Something I’ve learned from my friends at Orange is that fun matters. I used to think that fun was important because it could be used as a sort of on-ramp to the parts of student ministry that really matter. In other words, if students have fun at our events, maybe they’ll want to go a little deeper with their faith. But, I’ve changed my opinion about fun. Fun isn’t important because it attracts students. Fun is important because it connects students. Reggie Joiner often says that fun matters because fun, over time, makes a friendship go deeper. When we have fun with students, students realize that we actually like them.
To me, what matters most in student ministry is the relationship between a student and an adult mentor (usually a small group leader). Every kid deserves an adult in their life who shows up consistently simply because they care. Every kid deserves an adult who will listen. Every kid needs an adult who will act as a guide–to show them what it looks like to follow Jesus.
What I’ve discovered is that fun accelerates this process. The mentor/student relationship is built upon trust and friendship. Fun together is like oxygen to this fire. Laughter is even better. This is why we invest an incredible amount of time and resources in having fun. To an outsider, this may appear to be a poor investment, but we have learned that investing in fun is investing in the student/mentor relationship and the truth is, when it comes to student ministry, there is nothing more worthy of investment than this relationship.
And so, fun matters. Fun over time makes connections. Fun over time makes a friendship grow deeper. Which is why we make ridiculous videos like this one…so that students and adults can laugh together.
Toddler Justice from Lifeline Student Ministries on Vimeo.
If these ideas struck a chord with you, it’s probably time for you to come along with me to the Orange Tour or the Orange Conference. You may just find your people.
image credited to JD Hancock via Flickr
