Subscribe to the NetworkGUEST POST: Dealing with Busy Students
Captain & Tennille blaring through the 8-track of our cutlass station wagon made our family high tech. Backward facing seats made me feel like one of the Jetsons.
No doubt, the times are changing.
In fact, I remember watching movies that required a reel change halfway through… now my kiddos can carry those same movies in their pockets and watch them whenever they feel like it! We must remember that the exponential growth of the tech industry is normal for this generation. All the new stuff that was promoted to give us more free time has done the exact opposite. We have been duped!
It has never been about getting stuff done faster so we can spend more time at the lake, but so we can pile more stuff on our plate to get done. The current generation also knows this to be true. So how do we manage ministry to students who are living at the speed of light? It’s simple. we have to catch up. We’ve been entrusted with this generation where they are, not where we were.
1. embrace the busy
We have to be flexible with students who are busy. Too many times, we have been guilty of writing them off as flaky and uncommitted. Trust me, i’ve tried the cold shoulder approach with busy students, and it doesn’t make them jump on board. at all. We must be understanding, – warm and friendly when we see them, or we’ll lose some of the strongest potential leaders in our group.
2. engage the busy
We have to equip and empower students who are busy. Human nature law #41: Busy people get things done. Sometimes, our busy students’ lack of involvement is due to our lack of preparation. Be intentional, creative and early in handing off specific responsibilities to your busy kids as future events are being mapped out.
3. encourage the busy
I have heard almost a kajillion sermons that encouraged christians to make an impact outside the four walls of the church [even preached some of them]. So why would we ever be upset when it actually happens?! Our kids are busy – perfect. My desire is that stays the case - outside the four walls of the church ministering to real people. My goal has become teaching them to be salt and light. Train them to be extensions of Jesus’ hands and feet. Don’t try to shut down their busyness, but disciple them while they’re living in the middle of it.
Deal with busy students in your ministry by following these three practices. Not only will those students grow personally, but the group will grow naturally as well through their leadership. and this is the kind of momentum that we all dream about.
Matthew Davis is a part of the Pocono Community Church team in Mount Pocono, PA. You can check out how the students at PCC are growing deeper at www.undergroundfellowship.info.
Am I old-fashoned to think that we should invite our students into a rhythm of life that is not “busy?” How does one spend quality time with God when they have a million other things to do? Do we really want to communicate to our students that being super busy is ok and you can just worship God when you have the time? I agree we need to engage with busy people and seek to disciple them, but the question we should be asking is “did Jesus and his disciples model this kind of busy life and ministry?” Sure they were busy during seasons, but they needed to take breaks as well.
Maybe we should just add a #4
4. Teach our students when to rest. Being busy all the time is dangerous for the soul, we need to invite our students (and their families) to living their lives in such a way that they both are living to their fullest and protecting them from shallow expressions of their faith and burnout.