On a Mission From God

No, this isn't simply a quote from Blues Brothers, although while a Sophomore in High School my offensive line coach dubbed me, "Belushi" for my messing around during practice and an alleged spitting image of the famed heroin overdosed comic.

No, this was told to me tonight while on a middle school youth event.

We took our middle school students down to Oklahoma City for an NBA game. The New Orleans Hornets (formerly from Charlotte) have been displaced the last two seasons from thier home because of hurricane Katrina. So last year they played all thier "home" games in OKC and this year they are playing half thier home games here. Next year, they'll be back in the Big Easy.

So this is pretty much a last shot at seeing a real NBA game, of which I've never had the opportunity along with most Kansans. Long story short, we took a couple vans full.

Before the game we stopped at the world's worst McDonald's. I don't know if it could even qualify as a full McDonald's experience. In fact, one of my students', Jonathan Buster, called it "McConoco" because it was half Conoco gas station and half McDonald's.

I finished eating and went to the gas station part and picked up a Reese's Big Cup. Put it on the counter and the clerk asked, "Are you in charge of the church group?"

Reluctantly I looked down and said, "Yeah...." And then it happenned.

I thought, I should say what I want to say, "FORTUNATLEY!" But, I thought that would be too awkward and wierd and I thought the typical thing to say is "Unfortunately" because, after all, who likes working with middle schoolers?

Except that...I do. In fact, my buddy Kirk affirmed just that afterwards when we were gassing up the vans."Man, I'm so glad that you love being with Middle Schoolers," said Kirk. "Because I was ready to leave half of them at a rest stop in Oklahoma" he said with a grin.

Not me. I love working with middle school students. But, that is the wierd answer. Plus, I was pretty stressed out because the McDonald's had gotten numerous orders wrong, was super slow, and I thought we were going to miss the start of the game.

Of course, the Holy Spirit was whispering in my ear, "Don't worry. Don't hurry. Don't be anxious about anything but in prayer....that's when I shut him off. Cause I was STRESSED. And angry. And worried. And who needs to hear from God when you have all of that going on!

So I answered the polite clerk with what I thought was expected, "Unfortunately."

Nanoseconds before I muttered the 5 sylable word, I thought, "Watch, you are going to say this and this guy is going to call me on the carpet." But of course, what are the chances of that? Yeah right.

The word dripped out of my mouth, "Unfortunately."

Right away, I was doomed.

Delightfully.

"Nah man, don't say that." The tall and athletic looking clerk said to me behind the counter. "You are on a mission from God. When I was kid I had a guy just like you who took me to games and hung out with me and..."

The guy said a couple other things that I'm sure were very encouraging, but I was so busy trying to get my jaw untangeled from my shoe laces that I missed the rest of whatever he said. I think I said, "Thanks," smiled, and made my way out the door.

And once again, God spoke to me. He affirmed my calling. And from the lips of a 20-something, African-American Brother, He said, "I love you, Ken. Keep doing what you're doing. I'm with you and love you."

Like Chariots of Fire, really, gosh this is so tacky and lame, but when I am with Middle School students, it is one of a few things that when I do it, I feel God's pleasure.

Who knew that today, on my way to take a group of students to an NBA game, that I would come face to face with Jesus.

Freaky.

Cool.

Stuck In The Middle 2007 Rocked

Driving through the Flint Hills, eating at different restaurants, staying up late, waking up early, crazy guys in tuxedos, inflatables, mechanical bull riding, video games, Karaoke, the band staying in the same hotel, on the same floor no less, and giants burgers at Red Robin. All of this was part of an incredible weekend our middle school students spent just a couple weeks ago in Kansas City.

On March 9th, eleven middle school students and three adults headed out for the 2nd annual Stuck In The Middle Conference, being held at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas.

Stuck in the Middle is a dynamic three day experience created for middle school students to experience God’s love and grow in their relationship with him. This year’s theme was “Encore” and it didn’t disappoint.

Stuck began with an incredible video opening along with recording band Jackson Waters leading worship. Nearly 700 students filled the youth room where most of them swarmed the stage during the worship as they sang their hearts out to God. The worship was set up so that we sang before the message and also after, in response to the message.

Each session also featured a comedy improv group, led by comedian Billy Brame and his buddy Brian Lechner, which had our students cracking up! From their two headed juggling where the guys shared one shirt and juggled, and their games throughout the audience before each session began, to their improv games before the main speaker, Brame and his Lechner were great.

One of the aspects that sets Stuck in the Middle apart from other events is their style of having some type of sketch in the middle of the main sessions. So a main speaker will be in the middle of their talk, and the improv group will come out and do a sketch that gives students the break in the action that they need and nails the point home that the speaker is trying to make.

Dynamic speakers invited our students to know Christ and gave practical encouragement on the best ways to make middle school not just bearable, but incredible!

Veteran youth pastor of the Kansas City area Alan Mercer from Christ Community Church in Leawood, Kansas kicked off the event challenging our students to live an “encore” type of life. They should desire to live the kinds of lives that make their friends want to keep coming back for more, just like an encore at a concert. This happens when we love God and we love our neighbors.

Saturday morning, Heather Flies, the Junior High Pastor at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, MN and an incredible speaker, taught from Psalm 37:4 about being content with where you are as a middle schooler instead of rushing to be older than you are and comparing your life with the lives of others around you. Lastly she dared our students to do ministry and not wait till their older to do something significant for Christ.

Chief Scientist of Discovery Channel, and member at Chapel Hill UMC and Epworth UMC, Steve Jacobs did a science show where he simultaneously told his story of becoming Wizard #4, blew things up, and shared from the second half of Psalm 37:4 where it says, “Delight yourselves in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

Saturday evening, twenty plus year youth ministry veteran Eric Venable told some great stories of God being actively involved in students lives and invited us to practice spiritual disciplines. He said, “Students who talk to God…connect with Him. Students who listen to God…connect with Him even more.”

Sunday morning, Owner and Founder of Stuck in the Middle Ministries, Sean Meade closed our time together reminding students to be real. Life happens quickly and before you know it, before you expect it, it’s gone. Sean shared about losing one of his best friends this year in an auto accident and a student in his youth ministry at Journey Church here in Wichita. His message was for students to not pretend to be something they are not, and to believe in Jesus.

After each session we met as a church youth group to debrief what each speaker talked about and our students didn’t miss anything. They were able to recall what stood out to each of them from each speaker. This immediate application helps students apply the lessons to their lives right away.

On Saturday our students were able to participate in workshops throughout the afternoon that dealt with guys only stuff and girls only stuff as well as many other topics that middle school students deal with every day.

The “Stuck” experience was incredible and left us with loads of memories: Katie Ahrens non-stop picture taking, Janelle Vulgamore’s mad foos ball skills, Bob Tinker winning a CD, Levi Ferris trying to buy candy bars at 1 AM, Frazer Rymph feeling Heather’s muscles on stage, Ken Rawson getting mocked on stage by Steve Jacobs, Aubrey Maxwell’s crazy bull riding, Deacon Lancaster’s crazy allergies, Taylor Wolfe’s wild hair in the morning, Kati Apsley soaking up every second of Stuck and didn’t want to go back to the hotel, Jonathan Buster’s “Stuck” gear and crazy dancing, Max Sherard representing our church with the hand slapping game, Micah Williams’ great van conversations about dating, and Jason Ream letting nothing get in the way of watching the KU/K-State game.

Stuck in the Middle was amazing! Thank you to the students who took part in Strive which made this weekend affordable for our students going. A thanks also belongs to the United Methodist Women who gave $500 so that no student would be unable to attend. Thank you also to Bob Tinker and Janelle Vulgamore who gave up their weekends so that our students could experience Stuck In The Middle.

The only thing left is getting the dates for next year and signing up! I hope you’ll be a part of that journey in either attendance and/or prayer.

For pics of SITM: go to our flickr site.