I was perusing some blogs today on Authenticity. I said in an earlier post that I would continue to discuss this important issue as it pertains to Youth Ministry and a blog caught my eye.
The little portion I will share with you comes from Tim Schraeder who is the communications director at Park Community Church. Here is the beginning of his blog:
"I just read a great article in Fast Company about the appeal and risks of authenticity and it really got me thinking.
Authenticity is derived from the Greek word authentikos, which literally means “real.”
Check this out: “Consumers are gravitating toward brands that they sense are true and genuine. Hunger for the authentic is all around us. You can see it in the way that millions are drawn to mission-driven products…”
Ok, note some keywords here: True. Genuine. Authentic. Mission-driven"
Reading Tim's blog confirmed in my mind that I am not the only one thinking about the importance of authenticity. I know I shared plenty of others who are thinking about it in my last post as well, however this need, desire and awareness seems to be growing.
In the book UnChristian,the authors share that a big turn off to people who don't know Jesus was the in-authenticity of Christians and the Church as a whole.
This study was made up mostly of younger people. It is extremely important that we take notice of this trend and try to bring back the authenticity that so defined the early church. They were real with each other. The had true fellowship. They confessed sins together. They received healing together. They prayed with one another. They opened their homes to each other.
Teens desire this type of community. A place of belonging. A place of intimacy. A place of honesty in a dishonest world. A place where they can be real, warts and all. A place where they can truly "work out their faith with fear and trembling".
Honestly, I feel it starts with us, the Youth Pastor and out team of leaders. We need to set the stage for this type of authenticity. We need to make it a vision for our Youth Group.
What are your thoughts?
I am going to give some ways in which God used my team and I [to begin] to create this type of group. We are by no means "there" but we've been implementing this type of community into our Sr. High ministry and have seen a TON of fruit. I desire to share my journey, so that we can learn together. Please come alongside me on this journey. Tell me what's right, what's wrong or what could work.
It's time for [Youth] Pastors to collaborate together!
In the book UnChristian,the authors share that a big turn off to people who don't know Jesus was the in-authenticity of Christians and the Church as a whole.
This study was made up mostly of younger people. It is extremely important that we take notice of this trend and try to bring back the authenticity that so defined the early church. They were real with each other. The had true fellowship. They confessed sins together. They received healing together. They prayed with one another. They opened their homes to each other.
Teens desire this type of community. A place of belonging. A place of intimacy. A place of honesty in a dishonest world. A place where they can be real, warts and all. A place where they can truly "work out their faith with fear and trembling".
Honestly, I feel it starts with us, the Youth Pastor and out team of leaders. We need to set the stage for this type of authenticity. We need to make it a vision for our Youth Group.
What are your thoughts?
I am going to give some ways in which God used my team and I [to begin] to create this type of group. We are by no means "there" but we've been implementing this type of community into our Sr. High ministry and have seen a TON of fruit. I desire to share my journey, so that we can learn together. Please come alongside me on this journey. Tell me what's right, what's wrong or what could work.
It's time for [Youth] Pastors to collaborate together!
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