YMS Episode 45 -- Cleaning Up Other People’s Messes

Pizza, popcorn, M&Ms, Skittles, shaving cream wars, games involving pudding and eggs and mini marshmallows... youth ministry gets pretty messy sometimes. We've all done our share of messy activities, and more than often we are the ones who have to clean it all up.

But what happens when the mess is more than spilled soda? What happens when it's a moral mess, a devastating failure, or a mistake that throws the whole church into a whirlwind of toxic cleanup? What happens when it's a co-worker or friend who is the one who caused it? How will that affect us personally, and how will it affect the ministry we care so much about?

In today's episode, Steve and Mathew talk about the impact that other peoples' messes can have on our lives. Having experienced this in our current ministries, we understand how hard it can be to deal with it. We somehow have to play the part of friend, church leader, and youth worker all the same time, even while we deal with our own anger and grief. Messy situations can suck up all our energy and time, and leave us exhausted and cynical. But it doesn't have to end that way.

How can we work through these times and find something good and healing on the other side for ourselves, our churches, and our students?

Episode 45 -- Cleaning Up Other People's Messes