NYMC Reflections (Post 1 of 4)

Well we're home from chilly Cincy and, overall, this conference exceeded our expectations. So over the next 4 days I'll be sharing some of the more interesting points of the National Youth Ministry Conference '08.

The first workshop I attended was led by the FAB-U-LOUS (Dr.) Kara Powell and was called "Balancing Ministry, Marriage, Motherhood, and More." Allow me to chase a brief rabbit trail: This is the second ministry related conference I have been to and I've noticed that many people's main agenda for these weekends is to show off their babies. Don't get me wrong, I like babies, in fact, I love babies. But quit slapping me in the face with them! It's like "we have a baby, see my baby, my baby poops, my baby rides in a stroller, my baby deserves your attention, why aren't you looking at my baby parade!" I just don't understand the flagrant baby-one-upping done by couples in ministry. Maybe someday I will, but until then I'll just use this annoyance as free birth control.
....And back to the workshop....It was wonderfully executed and presented with discussion, worksheets, and relevant facts related to women in ministry. Perhaps the most significant thing I learned from this particular workshop was over some of Kara's research. She studied a group of college students who had been active in their high school youth groups. Her goal was to see why some students struggled with their faith once they got into college. Aside from the obvious pressures, here's what she and her team discovered. It was found that students who struggled had parents who were talking to them about their (the students) faith. The students who were solid in their faith foundation had parents who were talking to them about their own (the parents) faith. You see, real faith takes leading by example and teaching through their own struggles and successes. While I don't think that this is always the case, I think it does speak to how families communicate.

That night we had the astute privilege of listening to the great Tony Dungy give a keynote address. What a passionate and humble man. Again, he reinforced this idea of family involvement by saying that it is family who primarily installs the truth and secondarily spiritual mentors who reinforce those principles. Coach Dungy talked about how four of every five of his players grew up in a single-parent home. He attributed their success to mentors and teachers they had in high school and in their churches. He left us with three final thoughts of how to help reach both the athlete as well as the non-athlete. #1. Learn your craft and never stop learning. #2. Make it personal (take personal interest in who and what you are doing) and above all Be Yourself! #3. Recharge by Relying on Christ.
Proverbs 21:31 - The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.