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For about the last 2 months my heart has been convicted that young people need more encouragement. Too often they subconsciously tell themselves that they are losers, and far too often they face discouragement from almost all in authority, family, friends, parents, school, and yes even the church.
I asked our students here what they thought about church. About only half said they attended on any given Sunday, and unanimously they said that church was boring. I have to suspect that my chapels are also received as boring, for all we do is run through the same old routine. Though I may see significance in what we do with purpose and spiritual meaning, I believe they can too easily construe it as just another thing these adults are making me do.
The thought occurred and I shared it with our missionaries for perspective or confirmation, what if we allowed the students to “run the show?” Let them design a service, pick songs, other creative elements, videos, skits, etc – create a church service that you would WANT to attend. I figured it would require encouragement from as many staff as possible as well as helping with the logistical elements of instruments, unlocking the church building, computer passwords, etc. Although my fellow missionaries agreed that it sounds like a good idea, none of us could foresee the fine nuances that this challenge it would include.
To simplify a long story, we started with prayer for the first week; then, with the students song selection. After the songs, it was structural elements for the service i.e. scripture readings, prayers, testimonies, song sets. Finally it came time for rehearsal. The short of it is that we as their missionaries and adult supervisors had to perhaps learn the most about allowing them to find their voice and then work through their own interpersonal conflicts and frustrations without our “authoritative” guidance. They would argue with each other, insult one another, they’d quit and walk away, then come back and try again, and quit again. I would step in if it got really out of control, but for 99% of it, all I could reiterate is, “Whatever you’d like to do, I will support you and help you achieve it.” They asked to change songs last minute, add solos, change singers, speakers, selections… the answer always came back from me, “Whatever you’d like to do, this is your service, not mine.”
Bahamians have a knack for piecing the event together at the 11th hour or very last second. And sure enough, right up to the minute of the start of the service, they were making changes and practicing brand new songs.
Then the service started. It went perfect.
Too perfect.
I wonder if we adults have modeled a performance form of Christianity. One spectator said, that “without knowing your students I would say that from the service, each one must be a fully committed Christian who has a deep spiritual relationship with Christ.” How I yearn for that to be true. The gospels reveal that performing in Jesus name without a relationship will only result in Christ’s response, “I never knew you.”
The service didn’t have the intended result I had hoped for. I hear stories from the old church leaders of “that revival service for youth years ago, where I decided I would serve God.” And then they turned into pastors. I hoped that this would be an opportunity for the Spirit to soften and capture the hearts of the students. But as I observed them in the chairs while the speaker challenged them to know “who they are in Christ” all I saw was their excitement to talk with each other about their performance and mingle quietly with their friends trying not to interfere with the speaker. I don’t have a crystal ball and I can’t predict the future, but I doubt decades from now the energy spent over the past two months will yield any momentous turning point in any of these young people’s hearts.
But it was a good service. They sang well.
(In another universe, there is a blog post that reads, “First Ever Youth Explosion Service: HUGE SUCCESS.” I wanted to share with all my supporters how lives are changing and new things are happening and Christ is calling students to stand out as light in a dark world, where they are empowered and encouraged to be bold in their faith and walk with Christ. I easily could have written that report, but my heart is more melancholy at the moment. I do have a resounding hope that what is impossible for man is possible for God, and that for whatever reason He wanted this youth service to happen WAS accomplished. Also, we had a torrential downpour 30 minutes before the service, Bahamians don’t go out in the rain. I must confess that its hard for me to make sense of what happened, and how it didn’t go exactly as I had envisioned. Yet, my hope is in the Lord’s sovereignty. I plan on continuing to plow the rocky soil such that He would provide the harvest. Amen)