mar '04 - the 'real' deal

Team Training

I don't know if you can think back to the exercise craze of my young adolescence.I'm speaking of the unbelievable, unmistakable, guaranteed flap reducer: mini-trampoline! it was a brown, round mini-trampoline that sat on 7 little steel legs about 7 inches off the ground and 2-3 feet in diameter. as my family watched the commercials we saw well respected, beautiful people demonstrating graceful movements with a smile a mile wide on their faces.and their bodies engaged in an effortless dance with the music and gravity. they were in shape, having fun and it was all from this amazing little device. it looked REALLY good!

as is the case with almost all infomercials - the disappointment set in rather quickly as we assembled the jumbled pieces on the floor to match the picture on the box. it was rather tight in the springs leaving you with very little vertical. it was noisy and the mesh on the base rubbed your foot raw if you bounced too long.

but to me: it was the coolest thing ever! it was a mini-trampoline for crying out loud! I mean - how many people could actually have a trampoline in their HOUSE?!

it wasn't as good as "seen on TV" - but it was good enough for me! simply put: it was a REAL trampoline.not perfect, but there.

in our plastic, perfect world - where perception reigns supreme. every thing has the pursuit of perfection! that's the aim of every product, every service and everybody.

as I sat across from the table recently with a student and shared some of my struggles, some of my junk that God is working on in me.his eyes widened and a sigh of relief eased out. I realized: many young people may look at me as one of their pastors or you as their youth leader and see this perception of perfection.that we have it all together, we have this spiritual journey of living the life Jesus wants us to taste all figured out. no worries, no issues, no problems.

Doug Fields writes,

"as you build relationship with kids, it's crucial that they recognize you

are human. simply because you are a youth leader, some kids believe

you are destined to sit next to Jesus. this may sound strange, but some kids

think you're perfect."

how good it is for students to see us as the REAL DEAL. not super-Christian with all things figured out and mastered.but rather as a fellow journeyman with a long way to go, but committed and enjoying the ride. I want to encourage you to allow students to encounter the REAL YOU at times, to remove the false perception that as adult leaders - we've arrived. we may be further down the journey - but we are still in the journey of following Jesus.

as you live your life among and with students - don't let them stumble over the pedestal that they may have put you on. BE REAL.

disclaimer:

that doesn't mean you need to or should share every detail of your life. You don't have to hang out all your dirty laundry or share your grossest sins with students. but allow them to know that you also have struggles, and encourage them to pray for you. they need to know they are not alone - adults screw up, too! this gives them hope.

• keep sharing your struggles concise - you don't need to paint in the detail, just frame out the reality that you have/had them too

• share what you have learned (or are learning) - what God is showing you about His truth, His hope or Himself

• your sharing should always be motivated by your caring - you're expressing care for that student and what they are going through; not getting side tracked into turning the focus onto solely you

• invite students to actually pray for you - right then and there.practice doing that for them as they share their struggles/concerns too

• don't feel the need to share! often our intentional listening in the present is better than chiming in with a piece of our story from the past  

• don't share if it will hurt someone else - if you're disclosing something that might hurt someone else because they're unaware or don't want it shared.stay silent

• PRAY! - let the Holy Spirit lead the discussion - the what, when and ifs of your disclosures

REMEMBER: disclosure is NOT about the despair of the past, but ALWAYS about God's hope and grace for now and yet to come.

thanks for being a part of our team - thanks for being REAL!

".confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

the prayer of the righteous man is powerful and effective". james 5:16

"let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.let us hold

unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. and let us

consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds..

let us encourage one another - all the more as you see the day approaching."

Hebrews 10:22-25

Shout Out

Email Jack one theory/tip/thought that stuck out to you as you read through this or from your meditation time.

jack@casaschurch.org

click here to see Leaders are Learners archive