At my first Youth Service, I remember a young, cocky football player walking into the service late. With his ball cap pulled down low over his eyes, he made his way around the back of the room. Too cool for youth group, he finally found a seat.
Later that year, we took the group on a whitewater rafting trip. On that trip, a group of boys got into trouble for... well, let's call it "mischief." Enough mischief that it almost ruined the trip for the whole group. Maybe I overreacted, but that act of mischief and my reaction caused me to rethink the way I did youth ministry.
You may have guessed that the same young man who came into service late, was among the boys who were involved in the "mischief."
Today, in 2011, I'm sitting in a hotel room in College Station, TX. Tomorrow, I'll attend this same young man's first official church service for the church he and his family are planting here. I couldn't be more proud. (Check out ConnectingPointChurch.tv)
For the last 15 years, Justin Grace, (who has become "the Reverend Justin Grace), and I have become the closest of friends. Rarely has a week gone by when we have not talked, shared life, and encouraged one another. Most weeks, we communicate several times a week. Really, we've become more like family than friends.
So be careful how you treat that troubling teenager. You just never know. When others see a trouble-maker, God may see a Pastor.
