K.C. Wahe - Follower of Jesus, Husband, Father, Pastor, Student, Blogger

I
went to a Chap
Clark seminar this morning. I haven’t heard Chap for several years. He was
doing a thing on his new
book. I really enjoyed what he was trying to present. Honest and credible
research on middle adolescence. One of the things he was trying to convey and that
I’ve heard before was that programs are nothing. You can have all of the
programs you want in the church, but if you don’t have people, programs are
useless. He also talked about the idea that as youth pastors, pastors, church
leaders, youth leaders, and volunteers that youth ministry is not about us.
It’s about our kids and trying to reach a generation of kid who could give
a rip about church and about our "cool" youth groups. It’s about
trying to reach a kid who cares more about being left alone and wants to be
known…accepted…and loved.

This
morning Marko closed out the conference. I
love Marko. I love what YS stands for. I love that I’m a small part of
connecting the dots as Karla
told us before praying for all of us at the end of the conference this
afternoon. I love that I get to make a difference in a kid’s life…for the
kingdom. Marko said something that I’m still pondering though…(My paraphrase)
"Youth ministry is about suffering…

If
what I heard him say (ministry in general) is that in order for us as youth
pastors to effectively minister to our students, we need to know how to suffer.
We need to know how to deal with the "stuff" that happens in our
lives before we can care and love our students. In suffering we come to grips
with the fact that God is about loving us just as we are. Broken and bruised.
When we are able to suffer, we then are able to love our youth in the middle of
their suffering…It was a breathe of fresh air…in that it makes everything
that happens in our lives as youth pastors seem so small knowing that it’s
about our kids…not about us…and it’s about helping them cope with the
"stuff" that life unfortunately throws at them…I have to admit though. It’s not easy…but thanks be to God that he is about restoring us …

Third Day on stage right now…I really like these guys. I think they are as old as I am…

David Crowder…want to be him…ok…I need to lose 150 pounds…and I need to grow my gotee a bit longer…worship was amazing. One problem. YS I want my money back…he didn’t sing "Make a Joyful noise…anyways...Sue Thomas was powerful…amazing testimony. I want her faith. Shane and Shane played also. Don’t know who they are. I liked. Third day will be on stage in about a half hour…first time I’ve seen them since they used to do Magic Mountain days in Los Angeles…when they were a wee small band…had a great day. Hung out with some very cool bloggers here and here.

Went to a Tony Jones seminar today. Enjoyed it. It was the first time I ever felt that YS was a systematic theology class…it was kind of cool.

My question for Tony as he gave a quicky overview of "what is postmodernism?" is…can an evangelical be a liberal? I asked…he didn’t say yes…he didnt’t say no really…he said something to the effect of staying away from a liberal Vs. evangelical…conservative Vs liberal…etc…it was a good discussion for those reflecting on post modernism and Christianity and how to converse with these issues as discussion continues to happen within the church. Looking forward to David Crowder band this morning…

Made Andrew’s Ghetto blog…so honored…and so gray!

She’s back. I’m blown away. While here today I got a phone call from my wifey. She says, "they found it." I said, "found what?" She says, "your guitar…a half hour later I get a call from a guy named "Tony Casey." He says he ran into a homeless guy near our church. The homeless guy says, "hey some pastor had his office broken into. Someone took his guitar." Tony Casey says, "what kind of guitar is it?" The other guy says, "It’s a takamine." Tony Casey says, "what’s the pastor’s name?" The homeless guy says, K.C." Tony says, Uh…oh…he tells me a story that three kids approach him near my office at church. They say to him, "you want to buy a guitar? We need the money for our rent."  Tony says, "okay."  Then he runs into the above homeless guy who proceeds to tell him about my office being broken into…Tony says, "Your name is K.C. My name last name is K.C….he says, "God works in mysterious ways"…and felt that he had to find me and get my guitar back to me…I’m truly blown away…humbled…and grateful…for my guitar being back…but grateful that for a moment in time…some guy name Tony Casey…who appeared homeless…and tired…and poor…and smelled…felt that he had to bless me. Blown away I am. It was a great day today. I miss my family. Lots. I also had a very cool time catching up with Marko this afternoon. Did I say I want his job? A man of God who cares about those in the trenches of ministry…and gets us youthworkers…I will post some pics of Tomlin leading worship later…again…a great day…and I get my friend back…Blown away!!!!

Excellent day. Loving it. Went to Marko’s seminar. Enjoyed it. Haven’t seen Marko for like a dozen years. Wonderful to see how God has used him and brought him and the family to YS. My one question I chickened out in asking in front of the many of the flock and that his seminar made me ponder, "Is denominational youth ministry dead?" "And should I give up trying to breathe life back into it?"  I had a chance to worship with my friend Andrew this morning and to be led into worship of our Lord by Tomlin. Enjoyed hearing Mark Yaco for the first time. My heart broke. All I saw and heard was his pop. I went and visited the prayer station in the main stage area. I really enjoyed the chance to kneel…to pray. I also went to Dan Kimball’s seminar. What a guy. I will blog more about my first impressions later. Had dinner with my friend Jim Byrne at PF Chang’s. The food rocked! Jim was a buddy from here and works here. Really nice to see him. Ditched Mr. Fields session tonight and was treated to a "diet coke" by my friend Brian Frick from here. Day two complete.