This almost feels a bit like the endgame on mock the week, when ‘unlikely things you’ll see…or hear’ is the opening strapping for which then the comedians are then tasked with completing. Today I was chatting to a few youthworkers about a youth work project that had a very similar name to another, and had used a bible verse number as their name. You know the one. It’s the life to the full one. (10:10). It got me thinking, if 3:16, 10:10 are commonly used, and there are some other common things in Christian youthwork.
What might be things unlikely to see or hear in Christian youthwork?
1. A project that has the name ’23:20′ after the profound words of Ezekiel.
2. A large worship gathering admit that financial reasons, and the need for advance funding, or internal poor partnership working was the reason for its demise. Far easier to say that ‘ the Lord is calling us to something new’
3. An all female worship band.
4. A Christian youthworker stay long enough in a church based role to be eligible for a sabbatical. And then to get one.
5. A youth pastor not use an analogy from Star wars/Lord of the rings or a U2 lyric in a youth service.
6. Young people involved in creating their own youth provision. Especially any collective worship space that’s apparently for them.
7. A job application for a youth worker that asks for a quiet, reflective, critical theological youth worker.
8. A youth work not have expectations that the Sunday school will be as full is was in 1890, after they’ve been in post 4 weeks.
9. A youth worker without 9 different coffee shop loyalty cards in their purse or wallet.
10. A commissioning service for the arrival of a new youth worker in post.
Here are 10 of my ‘unlikely to see’ in Christian youthwork, what might yours be?
Learning from the Streets 
number 6 is just in its initial stages at our place its an outdoor evening church based round a campfire. Anyone is welcome to come but they are styling and running it. In fact the youth club is their space where they get to say what they would like and we work with them to help make it happen. Oh and number 9 is way out for us too, we can’t afford to even frequent even one coffee shop. Our youth work happens on the streets, in a field or in a shed, oh and we can’t be in post long enough to get a sabbatical as no one pays us but God. I expect we are the exception that proves the rule I with I could add a crying with laughter emoji here but Im not technical enough to do it. I really appreciate your posts which I have just happened upon while trying to plan crafts for service tomorrow. I’ve failed miserably and my daughter, a youth club member,r is now doing it while I write comments on your blog. Please keep up the good and challenging work. You are saying things which I believe need top be heard.
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You haven’t failed miserably. Spending time with young people and valuing them isn’t failure.
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