Words from WW Blog

This coming week is going to be weird. My opening act in a sixth-grade classroom has come to an end. The new teacher, who I know and is awesome, arrives on Tuesday. I’ll be occupying my stool at Starbucks when the bundles of energy and hyperness arrive at school.

Energy defines these kids. My classroom was set up to create it. From “The Side Question” on the side whiteboard, changed daily, that entertained their comments and interests, to “The Far Side” cartoons that spelled “SMILE” on the other side of the classroom, to the Daily Dad Joke, to Wolfe Wisdom, each class was like a power plant of eleven-year-old excitement.

It occurred to me that I’ve had several experiences in my life that resemble what I just experienced. They were church youth groups. Four of them come to mind: 1) My youth group as I was growing up at First Baptist Church in Ironton, Ohio. Lifelong friendships were created in that group, including two of the guys who were a part of my wedding party. 2) The first youth group I led at First Baptist Church in Marseilles, Illinois. It was a great group of kids in a small town who took me under their wings and taught me as much, or more, as I taught them. 3) The youth of First Presbyterian Church in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Wow! I’ll always remember the trip to Young Life Camp in Colorado. 4) The youth of First Baptist Church in Lansing, Michigan. Chuck Landon mentored me as a pastor and also entrusted his kids to me. That group was awesome, funny, and kept me on my toes as we met in “the upper room.”

Now, I’m leading, mentoring, and encouraging the leaders of the youth at First Baptist Church in Colorado Springs. I can sense the energy building as we take these adolescents on a journey of discovery and faith.

Kids need groups such as these. I can see how they have shaped me in my growing-up days, and have firmed-up my faith as I have assumed the role of leader. We’ve had movies like “The Goonies” and “The Sandlot”. Someone should make a movie called “The Youth Group” and show the lives that get transformed in the midst of it.

This entry was posted on September 3, 2024 at 1:11 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.