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By Doug Fields
10/30/2009
For years I’ve had buddies tell me, “You’ve got to get into mountain biking…it’s amazing! You’d love it! A lot of ex-athletes wind up doing it.” My usual first response is, “Who you calling an EX-athlete?” But my second response was always, “I’m too busy with my own kids’ sports to have one of my own.” That would usually shut them down for another year or two before they’d come back with that maniacal look and say once again, “Dude, you’ve got to try it.”
A couple months ago my doctor didn’t tell me to begin mountain biking, but he did say, “You’ve better find some type of exercise program that you like or you’re going to die.” (I’m not sure those were his exact words, but they’re close.) Then, I was dumb enough to tell my wife what my doctor said and she told me, “If you don’t find an exercise program you like, I’m going to kill you before you have a chance to die.” So with that external motivation I sent an email to some mountain-bike friends and asked if anyone had a spare bike I could borrow to get me started—they all replied in similar language, “Dude, yeah…awesome!”
So as I sit at the keyboard, I have less than one month under my belt into the “world of mountain biking.” I now own a bike (bought it from a friend); I also have a helmet, shoes, clothes, gloves, and most of the gear “required” for this sport. Basically, I have everything needed except for the cardiovascular condition, the needed skills, and the coaching.
After my first ride I realized mountain biking is not like the bike riding I did as a kid. It’s not “jump on your bike and ride all day.” It’s much different! In addition to the extreme terrain there are so many moving parts that add to the confusion: 3 front sprockets, 5 or 6 back sprockets (I can’t remember), 2 brake levers, and 4 shifting systems
I can already feel my cardio condition changing, but I desperately need the coaching to get answers to my questions.My list of “how to” questions could fill up the page.
You may be thinking, “Does this have anything to do with youth ministry or has Doug lost all blood to his brain?” Well, here comes the youth ministry connection. On this morning’s ride I began to think about how little I know about this new sport/hobby. I really need a coach. I have so many questions. I’m not sure when to shift on the hills. I apparently have a tubeless tire that I wouldn’t know how to fix if I got a flat. I have front shocks that need to be adjusted based on the terrain and I don’t have the slightest idea what to do. I fell off my bike today because I couldn’t unclip my shoes from the peddles when my chain came off the sprocket. My list of “how to” questions could fill up the page.
As I was riding and wishing for a safe and caring riding partner/coach I began to think about the teenagers in our ministries. What are we doing with all their questions? Do we even know the questions they’re asking? Or do we assume they’ll catch everything about Jesus as they begin their ride with him?
Like I need a riding coach, teenagers need a Jesus coach. While mountain biking is much more complex than “jump on a bike”…so is following Jesus much more complex than a simple “come to church.” For a month I’ve been riding every day, tinkering around at the local bike shop, reading magazines and Web sites to try to find coaching tips, downloading trail guides to my iPhone, and asking a lot of questions… And I’m still confused, frustrated, and wanting someone to coach me. I want someone else to care enough to care about me.
Could it be that our youth ministries have become good at getting teenagers to come to church… but we’re not so good at coaching them on how to walk with Jesus? Then, if they don’t know how to walk with Jesus, they graduate from our ministry and graduate away from church. Do the kids entrusted to your care (as a youth pastor over several or as a volunteer over a few) know that you want to coach them in the ways of Jesus? Do they leave your youth ministry knowing that there is a caring, loving and available adult who wants the best for them? Who won’t laugh at their questions? Who will walk beside them as they struggle and fall? If so…great! Way to go! Those teenagers are blessed. But if not, what might need to change within your youth ministry and your personal leadership style so teenagers will know that they’re not a number to be counted or a seat-filler, but rather a young follower of Jesus who needs a little help with the call of Jesus to “follow me”?
Jesus spent most of his time with the few. Yes, he spoke to and fed the masses, but his most common audience was the few. Who are the few that need you right now? They don’t need to be invited to church, they need you…coaching, listening, loving, and caring you. Walking with Jesus is an adventure… but it’s one that requires more help and coaching than we’re probably aware of.
N00b! You need 8 sprockets in your rear cassette. Actually you've probably done more trail miles in the last week that I've ever done. I have a mountain bike but I just ride on the roads (they're bumpy enough in the countryside where I live). I don't know if you need a riding coach, you might actually really just want a shortcut to learning the terrain or getting the extra strength in the upper body and all those other muscle groups a trails rider needs compared to a road rider. In a way, you have all you need once you learn all the very basic bike controls. Though it sure is nice to be riding the trails with someone else, especially if they have some mechanical knowhow. But also because the forest or the mountain can be a lonely place if you fall. The analogue is then that we have to have the relationships with the young people to know the balance between giving them freedom to learn by experience and giving them a grounding in doctrine as well as our own life experience to help them go further and closer to Jesus than us.
John Ferguson 5:11:18pm on 11/03/2009
OffensiveI think a lot of times we tell ourselves that we are to busy to do "this kind" of ministry. There are lessons to write, books to read (99 Thoughts for Youth Workers), budgets to prepare (this makes me sick), activities to plan, and families to spend time with (if there is time) that we don't have enough "time" to do what it takes to disciple and mentor students. Well, I think that we can't afford not to do this. You mention students leaving the church and this obviously is a huge problem. Also, who is going to be there to come alongside my wife and I when we have children? Mentoring students is also an investment in my future children. We have got to be more intentional about doing this kind of ministry.
Derek Altom 12:11:34pm on 11/03/2009
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