Why is it that I love youth group until I sit down to try and have a lesson/discussion/talk with my kids. Even when I try to do somewhat “controversial” things (leading a discussion off of the temptation in the desert clip from The Last Temptation of Christ) – it just means absolutely nothing to the kids. The fact that they don’t remember anything you say doesn’t help motivate me to prepare very thoroughly for an engaging/life-changing time of sharing…yah. I loved the kids tonight – until I started leading the discussion. Then I just became “pissy” (acc. to one of my favorite 9th grade guys: “Why did you get pissy tonight?”).
Oh well; it’s all good because I’m half-way through a great book (and I just watched School of Rock). Open Secrets is Richard Lischer’s memoir of his first pastorate, in a rural country parish in southern Illinois. I love it. Partly because it’s just written extremely well – and partly because…well, hello! I’m working in a rural church in southern Idaho. It’s wonderful to read the true stories of a young Ph.D. student coming to grips with the fact that all of his academic prowess had not prepared him for the lives of ‘country-folk’ – it’s exciting to join Lischer on his journey. Lischer is currently Professor of Preaching at Duke Divinity School. If you are just entering ministry, it’s definitely a book to read – especially if you are working in small, rural churches.
Update
Just a note. Finished the book this evening (3/9/04) — and I loved it. Not trying to sound sentimental or anything here, but really, it was one of the only books recently that made me feel like I could cry at the end of it. Partly because I had entered into the story of Lischer and the Cana Lutheran Church (and the last chapter about his departure from the congregation reminded me of my upcoming departure from Wendell), and partly because I really just didn’t want the book to end. So…needless to say – READ THE BOOK.