Balance

One thing I find tough as in youth ministry is finding a balance between education and recreation.

Usually once a month we have a "serious" topic which is designed primarily to educate and introduce spirituality and theology to the group, while on opposite weeks, we have something geared for "fun" -- tomorrow, for instance, I'm throwing an Easter party with an Easter egg hunt and various activities revolving around rabbits and eggs. On such days, I try to work in at least one educational thing: tomorrow, it will be the religious meaning behind the egg, while I keep prayer an anchor at the beginning and end of our day together.

Still, it's hard to please everyone. The kids get bored on my educational days, and while I will ask their feedback about topics for next year, I know the majority of things I will hear will be sports and fun related. I even asked one of my "senior leaders" for his input and the best he came up with was "Crazy Hat Day". Try to turn that into something theological -- without becoming blasphemous!

Alas, I am not one of those ministry leaders who sees no need for fun. The fun days are typically the most fun to plan and execute. The enjoyment on the kids' faces is always worth it, plus building our social network is an essential component of youth ministry. I think no matter what we're doing in our time together, it's the act of being present and building relationships with the kids that matters most in the end.