Simple and Done

I found the ping pong balls we’ve been missing for the last 2 months (maybe longer)…I had just bought a new set last week, but I don’t mind it too much because it was a buck and half for a set of 8.  I started reading this book called Simple Student Ministry: A Clear Process For Strategic Youth Discipleship.  The concept of the book is nothing new to me, it’s just a good reminder about how overwhelmed and overboggled we can become with filling up the calendar and making everything we do so complex. 
I use to stress out about keeping the students engaged before worship began.  I use to stress out on whether or not we had the right games, or whether or not we had the right video game systems, or whether or not I was pro enough to compete and show off my skills to the students.  What a waste of time that worry was…we still set those things up, but now I don’t mind that all we have is a Wii and an Xbox (not 360).  I don’t mind that the ping pong table is being held together with Gorilla Glue.  What I do mind is when we over-complicate things so that our students leave more confused then when they came.  What I do mind is when we worry about the color of a handout more so then the amount of time we want to spend with the students.  What I do mind is when we as student ministers, youth pastors and youth workers care more about the gizmos, gadgets, lock-ins, lazer tag and less about when we are goind to talk to the students about their life and Jesus Christ.  I’m just as guilty as the next youth worker for not doing this more.  Student ministry needs to be simple and direct.