Learning First Hand...

The irony of my situation just sometimes brings me to laughter. So I am a super-junior at Eastern university in their Youth Ministry program. I spend about 32 THOUSAND dollars a year to learn how to properly do youth ministry.

This is where things get funny.

I also work at one of the most cutting-edge, sophisticated youth ministries in the country.

So if I put things together, I am going to school for all that money to learn exactly what I am learning right now. I am learning just as much from being surrounded by your Frank Chiapperinos, your Terri and Kevin Stones, your Brian Joneses, your Steph Carters, your Kelly Clarks and many more. Sometimes with schooling an small warnings you just can't be prepared for what is going to happen in ministry. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure you can be prepared for most of ministry.

For example, this last week we threw a conference for our high-schoolers called "Escape" at Black Rock Retreat center in Quarryville. Frank came on the trip, but for most of the retreat he left it up to myself and the other interns. I couldn't have learned what I did in a few days in 4 years of college, especially when things got really out of the ordinary. On the last day we had to deal with some discipline issues with a couple of our students. All I could do was wonder when I was going to be warned or prepared that this job is like this... And then I came to realize... you won't.

It's one of those things that you just learn as you deal with it. It's one of those things where experience creates wisdom. I am thankful for Franks guidance as we worked through the problems. I am thankful for my fellow interns, who handed the situation incredibly well, and I am thankful that next time, and there will be a next time, I will be better equipped for the job.

Here is the new video from our high school retreat ESCAPE!