WEBVTT 00:00:02.779 --> 00:00:04.919 Hello, everyone, and welcome to this week's episode 00:00:04.919 --> 00:00:08.000 of Trinity Talks. My name is Kyla, and I am sitting 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:11.560 down here with three folks who help to lead our 00:00:11.560 --> 00:00:14.160 youth ministry here at Trinity Streetsville. 00:00:14.339 --> 00:00:16.239 And we're going to talk a little bit more about 00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:19.660 what that youth ministry looks like. Yeah, what 00:00:19.660 --> 00:00:22.160 do they do together? What are some of the highs, 00:00:22.179 --> 00:00:24.800 the lows, the in -betweens? And yeah, I'm just 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:27.239 excited to sort of hear. what this ministry is 00:00:27.239 --> 00:00:29.640 all about. And yeah, it's been a while since 00:00:29.640 --> 00:00:32.799 I've been in youth group, but I'm sure that it 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:35.420 has both changed and maybe not changed at all. 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:38.200 We will learn together. So thank you for joining 00:00:38.200 --> 00:00:40.420 me, folks. Absolutely. Thanks for having us. 00:00:40.539 --> 00:00:43.179 Yeah. Yeah. So maybe I'll just get you started 00:00:43.179 --> 00:00:45.539 to get some introductions, say a little bit about 00:00:45.539 --> 00:00:48.619 yourself and sort of how long you've been doing 00:00:48.619 --> 00:00:51.740 youth group. Yeah, I can start. I'm Rylan and 00:00:51.740 --> 00:00:55.520 I love youth ministry so much. I'm a child at 00:00:55.520 --> 00:00:57.659 heart, so I'm surprised I'm not in kids ministry, 00:00:57.719 --> 00:00:59.659 but no youth ministry is like, for me, it's, 00:00:59.659 --> 00:01:02.240 it's, it's just one of the most magical things. 00:01:02.340 --> 00:01:06.239 Um, I think part of it is I had such crazy years 00:01:06.239 --> 00:01:09.879 in my, uh, preteen and teen years, uh, a lot 00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:12.579 of, as we say, highs and lows and all the way 00:01:12.579 --> 00:01:17.620 around, but they were such crazy years. And my, 00:01:17.700 --> 00:01:20.549 my number one. I guess, regret or looking back 00:01:20.549 --> 00:01:23.730 as, oh man, I really wish I knew how amazing 00:01:23.730 --> 00:01:26.930 God was and was following him because I thought 00:01:26.930 --> 00:01:29.090 he was so lame and I wanted nothing to do with 00:01:29.090 --> 00:01:33.730 him. So that's really, honestly, like my heart 00:01:33.730 --> 00:01:36.329 for youth ministry. I'll also just say I'm in 00:01:36.329 --> 00:01:38.590 Bible college. So this is like, this is my thing. 00:01:38.650 --> 00:01:40.390 I don't know where exactly I'm going to end up, 00:01:40.390 --> 00:01:43.469 what kind of ministry, but I believe I'm called 00:01:43.469 --> 00:01:48.569 to do vocational ministry my whole life. So yeah. 00:01:49.590 --> 00:01:54.489 I've been the youth director for less than a 00:01:54.489 --> 00:01:57.150 year, almost a year. And I don't want to spoil 00:01:57.150 --> 00:01:58.930 Mia's response, but she's been there longer, 00:01:59.030 --> 00:02:02.150 twice as long as I have. I'll just, yeah, I think 00:02:02.150 --> 00:02:04.569 I've said enough. No, that's awesome. Thanks, 00:02:04.709 --> 00:02:06.569 Charlotte. Yeah, do you want to go ahead? Sure. 00:02:06.730 --> 00:02:11.090 I'm Luciana and I've been like helping out with 00:02:11.090 --> 00:02:15.430 juniors for almost a year, like six, eight months. 00:02:18.280 --> 00:02:21.039 Well, I've been youth, like I was youth before 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:25.419 for like four or three years. Okay. Yeah, so. 00:02:25.960 --> 00:02:28.300 I've been around. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you were 00:02:28.300 --> 00:02:30.879 doing junior youth for three years, and now you're, 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:32.379 like, helping out with that, and then you're 00:02:32.379 --> 00:02:34.840 attending the senior youth as well? Yeah. Okay, 00:02:34.939 --> 00:02:37.000 cool. Awesome. You've been there longer than 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:39.659 any of us. Yeah. I have more experience. The 00:02:39.659 --> 00:02:43.759 real experience. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. And 00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:47.199 then I'm Mia. I've been working as the co -youth 00:02:47.199 --> 00:02:50.080 director for two years now. So, yeah, just finishing 00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:52.699 my second year. Okay. Yeah, and, like, Rylan, 00:02:52.840 --> 00:02:56.520 like, I think youth ministry is so, so important. 00:02:57.300 --> 00:03:00.379 Young people have such a difficult time in the 00:03:00.379 --> 00:03:03.020 world. And I think it's important for them to 00:03:03.020 --> 00:03:06.270 have this like. grounding place for them sure 00:03:06.270 --> 00:03:07.949 yeah and that's what youth was for me when i 00:03:07.949 --> 00:03:12.050 was a teenager yeah yeah oh that's awesome yeah 00:03:12.050 --> 00:03:14.949 so folks may or may not know that you all gather 00:03:14.949 --> 00:03:17.789 here on a friday night uh for youth group but 00:03:17.789 --> 00:03:19.710 they probably don't know what it is that you 00:03:19.710 --> 00:03:22.310 actually do at youth groups can you sort of describe 00:03:22.310 --> 00:03:24.590 for me like what is a typical youth group night 00:03:24.590 --> 00:03:31.210 look like yeah well from what i like i've seen 00:03:31.210 --> 00:03:34.199 and everything and Just being here. It's mostly, 00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:38.939 like, it's just fun. Like, you enter, you play 00:03:38.939 --> 00:03:41.319 a bunch of games that are made by, like, the 00:03:41.319 --> 00:03:44.000 people there, Riley and Mia, sometimes Zion. 00:03:44.500 --> 00:03:47.280 And they're just really fun games, and then you 00:03:47.280 --> 00:03:50.719 get to do Lesson, where, like, we talk about 00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:53.740 how Jesus impacts their life, or, like, just 00:03:53.740 --> 00:03:58.810 any story of the Bible. And, like... That's what 00:03:58.810 --> 00:04:00.949 I tell my friends because I normally invite most 00:04:00.949 --> 00:04:03.909 of my friends to youth groups. I tell them, it's 00:04:03.909 --> 00:04:06.110 just, we're going to be at the church, play games, 00:04:06.250 --> 00:04:07.610 and then we're going to have like a quick lesson 00:04:07.610 --> 00:04:10.689 and a quick snack. Okay, cool. Sorry, I love 00:04:10.689 --> 00:04:12.490 that you said we get to do lesson, not that we 00:04:12.490 --> 00:04:15.349 have to do lesson. That's a good sign. Yeah, 00:04:15.349 --> 00:04:19.649 for sure. Yeah, so we have junior youth, which 00:04:19.649 --> 00:04:22.230 is grades six to eight here from six o 'clock 00:04:22.230 --> 00:04:23.449 to eight o 'clock. And then we have the high 00:04:23.449 --> 00:04:26.730 schoolers here from eight to 10. And the night 00:04:26.730 --> 00:04:29.019 looks... We kind of have a similar structure. 00:04:29.079 --> 00:04:31.779 Sure. And like, yeah, Luciana said, there's games. 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:36.600 We try and do some like crazy, chaotic, fun games. 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:41.040 Okay. And yeah, usually youth like them. Yeah, 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:45.300 we do. Yeah. And then a lesson and snack and 00:04:45.300 --> 00:04:47.819 sometimes small group as well. Okay. Which I 00:04:47.819 --> 00:04:49.500 think is a super important part of the night. 00:04:49.579 --> 00:04:51.600 And we've kind of started putting a little bit 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:54.480 more emphasis on that. Sure. Okay. So what does 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:57.120 that look like? The like small group bit? Yeah. 00:04:57.160 --> 00:04:58.879 So we usually break off. It depends on how many 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:01.699 leaders we have, but into like two or three groups. 00:05:02.060 --> 00:05:05.980 And we go over like any questions they had from 00:05:05.980 --> 00:05:08.100 the lesson or like sometimes Rylan will talk. 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:11.040 Sometimes we watch a video. So we go over questions 00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:13.879 from that and also just talk about our week and 00:05:13.879 --> 00:05:16.560 how it's been. Sure. And yeah, have a little 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:18.680 bit more community in a smaller group where it 00:05:18.680 --> 00:05:20.839 feels a little bit. safer for some of the youth 00:05:20.839 --> 00:05:24.339 yeah no that's awesome yeah yeah um and so like 00:05:24.339 --> 00:05:26.860 how many youth do you usually have like on a 00:05:26.860 --> 00:05:31.480 given friday night junior youth is is always 00:05:31.480 --> 00:05:34.360 a little less okay yeah uh sometimes a lot less 00:05:34.360 --> 00:05:37.579 uh yeah it could be last week is actually or 00:05:37.579 --> 00:05:40.459 two weeks ago i guess was probably our the most 00:05:40.459 --> 00:05:43.920 we've had okay very very long time uh maybe as 00:05:43.920 --> 00:05:45.620 long as i've been here so i'd say with junior 00:05:45.620 --> 00:05:53.319 youth probably It could be 8 to 12 of them or 00:05:53.319 --> 00:05:57.019 so. Yeah, okay. And then the senior youth is 00:05:57.019 --> 00:06:00.839 more than that. A lot, yeah. Like lowest amount, 00:06:00.980 --> 00:06:04.439 like maybe 15, but usually like 20 to 30, I would 00:06:04.439 --> 00:06:07.379 say. We have a lot of senior youth bring friends 00:06:07.379 --> 00:06:10.519 with them. Sure. Which is awesome. Yeah, if those 00:06:10.519 --> 00:06:13.779 friends come, we get like... yeah around 30 but 00:06:13.779 --> 00:06:16.439 if they don't there's a few less but yeah it's 00:06:16.439 --> 00:06:19.079 okay yeah it's a good number of them okay yes 00:06:19.079 --> 00:06:23.860 so you mentioned lots of wild games and fun chaotic 00:06:23.860 --> 00:06:26.980 things happening so do we have like a favorite 00:06:26.980 --> 00:06:29.620 game or a favorite like ah we did this thing 00:06:29.620 --> 00:06:32.459 this one time and it was crazy and awesome oh 00:06:32.459 --> 00:06:37.199 i have yeah um there's this game that was called 00:06:37.199 --> 00:06:40.759 i think it was three couch Okay. Four on a couch. 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:45.660 Four on a couch. I love that game. Okay. Everybody's 00:06:45.660 --> 00:06:48.139 like, because we normally play like Ghost vs. 00:06:48.259 --> 00:06:51.139 Boys. Okay. So everybody's like riled up and 00:06:51.139 --> 00:06:53.620 like saying, no, you, you, you, you're the name, 00:06:53.660 --> 00:06:56.199 you're the name or whatever. And like, it's just, 00:06:56.319 --> 00:06:58.800 I love that game. Okay. So how do you play four 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:01.800 on a couch? Uh, there's four people on a couch. 00:07:02.040 --> 00:07:05.779 Okay. And there's someone there. Everybody sits 00:07:05.779 --> 00:07:09.259 like around the couches and each person has like 00:07:09.259 --> 00:07:12.660 a each person puts like a name on their on like 00:07:12.660 --> 00:07:14.959 a paper and they switch it up around okay so 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:17.639 then you have a name of like another person okay 00:07:17.639 --> 00:07:19.939 right so like if we were playing i mean there's 00:07:19.939 --> 00:07:21.779 four of us so you probably need more than four 00:07:21.779 --> 00:07:23.920 people to play but like you would be like mia 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:27.199 and i would be like rylan yeah yeah okay so then 00:07:27.199 --> 00:07:30.139 so if you call you call a name a random name 00:07:30.139 --> 00:07:33.339 and then if that person is in the couch like 00:07:33.339 --> 00:07:35.199 if the person that has the paper is in the couch 00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:39.430 then he has to Stand up and then switch places. 00:07:39.689 --> 00:07:42.449 Yeah, exactly. Okay. So then the point of the 00:07:42.449 --> 00:07:44.290 game is getting your group, your whole group 00:07:44.290 --> 00:07:46.610 in the four couches. Okay, great. So if it's 00:07:46.610 --> 00:07:48.910 girls and guys, you want four girls on the couch 00:07:48.910 --> 00:07:51.110 and four guys on the couch. And that's what's 00:07:51.110 --> 00:07:53.370 so confusing is you're trying to remember who 00:07:53.370 --> 00:07:58.129 has which name. Right. So it's because I wouldn't 00:07:58.129 --> 00:08:00.370 likely have my own name. But then also every 00:08:00.370 --> 00:08:02.370 time you swap with someone, you sit down, you 00:08:02.370 --> 00:08:06.199 also trade the card. Oh, you like trade names. 00:08:06.540 --> 00:08:10.519 I actually have no way, like my mind does not. 00:08:11.129 --> 00:08:13.389 So I just guess. I actually just guess and I 00:08:13.389 --> 00:08:16.430 get lucky sometimes. But yeah. Also, good thing 00:08:16.430 --> 00:08:17.769 you were able to explain it because I'm going 00:08:17.769 --> 00:08:19.990 to maybe have you explain that for the G &A today. 00:08:20.110 --> 00:08:22.649 So that's awesome. You killed it. It's tricky. 00:08:22.870 --> 00:08:25.110 It is. I get confused every time I explain it. 00:08:25.110 --> 00:08:27.110 Okay. Okay. What about for you, Rylan? Favorite 00:08:27.110 --> 00:08:30.110 youth group game? Easy. It's salad bowl. That's 00:08:30.110 --> 00:08:32.690 my favorite. And how does one play salad bowl? 00:08:32.789 --> 00:08:35.730 How does one play salad bowl? Basically, there's 00:08:35.730 --> 00:08:39.950 also pieces of paper and everyone will have them. 00:08:40.360 --> 00:08:42.340 The way I like to do it is, well, you can write 00:08:42.340 --> 00:08:44.700 a word or a sentence up to three words. Okay. 00:08:44.779 --> 00:08:46.620 And so everybody gets a chance to write that. 00:08:46.659 --> 00:08:48.419 You just write down one or maybe two, depending 00:08:48.419 --> 00:08:50.440 on how many we have. And then you fold it up, 00:08:50.500 --> 00:08:51.820 fold it with a piece of paper, throw it in the 00:08:51.820 --> 00:08:54.639 bowl. And then basically it functions like charades. 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:57.250 Okay. bend the rules and maybe it's just because 00:08:57.250 --> 00:08:58.490 i don't remember the rules that i've been there 00:08:58.490 --> 00:09:01.169 but i the way i so we'll do like one or two or 00:09:01.169 --> 00:09:03.610 three rounds okay round one will usually be you 00:09:03.610 --> 00:09:05.690 can use up to three words except for the words 00:09:05.690 --> 00:09:09.009 on the paper okay describe it okay but no actions 00:09:09.009 --> 00:09:10.830 and then round two will be you can only use one 00:09:10.830 --> 00:09:13.090 word so at that point like it might be such an 00:09:13.090 --> 00:09:15.210 absurd statement you have to remember them yeah 00:09:15.210 --> 00:09:17.409 yeah then it's like you have one word and then 00:09:17.409 --> 00:09:20.230 last one is actions no words okay so basically 00:09:20.230 --> 00:09:24.500 charades but like insane um yeah it's so i love 00:09:24.500 --> 00:09:27.600 it i love it so much yeah yeah very cool yeah 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:32.080 yeah one of my favorites is a game i don't think 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:34.919 it has a name i kind of made it up i think okay 00:09:34.919 --> 00:09:38.169 i love that um But we played it a lot with the 00:09:38.169 --> 00:09:40.769 youth last year. I would take beanbags and hide 00:09:40.769 --> 00:09:43.549 them all around the church. Okay. And then the 00:09:43.549 --> 00:09:46.870 youth would have to find them and put them in 00:09:46.870 --> 00:09:49.570 like a basket downstairs. Okay. But the leaders 00:09:49.570 --> 00:09:52.549 would be it. And they'd be like trying to catch 00:09:52.549 --> 00:09:54.509 the youth. And if you got caught, they'd go to 00:09:54.509 --> 00:09:56.509 like jail, which was the youth room. Okay. And 00:09:56.509 --> 00:09:58.269 be freed. So it was kind of like capture the 00:09:58.269 --> 00:10:02.559 flag. Right. instead of like two teams, it was 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:05.179 youth versus leaders. Right. Okay. Yeah. And 00:10:05.179 --> 00:10:06.860 then it was a specific time. So you have to get 00:10:06.860 --> 00:10:09.139 them all in like 20 minutes or whatever. Yeah. 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:12.419 Okay. And that game gave me a good workout. Lots 00:10:12.419 --> 00:10:15.980 of cardio. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. For sure. For 00:10:15.980 --> 00:10:19.100 sure. Yeah. So those are some of your favorite 00:10:19.100 --> 00:10:21.059 games, but like, what about other parts of doing 00:10:21.059 --> 00:10:23.000 youth ministry? Are there parts that you're like, 00:10:23.019 --> 00:10:25.519 ah, this is like what I really love about it. 00:10:25.580 --> 00:10:27.879 Um, whether like being part of youth group or 00:10:27.879 --> 00:10:33.440 leading youth group. As a youth and also helping 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:37.179 with the youth, I've learned that youth group 00:10:37.179 --> 00:10:43.019 really changed yourself and how you see friends 00:10:43.019 --> 00:10:46.320 and meet people. Because when I came into youth 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:51.279 group, I generally found it as a safe space. 00:10:51.580 --> 00:10:54.419 Just like a break from the week. And it was just 00:10:54.419 --> 00:10:58.559 so relaxing to just play games. And then here, 00:10:58.679 --> 00:11:01.549 it's like, somebody new comes in and then it's 00:11:01.549 --> 00:11:05.429 like just oh hi and then you just instant like 00:11:05.429 --> 00:11:10.450 become friends so like youth group really does 00:11:10.450 --> 00:11:12.429 open a lot of doors and that's why i always tell 00:11:12.429 --> 00:11:14.049 my friends like hey come to youth group it's 00:11:14.049 --> 00:11:16.190 actually gonna be so much fun you're just gonna 00:11:16.190 --> 00:11:18.909 meet new people right yeah that's awesome i love 00:11:18.909 --> 00:11:22.990 that yeah yeah for me it's kind of similar but 00:11:22.990 --> 00:11:25.870 from the other end of like seeing it um especially 00:11:25.870 --> 00:11:29.100 when leading small group like seeing especially 00:11:29.100 --> 00:11:31.960 friends of youth who I know better who start 00:11:31.960 --> 00:11:34.899 to come every week. And then there's been some 00:11:34.899 --> 00:11:36.799 small groups where like they start to open up 00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:39.240 a little more and share. And yeah, just seeing 00:11:39.240 --> 00:11:44.720 how like it really does change. I'll say change 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:47.000 people's lives because that's a big claim. But 00:11:47.000 --> 00:11:51.919 yeah, it changes their life for a little bit. 00:11:51.940 --> 00:11:54.440 Sure. Which is cool. Yeah. Yeah. Just adding 00:11:54.440 --> 00:11:58.039 up to what Mia said. Actually, I didn't just 00:11:58.039 --> 00:12:00.120 come to youth group because of an email or because 00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:02.340 I already knew about it. It was because a friend 00:12:02.340 --> 00:12:05.360 invited me. I've been here for four years now. 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:08.379 Right. Yeah. It's crazy. It literally changed 00:12:08.379 --> 00:12:11.350 my life. Yeah. yeah yeah and it's so interesting 00:12:11.350 --> 00:12:13.610 like it's it is those like personal connections 00:12:13.610 --> 00:12:16.190 right and like yeah maybe somebody would come 00:12:16.190 --> 00:12:18.190 to youth group because like get an email or text 00:12:18.190 --> 00:12:20.250 or whatever but like those like being able to 00:12:20.250 --> 00:12:22.070 like bring your friends and feeling like this 00:12:22.070 --> 00:12:24.110 is like actually a really exciting and safe space 00:12:24.110 --> 00:12:27.389 to do that i think is awesome yeah yeah and that's 00:12:27.389 --> 00:12:29.649 what's so important about youth ministry i think 00:12:29.649 --> 00:12:31.690 like the connections in the community because 00:12:31.690 --> 00:12:34.870 that's what you need yeah for sure if i could 00:12:34.870 --> 00:12:38.409 chime in a little bit i i definitely like yeah 00:12:38.409 --> 00:12:40.350 i think this is important because i I know like 00:12:40.350 --> 00:12:42.009 to say, yeah, I come here, your, your life's 00:12:42.009 --> 00:12:44.370 going to be changed. You know, it's, it's, it's 00:12:44.370 --> 00:12:48.669 ambitious, but, um, but I think, you know, having 00:12:48.669 --> 00:12:50.570 your life changed doesn't always have to like 00:12:50.570 --> 00:12:53.330 look super big and glamorous. It's, it's like 00:12:53.330 --> 00:12:55.330 the small things, right. And it's like, wow, 00:12:55.409 --> 00:12:57.169 there's something about this place that I feel 00:12:57.169 --> 00:13:00.370 I can come and, and be safe, be known, be seen. 00:13:00.470 --> 00:13:03.029 I think that's one of the biggest things is like 00:13:03.029 --> 00:13:06.190 to be, to be actually seen and asked questions 00:13:06.190 --> 00:13:09.669 and, um, having people remember things about 00:13:09.669 --> 00:13:12.110 you and remember when you're not there, the weeks 00:13:12.110 --> 00:13:14.470 you are there. And yeah, I just think like for 00:13:14.470 --> 00:13:18.470 myself, I mean, before I really came to Christ, 00:13:18.570 --> 00:13:21.250 there were, I still had participated in youth 00:13:21.250 --> 00:13:23.070 groups and there's things I remember still about 00:13:23.070 --> 00:13:25.590 those youth groups and about people in my life 00:13:25.590 --> 00:13:28.529 that like, yeah, we're, it's weird because it's 00:13:28.529 --> 00:13:30.990 the whole idea in the Bible of like a seed, right? 00:13:31.090 --> 00:13:33.590 You plant a seed and you might not see it grow. 00:13:34.250 --> 00:13:36.350 until years later you might not see it grow at 00:13:36.350 --> 00:13:39.309 all sure but just i really believe in that like 00:13:39.309 --> 00:13:41.710 i believe if somebody comes that like maybe like 00:13:41.710 --> 00:13:43.850 a little they'll get a little bit of jesus like 00:13:43.850 --> 00:13:46.129 we get a glimpse right and then uh yeah maybe 00:13:46.129 --> 00:13:48.090 that's in fun maybe that's in and if it's in 00:13:48.090 --> 00:13:49.750 any game though it's definitely going to be in 00:13:49.750 --> 00:13:54.129 salad bowl just say that but uh yeah as long 00:13:54.129 --> 00:13:56.190 as what we write is appropriate which it usually 00:13:56.190 --> 00:14:00.279 is um one time we wrote rylan in there They had 00:14:00.279 --> 00:14:05.899 to act out Riley. Okay. Okay. Anyway, that's, 00:14:05.899 --> 00:14:09.559 yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, that's awesome. Like, I 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:12.080 think it is like, you know, you, you both kind 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:13.639 of said, you know, maybe it's a bold claim to 00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:15.799 say that it like changes people's lives and like, 00:14:15.799 --> 00:14:18.580 maybe, maybe not, but like, I think it does, 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:21.919 it adds meaning, right. It adds value. It adds 00:14:21.919 --> 00:14:26.259 this like sense of community that I think has. 00:14:27.149 --> 00:14:29.610 that we can't always like put our finger on and 00:14:29.610 --> 00:14:31.490 be like, oh, this is the impact that this has 00:14:31.490 --> 00:14:33.169 had in my life. It's like, no, no, just being 00:14:33.169 --> 00:14:38.230 in a space where I'm known and loved is so important. 00:14:38.590 --> 00:14:42.909 Yeah, for sure. Very well said. Yeah. So when 00:14:42.909 --> 00:14:45.909 you think about, you know, being involved in 00:14:45.909 --> 00:14:48.750 youth ministry, are there any ways that it has 00:14:48.750 --> 00:14:51.690 sort of shaped your own faith or like impacted 00:14:51.690 --> 00:14:54.250 your own relationship with Jesus in some way? 00:14:56.750 --> 00:14:58.690 Yeah, do you want to start us off? Yeah, I can 00:14:58.690 --> 00:15:02.230 start. I definitely think it's really interesting 00:15:02.230 --> 00:15:07.870 because when I was in youth, I was part of a 00:15:07.870 --> 00:15:11.929 strong faith community. And I was in a space 00:15:11.929 --> 00:15:13.789 where I could ask the hard questions and really 00:15:13.789 --> 00:15:15.809 think things through and talk things through. 00:15:16.429 --> 00:15:18.909 And then leaving that, I kind of lost a little 00:15:18.909 --> 00:15:20.950 bit of that, especially going to university. 00:15:21.070 --> 00:15:24.129 Most of my friends aren't religious. So I didn't 00:15:24.129 --> 00:15:26.789 have that sense of community. And then coming 00:15:26.789 --> 00:15:29.009 back and working here, it's really cool because 00:15:29.009 --> 00:15:31.789 the youth are now the ones asking the hard questions. 00:15:31.809 --> 00:15:34.029 And I can talk through these things with them. 00:15:34.110 --> 00:15:37.269 Yeah. Which, yeah, it's awesome because I'm growing 00:15:37.269 --> 00:15:39.850 by hearing their questions and talking through 00:15:39.850 --> 00:15:42.129 their questions with them. Sure. So, yeah, it's 00:15:42.129 --> 00:15:44.309 kind of the other side, but I'm getting the same 00:15:44.309 --> 00:15:46.830 thing out of it, which is awesome. Yeah. So it 00:15:46.830 --> 00:15:49.970 is like even for you, it's being part of a community. 00:15:50.049 --> 00:15:53.320 Yeah, exactly. Yeah, that's awesome. yeah what 00:15:53.320 --> 00:15:56.639 about you right yeah yeah well that's that's 00:15:56.639 --> 00:15:58.960 such a good it's such a good question like really 00:15:58.960 --> 00:16:03.059 i i it's a good point like yeah the questions 00:16:03.059 --> 00:16:04.919 the youth ask will actually really challenge 00:16:04.919 --> 00:16:07.639 us um which is amazing like that's and that's 00:16:07.639 --> 00:16:09.340 something we tell our our small group leaders 00:16:09.340 --> 00:16:11.740 as well um our leaders when they're when they're 00:16:11.740 --> 00:16:14.779 as yeah running small groups is like Yeah, don't 00:16:14.779 --> 00:16:16.279 feel pressure to answer everything because there's 00:16:16.279 --> 00:16:18.200 a lot of things that actually no human being 00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:20.019 on earth has the answer for. So we're not going 00:16:20.019 --> 00:16:22.320 to expect you to just like have it like that. 00:16:22.620 --> 00:16:25.440 It's like, yeah, I like to say, I don't know 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:28.220 is a holy answer. It's humble and it's important. 00:16:28.440 --> 00:16:30.220 And then they'll come to us after and we'll talk 00:16:30.220 --> 00:16:32.600 about it. But yeah, and just one other thing 00:16:32.600 --> 00:16:38.639 for me. This is especially for in regard to my 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:42.620 schooling and what will be. like just a huge 00:16:42.620 --> 00:16:45.759 part of my life like like teaching i've been 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:49.200 so so challenged and actually these two for example 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:52.379 have challenged me a lot and just like um encouraging 00:16:52.379 --> 00:16:56.320 me to to sometimes uh make my points more cohesive 00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:58.639 or more sure in the lesson a bit because they're 00:16:58.639 --> 00:17:02.059 i'm losing them Uh, but I just, I've heard it 00:17:02.059 --> 00:17:04.599 said that, uh, like if you can't explain something 00:17:04.599 --> 00:17:07.680 to like at a grade six level, you don't actually 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:09.539 understand it. Sure. Which is interesting. Cause 00:17:09.539 --> 00:17:11.500 that's like our also cool. Cause it's our lowest 00:17:11.500 --> 00:17:14.299 grade level, but it's true because especially, 00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:16.380 you know, if you're studying theology and stuff, 00:17:16.420 --> 00:17:18.440 you get all these, these terms and all these, 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:21.420 you know, these, Oh, look at me. I know all these 00:17:21.420 --> 00:17:24.059 words, but it's like, but if you can't like actually 00:17:24.059 --> 00:17:28.329 just explain it in normal language, um, And when 00:17:28.329 --> 00:17:30.089 people poke holes in it, then your thing kind 00:17:30.089 --> 00:17:32.430 of falls apart. It's like you don't really understand 00:17:32.430 --> 00:17:34.309 it. You know what I mean? There's parts of it 00:17:34.309 --> 00:17:36.230 that you don't understand. So I think it's like 00:17:36.230 --> 00:17:38.609 somebody said once, I don't know who, like you 00:17:38.609 --> 00:17:40.049 don't understand something until you understand 00:17:40.049 --> 00:17:42.890 it in multiple ways. And I just that's been huge. 00:17:43.029 --> 00:17:45.670 Like, no kidding. Some of our youth, especially 00:17:45.670 --> 00:17:47.950 usually actually the youngest ones, will ask 00:17:47.950 --> 00:17:50.950 these questions that are so childlike and so 00:17:50.950 --> 00:17:54.819 pure. so difficult i don't know sure yeah causes 00:17:54.819 --> 00:17:56.900 us to yeah to wrestle through it ourselves yeah 00:17:56.900 --> 00:18:00.839 and to be able to like find new language and 00:18:00.839 --> 00:18:03.460 find new ways of like thinking about and talking 00:18:03.460 --> 00:18:06.380 about god like i think especially like as you're 00:18:06.380 --> 00:18:08.099 sort of going through bible school like you're 00:18:08.099 --> 00:18:10.519 you're taught at a certain level, it's like, 00:18:10.539 --> 00:18:13.480 as you should be, right? Like, like there's a, 00:18:13.500 --> 00:18:15.640 there's a good reason to think through this in 00:18:15.640 --> 00:18:18.240 like high level language, but also then to be 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:21.579 able to explain that in a way that resonates 00:18:21.579 --> 00:18:24.059 with people. Like, yeah, it just shows us a different 00:18:24.059 --> 00:18:27.359 side of God. I think. Yeah. Beautifully said. 00:18:27.480 --> 00:18:31.480 Yeah. Yeah. What about for you? Um, well, yeah. 00:18:31.779 --> 00:18:35.400 Community mostly because, uh, like you realize 00:18:35.400 --> 00:18:38.410 how. community is like really important like 00:18:38.410 --> 00:18:41.309 when you're walking through faith yep because 00:18:41.309 --> 00:18:44.349 you get to like actually talk about it ask questions 00:18:44.349 --> 00:18:48.390 and just like actually experience god through 00:18:48.390 --> 00:18:53.630 others right yeah yeah yeah yeah i love that 00:18:53.630 --> 00:18:56.509 the the experiencing god like through other people 00:18:56.509 --> 00:19:02.549 um his yeah just so powerful i think yeah that 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:06.299 that we don't walk through life alone. And that 00:19:06.299 --> 00:19:10.759 like, sometimes we like think about, you know, 00:19:10.759 --> 00:19:13.000 it's, it's just me and Jesus. It's just me and 00:19:13.000 --> 00:19:15.940 God. And like, cool. That's great. But like God 00:19:15.940 --> 00:19:18.339 actually made us to be in community. Right. And 00:19:18.339 --> 00:19:21.220 so as we meet other people, we get to also like 00:19:21.220 --> 00:19:23.720 encounter God there. And that's, yeah, that's 00:19:23.720 --> 00:19:26.779 awesome. I'm so sorry. No, go ahead. I just, 00:19:26.859 --> 00:19:29.079 yeah, I, I, I just want to say one thing about 00:19:29.079 --> 00:19:31.539 this. Cause I, this is like, been really big 00:19:31.539 --> 00:19:34.619 interest of mine recently. I really believe that 00:19:34.619 --> 00:19:37.279 to a degree, you can only see the image of God 00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:40.200 so much in another person and not in the mirror. 00:19:40.220 --> 00:19:42.119 And it's not because like you're, you should 00:19:42.119 --> 00:19:44.099 have this lower view of yourself, but I, I just 00:19:44.099 --> 00:19:45.859 believe that's the nature of it. Like, you know, 00:19:45.880 --> 00:19:50.099 God himself is the Trinity and being made in 00:19:50.099 --> 00:19:51.839 the image of God is a communal thing. I just 00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:53.859 believe that's important because even as, like 00:19:53.859 --> 00:19:55.900 you said, experiencing God through another, even 00:19:55.900 --> 00:19:58.119 as we experience God through each other, I think 00:19:58.119 --> 00:20:01.319 then. Um, we're also living out in ourselves 00:20:01.319 --> 00:20:03.180 what it means to be made in the image of God. 00:20:03.220 --> 00:20:05.380 And we remember that we do have value ourselves 00:20:05.380 --> 00:20:08.180 because people treat us that way. And it's just 00:20:08.180 --> 00:20:09.980 a mutual thing. Whereas, yeah, I completely agree 00:20:09.980 --> 00:20:12.660 with you. Like when we're just so stuck up on 00:20:12.660 --> 00:20:14.559 just you and Jesus, just you and Jesus, like 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:16.859 you could try that. You could try to just have 00:20:16.859 --> 00:20:18.740 your own journey apart from everyone else, but 00:20:18.740 --> 00:20:23.599 you will. have a terrible time yeah so i yes 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:26.099 you won't get to play salad bowl you won't get 00:20:26.099 --> 00:20:30.000 to exactly yeah exactly exactly i'm sure he'd 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:35.700 be fun to play with but yeah yeah i also want 00:20:35.700 --> 00:20:37.420 to circle back to like one thing that you sort 00:20:37.420 --> 00:20:39.720 of said like really passingly as if it was like 00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:42.400 nothing but like this idea that like i don't 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:47.230 know is like a holy answer i think is so again 00:20:47.230 --> 00:20:49.289 can you just like say more about that like what 00:20:49.289 --> 00:20:51.230 that means like what that looks like i don't 00:20:51.230 --> 00:20:52.710 know it just like struck me and i was like huh 00:20:52.710 --> 00:20:59.930 yeah oh yeah i yeah i honestly it's it's one 00:20:59.930 --> 00:21:03.269 of the first things that really puzzled me when 00:21:03.269 --> 00:21:07.609 i came into the church was how arrogant we all 00:21:07.609 --> 00:21:11.900 are everybody And we're all so sure that our 00:21:11.900 --> 00:21:15.819 denomination or even our church has it all together 00:21:15.819 --> 00:21:18.960 and all right. And I was so bothered by that. 00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:22.440 And especially more and more like learning, because 00:21:22.440 --> 00:21:24.299 like you said, like that learning at the academic 00:21:24.299 --> 00:21:27.599 level is actually really important. And when 00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:30.019 you do that, you get to actually see like how 00:21:30.019 --> 00:21:31.539 people have come to the conclusions they came 00:21:31.539 --> 00:21:34.680 to. And there's brilliant, like spirit -filled 00:21:34.680 --> 00:21:38.849 people in every different, you know. stream of 00:21:38.849 --> 00:21:41.809 the church i really believe that and um yeah 00:21:41.809 --> 00:21:44.170 so i just think that's been a big thing is learning 00:21:44.170 --> 00:21:46.890 uh the more i learn about theology the more i 00:21:46.890 --> 00:21:49.809 learn about these the things of god and how it 00:21:49.809 --> 00:21:52.930 interacts with life and such power like beautiful 00:21:52.930 --> 00:21:55.910 like colorful ways that are not black and white 00:21:55.910 --> 00:22:00.829 yeah um i i just believe more and more uh with 00:22:00.829 --> 00:22:02.930 limits like there's some things we can't compromise 00:22:02.930 --> 00:22:06.849 of course but um more and more that when we hold 00:22:07.569 --> 00:22:11.569 what we know loosely, we actually open the door 00:22:11.569 --> 00:22:14.910 to knowing more and knowing God, like Paul prays, 00:22:14.910 --> 00:22:16.569 you know, know the love of Christ that's beyond 00:22:16.569 --> 00:22:18.730 knowledge. And when knowledge kind of becomes, 00:22:18.849 --> 00:22:20.690 I think like the ceiling for how much we can 00:22:20.690 --> 00:22:24.309 know God, then we just end up knowing about him, 00:22:24.349 --> 00:22:27.190 right? Like you get a resume of God and that's 00:22:27.190 --> 00:22:28.589 not what the Bible is. The Bible is inviting 00:22:28.589 --> 00:22:31.509 you to actually know him personally. I'm going 00:22:31.509 --> 00:22:34.349 a little over, but I'll try to circle back. Yeah. 00:22:34.470 --> 00:22:36.750 So that's the main thing is I just think it's 00:22:36.750 --> 00:22:40.390 about humbling ourselves. And like Proverbs says, 00:22:40.509 --> 00:22:42.569 you know, trusting him with all our heart and 00:22:42.569 --> 00:22:44.710 not leaning on our own understanding. Right. 00:22:44.769 --> 00:22:47.089 Part of that comes from, well, are you willing 00:22:47.089 --> 00:22:48.930 to be wrong about some of the things that you've 00:22:48.930 --> 00:22:52.450 held so tightly? Because if you're not, then 00:22:52.450 --> 00:22:54.549 it's like you could end up kind of building an 00:22:54.549 --> 00:22:57.079 idol of God that just aligns with. everything 00:22:57.079 --> 00:22:59.279 you believe, you know, and then those other, 00:22:59.299 --> 00:23:01.940 every other Christian, every other church, they're, 00:23:01.940 --> 00:23:04.859 they're all heretics, you know? So, yeah, I don't 00:23:04.859 --> 00:23:07.079 know. Does that? Yeah, no, no, that makes perfect 00:23:07.079 --> 00:23:09.980 sense. Yeah. Yeah. And I think from a more practical 00:23:09.980 --> 00:23:13.720 standpoint too, like with youth saying, you don't 00:23:13.720 --> 00:23:17.019 know also shows them it's okay to not know things 00:23:17.019 --> 00:23:20.299 and not like they don't have it all figured out. 00:23:20.359 --> 00:23:24.539 And I think it encourages them to like, kind 00:23:24.539 --> 00:23:27.119 of, Sit with things and think with things for 00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:30.380 themselves, because, yeah, like even if I have 00:23:30.380 --> 00:23:33.900 an idea of what I might think, I want them to. 00:23:34.329 --> 00:23:36.069 come up with their own conclusions on things. 00:23:36.309 --> 00:23:39.109 Yeah. Yeah. And that actually like builds a much 00:23:39.109 --> 00:23:42.150 more solid foundation for faith as well. Right. 00:23:42.230 --> 00:23:44.509 Like, cause I can think about, you know, different 00:23:44.509 --> 00:23:46.329 things in my life that were just sort of handed 00:23:46.329 --> 00:23:48.450 to me as like, okay, this is how it is. This 00:23:48.450 --> 00:23:51.170 is what you should believe. And like, that's 00:23:51.170 --> 00:23:52.890 cool. And like some of those things I do still 00:23:52.890 --> 00:23:55.170 believe, but like the things that I actually 00:23:55.170 --> 00:23:57.250 hold most dear to my heart are the things that 00:23:57.250 --> 00:24:00.309 like I have come to discover or I have come to 00:24:00.309 --> 00:24:03.359 like question and wonder about. Right. But. yeah 00:24:03.359 --> 00:24:07.259 creating that space for curiosity and not knowing 00:24:07.259 --> 00:24:09.579 the answers i think actually deepens our faith 00:24:09.579 --> 00:24:12.220 in some ways for sure yeah yeah and i think that's 00:24:12.220 --> 00:24:13.819 just so much of the beauty about the christian 00:24:13.819 --> 00:24:17.900 faith is that it's so um it god invites us to 00:24:17.900 --> 00:24:20.079 question like it's not a textbook right the bible 00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:22.420 is anything but a textbook it's so confusing 00:24:22.420 --> 00:24:25.160 and it's like it's inviting us you know that's 00:24:25.160 --> 00:24:27.119 part of seeking god with all your heart is seeking 00:24:27.119 --> 00:24:30.779 him asking and and yep as whereas other it's 00:24:30.779 --> 00:24:34.640 not all but other religions will say, you actually 00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:37.539 cannot question this and ask questions because 00:24:37.539 --> 00:24:39.819 that's being irreverent. It's like, no, God knows 00:24:39.819 --> 00:24:43.079 that, um, we'll have questions and difficulties 00:24:43.079 --> 00:24:44.680 and that's part of it. I think that's really 00:24:44.680 --> 00:24:46.440 part of it. So I love what you said about the 00:24:46.440 --> 00:24:50.559 foundation. Yeah. Test it. And then, yeah, like 00:24:50.559 --> 00:24:53.099 letting those questions, the questioning phase, 00:24:53.180 --> 00:24:54.920 like test what you believe so that it actually 00:24:54.920 --> 00:24:57.720 is refined and it becomes stronger. I love that 00:24:57.720 --> 00:25:03.519 so much. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. So in all of this, 00:25:03.579 --> 00:25:06.839 um, you know, like obviously Trinity has been 00:25:06.839 --> 00:25:09.720 a place where we've sort of put this, this emphasis 00:25:09.720 --> 00:25:12.339 on, on youth ministry, but why do you think it's 00:25:12.339 --> 00:25:14.160 important for churches to do that? Like, why 00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:16.880 do you think youth ministry matters in the world 00:25:16.880 --> 00:25:20.500 today? Yeah. I mean, a simple answer is like 00:25:20.500 --> 00:25:24.200 youth are the future of the church. Sure. Like, 00:25:24.200 --> 00:25:29.259 and they deal with so much, like, other noise 00:25:29.259 --> 00:25:32.579 nowadays so i think putting an emphasis on like 00:25:32.579 --> 00:25:36.400 the church a place where they can yeah have fun 00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:40.140 but also like learn and question is so so important 00:25:40.140 --> 00:25:43.740 for them to like stay a part of the faith and 00:25:43.740 --> 00:25:47.000 continue to grow in their faith because i mean 00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:48.759 we hear like young people are leaving the church 00:25:48.759 --> 00:25:53.119 so much now yeah and i think yeah it's important 00:25:53.119 --> 00:25:56.619 to have a place where they can come and grow 00:25:57.400 --> 00:26:01.640 In the church. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's also 00:26:01.640 --> 00:26:04.799 very important because you just get to like know 00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:08.680 more. In like Sunday churches, yes, you do like 00:26:08.680 --> 00:26:12.000 learn a lot. But in like youth, as like we were 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:15.539 talking about, you actually get to like ask questions 00:26:15.539 --> 00:26:21.039 and like you generally do learn more. And like 00:26:21.039 --> 00:26:26.119 I remember one time it was just. uh first we 00:26:26.119 --> 00:26:28.740 got small group and it was just me my friend 00:26:28.740 --> 00:26:35.779 and then rylan and um i learned so much that 00:26:35.779 --> 00:26:40.700 day just us three oh sorry just us three and 00:26:40.700 --> 00:26:42.960 like i went home and i was thinking about it 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:44.940 and praying about it and it was a really good 00:26:44.940 --> 00:26:54.349 day Yeah, what about for you, Rylan? Why is youth 00:26:54.349 --> 00:26:57.549 ministry important, do you think? Yeah, I just 00:26:57.549 --> 00:27:01.869 think it's everything. I think the mental health 00:27:01.869 --> 00:27:06.710 among youth today is like an all -time low, I 00:27:06.710 --> 00:27:08.369 think, ever in history. I think that's actually 00:27:08.369 --> 00:27:11.589 statistically true. Suicide rate and everything, 00:27:11.789 --> 00:27:18.450 I believe, is highest too. Yeah, I heard somebody 00:27:18.450 --> 00:27:22.859 who's in charge of... like uh missions within 00:27:22.859 --> 00:27:27.039 canada kind of like inter uh inter -country missions 00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:30.440 uh say that we don't so much have a mental health 00:27:30.440 --> 00:27:32.960 crisis as much as we have a faith crisis and 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:35.140 mental health kind of springs out of that and 00:27:35.140 --> 00:27:37.240 i definitely don't believe all of mental health 00:27:37.240 --> 00:27:39.819 is It's because you're just not believing enough. 00:27:41.140 --> 00:27:43.019 You'll never catch me saying any such thing. 00:27:43.220 --> 00:27:46.759 It's horrible. But I will say that a lot of it, 00:27:46.839 --> 00:27:48.519 like if you really think about it, if God is 00:27:48.519 --> 00:27:51.359 the deepest desire and the meaning of it all, 00:27:51.559 --> 00:27:53.759 and we don't have that, it doesn't matter how 00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:57.480 much counseling we get or what medications we 00:27:57.480 --> 00:27:59.500 get, as effective as those things can be and 00:27:59.500 --> 00:28:02.160 they can help, but it's like the one thing. So 00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:07.890 I think youth today are more than, Also, maybe 00:28:07.890 --> 00:28:10.410 ever before are searching are really searching. 00:28:10.470 --> 00:28:12.710 I think that comes with being so lost and being 00:28:12.710 --> 00:28:15.029 in such dark places that you search for light. 00:28:15.150 --> 00:28:17.369 Like I need something. I just cannot see a thing. 00:28:17.450 --> 00:28:20.289 So, yeah, I would I completely agree with what 00:28:20.289 --> 00:28:22.769 you both said. And it's they are the future. 00:28:23.369 --> 00:28:25.529 So it's are we going to invest into the future 00:28:25.529 --> 00:28:27.869 of the church? But then also is like even for 00:28:27.869 --> 00:28:31.269 them right now, I do believe there is it is. 00:28:32.279 --> 00:28:35.380 I'm intense. This will sound intense, but I believe 00:28:35.380 --> 00:28:36.920 it is kind of life or death for some of these 00:28:36.920 --> 00:28:39.759 youth. It really is. I've heard stories about 00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:42.440 youth who, who were really on the verge of ending 00:28:42.440 --> 00:28:44.839 their life. And then it was, it was their youth 00:28:44.839 --> 00:28:48.119 group or someone in a youth group that went out 00:28:48.119 --> 00:28:49.779 into their schools. Right. Because it's not just 00:28:49.779 --> 00:28:51.740 supposed to, ideally our youth group doesn't 00:28:51.740 --> 00:28:56.460 just stay in Trinity. It goes out into the schools 00:28:56.460 --> 00:29:01.400 and invites friends to you like that. Yeah. It, 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:04.000 It's salt and light into the world. So I would 00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:07.180 say that it's just young people right now. I 00:29:07.180 --> 00:29:08.720 think we're all young, but you know, the youngest 00:29:08.720 --> 00:29:13.980 of the young just, yeah, just really, really 00:29:13.980 --> 00:29:17.420 need the Lord and need people who, who walk in 00:29:17.420 --> 00:29:20.759 his love. Yeah. Yeah. And I think like, as you 00:29:20.759 --> 00:29:22.220 were sort of talking about that, like salt and 00:29:22.220 --> 00:29:24.119 light bit, I think like the thing that came to 00:29:24.119 --> 00:29:27.660 mind for me was that like, our youth have access 00:29:27.660 --> 00:29:30.799 to people and spaces that like i don't have access 00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:34.450 to right like if i were to walk into a high school 00:29:34.450 --> 00:29:35.970 first of all they would say why are you here 00:29:35.970 --> 00:29:40.170 but but even after that if they let me in for 00:29:40.170 --> 00:29:42.710 some reason like nobody's gonna listen to me 00:29:42.710 --> 00:29:45.509 nobody cares what i think but like people care 00:29:45.509 --> 00:29:47.529 what you think because you like have friends 00:29:47.529 --> 00:29:51.049 there you like have influence right and and there 00:29:51.049 --> 00:29:53.930 are like digital spaces as well where youth are 00:29:53.930 --> 00:29:56.309 and like can contribute and can like be like 00:29:56.309 --> 00:30:01.210 no like there is an alternative to all of the 00:30:01.210 --> 00:30:03.190 things that seem to be going wrong in the world 00:30:03.190 --> 00:30:05.589 right and there is you don't need to be isolated 00:30:05.589 --> 00:30:08.630 there is a community that you can find and yeah 00:30:08.630 --> 00:30:11.009 so just being able to like equip our youth well 00:30:11.009 --> 00:30:14.410 to go back into those spaces and yeah that's 00:30:14.410 --> 00:30:16.809 something that comes up in small group a lot 00:30:16.809 --> 00:30:20.289 like how do we share our faith and also just 00:30:20.289 --> 00:30:23.109 how do we like be a christian in the world and 00:30:23.109 --> 00:30:25.650 yeah show like our light and our like the love 00:30:25.650 --> 00:30:29.289 of god to everyone around us yeah um yeah because 00:30:29.950 --> 00:30:32.109 that's I think oftentimes what brings people 00:30:32.109 --> 00:30:34.230 to God, right? Seeing other people, seeing the 00:30:34.230 --> 00:30:37.569 way they live. Um, so yeah, we, we talk a lot 00:30:37.569 --> 00:30:41.809 about how do we do that? Yes. Yeah, for sure. 00:30:42.849 --> 00:30:45.609 Um, so in thinking about all that, and I think 00:30:45.609 --> 00:30:47.509 we've sort of touched on some of this already, 00:30:47.630 --> 00:30:49.710 but like, what do you think are some of the biggest 00:30:49.710 --> 00:30:52.809 like challenges that youth are facing today? 00:30:53.509 --> 00:30:55.369 Um, what are, what are some of those things that 00:30:55.369 --> 00:31:00.119 like, yeah, they keep coming up against? I think, 00:31:00.119 --> 00:31:03.380 like, especially, yeah, like Rylan said, mental 00:31:03.380 --> 00:31:07.940 health. Like, the stress of school and then expectations. 00:31:08.519 --> 00:31:12.940 And then, like, school have changed. Like, it's 00:31:12.940 --> 00:31:16.640 mostly about grades and not, like, as much as, 00:31:16.680 --> 00:31:19.980 like, learning. So, like, the stress builds up 00:31:19.980 --> 00:31:23.640 and builds up. And then that just really plays 00:31:23.640 --> 00:31:25.799 on. And then there's not only the stress from, 00:31:25.839 --> 00:31:29.640 like, grades. uh homework test yeah but it's 00:31:29.640 --> 00:31:34.759 also like uh having to like be cool i guess yeah 00:31:34.759 --> 00:31:40.740 like yeah for sure yeah and like i've uh some 00:31:40.740 --> 00:31:43.640 friends i've seen that like have been like pressured 00:31:43.640 --> 00:31:47.779 into like not doing very good stuff and like 00:31:47.779 --> 00:31:53.799 they've changed yeah and then just also like 00:31:54.589 --> 00:31:57.430 me my friends like most of the people i know 00:31:57.430 --> 00:32:01.930 like have developed like some type of mental 00:32:01.930 --> 00:32:05.750 health some some like anxiety stress because 00:32:05.750 --> 00:32:09.309 of like all that it's happening like it's too 00:32:09.309 --> 00:32:14.390 much for somebody for someone our age yeah yeah 00:32:14.390 --> 00:32:18.869 and i think like sometimes it's easy like even 00:32:18.869 --> 00:32:20.769 sometimes i find myself here but like sometimes 00:32:20.769 --> 00:32:23.509 it's easy for people who are like in older generations 00:32:23.509 --> 00:32:25.049 to, like, look at what's happening and be like, 00:32:25.150 --> 00:32:26.970 oh, well, that's not real stress. They don't 00:32:26.970 --> 00:32:29.470 know the stress of a job. They don't know the 00:32:29.470 --> 00:32:32.190 stress of raising a family or whatever. And, 00:32:32.210 --> 00:32:35.970 like, no. But also, like, it is a real stress. 00:32:36.210 --> 00:32:39.190 And it is, like, yeah, different than the stress 00:32:39.190 --> 00:32:42.869 that someone else is living, but it is real. 00:32:43.109 --> 00:32:46.230 And it is something that is, like, really heavy, 00:32:46.470 --> 00:32:51.180 right? And compounded with, like, all of... You 00:32:51.180 --> 00:32:54.140 know, the stress of school, the stress of friends 00:32:54.140 --> 00:32:56.440 and all that sort of thing, but compounded with 00:32:56.440 --> 00:32:58.319 the stress of like all that's happening in the 00:32:58.319 --> 00:33:00.819 world. Right. And trying to be like, OK, where 00:33:00.819 --> 00:33:04.079 is there a future for me at all? Right. Like 00:33:04.079 --> 00:33:06.339 there's just so much. Like you see like what's 00:33:06.339 --> 00:33:08.819 happening in the world. I'm like, I'm going to 00:33:08.819 --> 00:33:11.160 graduate. And like, is there even going to be 00:33:11.160 --> 00:33:14.160 like any jobs for me? Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 00:33:14.339 --> 00:33:18.000 It stresses you out a lot. For sure. Yeah. And 00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:19.960 I feel like there's so much noise. And then it's 00:33:19.960 --> 00:33:24.230 like. How do you prioritize God through all of 00:33:24.230 --> 00:33:27.470 this noise and stress and social media? Like 00:33:27.470 --> 00:33:30.809 all of that is. Yeah. And that's something I 00:33:30.809 --> 00:33:33.750 even struggle with. And I'm still quite young, 00:33:33.809 --> 00:33:37.589 but I'm not quite a youth. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, 00:33:37.650 --> 00:33:40.869 for sure. Yeah. Yeah. I'll just kind of add on 00:33:40.869 --> 00:33:42.809 to that. I think you guys nailed it. And I would 00:33:42.809 --> 00:33:45.690 just say, yeah, when you think about social media 00:33:45.690 --> 00:33:50.059 and the news. It's like all the stuff, all the 00:33:50.059 --> 00:33:52.519 wars and the violence and everything all around 00:33:52.519 --> 00:33:54.339 the world is all pulled in together and then 00:33:54.339 --> 00:33:57.940 put on put into this this rectangle that glows. 00:33:59.259 --> 00:34:02.339 We are taking it all in. And that's just talking 00:34:02.339 --> 00:34:04.299 about that. There's not to mention just all the 00:34:04.299 --> 00:34:06.119 stuff pouring in from the culture. That's just 00:34:06.119 --> 00:34:10.400 harmful. Yeah. Yeah. And all that is made so 00:34:10.400 --> 00:34:11.820 much worse. I think the one thing I would like 00:34:11.820 --> 00:34:14.619 to touch on is I think just the pressure that 00:34:14.619 --> 00:34:20.730 youth are feeling. um, to kind of have sides 00:34:20.730 --> 00:34:24.610 and, you know, political matters and it's, it's 00:34:24.610 --> 00:34:27.289 insane. Like it's really insane. And that, so 00:34:27.289 --> 00:34:29.050 that's one thing, like, you know, I, I always, 00:34:29.130 --> 00:34:31.869 especially as, um, You know, I get to I get to 00:34:31.869 --> 00:34:34.369 teach sometimes with the youth. I always am so 00:34:34.369 --> 00:34:36.829 careful whenever anything I say starts to like 00:34:36.829 --> 00:34:39.110 even remotely touch on things that are political. 00:34:39.250 --> 00:34:41.650 But the one thing about politics that I'll always 00:34:41.650 --> 00:34:43.789 say to them is, guys, do not worship politics. 00:34:43.909 --> 00:34:46.849 Do not let that become who you are. Like, you 00:34:46.849 --> 00:34:50.199 know, I'm a Christian, but I'm not. i'm a conservative 00:34:50.199 --> 00:34:52.139 i'm a christian or i'm a liberal like that's 00:34:52.139 --> 00:34:54.340 that's and like those should just be not anywhere 00:34:54.340 --> 00:34:56.960 near each other it's like so i i think that's 00:34:56.960 --> 00:34:59.019 that's something i really really believe in is 00:34:59.019 --> 00:35:02.619 trying to actually show them that um don't be 00:35:02.619 --> 00:35:04.440 afraid and don't give in to this pressure to 00:35:04.440 --> 00:35:07.400 have um really even have opinions about a lot 00:35:07.400 --> 00:35:09.440 of these things or have it figured out but sure 00:35:09.440 --> 00:35:12.900 so much more to um view another person as your 00:35:12.900 --> 00:35:15.219 enemy because they disagree with you on these 00:35:15.219 --> 00:35:17.389 things i think that's one of the ways that I 00:35:17.389 --> 00:35:19.829 hope and believe and pray that this next generation 00:35:19.829 --> 00:35:23.929 will shine like stars, you know, Sunday is being 00:35:23.929 --> 00:35:25.969 people where like, maybe they won't even say, 00:35:26.030 --> 00:35:27.869 or they'll say, this is what I believe or whatever, 00:35:27.949 --> 00:35:30.610 but it's like, they're so willing to be, um, 00:35:30.789 --> 00:35:34.650 to just fight against, I guess, the divisiveness 00:35:34.650 --> 00:35:37.190 of our culture. That's what it feels so divisive. 00:35:37.190 --> 00:35:39.769 Everyone is it's tribalism. It's everyone just 00:35:39.769 --> 00:35:43.119 picks a side and whatever. matter that really 00:35:43.119 --> 00:35:45.380 no one understands deeply enough to be speaking 00:35:45.380 --> 00:35:47.440 on most of the time so i think yeah that's another 00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:49.960 thing and luciana maybe i'm right maybe i'm wrong 00:35:49.960 --> 00:35:52.079 but i i feel like i sense that from these because 00:35:52.079 --> 00:35:54.579 i feel it for myself as a young adult yeah like 00:35:54.579 --> 00:35:56.900 to be honest i feel like our generation is like 00:35:56.900 --> 00:36:00.539 really woke like they're because of like what's 00:36:00.539 --> 00:36:03.130 happening and like all the social media you really 00:36:03.130 --> 00:36:05.710 know what's going on sure so like most of the 00:36:05.710 --> 00:36:07.710 youth really want to take action on that they 00:36:07.710 --> 00:36:10.650 just don't really know how sure but like they 00:36:10.650 --> 00:36:13.130 really really know the subject like i go around 00:36:13.130 --> 00:36:15.309 in school and like i say oh yeah this this and 00:36:15.309 --> 00:36:18.070 that and like they really know about it like 00:36:18.070 --> 00:36:21.309 most of my friends know a bunch about politics 00:36:21.309 --> 00:36:24.349 like i actually like praise them for that because 00:36:24.349 --> 00:36:26.929 like they are they really really know the subject 00:36:26.929 --> 00:36:30.980 sure so like They have really good points of 00:36:30.980 --> 00:36:33.119 view and I love how we can just talk about it 00:36:33.119 --> 00:36:38.340 and not really be like, oh, I don't like you 00:36:38.340 --> 00:36:41.659 because of your opinion. We're kind of like, 00:36:41.840 --> 00:36:45.380 just say something. We agree or we don't agree. 00:36:45.760 --> 00:36:48.099 And if we have a little debate, you could say 00:36:48.099 --> 00:36:51.019 it. Sure. She's good. But then we say like, oh, 00:36:51.119 --> 00:36:54.340 maybe you're right. Right. Yeah. Yeah. And then 00:36:54.340 --> 00:36:59.050 like, just. like we really tried to take action 00:36:59.050 --> 00:37:05.369 yeah no that's awesome yeah yeah so then in all 00:37:05.369 --> 00:37:08.849 of these challenges um what are some ways that 00:37:08.849 --> 00:37:12.289 folks in churches or folks who just like care 00:37:12.289 --> 00:37:13.909 about youth what are some ways that they can 00:37:13.909 --> 00:37:16.869 like be supportive and encouraging for youth 00:37:16.869 --> 00:37:24.510 today yeah what do you need it's tricky a lot 00:37:24.510 --> 00:37:31.489 of sleep okay okay yeah well um just like places 00:37:31.489 --> 00:37:35.690 to like clear your mind i would say the most 00:37:35.690 --> 00:37:39.769 like try to make spaces what's where somebody 00:37:39.769 --> 00:37:42.829 doesn't feel like they used to feel like judged 00:37:42.829 --> 00:37:47.849 or just like a time to have fun and don't not 00:37:47.849 --> 00:37:50.809 worry about the week and worry more about like 00:37:50.809 --> 00:37:54.920 am i doing good with god how is yep the whole 00:37:54.920 --> 00:37:58.139 thing going right yeah so just like yeah being 00:37:58.139 --> 00:38:00.440 supportive of even just the youth group space 00:38:00.440 --> 00:38:03.659 yeah um yeah but then maybe even you know in 00:38:03.659 --> 00:38:05.980 other conversations and other spaces yeah it'll 00:38:05.980 --> 00:38:08.539 be like okay just tell me about what's going 00:38:08.539 --> 00:38:11.360 on in your life and like yeah be receptive to 00:38:11.360 --> 00:38:14.619 that yes yeah and i think going like closely 00:38:14.619 --> 00:38:18.179 with that um making an effort to get to know 00:38:18.179 --> 00:38:21.960 the youth um even like sunday after a service 00:38:21.960 --> 00:38:24.300 because I know, especially for myself as a youth, 00:38:24.360 --> 00:38:27.380 when I would go to church and I didn't really 00:38:27.380 --> 00:38:29.599 know anyone other than my family. It was great 00:38:29.599 --> 00:38:32.820 when someone who like even was like an older 00:38:32.820 --> 00:38:35.980 person, like a grandparent age person would come 00:38:35.980 --> 00:38:38.780 talk to me and ask me questions and like genuinely 00:38:38.780 --> 00:38:42.699 be curious and want to get to know me. Yeah, 00:38:42.760 --> 00:38:44.699 because I was just like, oh, this is a place 00:38:44.699 --> 00:38:47.780 where I feel very seen. And it wasn't just youth 00:38:47.780 --> 00:38:51.829 group or like youth church, but it was. everywhere 00:38:51.829 --> 00:38:53.670 in the church. And that made me want to keep 00:38:53.670 --> 00:38:56.789 coming back. Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome. Yeah. 00:38:56.829 --> 00:38:58.269 Anything you would add to that? I don't know. 00:38:58.349 --> 00:39:00.750 I don't think, I don't think I killed it. Yeah. 00:39:02.210 --> 00:39:05.909 Yeah. I, I think, uh, you'd mentioned meaning 00:39:05.909 --> 00:39:09.690 earlier. Yeah. Uh, I think it was you. I'm sorry. 00:39:10.449 --> 00:39:13.969 Yeah. But yeah, meaning like I would just add 00:39:13.969 --> 00:39:18.150 that maybe is, um, you, we need meaning. Obviously 00:39:18.150 --> 00:39:21.500 we need something that drives us and, um, there 00:39:21.500 --> 00:39:23.719 can be many things and, and yeah, politics can 00:39:23.719 --> 00:39:26.579 be one of those things. And, uh, whatever cause, 00:39:26.699 --> 00:39:29.260 whatever passion you have, it, these are all 00:39:29.260 --> 00:39:32.619 important, but to have that, um, underneath, 00:39:32.780 --> 00:39:35.719 uh, one core thing, it's like, what is your thing? 00:39:35.840 --> 00:39:37.860 Why are you alive? Why did you get out of bed 00:39:37.860 --> 00:39:40.739 this morning? I think that's just, that's something 00:39:40.739 --> 00:39:43.219 I've seen in, in youth. And it's, it's also why, 00:39:43.440 --> 00:39:49.320 um, yeah, I don't, I don't tend to, uh, try to 00:39:49.320 --> 00:39:52.500 make the lessons or the even the small groups 00:39:52.500 --> 00:39:55.619 like easy because that's not what they need like 00:39:55.619 --> 00:39:57.300 they need to be challenged and they need to be 00:39:57.300 --> 00:40:00.019 like because you just see it in youth's eyes 00:40:00.019 --> 00:40:01.619 like in anyone's eyes is when you are actually 00:40:01.619 --> 00:40:04.320 called to a challenge and and you see that that 00:40:04.320 --> 00:40:08.739 uh this group like there's we are having so much 00:40:08.739 --> 00:40:11.719 fun and yeah all this um is so important and 00:40:11.719 --> 00:40:13.619 there's community in it but there's also there's 00:40:13.619 --> 00:40:15.619 a greater purpose of it yeah like i think that's 00:40:15.619 --> 00:40:18.019 what just it's magnetic it's like wow we're actually 00:40:18.019 --> 00:40:21.019 all a part of something together and trying to 00:40:21.019 --> 00:40:24.860 um discover what this is all about yeah that's 00:40:24.860 --> 00:40:26.380 why i like to put it in those terms a lot it's 00:40:26.380 --> 00:40:28.380 like this is the meaning like this is this is 00:40:28.380 --> 00:40:30.659 the point of it all and if this is then like 00:40:30.659 --> 00:40:33.280 we better pay attention to it you know um and 00:40:33.280 --> 00:40:34.880 it's yeah it shouldn't it shouldn't be this burden 00:40:34.880 --> 00:40:37.019 like you come in and it's like oh the first thing 00:40:37.019 --> 00:40:40.130 they said is like Hey, uh, watch your language 00:40:40.130 --> 00:40:42.429 or Hey, like, you know, we'll have to say that 00:40:42.429 --> 00:40:45.070 sometimes, but like, you know, it's, no, it's 00:40:45.070 --> 00:40:47.070 not, it's not about being judged. It's not about, 00:40:47.090 --> 00:40:49.590 um, definitely not about being perfect, but it's 00:40:49.590 --> 00:40:52.969 just about, uh, how can I continue to grow and 00:40:52.969 --> 00:40:57.170 improve and, and, uh, in biblical terms, be formed 00:40:57.170 --> 00:40:59.730 into the image of Christ and look like that, 00:40:59.750 --> 00:41:02.429 that person of love, that person of truth and 00:41:02.429 --> 00:41:05.849 justice that. we're made to be. Yeah. And I think 00:41:05.849 --> 00:41:08.570 all of that, like that challenge, that encouragement, 00:41:08.630 --> 00:41:10.989 that meaning, all of that happening in the sense 00:41:10.989 --> 00:41:13.010 of community that we've sort of kept coming back 00:41:13.010 --> 00:41:16.650 to, right? That it's not just like, ah, go and 00:41:16.650 --> 00:41:19.389 be better. It's like, no, no, let's be better 00:41:19.389 --> 00:41:22.349 together. Like let's love and support one another 00:41:22.349 --> 00:41:24.710 as we walk through this. Yeah. And that's not 00:41:24.710 --> 00:41:26.929 something you can teach outside of community. 00:41:27.030 --> 00:41:28.849 Like you have to have that community and relationship. 00:41:29.599 --> 00:41:32.719 first yeah and that's why i think like we start 00:41:32.719 --> 00:41:35.159 off with games and we start off with building 00:41:35.159 --> 00:41:37.699 that community sure so that we can talk about 00:41:37.699 --> 00:41:39.940 difficult things yeah for sure yeah for sure 00:41:39.940 --> 00:41:42.280 and like when you go to youtube you realize that 00:41:42.280 --> 00:41:46.280 you don't have to be perfect like you go in and 00:41:46.280 --> 00:41:49.760 you see like your friend's life or like even 00:41:49.760 --> 00:41:53.800 the leaders and you realize that we don't have 00:41:53.800 --> 00:41:57.519 to be perfect like you you could just walk in 00:41:57.519 --> 00:42:01.179 your faith you have your problems like and yet 00:42:01.179 --> 00:42:05.179 god will still love you for who you are so it's 00:42:05.179 --> 00:42:08.079 i find it really awesome that you get to learn 00:42:08.079 --> 00:42:10.980 that through youth group yeah yeah that's so 00:42:10.980 --> 00:42:14.340 good So I'm just going to say you all sound like 00:42:14.340 --> 00:42:17.440 very cool people. And so if there are other cool 00:42:17.440 --> 00:42:19.579 people who are listening to our podcast or like, 00:42:19.659 --> 00:42:21.739 hey, I want to go hang out with those cool people. 00:42:22.639 --> 00:42:25.460 How can they get in touch? How can they like 00:42:25.460 --> 00:42:27.480 what's what's next steps for people to get involved 00:42:27.480 --> 00:42:30.340 in youth ministry here at Trinity? Yeah. Well, 00:42:30.500 --> 00:42:34.380 if they want to volunteer with you, always looking 00:42:34.380 --> 00:42:37.360 for volunteers. Love that. They can email myself 00:42:37.360 --> 00:42:40.469 or Rylan. OK. Um, and yeah, we can get them set 00:42:40.469 --> 00:42:42.909 up with how to do that. Um, if it's any youth, 00:42:42.969 --> 00:42:47.230 they can also shoot us an email or just show 00:42:47.230 --> 00:42:49.550 up on a Friday. Um, and we'll be there. We'll 00:42:49.550 --> 00:42:52.989 be welcoming. So Friday, six o 'clock for junior 00:42:52.989 --> 00:42:55.570 youth, which is grade six, seven and eight. Yes. 00:42:55.590 --> 00:42:59.110 And then eight o 'clock for our senior youth. 00:42:59.170 --> 00:43:02.570 So it's nine, 10, 11 and 12. Yes. And then we 00:43:02.570 --> 00:43:04.949 also have a youth retreat coming up. Okay. Um, 00:43:04.989 --> 00:43:08.849 and that is. Not next weekend, but the weekend 00:43:08.849 --> 00:43:14.170 after. May 8th to 10th. Yes. I'm pretty sure 00:43:14.170 --> 00:43:17.469 registration for that ends on the 26th. Okay. 00:43:17.630 --> 00:43:19.750 So yeah, it's going to be... Get your registration 00:43:19.750 --> 00:43:24.150 in now. Yes. A great weekend. And yeah, just 00:43:24.150 --> 00:43:26.630 a lot of fun. And again, being in community with 00:43:26.630 --> 00:43:30.090 each other, but also up north doing like high 00:43:30.090 --> 00:43:33.489 ropes and yeah, all the fun things. Sounds awesome. 00:43:33.980 --> 00:43:36.199 Yeah. Well, thank you so much, folks. This has 00:43:36.199 --> 00:43:38.440 been a really awesome conversation. Lots of. 00:43:39.050 --> 00:43:42.409 meaning and like just so good to like hear your 00:43:42.409 --> 00:43:45.289 joy and your passion for this work and for this 00:43:45.289 --> 00:43:47.730 community that you're building together. And 00:43:47.730 --> 00:43:49.989 thank you for tuning into this week's episode 00:43:49.989 --> 00:43:53.670 of Trinity Talks. Whether you are a youth or 00:43:53.670 --> 00:43:56.809 whether you know and love youth or you're like, 00:43:56.809 --> 00:43:59.530 what is happening right now? I hope that God 00:43:59.530 --> 00:44:02.369 is blessing you in that and that you are able 00:44:02.369 --> 00:44:05.369 to find ways to also develop a community and 00:44:05.369 --> 00:44:08.869 to care for those in your midst. who are going 00:44:08.869 --> 00:44:11.289 through really hard times. And we will see you 00:44:11.289 --> 00:44:11.909 again next week.