A Five-Point Story: Youth Group

02|05

I had two youth group leaders, one named John, another named Jason.

These guys were like the dynamic duo of youth group leaders. Of course, I might be a little biased. OK, I am a biased but after looking back I have realized how much impact they had on my life.

John, the older one, was soft-spoken and very calming but had a very happy kind of laugh. He was the more serious kind of youth group leader, one who would want to dig into the Bible instead of playing more games.

Jason, the young one, was a kid at heart and as I recall a radio DJ or something like that. He also lived in Wisconsin. He was the young, athletic, energetic one who could moonwalk and make cool noises.

My youth group consisted of a bunch of guys that would meet at someones house for who knows how long, I don't really remember. We went through the Bible but I don't remember what books. I do remember talking about our lives together, everyone telling us about what was going on that week and if we had any prayer requests. It was probably one of my first experiences of community with the exception of family or sports team. This was a bunch of guys coming together and sharing are lives and specifically what God was doing in our lives.

For awhile we held it at my house and sometimes my family would invite John and Jason over for dinner before everyone else came or maybe it was after everyone left. I don't remember.

I remember that we usually had enchiladas.

Looking back, John and Jason were both single so I assume they didn't really have people cook for them all that often but back then I didn't really care. I was pretty self-centered back then, but now I see these dinner moments as a slice of community.

I'll end this post with two memorable moments with each of them.

One moment, we were sharing with everyone and I had this question that I just couldn't put my mind around. I looked at Jason and I asked him, "What if we're wrong?" What I meant by this is about God. What if we're wrong just like we think the Buddhist are wrong? I mean, I am sure all these religions think all these other religions are wrong. What if my religion is just in the mix of wrong religions? I asked a question like that and Jason said, "that's deep man and I just don't know." That stuck with me for awhile and I respect Jason for that answer.

Another moment was after one of our enchiladas dinners with John. He was leaving and getting his jacket and I was near him as any good host should do. He kept thanking me over and over again for the hospitality and the food and I kept telling him it was no problem and that it was cool. Then he hugged me, and it wasn't just a normal hug but it was something different about it. I think it was a hugged that changed my life. Well that might be overreacting but it definitely changed my philosophy on hugs. It was that moment that I most remember John for and I would go into more and more details about it but I feel as if it would run-on for a longer time.

This is point two in my five-point story. Youth Group in my junior high years.