Background: Within every school, there are teachers who love Jesus and who have chosen their career (at least in part) because education allows them to impact students in the name of the Lord. Teaching, coaching, etc. giveS them daily opportunities to spread the gospel through their actions. They have an active ministry in their classrooms. Some venture out into outreach ministries and some choose to simply live out their ministry daily as a part of their job. We, as Young Life staff and volunteers, can grow our ministry team and exponentially increase the impact of our ministries by acknowledging and supporting these missionaries. Our gospel outreach efforts are not novel nor foremost in the schools we enter. There are teachers attempting it every day. We must listen, learn, and invest first before we ever invite them to take part in the pieces of ministry we implement. Our tools (Club, Campaigners, and Camp) might indeed be a blessing to their personal ministries, but that should be a secondary goal. Our primary goal should be to help grow a community of believers set on reaching each kid with the gospel of Jesus.
Avengers Unite
I have a confession to make. I wasn’t comfortable crying until my daughters were born. My oldest is one of the 2020 graduates who tires of being told that COVID-19 will make her stronger one day, so my acceptance of public personal tears turned eighteen this year. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not moved to tears every day, however, I consistently cry in front of others weekly.
Needless to say, I’m okay with it.
However, there is one time of tears that somewhat shames me. I took my twins (now sophomores in high school) to a midnight showing of Avengers: Infinity War, and during the iconic scene where Captain America, Tony Stark, and their team of failing heroes is about to fall at the hand of Thanos and his cohorts and the sky opens in seemingly countless spinning time portals of hope and all of the heroes, once thought dead, came back to life . . . I lost it. Openly. Loudly. Bawling. Ugly crying.
That vision of the entire team, united, back together moved me.
Fast forward to March of 2020. The reality of COVID-19 quickly spread from the coasts to the plains, and my state, Kansas, made a firm and decisive decision to close schools for the rest of the year. I was shocked, stunned, and saddened. And yes, I ugly cried - numerous times. Having taught in the same district for almost twenty years, my routine, my friends, my way of life were all hurting, almost as bad as the Captain, Tony, and the gang in Infinity War. I needed rescue, a group of heroes to save me.
This was our unlikely team.
A retiring high school librarian.
Two tired high school counselors.
A weary special education teacher.
Three reenergized middle school math, science, and history teachers.
Five veteran high school English and history teachers.
A second-year band teacher.
A first-year PE teacher.
A displaced paraprofessional.
And a newly valued online technology director.
Not quite the appearing Avengers coming to the rescue in the climactic scene of Infinity War. But we were ready for battle. Our battle plan was prayer. No swords, no superheroes. A Friday morning Zoom call to pray was our weapon against the undefinable effects of the COVID-19 shutdown.
Somewhat skeptical of corporate prayer over Zoom, I was joyful after our first meeting. Grace, faith, passion, and transparency ruled the day with this group of Jesus-loving-kid-loving (JLKL) educators. I knew (or at least knew of) all team members. However, I didn’t anticipate the impact of the volume of our resounding cry to the Lord.
Entering school buildings across our Young Life region for the last decade, recruiting teacher staff and volunteers, my defined goal was to headhunt the educators who were willing and able to fill a role. While success stories abound, this consumer-mindedness blew right past this treasured team of educators, and others like them. Besides myself, none on our team is on Young Life staff, yet each has a powerful ministry, alive and active, in his or her classroom.
Our Friday Zoom calls revealed that JLKL educators have a profound personal, daily impact on every student in our school district - over 5,000 students. Every student is prayed for by an educator who loves them in the name of Jesus.
Do you, as Young Life staff, realize that in every school across your city resides teachers who chose education to impact kids in the name of Jesus?
Not all of them will choose to partner with Young Life to reach them; however, we can choose to partner with them to reach kids.
I’m sure you’re aware that next year could be overwhelmingly complicated for those in education. Pour into them as they pour into their students, families, and community. Like the returning Avengers, step into their world and engage in battle with them. Clouds of uncertainty envelope the fall of 2020. Schools may not allow any outsiders inside. JLKL educators may very well be the only points of contact with daily access to the very kids we’re trying to reach.
May we, all who love Jesus and seek to love students in His name, come together to create a ministry community, a team, of heroes.
Resources and Tips for Talking to JLKL Teachers:
First - Pray for all teachers
Always - Spend time doing contact work with teachers
Regularly - Offer to partner with them in their personal ministry
When/If right - Offer Young Life as a vehicle to further their mission
Want to continue the conversation? Contact your regional Young Life Teacher Champion or contact Tanya Huber at tanyahuber76@gmail.com or Mark Fleske at markfleske@gmail.com.
Written by: Mark Fleske