Aaron: Haven't you figured this out by now? The object lesson is still teaching us! That is why we keep talking about it (or at least me and a few others). It is causing us to think about what we are doing and what we should do. Perfect! It is working!
There are still lots and lots of lessons we still need to learn. Here are just two:
1) What is going on with some of us who do not feel compassion for these families with no beds? Are the families not suffering enough? Maybe we should change our focus to children with no arms and legs. Bottom line, it doesn't get much worse in our culture than to live in poverty being on the verge of homelessness. If we can't generate compassion in these situations we encounter, we have little chance of being compassionate about other things. You would think this would be easy. Our lack of compassion shows us our hearts. Changing our hearts is not so easy. There is a lot we still have to learn about this.
2) How are we to respond when self-absorbtion may be underlying the resistance of some to participate in or stick with something as easy as giving beds to poor kids? What obligation do we have in this situation? Are we doing them any spiritual favors by going back to fun and games just to keep them coming? Maybe it would be more responsible to model discipleship for them and let them reject it and pursue living the way they choose to live. The sooner they get to the end of that road, the sooner they might reconsider the good news of kingdom living. In alcoholics annonymous they call this "raising the bottom."
Dealing with numbers is deceptive in a way. We all agree that what really matters is spritual growth. But let's talk do the numbers game for a minute.
Let's assume we go tradional. After exiting youth, data shows that roughly 60-80% will abandon their spirituality. A smaller group will continue to be nominally involved, with an even smaller group continuing to pursue God. Contrast this with doing something different with a more intense and serious focus on discipleship. Yes, those uninterested will not hang around. A smaller group will hang around because their parents still make them or they feel obligated. They may not fully take advantage of the program, but at least something was modeled. An even smaller group (probably no smaller than the group in the traditional model that continued to grow) took advantage of the opportunity to practice being an apprentice to Jesus. The numbers in those smaller groups are likely to be the same, but the later group would be miles down the road of discipleship compared to the traditional model because of the intentionall, well-directed practice and opportunities the model afforded. If this is how it works out. This would be huge.
The problem is, all this has to be played out in the institutional context. There are real pressures that a staff person has to accomodate if that person wants to keep their job.
Too grumpy for you? Don't worry Aaron, I do have a life. I am just expressing. This will play out as it will. In the meantime, I am going to practice trusting in God. You know how he works? He moves like the wind, undeterred, enlisting attentive and obedient followers to establish beachheads for the kingdom. He is and will do this. With or without Grace youth. I am going to follow the wind, I hope with a community and I hope at Grace.
All this being said, I plan on being supportive of Joshua in his leadership. And I think you are asking some good questions. Keep asking and keep speaking out. You have something to contribute.
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