The Top Two
A guest post by Brad Mowry
I am an Area Director in a traditional Young Life area. We have
two Capernaum Clubs and training new leaders is a big part of what I do. Most
of our leaders are college students and while we recruit we are looking for
Young Life, WyldLife, and Capernaum leaders.
While recognizing the unique nature of Capernaum, I want all my
leaders to know and participate in the following.
1.
We Are Young Life
2.
Understand the Other Parts of the Body
WE ARE YOUNG LIFE
My prevailing thought on training for different expressions of
our mission is that, principally, Young Life is the same regardless of whether
you are a Young Life, WyldLife, Capernaum, YoungLives, or Young Life
College leader. Right? We all should be approaching the ministry with going
where kids are, proclaiming the Gospel in an accommodating setting, following
up with kids who want to grow and have made decisions to follow Jesus, and
taking kids away from it all to help the gospel come home.
In other words, the “4 C’s”.
If I am training my leaders right, then every week should be
relevant to every “First Year” (what
we call our leaders-in-training). There are practicals that will be more
specific to certain leaders, but at the core we are, and should be, all doing
the same thing. I admit that my leaders have come to me and said that I only
use high school ministry examples. For 13 years I lead a Young Life Club, so
those are the easiest examples for me. I led a WyldLife Club for 4 years and
have just joined a Capernaum team.
I have challenged Young Life leaders who weren’t
doing Contact Work. I say, “If you are not doing Contact Work,
then you are not doing Young Life.” Take a “C” away
and it can we still call it Young Life? The same goes for WyldLife and
Capernaum (and YoungLives and Young Life College).
Does the practical application of that look different? Yes,
absolutely! I learned quickly that what I did for Contact work in Young Life
sometimes doesn't fly with middle school kids. (Try to take a kid out for a
milkshake after school without checking with his parents and see what happens!)
But, at the core, it all needs to be Young Life. This means the 4
C’s and all that comes with the culture of Young Life: how we
proclaim Jesus in Club, how we disciple kids, take kids to camp, and how we do
it all from a relational foundation.
THE BODY
The other key reason I train everybody in everything is that I
want this body knowing what the other parts do. So, if a First Year comes to me
in September and says, “I want to be a Capernaum leader.” I
am pleased, but you will still be learning the whole package. (Some folks do
come and say that, others say, “I am open to whatever, just don’t
put me with middle school kids, please!!”)
So, if you are a Capernaum prospect, you will have 11 weeks of
Young Life training - the 4 C’s and more. Regardless of where a
First Year wants to lead, I require all First Years to serve as buddies in our
two Capernaum Clubs. This kills three birds with one stone. First, they get to
see Capernaum in action and ask if they could see themselves there. Second, it
gives a deep understanding for a future Young Life or WyldLife leader what our
Capernaum leaders are doing. They can love, support, and pray for the leaders in
those clubs in a much deeper way. Lastly, it helps fill the room, and create
critical mass when our Clubs are small.
I have heard complaints from around the mission that other parts
of our own Young Life body don’t appreciate one another. A WyldLife
leader feels that Young Life leaders look down on him, etc. By doing the
training together and getting experience in all the facets of Young Life in my
area, helps us to value the other clubs and ministries. It also promotes a
unity and community in our Leadership that ultimately shows kids Jesus (John
17:20-21).
While I certainly still have a lot to learn, I have found that
this approach to training has helped us build a cohesive team that understands
and supports one another.
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