Published at Youthworker Online (A part of Youthworker Journal) January 2012

Foot Washing: A Vision for Mission Trip Leadership

Like many youth workers, one of my favorite parts of doing youth ministry are mission trips. They are powerful, fun, and incredibly effective. It is an amazing opportunity not only to learn and serve, but to have the kind of time with our youth we wish we had all throughout the year. In most of my ministry contexts, mission trips have been one of the most significant programs in the youth ministry. The power that comes in serving others is unquestionable, and the impact and importance of service for children and youth is only increasing. Recently, all significant books in the area of youth ministry discuss about service.

Over the years, the most important image from Scripture that casts a vision for mission trips in my own life in ministry is the story of the foot washing in the Gospel of John. The power and implications of this text are far too deep and wide to fully examine in this article, but it’s a text that all Christ-followers, especially those serving in ministry leadership positions, should carefully examine and reflect upon. Every mission trip under my direction has included a foot-washing service, usually towards the end of the trip. For the majority of those trips, the foot-washing portion of service has been conducted exactly the same way. During the service, I personally go around the room and wash the feet of each and every youth and adult leader from our group. After washing their feet, I take some time to pray for them. It’s a prayer I trust the Holy Spirit to provide, but I also take time all week thinking about how I can best pray for them. After finishing washing the feet and praying for each person on the team, I invite the team to what I call ‘open bucket time.’ I tell the team (youth and adults) they can use the next several moments to continue to pray, but also if they desire to wash one another’s feet. Some of my most meaningful moments as a Christ-follower, a leader, and a youth worker have happened during this time. Whether it is watching youth reconcile with one another by washing each other’s feet, siblings engaging in the intimate act of foot washing with one another, or having youth wash my own feet, the power, humility, and intimacy is overwhelming. I cannot take credit at all for this service or this model, as I (and we), are simply imitating what Christ did in the upper room for His disciples. We are simply honoring his call to ‘wash one another’s feet.’ This moment in the upper room is one of the most intimate moments in Scripture. Foot washing is a powerful imitation of Christ. It is the physical expression of what our lives as Christ-followers should be. It is the image of what missions and service should be all about. Our culture and our youth are perhaps more narcissistic and entitled than ever before, yet we desperately crave community. We need meaning and significance, we need to be a part of something that is bigger than ourselves, and we need to know that what we do and who we are makes a difference in the world. In this simple act of foot washing, Jesus has given us an answer to all of these challenges and needs and as long as our heart is focused on the God of the universe who got down on his hands and knees and washed the feet of his disciples, we will find an answer to all these needs and more. We will find a model for discipleship, service and leadership that can and will change the world.

As a Christ-follower, leader, and youth worker, there is no greater act for me than to get down on my hands and knees and wash the feet of those I love, serve with, and lead as we all seek to be imitators of our Lord Jesus Christ. The foot washing is more than just a powerful moment to be imitated; it is a model and vision for missions and leadership in the church and the world.

Rev. Marcus J Carlson has worked with children and youth for over 13 years and is a spiritual director. He current serves as Associate Pastor at Bethel Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs, CO. (marcusjcarlson.com).

Published in Connections Magazine (Sept/Oct 2010)

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Evangelism and the Spiritual Formation of Children and Youth

By Rev. Marcus J Carlson

Lutherans have not always been considered to be strong in the area of evangelism, and every church in America could use some renewal when it comes to evangelism. Some people believe children and youth are not capable of having a faith of their own. I once heard a pastor state that youth are not capable of having a relationship with Jesus Christ.

We sometimes assume that our children and youth cannot and do not understand matters of faith, but nothing could be further from the truth. It is during childhood and teenage years that a vast majority of people come to know Jesus Christ. Confirmation is geared toward youth because we believe they can begin to own their faith and truly own and affirm their baptism. The evangelism of children and youth is critical but intimidating.

There are a couple things we need to remember when it comes to the evangelism of children and youth. First, it is God’s work, not ours. Duffy Robbins, one of my youth ministry professors in college, was fond of saying “God makes believers; people make disciples.” The goals of evangelism are to connect people with the life-giving grace of God that has always existed, and to help them participate in the relationship with God that has always been there.

Unfortunately, we become comfortable that it is God’s work and not our own, and are prevented from seeing the need for evangelism. This is particularly true with children and our rites of passage. Although powerful and important, the church community has relied on those processes to do evangelism for us. We bring our children to God for baptism, embracing the already-existing grace and salvation that God has offered. We participate in confirmation to help our children affirm their faith. Once confirmation is over, many feel that they are finished. Perhaps this is part of the reason that we as Lutherans have not always been good at evangelism.

Another thing that my youth ministry professor always used to say was, “What you win them with is what you win them to.” When it comes to our youth, there is a great temptation in youth ministries to evangelize youth by entertaining them to a relationship with Jesus. We cannot “out entertain” the

world, nor can we sell Jesus to youth by turning Him into a commodity that can be used to meet needs. Doing so denies the Kingdom vision that Jesus brought to the world.

Often we see ourselves incapable of evangelism because we do not think we can do it right. We assume that our own beliefs must be flawless in order to share them with others. Evangelism is not about right belief—it is about right relationship. So how do parents and the church “do” evangelism with children and youth?

First, we need to tell the story. We need to talk to our children about the story of God as it is revealed in the Scriptures and in the world around us. We do not need to explain the story or need to understand everything about the story. Again, God is the one who does the work and the one who makes believers. Let God’s story speak for itself.

We tell our kids stories all the time, and we all love a good story. We watch movies and television shows, pick up books and listen to the stories all around us. We desperately want to tell our story to someone and to have our story heard. The best thing that parents can do to evangelize their own children is to tell the story. Tell the story of God, tell your story, let your children tell their story. We all want to know that our story has meaning and that it connects to a bigger story—God’s story.

When leading children’s time in worship services, I often give the children a question to ask their parents or grandparents. I do this to create faith conversation in homes and to give parents a way to talk to their children about their faith.

Marcus Carlson

is a Spiritual Director & certified LCMC pastor who has worked in youth and children’s ministry for over 10 years. He is Youth Minister of Bethel Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO. He and his wife, Jessica, have two children.

20Allow your children to ask questions, and accept it when you do not have the answers. In relationships, authenticity and questioning will always be more important and effective than any answers you can ever give.

Evangelism with youth is a topic that is written about, debated and wrestled with in the mind of almost every youth worker in the world. Entire organizations and ministries form around the subject of teenage evangelism. It is true that most people come to Christ during their teenage years, and these years can certainly be the most formative for one’s faith— both in a positive and a negative way. Evangelism with youth is simple and yet very complicated. True, healthy, effective evangelism with youth can only happen in relationship and community.

The good news: we don’t have to be entertaining or perfect to do youth evangelism. The challenge: we must be authentic. Authenticity is not the normal mode of operation in our world, and although it means to simply be ourselves, it can be scary and risky. Teenagers have an incredible ability to sense when we are not being authentic. Youth come to know Christ when they see us authentically following Christ: in our doubt, in our fears, in our questions, in our victories and in our celebrations. Youth want to see our story and how we connect to God’s story so they can also find ways their own story connects to the story God is writing in the world.

My son Micah was four when we left the Methodist church to become Lutheran. As a child in the UMC, Micah took communion, but most children in our new Lutheran church did not and waited until after their first communion. For a couple of weeks, we did not have Micah participate in communion. One week just before communion Micah looked at us and said, “I want to have the bread and the juice because Jesus is in my heart.”

My wife and I looked at each other with surprise. He had never heard that message or language from us yet, nor were we aware that he had heard it in Sunday school—and yet this little four year old was able to articulate the meaning and power of communion. The story spoke for itself. Micah takes communion each week, hands held out like the posture of a beggar as he walks up to the altar, and I re-learn and re-live the story of God as he teaches me.

Evangelism of youth and children is critical to my own life and ministry. I did not grow up in the church at all. I did not know Jesus, and in middle and high school was heading down a very dangerous path. I encountered God, met my future wife and found my call because of a couple of teenagers who helped me hear and see the story of God. Their willingness to share the story of God saved my life.

Published in Connections Magazine (Nov/Dec 2010)

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Spiritual Practices in the Home

By Rev. Marcus J Carlson

The spiritual formation and development of children and youth is a high calling and a complicated undertaking. Developing a deep and authentic Christ-centered faith in our children requires more of us than weekly worship and church program participation. Having written about the need for a partnership in the spiritual formation and development of youth and children between the church and families, I would like to offer some suggestions and ideas that families can implement in their own homes. These suggestions are not exhaustive; as parents, we are best able to discern what tools we can use to enhance our children’s relationship with Jesus Christ. I have organized the suggestions into categories in hopes that you might find a practice in each that will be helpful to your family.

Prayer

•Emergency Prayer—Every time we hear or see an ambulance, police or fire vehicle our children point it out and have us pray. We tried this when they were very young and it has stuck with them. They lead the prayer and it is often something as simple as “God, help the people who need the sirens.” Of course, for older children the prayers would be a bit different. It has helped our children to recognize that everyone needs God and that our faith is to be exercised everywhere.

•Mealtime Prayer—We all know at least one of the commonly used mealtime prayers. Those prayers are great to use, but also can become stale. We take turns having our children lead prayers at every

meal. Since our children are young, we do repeating prayers where we will repeat after whomever is leading prayers. This simple exercise does not always lead to eloquent or divine prayers. We often end up praying for “Spiderman” or “snowballs”, but it instills in our children the idea that we can and should pray for everything and that prayer is simply talking to God.

•Morning and Evening Prayers—We cannot forget the power of regular prayer to begin and end our day. This can be something you do as a family, or something that you ask your children and youth to do on their own when they go to bed. At some point in our lives, things like showering and brushing our teeth become habits for which we do not usually need a reminder. What if the same were true of prayer?

• Prayer After School—Often when parents ask children about their day at school, they get little to no response. Taking time to pray after school helps our children and youth reflect on their day, and helps them to be more in tune with how God is working around them. It also can increase their sensitivity to the need of others. We believe that prayer can transform any school or community.

The Bible

•Bible Reading Time—Establish a Bible reading time as a family. This can be done in a variety of ways. For younger children, you can read the story to them. There are many great age-appropriate Bibles with pictures. You can also ask your older children and youth to spend just 5 minutes every day reading something in the Bible. Remember, the stories in the Bible speak for themselves, and we as parents should not be afraid to expect our children to engage with the Bible.

•Listening to Scripture—Many free Bible podcasts and audio versions of the Bible are available. Take

Marcus Carlson

is a Spiritual Director & certified LCMC pastor who has worked in youth and children’s ministry for over 10 years. He is Youth Minister of Bethel Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO. He and his wife, Jessica, have two children.

12some time to listen to the Scriptures with your kids. You can do this in the car, just before or after a meal, or during any other five-minute period of time. This helps our children and youth engage with the Bible, and can teach them to use time that would otherwise be wasted to focus on God. The use of technology also can help engage our children and youth with the Word of God.

•Devotionals—Another way to engage with the Bible as a family is to use a devotional. There are many different age-appropriate devotionals that can be used as individuals or as a family. There are also online devotionals and podcasts. I write a devotion almost every week for our youth and parents—while only a few read it on a regular basis, I like providing a resource that could lead to discussion about faith between youth and their peers or parents. We have had some devotionals that youth have shared with their unchurched friends. Our devotional can be found on the “resources” page of our website at www.bethellutheranyouth.net.

Worship

•Family Altar—Create a sacred space in your home. I once had a colleague who converted the small closet under his stairs into a sacred space for prayer, reading and worship. You can take a small table and put a Bible, cross, candle and other things on it to make it a sacred space where family members can go to focus on God. Creating a closet, room or other small space can also help our children and youth learn how to practice solitude while teaching them that God can be worshiped at home as well.

• Celebration of Church Seasons—The church seasons are an important part of our history and faith expression that unfortunately are being lost in our consumer culture. The church seasons are sometimes seen as irrelevant, yet they have such power and relevancy if we try to engage them in fresh ways. Celebrating Lent together as a family and learning about sacrifice can be a very powerful experience. The youth group of one church made Advent wreaths as a fundraiser each year for families to use. When our family has used it, we have found that it has grounded our attitude toward Christmas in the birth of the Christ. Get a calendar of church seasons, and talk about the purpose and meaning of each of the seasons. The church seasons can help us understand and better engage with the seasons

of life and faith while remembering the story of our own faith.

•Participation in Worship-—Perhaps it goes without saying, but our participation as a family in church is critical. One of my favorite things about my own church is that children are in services with their families. My children are ages three and five—while there is no question that being in worship can be challenging for us, for them and for those around us, I love seeing the whole community of faith together. In many families, church participation is limited to certain family members, and this is a great tragedy. Participating in worship and other church activities together leads to the transformation of the whole family. Taking time to talk about what you have learned and experienced in church together can only strengthen the faith of the family and each of its members.

There are an infinite number of ideas and ways to help point your children to Jesus Christ, and hopefully this list has helped to spur some ideas of your own. Please feel free to try out these ideas and modify them to fit your family—and share your ideas with me as well. May we all work together to point our children and youth a deeper relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Published in Connections Magazine (Jan/Feb 2011)

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Christ’s Village

By Rev. Marcus J Carlson

I wish I were a better parent. I have found myself thinking and saying this far more often than I would like. As I spend time working with children, youth and parents while raising my own children, I continue to grow far too aware of how difficult parenting is. The challenges of raising a healthy child physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually in our complicated world today can be overwhelming at times.

The quote “it takes a village to raise a child” has been used in many settings and in many books to discuss the challenges of caring for our children. This quote rings true today in every arena of the lives of children and their families. While this quote is not found in the Bible, it is a Biblical principle. Christianity is a communal faith, and the church is to be an expression of our faith in community. We were never meant to follow Christ alone. Even though our highly individualistic culture might tell us otherwise, our faith is meant to be lived out individually, in community and in the world. Perhaps a modern Biblical proverb might read “it takes a community of faith to raise a child who will follow Christ.”

Parents are looking to the church to help them raise their children, and not just spiritually. Many parents feel overwhelmed by the task of caring for and raising their children to be healthy in a world that can be very unsafe. One of the greatest sources of new members in many churches are young families who have children. These families are coming back to church again—or coming for the first time— because they want their children to grow up in the church, to learn about the Christian faith or to be raised as Christians. A survey three years ago in our church indicated that 35% of those who came to our church for the first time came so their children would be “exposed to Christianity.” It is my own personal belief that two parents are not enough in today’s world to raise a physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually healthy child. Many families do not even have the luxury of having two parents in the picture, often to no fault of the parents or the child.

In the American Church today, we have many ministries, opportunities and programs for your children and youth. These ministries seek to care for children and youth, but often become like silos or compartments, easily disconnected from the larger church. This model is beginning to be challenged, and even changed, as our culture seeks a church that cares for the whole family and is truly intergenerational. In our world of abundant resources and many means of communication, we have become more disconnected. We crave relationships and community (which is how God created us to be), and many families feel more distant from each other than ever before.

So, what are we as the church to do with this reality? What can we as the church and as parents do for our children so they have the best possible chance in life? How can we work as a community so our children and youth might experience the abundant life Jesus promised us in the Gospel of John? The good news is that the answer is found at the core of our faith: relationships. The great news is that we have the perfect model for relationships in Jesus Christ.

The church—the community of faith or “Christ’s Village”— is called to work together in the formation of our children and youth. Our children and youth need multiple Christian adult relationships to have the best chance for a healthy, full, Christ-centered life. As a church, we need to find ways to create community, enhance relationships and build up families. We need to make sure our ministries, while serving the different needs of each age and stage of life, are connected and support the nurture of our children, youth and families.

We have tried to address this in our own church as we look at our youth and children’s ministries. We are moving more toward a family ministry model where these ministries still care for children and youth, but also seek to work together in a comprehensive way. We are seeking ways to help children, youth and families grow and achieve the full and abundant life Christ desires for us. Additionally, we are trying to be more intentional about providing our children— and especially our youth—with multiple, positive, Christian adult relationships. We are seeking to design our ministry so that by the time our youth graduate, they have had many different relationships: pastors, ministry leaders, Sunday school teachers, older youth, confirmation leaders, small group leaders, youth group leaders, confirmation mentors, parents and other adults. These adults gain as much out of their relationships with youth as they give, if not more.

As Christians, we believe in and follow a relational God. Christianity is a relational faith. We have a relationship with the God of the universe. Jesus Christ came to earth to be in relationship with us. We know this as the incarnation. God in the flesh, here on earth, moved into the neighborhood. Jesus was on location and in relationship with humanity, and continues to be through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible is a relational document, telling the story of God’s relationship with the world and our relationship with God, each other and the world. Relationships are what children, youth and families will remember, more than any event or lesson we ever have to offer. It is relationships that last and have the longest and most consistent impact. In a world that continues to grow in complexity and danger, our children, youth and families continue to be and feel alone— even with all of the resources, technology and opportunities the world has to offer. Children and youth crave community and meaningful relationships with adults. To bring about the Kingdom of God on earth, we need each other.

Jesus provides the perfect model for relationships. I like to summarize the relational ministry of Jesus this way:

oJesus was in relationship with everyone and anyone. Relationships matter most.

oJesus was on location. He was with people. Presence is powerful.

oJesus was intentional. He did things on purpose and with a purpose. Process and purpose matter more than results and performance.

If we come together as the church, we will not only raise healthy Christ followers, but we will also change our families, our community. We will bring about the Kingdom of God here on earth. It takes “Christ’s Village” to raise a child. Jesus Christ, God incarnate, came into our world to be in

relationship with us and to show us we can be in relationship with God, each other and the world.

May we seek to be the community of faith God has called us to be and experience the full and abundant life promised to us in every area—in our churches, families and lives.

Amen.

Published in Connections Magazine (March/April 2011)

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Scripture as Cure

By Rev. Marcus J Carlson

I find myself thinking about the nature and authority of Scripture constantly. Scripture has taken quite a beating over the past few decades in the world, and in the American church as well. Unfortunately, the Lutheran church has been no exception to this trend, which is unfortunate because the entire nature of our faith tradition is founded on the notion of “Word alone.” The American church seems not only to be softening its view on the Scriptures, but walking away from them altogether.

I have asserted for many years that if you walk away from the source, you will die. Our failure to embrace the authority of the Bible is one of a handful of factors contributing to the decline of the church in the United States today. Yet, ministries to children and youth have not been impacted as much as the larger church by the rejection of the Scriptures. In most church environments, there is still an expectation for the church to teach children and youth the Bible. Admittedly, in many cases this teaching has weakened significantly, but in general not as much as it has in the church at large.

While I am saddened by this shift in the church, I refuse to embrace it. I try to reverse this trend without holding to a literal or fundamentalist approach to the Scriptures. In recent years, Scripture has become even more central to my ministry, teaching and working with children, youth, parents and other adults.

In our attempt to become more relevant and to attract people to the church, we have become fearful of the Scriptures and have done a great disservice to ourselves and to the world. More important, we have done a great disservice to

the Gospel. Here is the secret: the Scriptures are relevant enough on their own. They do not need an apology or an explanation.

Contrary to what we might believe, people do not come to the church to hear the same thing that they can hear outside of the church—they come for something different. People come to the church, looking for the radical life change that comes from something bigger than themselves, not a watered-down version of the Word of God. They are not looking for “Jesus light” or a little bit of spirituality to sprinkle into their lives.

This is most profoundly true with children and youth. In fact, I have observed more passion, interest and curiosity around the Scriptures from children and youth than ever before in my career. They are hungry, and the church has not always done a good job of providing a hearty meal for them.

Parents too are becoming increasingly curious about the Scriptures. They often struggle with feelings of inadequacy about their own Bible knowledge or their ability to teach their children the Bible, let alone be the spiritual leaders of their children.

I have discussed these issues before, and the good news in the midst of this season of challenge for the church is that it is also an opportunity. It is an opportunity for the church to stop apologizing for itself, for God and for the Scriptures. We have the tools, the answers and the One in our midst already. The Bible speaks for itself and will always be relevant—and contrary to what we might think and what others might say—the people in our churches and in our communities want to engage with the Scriptures, especially our children and youth.

The Scriptures are the cure. They are the cure for the needs of our people and our ministries. The Scriptures are the cure for a world that is hurting and desperately needs to know the love of God. The Scriptures tell The Story, our story. We need to reclaim the use and the authority of the Scriptures; we need to rethink how we view the Scriptures as well. Without seeing the Scriptures as authoritative, they simplybecome a nice story or an idea, and eventually can lose all meaning and application for our lives.

The Scriptures are authoritative. They are infallible. They are the inspired Word of God. The words of the Scripture have power, meaning and authority. The Scriptures are a relational document that tell the story of God in the world, the story of salvation. The Scriptures point us to our salvation, to the Kingdom. The Scriptures show us the path to abundant life.

The Scriptures are also the cure to all that ails our children, youth, parents and families. Being a family united in Christ is no easy task in today’s world. The challenges are overwhelming, and the resources, dangers and temptations are many. While there are many issues facing children, youth, parents and families as a whole, there are three issues that I would like to address. I see these three issues as the greatest roadblocks to emotionally and spiritually healthy children, youth and adults. The three issues of narcissism, entitlement, and moralistic therapeutic deism are the greatest challenges to the spiritual formation and development of children and youth in the American church today.

Narcissism is simply selfishness to the extreme. Narcissism asserts that “it’s all about me,” and all that really matters are our own needs, wants, desires and feelings. Narcissists overreact to criticism and lack empathy. This selfishness rarely helps the narcissist and almost never helps anyone around them. It is a roadblock to an authentic relationship with God.

Entitlement is a growing mindset amongst teenagers and parents. It is more predominant in some areas of the country than in others, and is often more predominant in areas of higher income. Entitlement is simply the belief that we are entitled to the things we desire—on our terms and without consequence. Entitlement asserts that we deserve almost anything we want, and we should not have to wait to get it. It believes that we deserve to be catered to by individuals, groups and organizations. This can be seen in many educational and sports organizations and institutions.

The National Study of Youth and Religion, funded by the Lilly Endowment, resulted in some interesting findings published in 2005 in a book called Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers. The study and the book concluded that most Christian American teenagers and their parents are suffering from a view known as Moralistic Therapeutic Deism (MTD). This belief held by the vast majority of churched Christians in America is that God created the world and is no longer involved, active or at work in the world. God just wants people to be nice and

He wants them to be happy, and their main goal and God’s desire is for people to feel good about themselves and be happy. Those who hold to MTD only see a need for God in the midst of a crisis. This is a Biblical and theological problem with dire consequences in the long-term.

These three issues are connected to each other. The cure for each of these three issues is found in the Scriptures. In order to move beyond these challenges and others, we need to return to the Scriptures. We must give the Scriptures authority in our lives.

If we do not choose to submit to God and His Word, we will by default submit to something else—our feelings, our wants, our desires or our agendas. If we do not submit to the Scriptures, then we will continue to miss out on the abundant life promised us in the Gospel of John.

May God grant us the wisdom and the strength to submit to the Scriptures!

Published in Connections Magazine (May/June 2011)

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The Power of Youth

By Rev. Marcus J Carlson

It would be easy to talk about all of the issues surrounding youth, families and youth ministry today. There is no question that the world has changed, and our youth are facing more issues than ever before. The statistics related to youth and families are discouraging, but the stories of the real and often painful lives of our youth are even more disheartening.

It would also be easy to talk about the changing nature of adolescence. There is no question adolescence has changed, and being a teenager is different than it has been. It would be easy to focus on the negative. When it comes to today’s American teenager, there appear to be more negatives than positives. I have great news—even though there is much to be concerned about, there is even more to celebrate.

While the world is in many ways in terrible shape, I have never had more hope in youth ministry than I do today. There are many reasons to celebrate, and there is more potential in youth than perhaps ever before. There is no question in my mind that there is great power in our youth today. God is working in, around and through them—in spite of all of the challenges they face. Here are some of my observations over the years about the power of youth. Celebrate with me— perhaps we all will begin to see these amazing (yet strange) creatures known as teenagers the way that God sees them.

Observation #1:

Jesus is a big fan of youth (and children).

There are several instances in the Gospels where Jesus encounters children. In each case Jesus not only affirms the children, but also encourages us all to be more like them. We forget that Jesus was a youth once Himself. I often think of the story of Jesus leaving his parents to go learn at the temple. We can only hope that if our kids run away, we’ll find them at church! In more than 12 years of youth ministry, I have had countless encounters with youth where I realize the fondness Jesus has for teenagers. In our culture we can easily see youth as a stage to grow out of, a group of strangers to be tolerated or as a culture we reject. These approaches to youth would never enter the mind of the Christ. It may just be the raw authenticity of teenagers that is most like the true character of the Christ.

Observation #2:

Youth have a faith that is more than what we see. They have a great capacity for authenticity and passion in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

It would be easy to assume that youth have an immature faith. If we already assume they are immature in other areas of their life, it is even easier to assume the same about their faith. At the risk of being offensive, in general I have found a deeper faith in youth than in many adults. For youth, faith is generally newer, fresher, deeper and more personal. While they do not express their faith in the way that many adults do, there is far more to their faith than what we are able to see.

I recall a youth weekend at my church several months ago. Prior to my arrival, the church had experienced a lot of pain and turmoil in the area of youth ministry. We had already had one youth weekend since my arrival, and it had gone very well. I wanted this next one to be orchestrated perfectly so the congregation could see the amazing things that were happening in the youth ministry. The weekend went well, but this time around my youth leadership team (made up of 12 youth) told me that I needed to allow them to take the service and lead. I went with their suggestion, but I have to admit I was very nervous. I had no idea what they were going to say. I had forgotten about the depth of their faith. The youth led us all in worship that weekend in a way that changed the whole congregation. Adults of all ages lined up to talk with me after services—many in tears—to share with me how they were moved by our youth. Over and over again, these adults shared with me it was the depth of the faith of our youth that moved them, offering great encouragement in their own faith.

Sometimes as adults we fail to be authentic in our faith. We fear authenticity and see it as immature or inappropriate. Nothing could be further from the truth. Somewhere along the way, we start to believe that following Jesus is about having it all together, or at least pretending we do. Somehow our faith turns into something where we feel the need to pretend, focusing on saying and doing the right things, instead of walking in spirit, truth and authenticity with Jesus. Youth have an amazing capacity for the kind of authenticity we should all aspire to. This authenticity goes hand in hand with their deep, raw passion for life and for faith. This passion is expressed in joy, in doubt, in victory and in pain. Faith is not a set of beliefs, practices or habits; it is a real, passionate relationship with Jesus Christ. Youth remind us of this with their own faith.

Observation #3:

Teenagers are capable of more than we realize.

Hopefully the previous two observations have already highlighted this reality. We assume that youth are just children (while ironically expecting them to act like adults or at least mini-adults), and are limited in what they can do. This assumption leads us to treat youth differently, even looking down on them at times. There is no question that teenagers are complicated, imperfect, unpredictable creatures. How could they not be in the midst of a very complicated time developmentally in every area of their life? They live in a world where the expectations continue to grow while their support systems are falling apart. Even in the midst of these challenges, youth manage to achieve things many adults never could imagine achieving themselves. There are countless stories of youth who are changing the world, doing things we adults often wish we had the courage to do. I look back with great pride on my own career as I remember all of the stories of youth doing ministry in creative and powerful ways that exceeded anything I could have ever dreamed or done myself.

Observation #4:

Youth are truly missional and get what it means to ‘be’ the church instead of just ‘doing’ church.

It is easy in our North American culture to get into the habit of doing church instead of being the church. We can easily concentrate on our church programs, events and ministry instead of focusing on being the church in our community and the world. While programs, events and ministries are great tools to help us be the church, they should not be our focus. Youth understand this, and that is why they are often cynical towards the church—especially when they see us more focused on the institution than the purpose. Youth tend

to be very missional, which means they are focused on the purpose of the church and the need to be about the business of Christ instead of the business of the institution. As adults, we need the help of our youth so we do not lose sight of what really matters when it comes to the church.

Observation #5:

Youth have a greater capacity for compassion than most adults.

Sweeping generalizations like this one may come off as offensive. If that is the case, let me offer my apology and blame it on some of my mentors. The reality is that this statement has proven true throughout my career and I include myself in the adult category here. Something happens in our journey toward adulthood where we become very judgmental and cynical. I wish I could go back to that moment in my own life (if it is a moment), and turn that switch off.

Each time I go on a mission trip or engage with a service project with youth, I see this observation in action. I have also observed this in our schools as well. Youth care deeply about others and the world. They have a raw, genuine ability to demonstrate compassion in a wide variety of settings, and are not nearly as concerned with image and social expectations as they are with compassion and caring. As adults, we often reverse this, limiting our opportunity to demonstrate compassion toward others.

Observation # 6:

The youth are not the future of the church.

I know people mean well when they say it, but every time I hear this, it is more painful than the sound of fingernails scraping across a chalkboard. I often have to catch myself before I respond in an unhelpful way. On a logical plane, certainly youth are the future key leaders and key givers of the church, so I get what people are trying to say. On a theological level, this statement is more than problematic.

The church is a body, an organism and not an institution. This organism is made up of all people of all ages, genders, races and perspectives. There is no generation (or other group) that is solely the past, present or future of the church. When we say youth (or children) are the future of the church, we are saying that someone else (not them) are the present of the church. The youth are the present of the church, and we need them now in the American church more than ever. Our youth should be a part of every aspect of the life of our congregations. We should have a youth on every committee and team within the church, and they should be sharing in the leadership of worship on a regular basis, not just on special weekends.

Observation #7:

Youth have more potential than we can ever know.

Hopefully, I have already made the case for this observation; if not, I would really encourage you prayerfully to think it through. I could offer countless stories here from throughout my career (including my own life story). In the midst of all of the issues facing youth, it can be hard to see the scope of their capabilities. In our attempts to make them good, Christian, contributing members of society, we often overlook the gifts, passions and dreams God has given them—not only for the future, but for the present. We (and our churches) miss out when we do not see and embrace the potential of our youth.

Recently, I had the opportunity to go and visit our partner church in El Salvador for the first time. In addition to being able to meet the three Compassion children our family sponsors, I was able to spend several hours meeting with their youth leaders, along with one of our own youth who came with me. We had a wonderful conversation that was clearly filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit. It made me realize what it really means to be a unified church. I saw in their youth leaders and youth a deep passion for God, and unlimited potential in the midst of having very few material possessions.

Our youth and youth leaders are changing their world. They are doing things beyond what most would assume they were capable of, and yet there is more to come. There is more potential to be explored, more ministry dreams to be lived out. There is more that God is going to do in, around and through

them. I cannot wait to see all that God has in store for these youth, and all that He will do through them. I can only begin to imagine what our partnership will look like, and how it will change each of us and our world.

Working with youth has been an honor and privilege for me. They have changed me and taught me much about God. They continue to amaze me and make me proud, but more than that, they humble me. For all of the youth who have engaged in ministry with me over the past 12 years and to all of the youth who will engage with me in the future, I say thank you.

The next time you see that odd-looking teenager in the mall or the grocery store, don’t look with a critical eye. Don’t be confused by their appearance, attitude or even behavior, because in each teenager lies the image of God. God is doing something in their lives, and wants each of us to see them as He sees them and to partner with them to change the world. In each of these teenagers lies power and potential that comes from the very being of God.

Published in Connections Magazine (July/Aug 2011)

Learn about Connections here

Whole Body of Christ

By Rev. Marcus J Carlson

Many stereotypes exist for youth workers, whether volunteer or paid. These stereotypes exist for every type of job title and description (youth minster, youth pastor or youth director). Stereotypes are always dangerous, yet are rooted in our fear, experience and inexperience.

Throughout my ministry, I have wrestled with the stereotypes of youth workers, both in healthy and unhealthy ways. I have often been proud some stereotypes do not fit me, while I have embraced others that do. The stereotype that probably does fit me is that youth workers do not think the youth should have to do a certain amount of work in the church.

In many church settings, there is an expectation that youth serve as the manual or physical labor force of the church. It is rooted in the logic that youth are young and strong. It is rooted in a belief that since youth do not and cannot give much to the church financially, they owe the adults and the church for supporting them and their ministry. While this may be true and even logical, it is not necessarily Biblical.

I often get myself in trouble for my view on this issue and for challenging people and institutions that hold this view. It is a stereotype and a criticism that I will continue to embrace. As a youth worker I am an advocate for youth and I value them deeply. I want to help others to value them as Christ values them, to see them as created in the image of God. Youth need to be seen as the present of the church and not the future (see the May/June 2011 issue of Connections).

Stereotypes can be dangerous,especially when it comes to the expression of spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts transcend age, physical ability, race, gender and just about every other category that exists. Spiritual gifts are not about work or labor, but the work of the Holy Spirit. It is God who has given us gifts to be expressed in the church and in the world for the good of the one using the gift, the one receiving the work connected to the gift and for the kingdom of God in the world.

I am not suggesting youth or children should not help with the work of the church, nor am I suggesting the youth should not help the adults of the church. Instead, what I am suggesting is we look at children and youth the same way we look at the adults of the church when it comes to the use of gifts and the work of the church. While children and youth cannot do certain things because of age limitations, we should not allow that to dictate what gifts they have or use. We should not do this with our senior members either, even though their abilities may be different. We should not see our senior members as the past of the church. We are all the body of Christ here and now, and we are called to be the body together.

I am deeply passionate about spiritual gifts and helping all people find their gifts and use them for the good of the church, community and world. While there are many aspects of ministry I do not do well, this is one where God has blessed me with passion and strength. Nothing is more exciting to me than equipping, training, caring for and helping someone use his or her gifts. It is my “sweet spot” and my favorite part of being a pastor. I enjoy engaging with all the Scripture has to say about spiritual gifts. Read any of the passages on the body of Christ or the church (particularly Ephesians 4) and you will not find any age restrictions. You will not find any age, ability or strength-based expectations as well. You will not discover some parts of the body are only for the present, while others are only for the past or the future.

Helping children and youth find and express their gifts is more powerful than any ministry, program or lessoncould ever be. Service in the church and community builds relationships and deepens faith for people of all ages.

While children and youth may not be able to understand their gifts fully, we should still work to help them discover and use them. In my ministry career, I have seen children and youth do some amazing things in the church and the world.

There have been countless stories of tiny heroes who lived out the Gospel in real ways. In some ways, it is easier for children and youth to use their gifts. They have not been completely hardened by the world. They do not have the same limits, expectations and cynicism that can come with adulthood. Children and youth are incredibly creative, passionate and compassionate, which empowers them even more.

Churches should empower children and youth in the life of the church and give them as many different types of opportunities to use their gifts as possible. This honors them, and it honors who God has created them to be. To allow children and youth to use their gifts recognizes the gifts God has given them. Children and youth who serve in the church and community feel more connected to Christ, His church and His world. Those who use their gifts and serve as children and youth are more likely to stick with the church and use their gifts as adults.

Every church ministry team (or committee) should have a youth and young adult on the team, if possible. Churches should identify roles in the church where youth can serve, and then invite youth to serve in those roles. Children and youth should be a part of worship leadership and not just on a special “Youth Sunday.” Our youth and children are the body of Christ, and we must invite them to discover their gifts and to be a part of the whole life of the church.

We are all the body of Christ. Every follower of Jesus, every participant in the life of the church is a part of the body of Christ. We are unique, yet created in the image of God. Each of us, whether young or old, rich or poor, is invited to work together as the body of Christ. We have been created, saved and called by name by the One who created the whole universe. We each bear the image of God and have been given gifts by God so that we might fulfill the great commandment to love God, love others and love ourselves.

We have been given gifts so that we might join with God in the fulfillment of the Great Commission: to make disciples of all nations. In a consumer-oriented world and church, one of the best things we can do is to discover our gifts and begin using them for the good of the Kingdom of God in the world.

Published in Connections Magazine (Sept/Oct 2011)

Learn about Connections here

Legacy

By Rev. Marcus J Carlson

A Christ-centered legacy should be just that—centered on Christ. We are called to change, to be transformed. That is the call to discipleship. That is what it means to follow Jesus. Our everyday life should be put before God. Every decision, everything we do, our relationships, our choices, our decisions, our work, our resources—all should be placed before God as an offering.

It’s not just about what we do—it’s about what God is doing. Legacy comes from God. Who we are is because of who God has created us to be. Embracing what God is doing is the best thing we can do for God. Being attentive to what the spirit of God is doing in our midst is where power and legacy are found. Looking for God’s dream, His kingdom revealed around us. This is truly countercultural. It’s the opposite of what the world says, but to be honest, the world has gone absolutely crazy. Let’s not let the world dictate who we are, what we do and what our legacy is.

Instead, let’s look to the God who created us and become our true selves, to be transformed into the persons that God has created us to be. True and meaningful change—a real and powerful legacy—is impossible without God. We are called to give ourselves and every aspect of our lives completely to God. The more I interact with and minister to children and youth, the more I learn. Certainly as a parent, I feel I often learn more from my children than I teach them, especially about God. As I interact with the various Gospel passages where Jesus has an interaction with or something to say about children, I find that each day I understand a little more of why it is that Jesus valued children so much.

The other day I was tired and overwhelmed with my task list, so I took the chance to lie in my hammock with my iPod on as I read through my sermon for that weekend. My son Micah, who is almost 6, joined me in the hammock with his iPod as well. At one point he poked me to get my attention. Not wanting to be disturbed at the moment (and a bit agitated at the interruption), I was able to catch myself and remember what Jesus did in a moment like this. I took the headphones out of my ear and asked Micah what he needed. He then proceeded to explain the Trinity to me with great passion and excitement. It was an amazing moment. I found his childlike theology of the Trinity to be very powerful and meaningful—in many ways, he had a greater understanding than most in the church.

The Trinity is complicated and requires one to embrace mystery in order to fully accept the concept. Perhaps this is why children have a greater understanding of theological truths, because they are able to embrace mystery with greater ease. Micah ended his theological lesson by exclaiming how great it is that we have the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It was a proud and profound moment, and I found that I learned a thing or two.

My sermon that weekend was on this topic of legacy. Unfortunately, I was not able to connect this moment with my son to my sermon as I perhaps should have. After the weekend, I was able to reflect on what God was doing and saying in the moment in the hammock with my son, as well as what God was saying to me as I attempted to bring His Word to the people of our congregation.

As I continue to think about this moment and my own thoughts on legacy, I realize that the issue of legacy is a key issue for our culture today. If we do not start to take legacy seriously, the church is going to suffer greatly—both now and in the future. So much of our legacy is found and lived out by our own children, as well as the children and youth with whom we interact. God does not wait until children are adults to use them, nor does God speak only to adults who can best understand what God says. The story of Samuel is an obvious and powerful illustration of that. The thing that

Samuel got right (as well as Eli, who mentored him) was that Samuel was willing to listen. His first posture, his first response to God was to listen. This may be perhaps one of the most powerful gifts that children can offer to us, and it may be a reason why children have such a genuine and powerful understanding of God.

Legacy starts with listening—listening to God as He speaks in our relationships, our circumstances, through our worship, in creation, in His Word and more. Listening leads us to a place of humility and submission. We cannot have a legacy without listening, and more specifically, listening to God. Listening

leads us to something greater than ourselves. “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9). I try to make this my posture for life. I try to think and act on this in each moment, big or small. Listening means hearing something, whether it’s good, strange or hard to hear. Listening in our culture is abnormal, especially listening to God. When we listen to God we are often called to things that might seem strange or even wrong in our culture. Yet, we are called to come to Jesus like a child, willing to listen and go wherever God leads—no matter how strange, difficult, awkward or surprising that calling might be.

Our legacy is not found in what we do, what we have or even what we achieve. Our legacy is found in God, who is the author of all legacy. Our legacy as adults, ministers, parents, grandparents, mentors and followers of Jesus is found in our relationship with the God of the universe, His people (especially His children and youth), as well as His world.

My son Micah, in that simple moment in the hammock, reminded me of the joy of listening to the God of the universe. He also reminded me of what is most important in life. The whole church must come together to bring about God’s dream, His kingdom, to this world. We need all of God’s people to work together to care for the children and youth in our midst—not just for the sake of the future, but because God has called us to love all of those around us in a real, radical and powerful way.

To what kind of legacy is God calling us? What do we want to do to help bring about God’s kingdom on earth? How can we listen to, pour into, and mentor the children and youth around us so that we can leave a powerful legacy that will allow the church to be all Christ has called it to be, both now and in the future?

Published at Youthworker Online (A part of Youthworker Journal)

Read the online article here

Short-Term Missions, Long-Term Relationships

By Rev. Marcus J Carlson

Short-term mission trips can be some of the most powerful experiences of any youth ministry, especially in the local church setting. There are many ways to approach youth mission trips. Some churches use various organizations to lead their trips, while other churches are able to plan their own trips. There are various strengths and weaknesses to either approach, and it often depends on the resources of the church and the philosophy of the youth leader responsible for the trips. Regardless of the type of mission trip, short-term missions can be a catalyst for significant life-change experiences for youth as they experience faith transformation through service. For many youth ministries, short-term mission trips are the highlight of the year and can provide great momentum for any youth ministry for the following school year.

While short-term mission trips are very powerful, there are pitfalls to this aspect of youth ministry. While the work performed is usually very helpful, it is the relationships built on these trips that have the most power. One of the great tensions I (and many other youth workers) have wrestled with is the short-term nature of these trips. A youth group swoops into a community, works for a period of time, then leaves the community — usually never to see it again. Short-term mission trips often have left me desiring more as I learn to love the community we are serving and cherish the relationships that are built. There are always more projects than can be accomplished, and these trips often create a vision in the participants for how they might be able to help the community they are serving beyond what can happen within the constraints of the short-term mission trip. This generation of youth has a high capacity for missional thinking that can be shortchanged by the nature of short-term mission trips.

In the midst of these tensions (and others) there is a lot of pressure in youth ministries to find the next new place to serve that will attract youth and provide variety and excitement to the missions program of the youth ministry. I have been struggling to find a solution to this tension for many years, remaining passionate about the value and meaning in short-term mission trips, yet dissatisfied with their short-term nature. I have come to some conclusions, causing me to move in a better, healthier direction with short-term youth missions. It is likely these conclusions may be flawed and not final. They, too, will create some tensions that will need to be addressed in the coming years.

We have decided in our new approach to youth missions to form long-term partnerships with various churches, organizations and communities. We have partnered with four geographic areas, balancing local, urban, rural, American Indian and international missions and with missions focused on relationships and work projects.  We will work with the one community each year, rotating between middle and high schools. The alternate years, we will work with the other two communities, adding our international partnership every two to three years. This allows for diversity and consistency at some level and will allow our youth and youth ministry to build long-term relationships with these communities.

My greatest hope is this plan will allow for short-term missions that build long-term relationships with individuals, churches and communities. It is critical for youth workers to think carefully about their approach to youth missions in their churches, whatever their direction might be.