What is real ministry ?

Some good thoughts about the youth specialties conference in Dalls, by Craig Gross from xxxchurch.com.

"On Friday night, Jeanette and Nolan and I walked from our hotel to the west end in the downtown district to grab a bit to eat. Once we arrived we noticed all the news stations covering the nights events downtown.

The restaurants were packed with Oklahoma fans and some Texas fans. But most of the fans from Oklahoma were now in town and the weekend festivities were well underway.

We found a quite place to eat and had a nice dinner. By the time we were finished with dinner, the west end was loaded with people and it was pretty out of control. Apparently in years past, a few people have died from all the partying, fights and just gutter living that takes place over these couple of days.

As we arrived back at the Adams Marks Hotel and headed to the 30th floor on the north tower where are room was located, I noticed the south tower. The line to get on the elevator was an hour wait. The line filled with Oklahoma t-shirt wearing college students was loud. The night was young and the partying was going to continue most likely all the way till game time the following day around noon.

The two-hour plus session was under way when I arrived and some friends of mine, The David Crowder Band, were leading these youth workers in a time of worship. I am not a huge worship fan and do not think most people need more corporate worship in their lives, but I do love the Crowder Band. As I stood along the side, and watch 3200 youth workers hold hands as Crowder told the workers to "sing like the saved" and then the crowd "danced like the saved". Luckily, since I was on the sideline, I did not have to dance or hold hands with someone next to me, but it was during this moment, that I realized something.

3200 YOUTH workers at a conference learning how to be better youth workers and there just so happened to be thousands of YOUTH on site at the conference that not only our we paying no attention too, we are requesting to get further and further away from them."