Memorial Day

Jeffrey Green and Wesley Durbin were both members both members of the class of 2001 from Lutheran High School of Dallas.  Like most high school graduates they had dreams for the future.  In this case they shared a common goal to join the United States Marines.  As students they kind of blended in.  They were not great athletes, or outstanding students.  They were just good kids who wanted to serve their country.  They were the kind of low maintenance students so as the school counselor I had little contact with them.  They were proud to be Marines and often visited campus when they were home on leave.  They both lost their lives as during while on duty in the Middle East. 

I think of Jeffrey and Wesley every year on Memorial Day.  Like any young person who joins the military, they just desired to serve their country.  I am sure they knew the risks, were willing to go into harm’s way just the same.  That is usually the case with those who serve their country in times of combat.  The freedom of others is more important than their own welfare.

If there is a lesson to be learned it is that we need to value the time we have with those we minister to.  We never know when God will call them home.  Make sure they know Jesus and experience His love and grace.  In the case of Jeffrey and Wesley, I am confident they carried the torch of faith to their graves.  We live in a great country.  I am proud to say I mentored two young men who died defending it.

The Future of Youth Ministry

My youth ministry career began in 1969.  I had graduated from Concordia Teachers College in River Forest, Illinois (Now Concordia Chicago) and my placement was Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  My wife was called as the second grade teacher and I was to serve at director of youth ministry.  At that point in time full-time youth ministers were rare.  There were only two of us serving Lutheran Churches in the whole state of Missouri and he was on the other side of state in Kansas City.  The only other person in the town of Cape Girardeau doing youth ministry was Charles Haley who served at the Baptist Church.  We became good friends, but had to travel to another town thirty miles away to meet.  We knew even being seen together would start a controversy.

Youth ministry was very different in those days.  No internet so I ordered resources from a catalog.  No social media so I sent out postcards and depend on a telephone tree to get the word out to the kids.  Youth ministry took place on Sunday.  We had Bible class in the morning and youth group at night.  If someone did not show up the kids all knew and reminded them of it the next time day at school.  We had a youth center and it was open on Wednesday and Saturday nights for the kids from church and community.  There was no need to reach out because kids gravitated to us.

I recently thought of all the changes that have taken place since then when I read an article on Churchleaders.com on the future of youth ministry.  One emerging trend is the movement toward missional communities.  It appears the days of kids gathering in the church youth room are numbered.  So is the Sunday morning youth Bible class and even the traditional youth night.  As church budget’s decline the ability to support a full-time DCE or youth pastor is become less of an option.  As a result churches are relying more on part-time workers and volunteers. 

The one thing that has not changed is the importance of relationships.  I had a close bond with the kids in that first youth group.  I was a listening ear and the one they turned to when they were hurting.  I also helped them deal with the tough issues.  Back in those days it was the Viet Nam war and drugs.  Today’s teens struggle with sexual identity and depression/suicide.  What the church still needs is more adults who will step up and mentor teens and young adults.  Youth ministry might be different but teens still need Jesus.   The call is for all of us to play that role.

What Drives You

I was a little disappointed when I read of a recent Harris Poll.  If the Harris people are correct we can check off another myth about millennials.  I had held a certain degree of hope that today’s young adults were not going to be as materialistic as their parents, especially when it came to personal transportation. Perhaps they were not going to be as dependent on the automobile as previous generation.  Word was millennials preferred public transportation and shared ride services.

It now appears that when it comes to what they drive, millennials might have a similar materialistic mindset as baby boomers.  That is one conclusion we can draw from the poll.  Even if they cannot afford to buy one right now, millennials seem to be dreaming of a Mercedes-Benz or Lexus in the future.  Seven of the top car brands among millennials are luxury brands.  That compares to five each among members of generation X and baby boomers.  Obviously, at this point in their live millennials are less likely than other generations to actually own a luxury car.  This poll was more about aspiration.  What car brand would you be drawn to if you had the money?  It was about image and status.

Other luxury brands like Audi and BMW also made the list.  Interestingly, Lincoln was the only American brand to make the list.  That can probably be credited to Lincoln’s advertising campaign featuring actor Matthew McConaughey.   While overall the Lincoln brands overall popularity was flat, it has increased among millennials.  While Tesla has a way to go before it can compete with the established brands, it also is popular brand among millennials.

Subaru was the most popular Non-Luxury Auto category. In fifth place this year, Subaru builds on its reputation as the brand on its SUV/Crossover roots.  It also continues its “Love” campaign. Volkswagen was the biggest loser in popularity among millennials after its emissions scandal.  Toyota was the other brand that made the list of top ten brands among millennials.

So, where are you going with this you might ask?  I want you to consider what you drive and the image it projects to the young people in your life.  Somehow we’ve been sold on the “I deserve to be comfortable when I drive” viewpoint.  It is not enough just to have dependable transportation.  We want something that provides us with an experience and also fits the image we want to project.

I enjoy going to the Auto Show every year and looking at the fancy cars.  I also know I cannot afford them.  What I need is a dependable transportation.  At this point in my life I also want something that I can get in and out of easily.  That is why I drive a seven year old Chrysler Sebring sedan with 140,000 miles on it.  It might be old and plain looking but that’s okay.  I would rather let my words and actions, than the car I drive, reflect who I am.  

So, what do you drive?  More importantly, what does that say about your priorties?