Back to the Basics of Young Life

I finished Back to the Basics of Young Life by John Miller today.I didn't love it, but it was good. I have a Young Life background. My first foray, real foray, into youth ministry leadership was in leading a Young Life club.

First, what I didn't like about it. John Miller was a very good friend, and disciple of Jim Rayburn's, who founded Young Life. Written after Jim's death there are sections that are pure hagiography. I don't have a specific complaint about it. I do believe Rayburn was a great man of faith and courage. I'm just not into canonization.

Besides that, I found myself stopping and pausing to mull over a number of things. Many of them have to do with the various and sundry discouragements that come upon those who are involved in ministry. Miller names them and gives solid advice on how to think about them faithfully. Two that stand out to me:

• The various financial concerns that come with being in ministry.
• The steady and ongoing question of 'progress' in my ministry. Am I making even one iota of difference?

I won't belabor this post with his sage advice, accept to say that Miller reminded me that God is always faithful and that the laborer works the ground for 364 days for a 1 day harvest.

More provocative for me was the simple 4-point summary of Young Life's ministry:

1. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without.
2. It's a sin to bore a kid with the gospel.
3. Win the right to be heard.
4. Assume our young audience does not know anything about the Christian faith.Therefore always be in the posture of a teacher--and not a preacher.

Perhaps this appears too youth ministry specific to be applicable to you if you don't work with students. Maybe, but the first point at least is saturated in Scripture. See Col 4:5, 1Tim3:7, 1Thess 4:12. The whole notion of walking toward those who are without, and having a good report among the non-Christian hit me afresh.

Where may I do this with ever more credibility? Do I have the courage to do it? Do we?