Just when you think you're getting somewhere...

So tonight I got hit with one of those moments where you just have to say... crap. Because that is pretty much the only thing you can say. You will probably get similar posts today from Frank, Melissa, April and Brendon.

Tonight was a Sunday much like other Sundays. We are obviously going into Stretch Mode (Our churches middle school conference) but besides that, pretty much the norm. Our high-school group is coming off of a very emotional trip to Tennessee, a fire and brimstone message from me last week about living out our faiths, and a message this week from Brendon about taming the tongue and using it to honor God. That is why what happened next hit me off guard a little.

Every Sunday we have a circle in the auditorium after youth group is over. We basically do a recap with the coaches, interns, student leaders, and whatever students are still there. We talk about what went well, and what we need improvement on.

Tonight after a night of watching students and how they have changed, something was brought up in the circle.

A student brought up the fact that three new girls attending youth group had not really been introduced properly, or treated nicely, and even talked badly about.

That... Sucks.

After really thinking we were getting somewhere, and really getting to these kids, this happens. Which makes us all ask the hard questions. What do we do to not just put on a show, but to really mold the hearts of our students. This is the question we are going to have to answer together over the next few weeks.

I don't want to sell short the like 10 baptisms that we have had in the last 3 weeks at all, and I don't want to sell short the change I have seen in so many students. But it opened all of our eyes up to a whole lot more work we have ahead of us...