PYV Summer Camp 2019 – Day Two

Always ready to help one another

Saturday December 28 2019. Today wasn’t as hot as we expected it to be, and for that we are grateful. It might be because the air conditioners work too well here, or the cloud cover that hung around all morning. Either way, we’ll enjoy it while we can.

Today is our first full day at camp, so a lot has happened. We began with the Leader’s Meeting at 7.30pm – which seems a sensible time for such a meeting. Here we prayed for the camp and received instructions for all the various events happening through the day.

Breakfast was another great meal, but the dining room is almost full when we all get together. This means the meals can take a bit longer than we first expect, which gives us more time to talk around the tables. Following breakfast we separated into our study groups. Here is one of the most important times of camp where we sit together in small groups and discuss what we heard in the talk the day before and see how it all applies to our lives. As we were looking at Paul’s conversion experience and the great change that happened in his life, there was plenty to discuss for our own lives.

From there we went into our quiet times. This year we have given everyone a separate booklet to use at camp which they can then bring home and continue to use there for the next month. We pray that this will help to establish a good habit of daily prayer – something which is undoubtedly good for teenagers, and something which is easier for them when they know their parents are praying too.

Colin and Alison say 'YES' to Jesus. 

In our morning worship session today we had a few special guests. First it was a delight to meet our moderator Colin Morrow with his wife Alison. One of the campers commented that he has never been to a camp where a moderator has visited and he was very pleased to hear what Colin had to say about his own conversion, the work he and Alison are now doing, and the call to follow Jesus. Alison
shared with us that 40 years ago she attended her first Summer Camp, and the precious memories of that camp. She then recited a poem her mother wrote for that camp and it was worth hearing it today.

Then we met our new Youth Ministries Director Andrew Edmonds. He was able to talk with campers about his ministry experience, his family, and his desire to serve Jesus in serving youth. I was pleased to be able to pray for Andrew and Colin & Alison as they continue in their faithful work. Over lunch they had the opportunity to talk to a few of our campers and leaders as well.

Andrew is getting pumped and excited about PYV

Today Andy continued to tell us about ‘Finding God’s Will for Your Life’ and the big question to be answered today was “Who should I marry?” We know that this is a question people ask as they reach an age where marriage becomes an option. We know the difficulty and fear with which some people face this question. Today, if they were listening, Andy was able to give excellent guidance and clarity on this issue. This was done in the context of looking at the account of Jesus at the wedding in Cana when they ran out of wine. I’ll leave it to you to ask your children how Andy helped them know who they should marry.

(If they can’t tell you, then send me a note and I’ll give you his list. It’s a good list.)

After lunch we were outside enjoying the campsite as the activity groups went on a scavenger hunt. I’m not altogether sure what they were all looking for as I was manning the low ropes course. Someone did ask about the registration plate on my motorbike, so I think that might have something to do with it. The ropes course was fun to watch, particularly when teams worked out some of the tricks of the course that helped them get through it quickly.

While some enjoyed free time and the chance to play board games or basketball, others were involved in two other activities. Some were at the daily prayer meeting this afternoon where we considered who God is and all he has done for us. Psalm 103 is tremendous for focusing our thoughts here. Others were with Dave Assender having some training in using the Audio Visual gear we use at camps.

If you’ve been to a camp, you’ll know that we depend on the tech stuff working, and for that to happen we need to have people who know how to set it up and how to work all the switches and levers etc. So it was great to see a group crowding around the sound desk learning what this involves.

After dinner, the activity groups had another challenge, a more artistic challenge. Each group selected one of twelve songs from which they had to make a one minute video. With twelve groups doing this, it’s probably good we didn’t have more than a minute, or it would be a very long judging session. I am looking forward to seeing some of the finished products.

Then we finished with supper and the Late Show with Shady and Di. I was prepared again for my interview but missed out after an interview with Aradie and then a game went over time. Oh well. Maybe tomorrow. A highlight tonight was the legend that is Matthew Burns being our cabaret singer for the game. Campers needed to guess the missing line from a song and Matthew volunteered to sing these songs. He was fantastic.

Our first full day has come to an end. If you read this before you go to church in the morning, can you please bring our camp to your church community to be praying for us? Please be praying for safety in hot weather, for God to open hearts and minds, and for lives to be transformed.

God is at work here.

Review – A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry

Earlier this year I received a Facebook notification pointing me to a review of A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry by MikeMcGarry. I read the review and bought the book. Now I wish I could buy a bundle more to give to others. Here are five reasons you should read this book if you are in pastoral ministry (not just if you’re a youth leader).

1.       It teaches us what the Old Testament has to say about young people in the faith community

To appreciate what we find about ministry to youth in the Bible has a whole, we need to step back from our current understanding of youth ministry. This is particularly so when we read the Old Testament. McGarry writes, “There is no verse that explicitly commands youth ministry, but the family and the community’s mandate to raise up the next generation in the fear and obedience of the Lord is overwhelming.” (p19)

This chapter leads us through some history and some texts that make clear what happens when the faith isn’t passed on to the next generation, and the Biblical imperatives to make sure it is. And when we as parents feel overwhelmed in this task, he reminds us that the task belongs to the whole community of faith.

“Parents are consistently affirmed as the primary disciple-makers of their children, but the Psalmist’s example clearly shows the commitment of the community to the young.” (p30,31) You can read Psalm 71:18 and 78:1-8 to see what he means.

2.       It teaches us what the New Testament has to say about young people in the faith community

  

McGarry picks up the theme of discipleship in this section. In no way does he contradict what he sees in the OT as the role of the family and community in teaching the beliefs and standards of faith. Instead he tightens the focus a little recognising that this is now the other side of the crucifixion and resurrection and now all Christians have a Messiah to follow. So we are to be disciples of Jesus no matter who our human teacher might be.

One interesting aspect McGarry raises is the age of the disciples. Perhaps they were young adults who Jesus trained and through them he has changed the world. How much do you expect of young adults today?

The place of children and youth in the life of the early church is also raised here, and that’s important today because of the place – or lack of place – that this age group has in the faith community. Paul wrote letters to churches and clearly believed the children would hear what he had written. This means that these age groups would be together. (But I’m jumping ahead of myself here.)

“Rather than viewing children and youth as ‘members in waiting,’ the biblical witness consistently affirms their value and reflects a shared commitment by the community of faith toward the next generation. Pastors and Christian leaders today who overlook the young are in blatant disregard of the biblical pattern of ministry.” (p56)

3.       It shows the place of youth in the faith community

Following from the previous point, have a look at Titus 2:2-6

2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. 3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. 6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.

See the different age groups mentioned there? Older men; older women; younger women; young men. You can also look at Ephesians 5:22-6:9 and see the age groups listed there and realise that when the letter was read to the church, all these age groups were together. Is your church like this?

McGarry doesn’t have to work hard to show what the Bible is teaching about the place of youth in the faith community – it’s where they belong.

“Christians are the people of God, and there is no age restriction mentioned.” (p87)

“When each member is serving the head of the Church with their individual gifts, the members are united together through the bond of Christian fellowship as the body of Christ works in harmony.” (p89)

How are the youth of your community of faith using their gifts?

4.       It shows the importance of the community in the faith of youth

McGarry quotes Wayne Rice, co-founder of Youth Specialties. It’s uncomfortable, but worth hearing:

“I have all the respect in the world for youth workers in the church, but I’ve become more and more convinced over the years that God never gave t youth workers the responsibility for making disciples of other people’s kids. . . What we have today is not really a youth ministry problem. It’s a church problem. Truth is – it has always been a church problem.” (p73. Emphasis his)

It’s really easy for me to complain about the youth in our church, or to blame the parents when the youth leave. But in reality, that’s just a cop out. If I’m part of that church, then I’m invested in the spiritual life of that child. If that teenager leaves, do I even notice? Do I know his name? Do I know what she is doing at uni? Or have I assumed that’s the youth leader’s job.

The biblical model of church life doesn’t put the young people in one room while the adults are in another room. Instead the biblical model of church life is an inter-generational one with all ages sharing life and worship together. McGarry comments, “ . . . the entire church shares a commitment to nurture the faith of the next generation while seeking opportunities to involve them in the rhythms of the church.’ (p88)

(I’m not suggesting that the age groups can’t have time on their own. That’s valuable. But don’t let that be all they do.)

5.       It encourages me to see the catechism in a very different light

I’ve been involved in promoting the catechism for a few years now, but reading this book has challenged me to see it in a completely different light. You see I’ve always understood that the purpose of the catechism was for parents, and particularly the father, to use this list of questions and answers to teach the children. I expect I’m not alone in this thought. McGarry points back to Luther and comments that in the catechism Luther provided a resource whereby the parents received doctrinal instruction even as they taught their children. (p62)

I nearly dropped the book when I read this. One of my concerns about using the catechism is that it expects parents to understand the doctrines of Christian faith, and maybe they don’t. But now I can see it is possible that in using the catechism consistently, both the parents and the children are being instructed in faith. Brilliant!

He also comments on the place of the church to support and equip parents in this task.

“Parents were the primary disciplers of their children, but the church leaders were the primary spiritual leaders of the family.” (p63)

I wish I’d written this book.

Some years ago a bloke I know held up a book and said to me, “This is the book I wish I had written.” I feel much the same about McGarry’s work. A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry will be a great encouragement to those involved in youth ministry, it’s true. But more importantly, I think it’s a book that should be read by elders and pastors as they take the responsibilities given to them.

At 164 pages, it’s not a long book. Get it and read it.

Praying or Preying? What will you be remembered for?

My title comes from reading an article in the Houston Chronicle titled "Preying on Teens". It is subtitled, "More than 100 southern Baptist youth pastors convicted or charged in sex crimes."

In the article, I was introduced to Chad who was hired and ordained to be a youth pastor. Chad had a good message for his youth group about abstinence, but he also preyed on some of the girls under his leadership which made abstinence impossible. Not surprisingly, Chad was fired by the church - though perhaps not for this.

What is surprising is that these church leaders who fired Chad didn't say anything to the next church who hired Chad to be their youth leader. You'll never guess what happened next.

Actually, you probably will.

I encourage you to read the article. It can be a little confronting, but such is the reality of our world.

Read it and learn two things.

This is why screening is important. 

When someone wants to be a leader with PYV (Presbyterian Youth Victoria) we ask them for some referees that we can talk to, and we ask which church they previously belonged to. In talking to referees we are able to learn about the character of the person who is applying for a leadership role. This is important. I might only know this person as an acquaintance. Maybe we've met at a camp or two and I have an impression that they are interested, and growing in godliness.

When I call their pastor, or youth worker, or an AFES leader, I get to talk to someone who works with them much more consistently. If those people have some concerns, then they will carry more weight than my initial impression. And that is as it should be.

We ask about a previous church so we can call someone from that church to determine if there were any circumstances that are important for us to be aware of. In Chad's case, if the second church had called the first church, and the first church had been honest, at least one girl would not have been abused. And if we can protect that one girl, we will.

In Victoria, we are required to have a screening program in place for anyone involved in ministry to youth or children. We will take that seriously.

What not to do if you're attracted to someone in your youth group?

I'd like to think that any youth leader would know how to answer this, but apparently not. And we can't say, "Well, they're just immature adults in a sexualised society" as though that makes it all ok. This article refers to Chad, who was 30 when he was doing this, and Gary, who was nearly 40 when he started cultivating his victim. She was 13.

There are reasons we tell youth leaders not to have one to one phone or messenger conversations with teenagers. There are reasons we tell youth leaders not to be alone in a room with a teenager.

Ensure your relationship to each of the young people under your leadership is above board.

You will destroy your reputation, the lives of the people involved, their families, and possibly the church community if you mess this up.

We are in a time now where such sins will not be covered up, where church leaders cannot cover it up without facing significant consequences themselves, and this is absolutely as it should be. May we never return to times when such cover-ups happened.


Another thing to note:

Are teenagers safe to disclose abuse in your church?

Do teenagers in your church community know that they can talk to someone if they are asked to do something they're not comfortable with? Or if they think their leaders are acting in ways they shouldn't?

You will probably say to me, "Of course. We always let them know they can talk to us if they have any concerns."

That's great. But I'd challenge you to be specific. Talk about sexting. Use the right terminology (you might need to find out what the current terms are). And if parents tell you they don't want their young teenagers dealing with this, get them to read this article. You see, if the 13 year old girl knew that what her youth pastor was doing was wrong, maybe she wouldn't have waited until she was 16 before she did raise the issue.


Friends, let's do all we can to help people grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. And let's do all we can to keep these people safe.



Photo Credits:
Phone - Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash
Couple - Photo by Cristian Newman on Unsplash