The Question deserves an answer...

Hello Mario. Glad to hear you are still enrolled in Youth Ministry 102! I'm in Book Writing mode, so you are gonna get an ear full. Maybe several ears! These are things I am putting down in writing.

I will try and give you as much (maybe too much) information as I can regarding this. I have lost a few battles on this front, and I feel like the war is going to be won, but I'm not sure yet. I will try and write this so you can print out 2 copies and address the issues with the other person facing the challenge to find a solution that honors God above all.

First the black and white issues, then I will address the 'touchy feely' issues:

1. Sadly, in the world today, one of the major concerns in any ministry is the LIABILITY issue. If EVERYONE involved is over 21 years (and they aren't), the situation is much easier because they can be responsible for their own decisions in the event of a problem, and problems come in many shapes. [That is another seminar in itself.]

Question: If there were an assault, impropriety or problem, who would assume responsibility, the Restaurant or the Congregation?

The management may have gladly opened the door of opportunity to a good friend or worker, but beyond that, who is responsible if some tragedy would occur? If the Congregation's insurance is covering the people from 'Iglesia Cual Sea,' then your youth leader is obliged to work under whatever regulations the Pastor and Directors of that church decide. If the SITE Management is accepting responsibility, you can easily put whatever name/banner you wish, and the issue proceeds to one of the 'touchy-feely' issues i will address later.

2. Everything belongs to someone. In ministry, we could say it belongs to God. God then assigns someone to be in Leadership. Leadership is always submissive to someone. ALWAYS. EVERYWHERE. If a person is not able to be submissive in a leadership position, they are not mature enough to embrace those responsibilities. When the passion of ministry calling is strong enough, you will sit in the seat of learning not scorners. [That whole Psalm 1 thing.]

[You wanna discuss that? It'll take a while unless everyone understands the principle of Submission to Authority. A good book for that is called "A Tale of Three Kings." It's about Saul, David and Absalom. The difference in the attitude toward those whom we answer to and those who answer to us is vividly expressed in these Bible characters.]

If the agreement in the leadership is that this is sponsored by one organization or a coalition, that is who it belongs to. That is the name that is on it. Whether stated or understood. I believe SELFISH PRIDE could raise a dangerous issue if the name is more important than the vision or mission of the ministry. If the vision or mission is not stated (written down in plain language so everyone can understand it) then people are just hanging out, and that too can be dangerous! Unity needs to have purpose. Acts 2 said "ALTOGETHER" but also in one "ACCORD" or agreement of purpose. Western Christianity is often deceived into leaving ministry aside in the name of entertainment. Christianity is offensive. To many! To MOST! But when the issue is raised, many people will accept Christ because they know that you have to believe in something and their previous experiences will have left them empty and at the point of decision. That is a good time to bring out a plate of hot wings and talk about stuff that really matters. Life change! The whole point is that Young Adults or Singles should be mature in their thinking to be able to dialogue and agree on the solutions.

3. The name is not the important part. But it is part. Whomever is in the Leadership Role or Roles (if it is a coalition), must agree what name is on the 'outside.' They will know the name on the 'inside' [which is what is referred to in Part 1. "Who is responsible?"] In the A/G perspective, Singles Adult Ministry is different from Young Adults Ministry in that S.A.M. is under Sunday School. If the responsibility is theirs, you can pray for the resolution in that department, if under Youth Ministry, then that Youth Leader will do well to agree with the leadership that they are submissive to. And the chain of command (or authority) agrees on the ministry purpose of that area of outreach or growth.

4. Under touchy-feely issues, the most important thing to remember is that the Kingdom of God is built on a relationship. And everything else is a result of that relationship. It's truly not so much 'WHAT' you know as much as 'WHO' you know. And it is most important to honor that in each other. Jesus said it kinda like this: "Love God, Love People." Luke 10:27 [Matthew 22:37-39; Mark 12:30-31]

5. One last PERSONAL [touchy-feely] issue is this. Latinos are on the move. It is a wonderful thing to stand up and be counted. God is not doing this so we will 'stronger self-esteem.' He is doing it so that the Lost will be Found. That is the main thing. But is important to be visible. If some people don't like it that a Latino Pentecostal experience is leading people to changed lives, that is o.k. There are plenty of other Evangelical efforts around that may draw them. If a name or title can be chosen to represent all parties involved, that is wonderful too. But stand for something! When a member of a congregation steps into a ministry responsibility, there has to be a spiritual covering. Spiritual submission to authority is the battle that SOOOO MANY powerful ministries (especially youth related) lose. Rather than embrace the rules, we make them a noose. The Lord asked the Apostle Paul why he kept on kicking against the 'barbed wire' [goad] or rules.

God's plan is sovereign. It is good to see what God is doing and then join in with Him. It is a tragedy to resist Him and have him crush us. I pray for long and fruitful harvest days in this area. We are experiencing something similar at our congregation as well. But, we have to keep the main thing, the Main Thing.

Hope I did not ramble too much. This is an issue that many of us will be facing for the next season of growth in the Kingdom of God. Many 'professional church kids' grew up very immaturely and do not know how to eat the MEAT of the Word of God. But they want it! More so now that they are older. But that requires that they also learn to be RESPONSIBLE. Like Peter Parker's Grandpa Ben said, "With great power comes Great Responsibility." [Spiderman]

Giga-Bendiciones,

Max, a.k.a. Pastor Gadget

"Duarte, Mario (CPS)" <Mario_Duarte@itc.co.harris.tx.us> wrote:

How are you doing? I am blessed. I wanted to ask you a question that has been raised to me by one of my youth that is a leader in our youth staff. Let me just give you a little insight, as you know we have been doing the "coffee house" events every last Friday/Saturday of the month. Allot of your college and career have been there. Well there are allot of different churches attending. The guy who is doing this event is over our College and Career leader and because of the connections that he has, he is able to get Wings-n-more off Tidwell. Ok, here goes the problem is that when this started it was a college and career event but now it has got to a place where it is quite a large event. The guy who is over this, does not want the event to be linked to any church because he says it will be a turn off for the college and career. My side to this is that no matter what type of activity you do or event you do, because you are a youth leader, because allot of our youth help and because it was birthed out of Primera...this has to be under Primera Youth Ministries. He does not agree to the point that he has told me that if we make him be under the Primera Youth Ministry that he will resign. We had a very heated discussion over this, his argument to me is that the Gospel has to be preached about Jesus not under a church name. Can you help me answer this, I feel as though it is a personal thing with the church and the old leadership but he says it is not. I understand his passion and his side but in my heart there is this voice that says you have to be under a ministry, a leader, a church, etc. If you can help I would appreciate it.

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