youth ministry minute - take 5

today I’m going to go a little longer than a minute.  The reason is I’ve been reading this book called “soul school.”  If you haven’t read it… I’d encourage you to.  It’s phenomenal… even if you’re not in Student Ministry.  Anyway… there is a chapter on Idols {anything that you spend more time and energy on than God} and it caught my attention, so much so that I feel the need to write about it.  Jeanne Stevens, the author of the book, writes down 7 idols about youth ministry that really have me thinking:  

1. The idol of EXTERNAL SUCCESS.

2. The idol of BUSYNESS.

3. The idol of COMPARISON.

4. The idol of LIVING IN THE PAST or WISHING FOR THE FUTURE.

5. The idol of RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

6. The idol of YOUTH MINISTRY ITSELF.

7. The idol of YOU or YOURSELF.

I challenge you as I challenge myself… search your soul.  search your life.  make sure that there are no idols.  Youth ministry is challenging enough… why make it MORE difficult?