ministry! There
have been plenty of moments like these over the past two years that have
led me to start typing resignation letters. Thankfully, these
letters never get finished though because I know from past experiences,
mine and that of others, that better days are beyond this two-year
window for those who stick around.
I think God provides several helps along the
way of transition; our problem as youth workers is that we don't take
the time to recognize them. Two in particular have recently
kept me in the game.
1. A vision of better days.
Picture one of your greatest
successes in ministry so far. Maybe
it was seeing one of those hardened students who you never thought would
come around make a commitment to Christ. Maybe it was phone call
from a parent who shared how you have blessed their family. Longevity
has a way of multiplying these successes. So celebrate the small
stuff now and believe with faith that great fruitfulness results from
great faithfulness.
2. A vision of a bigger Savior.
Hebrews 12:1-2 reminds
us that Christ is bigger than the worst suffering this life can present. Although it's a simple truth I seem to
forget often that my strength to endure comes from a focus that is fixed
on the Savior. When my focus strays from the Savior to my struggles,
suddenly the struggles cloud my vision.
Kevin Calabro, the voice of the
Seattle Supersonics, coined the phrase at the top of this article. He
uses it to describe the determination that a player exerts in trying
to turn the flow a basketball game to his team's advantage. A player only succeeds in high-paced transition
on the court by keeping their head up and their eyes directed toward
the hoop. Our “mission in transition” as youth workers is to keep
our heads up, allowing our focus to be on what's ahead and who's in control,
as opposed to the day-to-day stuff that oftentimes feels like an unbearable
weight. If you're reading this today as one who's wondering if
you're going to make it through a season of transition, lift your eyes
to your Savior and the vision he gives those who are committed to the
work of his ministry.
http://www.simplyyouthministry.com/community-articles-from-the-field.html
josh mcqueen
Transition isn't easy, partly because of our nature.
Change is something we humans tend to resist. It's been said that the
only one who enjoys changing is a baby with a dirty diaper. I would argue
though, having a 1½-year-old son who isn't a big fan of the changing
table…
Though we as youth workers pride ourselves on being
spontaneous and are often the change-agents in our churches, we have
a hard time surviving change just like any other- check the stats on
longevity of the average youth worker. When it comes to enduring the changes
that transition into a new church or a new position brings we aren't
so hot. There
are plenty of pitfalls to avoid and principles worth acknowledging as
you navigate this kind of major change. If you're in a similar
season I'd love to share a couple of those principles with you from
my own recent experiences.
I jumped into my current youth ministry position about two years ago. Within
the first few weeks on the job I had received a four-page email from
a group of concerned parents documenting the on-going, historic problems
in the youth ministry, was called into the Executive Pastor's office
for using the American flag from the sanctuary in a Capture the Flag
event (a story for a different article…maybe one with a title to make
Trump proud, something like “You're Fired”), and was severely reprimanded
by one of those concerned parents in front of my supervisor for making
a statement that his wife would later explain, “Actually, honey, Josh
wasn't the one who said that.”
I don't know who came up with the expression, “honeymoon
period,” but I'm pretty sure they never spent a day doing youth ministry! There
have been plenty of moments like these over the past two years that have
led me to start typing resignation letters. Thankfully, these
letters never get finished though because I know from past experiences,
mine and that of others, that better days are beyond this two-year
window for those who stick around.
I think God provides several helps along the
way of transition; our problem as youth workers is that we don't take
the time to recognize them. Two in particular have recently
kept me in the game.
1. A vision of better days.
Picture one of your greatest
successes in ministry so far. Maybe
it was seeing one of those hardened students who you never thought would
come around make a commitment to Christ. Maybe it was phone call
from a parent who shared how you have blessed their family. Longevity
has a way of multiplying these successes. So celebrate the small
stuff now and believe with faith that great fruitfulness results from
great faithfulness.
2. A vision of a bigger Savior.
Hebrews 12:1-2 reminds
us that Christ is bigger than the worst suffering this life can present. Although it's a simple truth I seem to
forget often that my strength to endure comes from a focus that is fixed
on the Savior. When my focus strays from the Savior to my struggles,
suddenly the struggles cloud my vision.
Kevin Calabro, the voice of the
Seattle Supersonics, coined the phrase at the top of this article. He
uses it to describe the determination that a player exerts in trying
to turn the flow a basketball game to his team's advantage. A player only succeeds in high-paced transition
on the court by keeping their head up and their eyes directed toward
the hoop. Our “mission in transition” as youth workers is to keep
our heads up, allowing our focus to be on what's ahead and who's in control,
as opposed to the day-to-day stuff that oftentimes feels like an unbearable
weight. If you're reading this today as one who's wondering if
you're going to make it through a season of transition, lift your eyes
to your Savior and the vision he gives those who are committed to the
work of his ministry. |
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