I was on FaceBook today when I read a quote from Chris Sloan, our youth pastor, that he was enjoying the teachings of Mark Yaconelli. I chuckled to myself, thinking he meant Mike Yaconelli. No it's his son. Mike died on a stretch of I-5 south of Medford, Oregon on Oct 30, 2003. It has taken this long for me to find out. Although, I think I now remember Chris telling me this in passing a few years ago.
I got into youth ministry because of the ministry of Mike Yaconelli and Youth Specialties, started by him and Wayne Rice. I met him at a youth pastors conference held in Eugene in the early 70's and here in Spokane years later.
I had read his stuff in "The Door" and I knew we were like minded (a tad twisted and messy, but loving God) He spent one on one time with me and we had prayer together asking God to bless my ministry. (Which He has done abundantly!!) Mike's passion began to be my passion. My preaching and youth ministry was peppered with Mikes thoughts and ideas.
I have now been out of the Youth Ministry for ten years or so. I continue to harasse 5th-6th graders on Sundays, but that the extent of it.
A couple of quotes from Mike I would like to share....... and yes I am bummed to remember that Mike is no longer with us.
I'm in awe of youth workers, and I think Jesus is, too. I just wish the Church felt the same.
I am beginning to understand that faith is not the way around pain, it is the way through pain. Faith doesn't get rid of the opposition, it invites it over for dinner. Faith doesn't give you the winning point at the last second, it ties the game and sends you into overtime. Faith doesn't give you the solution, it forces you to find it.
A youth worker in our town was recently fired because he was reaching the "wrong kind of kid." I thought the wrong kind of kid was the right kind of kid. The elders insisted that youth ministry was not about bringing in the "riff raff" off the streets but working with the kids that were already Christians. I thought we were all riff raff...... I'm beginning to believe that if those who are called into youth ministry follow the lead of the One who called them, getting fired is inevitable. Why? Because, in general, the institutional church doesn't get it. The institutional church has become hopelessly corporate, hopelessly tangled in a web of secularism. Instead of the church being the Church, it has opted instead to be a corporation.
Mike, I will truly miss you.
If I were to have a heart attack right at this moment, I hope I would have just enough air in my lungs and just enough strength in me to utter one last sentence as I fell to the floor: "What a ride!" My life has been up and down, careening left then right, full of mistakes and bad decisions, and if I died right now, even though I would love to live longer, I could say from the depths of my soul, "What a ride!"
- Mike Yaconelli
1 comment:
Mike came to Glendale and I went on a 3 day retreat with him. It was the first time I learned to spend quiet time alone with GOd. He made us for 30 minutes. I was petrified but it was awesome--I, too, loved Mike. And the Wittenberg Door was the best! No wonder we get along.
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