Interesting Animal

On Monday I will be taking a group of students and adults to Centrifuge, a great camp put on by LifeWay. One of the interesting things about living in South Carolina is the dynamic of an anemic church on every corner surrounded by people who are, understandably, no longer affected by their presence. The trip was open to whoever wanted to go, those active in the church and those who are not. Having not been a youth minister for the past six months and then suddenly stepping back in for summer camp purposes, I had forgotten how interesting of an animal it can be.

The back and forth decisions of some students to go and then not to go reminded me about the lack of commitment being embedded in this generation. At what point do we facilitate spiritual growth instead of condone an uncommitted generation? I know we can't force students to go on the trip, but yes should mean yes, even if a last minute invite to the beach comes up.

It is difficult to be overly critical when I can have times where I want to keep my options open until something better comes along, but at some point, spiritual responsibility has to come into play. At least I think it does. All I know is I will be traveling with a group of individuals committed to discovering the "Kingdom Secrets" and having a great time doing so. Hopefully we will discover the secret to activating churches to make an impact in the communities they serve through a level of commitment unseen by previous generations.