Why everyone in Youth Ministry should see "The Breakfast Club"

During the Spring of my Sophomore year of college, I finally was able to sit down and view the 1980's classic movie The Breakfast Club. I know it is shocking that I either had not seen it yet or had a huge desire to watch a movie that takes place in a detention room 99% of the movie. I had a group of friends who also had not seen it and far too many encounters with references to it that I had to check this out. Sure enough, after I finished viewing the movie I realized that every single person in Youth Ministry should see that movie. I know they say that youth ministry changes around every 5 years just as youth culture is so often changing, but there are some universal themes all throughout that movie that I think are vital.

I would like to begin with, naturally, the beginning of the movie. We have this ragtag group of very distinct high school students in detention on a Saturday for a variety of reasons; and we meet the teacher in charge who seems to represent a general view that adults had of teenagers. This movie points out how easy it is to look down on teenagers and think that they are much less than what they truly are. I was intrigued by the fact that the teacher seemed so worried that those teenagers would one day be the leaders of the world and yet seemed to look down on him; often times I believe it is easy to fall into this trap. We need to be aware of adults and even ourselves at times falling into this because this only feeds into false identity building for young adults. Each one of the members of the breakfast club had their own issues that they covered up with their actions and attitudes, that were mistaken for just not caring; the actions of the adults in this film only encouraged the teenagers defensive attitude.

Next I would like to talk about community. No matter what the time period is, I believe that the Breakfast club is a wonderful example of what true community is like...or what it is meant to be like. Each person was different, each person had their own story but they all connected on a common ground. They all had to be in this detention for one reason or another and as we learn later on in the story they all have something (or many things) that they are struggling with. It is in community that we learn the deep dark secrets about those we would never expect and it is in community that they, and we, bond to create lasting friendships that will strengthen us in life.

This ties in beautifully with my next theme and it would be that we all have our own story and you never know someone else's whole story. We learn this as throughout the movie we slowly find out why each person got detention and how each person has parent issues back home: whether they be divorced parents, abusive parents, over-perfectionist parents, and so on. This is such an important theme in youth ministry because every student that we come in contact with in our ministry has their own backstory and reason for why they are the way they are. There is no way to truly know a person so it is vital to take that time to get to know them.

The end of the movie is just a perfect example of how creating the right community changes people, brings them closer together, and just as Claire gave Bender her earring, we all take something with us from those we encounter in community. It may not be something physical like a diamond earring, but they become a part of our story and leave a part of themselves with us. All of these themes and more are more than enough reasons for watching The Breakfast Club, heck even say its "work" because you're doing research.  It may be a pretty raunchy movie, but its worth it; not only is it worth it its authentic because I guarantee either your students or their peers act rather similar to those in the movie.

My prayer tonight is for God to give us the gift of discernment when it comes to the movies we view.

Grace and Peace.

Learning to breathe and live simply

There's something breathtaking about going Snorkling in Belize. We left Caye Caulker by boat to snorkel with first sharks, rays, and other fish. It was so cool to be able to pet a shark and swim above them, but at first I barely put my head in the water. It was hard for me to breathe just out of my mouth like we were supposed to so I had to slowly teach myself to do it and it wasn't until our next stop that I was able to. Learning to snorkel is kind of like growing in your faith; things may seem difficult at first but as you get used to it the easier it gets which allows you to become stronger in your faith.

Then when I was able to snorkel on the second stop it was just amazing to see all of the coral reefs and the fish swimming in and out of it! I just kept thinking how amazing Gods creation is! Then we saw a school of fish that we learned cleaned the coral by eating the bacteria and that to me is just another sign of Gods handiwork.

This trip, especially today had taught me to just live simply. Instead of buying suvineers and taking tons of pictures today, I just looked and took it all in. I realized that no amount of suvineer, picture, or whatnot will truly reflect how amazing today was. I just need to reflect on my memories. God has made such an amazing creation and in the age to come we will get to see it in its full beauty with God.

If I can take anything back to the states it's to live simply, be relational not time consumed, and look for God moving in everything.

Relational poverty

In our travels to Belize, we have read and discussed how everyone struggles with poverty of one form or another because all poverty goes back to relationships: either with God, self, others, or the environment. I have been seeking for God to transform me on this trip and I have realized areas of my life where I have struggled in relational poverty.

Back home there is a lady known as AD that since freshmen year has gotten under my skin and I've always wanted to correct her even though I just walk away infuriated and she does not seemed borrowed by it. She recently has gotten closer to two of my close friends and that has led me to at times resent them for hanging with her. It was on this trip that I realized how messed up it is for me to resent anyone. That is how I have suffered this relational poverty; I have tried to correct them, felt bad, and apologized so many countless times and often my apology has turned into a lecture. That is not Gods will.

I have realized to get out of this poverty i can only do it with Christ's help and then with perseverance of forgiving and loving them daily. It has to be a constant action and not just something I talk to them about or think to myself: it has to be be an action as Bob Goff so rightly points out Love Does.

So my goal is to daily choose to cross the bridge instead of burning it by simply forgiving. By crossing that bridge my goal is to break this cycle of relational poverty by starting with fixing myself and that I can only do through Christ.

Peace

A Month Abroad

For most of the month of January I have had the privilege of traveling to Belize with a class entitled "missions and ministries." I have been in this country for 9 days so far and it has been an incredible experience that I would recommend to all. We've visited Mayan ruins in Lamanai, visited a baboon sanctuary near Belize City, taught a business game called bead'o'nomics in Nazarene primary schools in Succotz, bonded as a group playing games such as Euchre and The Great Dalmuti.

This trip has shown me how often I am not prepared for traveling. For example the first day when we left for Lamanai I forgot big spray, sunscreen, and my snake bite kit. I am someone who has all these resources for being out of the country and haven't remembered any of them. But it has still been a great trip and it has been really warm out which is amazing because it is snowing in Ohio.

The rest of the trip we are going to be doing Clean Water Initiative stuff. We are going to be going to villages and selling lifestraws and giving the villages water purification devices. To prepare us for that week we have each been assigned a pastor or teacher to pray for, so I am excited to meet Pastor Martin since I have been praying for him.

Overall in deciding what missions trips to go on, I recommend people to leave the country. I love this experience so much I want to continue to go out of the country on trips. My advice would be to go without expectations and be ready for God to transform you. That is daily my prayer.

Lord, help me to be transformed on this trip and to be used by you today.