Crazy Time and the Army




This coming Thursday, Miriam and I will be traveling to Seattle where I will be teaching a group of army personnel from around the country about contemplative youth ministry. What a deal. The preparation time and doing this is all clearly crazy time for me. I’m a Quaker, good grief. I’ve done youth ministry in a local church for years. I have no idea what it’s like to do youth ministry on an army base. I don’t know what youth who are children of army personnel are like, what their struggles are, etc. Oh sure, I can glibly say that they’re like all other youth, and I’m sure there are similarities, but they’re also facing unique life experiences that I’ve not dealt with much on an intellectual or experiential level.

It’s been interesting imaging what this time is going to be like. There are times when I begin to imagine this experience and fear is there to escort me through the imagining. When I allow the fear to join me, I begin to question what it is about contemplative youth ministry that I really know. I lose sight of much of my knowledge, conviction and passion for this approach to ministry.

On the other hand, when I allow myself to move into a restful and attentive place, thoughts, ideas, feelings of clarity and hope begin to emerge. I begin to be more aware of who I am and who the folks I’ll be sharing with are. I’m reminded that who I am is not some expert on contemplative youth ministry, but I’m the beloved of God. When I become centered on my belovedness, then I begin to experience freedom and in that freedom I find I’m free to also see that the folks I’ll be sharing with are God’s beloved, too. At the same time, some of the really important things that I believe about contemplative youth ministry begin to emerge, and not just because it’s good information that I can share and that it will impress these folks, but because it’s truth and I’ve experienced the truth in my life and that makes me excited to share it with these folks.

I’m also reminded about Parker Palmer’s definition of teaching. “To teach is to create a space in which the community of truth is practiced.” As I share with these folks, truth will be present, pursuing us, and every individual there will have the ability to hear truth. Because of that, I hope I will be able to create a space in which the community can share with each other the truth we will individually and collectively encounter. It’s not all about Paul Bock, but about the community of truth listening to Truth.

So I am climbing out of the boat, and by God’s grace I’ll keep my eyes on Jesus, I will be attentive to that of Christ in these folks, and not get distracted by the waves.