Insights from Duffy

This past weekend I had the great privilege of hearing Duffy Robbins speak twice at Leadapalooza and a third time on that same day at a Youth Pastor's appreciation dinner.

Duffy is one of the "wise men" of youth ministry. He teaches Youth Ministry at Eastern University. He's been a youth pastor for longer than I've been alive, and he's authored a number of outstanding books on the subject of youth ministry.

That being said, I could hardly take good notes at his seminars last Saturday because I was laughing so hard (Duffy could retire to comedy at any moment). Anyways, here is some of the good stuff that I took note of:

1) THE MORNING SICKNESS PRINCIPLE -
The process of developing new life does not always look like progress. Like a mother in the early stages of pregnancy deals with morning sickness, a lot of ministry looks just as "unpleasant" as it goes about nurturing new life. Embrace the ugly. Don't let it discourage you. The process which brings new life isn't as beautiful as the movies make it out to be. As it is in the physical, so it is in the spiritual...just go with it.

2) OUR JOB IS TO MAKE DISCIPLES -
While many people in our churches believe that our role in youth ministry is to make kids domesticated, nice, responsible, mature, appropriate-at-all-times, well-rounded members of society, the Bible teaches us that our job is to make disciples...and, frankly, disciples aren't always nice or domesticated. Rather, disciples are radical lovers of Christ who follow Him regardless of the status quo. If the process of making disciples gets traded in for the process of making kids into nice people, then we have failed Jesus. If the process of making disciples into radical lovers of Jesus offends those who want a youth ministry that is full of "good kids", then...well...be offensive.

3) THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHILDLIKE FAITH AND CHILDISH FAITH
Childish faith says:
God should be working in my life to bring me happiness, to make my life easier, to bless me, to be my friend.
Childlike faith says:
I take God at his Word to become like Jesus. He is more concerned about my holiness than my happiness. He is in my life that I may worship him, that I may know that He is my Father.

4) FARMERS DON'T MAKE COWS...COWS MAKE COWS...
Farmers are responsible for taking care of their flocks, but only the livestock can reproduce itself. So many pastors burn out because they fool themselves into thinking that they can reach every kid in their community, but the fact of the matter is that only kids can truly reach other kids within their public school systems, etc. We as pastors should care for our flocks in such a way that our flocks are positioned to reproduce themselves. Equip your kids with the skills and enthusiasm to go and make baby Christians. Let the cows make cows.

5) ROOTS AND FRUITS -
Healthy trees are about growing roots and developing fruits. Healthy ministry does the same.

Grace and Peace