Running into former students is always a trip.Some students are like… “my youth pastor…”some students are like…“Don Solin, how are you?”Some students are like… “I wonder if he knows?”Now of course there is Face Book where I have connected with students that go as far back as my first youth ministry 1988.Anyhow, the thing is this:Back when I first started—I remember when students would get in trouble and the church would ask…“like where was the youth pastor?”How could this happen?”I remember thinking—this is nuts—their behavior is not or will never be a reflection of the youth pastor or ( back in those days—the youth group)
Come on now, why is the pastor on trial for students behavior?When is the student responsible? Should the parents be a little responsible?The answer to that question is very important.For if the parents are a little responsible, and the youth pastor is a little responsible, and the youth group is a little responsible --- how much is the student responsible?Really!When I grew up it was “the devil made me do it.”Or the rock and roll is to blame.Or society is to blame.Or should have right wing republicans in charge then the world would be better and we would not have so much on our shoulders. The point is that as a youth pastor I have seen 20 years of students not engaging in a relationship with Christ-- knowing all the right stuff, but not taking sole responsibility of how they live out this relationship with Christ.
In truth—it is great to run into former students.I can take very little credit for way they may be in their lives period.What I am responsible for is building a ministry where students can engage God,Engage Faith. Engage one another.Engage the church and then possibly engage Jesus Christ for a life long journey.I certainly feel responsible for building a ministry where students can begin their faith journey.Some may need to walk away from their religious upbringing.Some may need to walk into the ministry with nothing but an attitude of “lets see”and then the students that are growing will have something to do with what they know already-- to influence-- to live out what they either know and believe-- then they (those that love the Lord) can live out and practice what they truely believe. I in turn can place much into my team so that they can teach and mentor the many students-- my role is to build a team of people that can influence students.
Yes, it is sometimes sad to see former students that never really got it.Yes I do sometimes think—“I could have done more.”The bottom line for me will always be—building ministries that go well beyond the status quo.Well beyond the “we like our group” or “all we need is more this or that.”No, Student ministry must be built for students to engage at any level—a life moving toward a life of Faith in Jesus Christ…. Moving along in this relationship by engaging Him moment by moment, day by day, year by year and engaging Him because they love Him with all their heart.
It may not look like mine—but it is not supposed to—i.e. Peter, Matthew, Saul, Judas, Timothy, Luke—These men followed Him and their lives were never the same.
After 18 years of student ministry I am glad I can’t take much credit… after all, it is His Ministry.
Well, I just spent the last 2 days in my home town Chicago!Great time visiting with family and friends.I always get a little something going in my heart and soul when I get back home.It seems like not so long ago that I was hangin with my neighborhood friends, playing street hockey, playing waffle ball, playing home run derby, riding bikes to the pool—so many memories when I get back home.
I went to the grave site where my father is buried yesterday and today with my sister, her family and mine we went to the house grew up in—the neighborhood looks very much the same—the house has been redone—so I stayed outside—I will keep my memories.
Interesting though—I remembered for a split second the day I drove off on my motorcycle with my duffle bag of clothes—stopped at the stop sign and looked back to see my mom crying in the arms of my dad.It hit me again like it was yesterday—how I longed to move forward—but the pain of leaving, the pain of saying good bye, the desire to start a new—all the emotions seemed to be right with me—
And then I thought of where I am headed in a week—back to a place I was 8 years ago.Fairhaven church—I’m thinking—I’m wondering?How is this going to be?How will people accept me—how will it be to start all over again?
Proverbs 3 says--
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
I rest in these words—not that the words alone produce --not alone—but I have seen how the Lord has made my path straight—and through these past 8 years—what I have really learned?What I have really began to understand—
This life of “Following Christ” is best done by faith.And so—I trust Him with this next deal.
Oh baby, I know that is has been a long time since I blogged on my little website.
But, this has been a very busy month to say the least.In truth, it has been one of those months that is like 30 days of blurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
I don’t know where to begin—Raft trip, saying yes to Fairhaven, getting the house ready to sell, working at trying to tie up loose ends at Far Hills, or working on my final message at Far Hills?So I’ll just share my heart.
Going back to do the Student Ministry at Fairhaven has not been any part of my future dreams over the past 8 years.Oh, I may have thought once or twice about the good life back then.I may have thought about the many mistakes I made back then and wished I could do it over.I have even asked myself when I was working as the only pastor at the church plant—“Why did I leave?” I got over that several years ago.
Why am I headed back to Fairhaven then?Well in short—I believe this is a God movement.This movement back to Fairhaven is not about a church, or the past for the matter—no this is about the future.This movement back to Fairhaven is not about me—but it is about a much larger, bigger issue.
It’s about students.It’s about the students in the Dayton area.It’s about maximizing all the resources in this town to reach every high school, and every student surrounding Fairhaven church.
I believe the time is now.I believe that I had to go through the last 8 years in order to prepare me for this endeavor—to trust God, to show students and parents the reality of Jesus Christ.The time is now and I am almost ready.Almost?Yes, almost—because I have not arrived, but I am growing and willing to do the next thing even though I had no idea that Fairhaven would be the place.
