guarding kids from sin

just read a great post over at "Children's Ministry and Culture." I came up against the same problem that Larry writes about in my time doing youth ministry. Mainly that parents have difficulty accepting their children having deep relationships with ungodly kids. There were two concerns that parents in my youth ministry expressed (rightly?/wrongly?): 1) physical harm, gangs were an issue in the schools; 2) their kids might adopt the bad behavior.

There is a tension between in a loving relationship with someone and not being influenced negatively in the process. Jesus showed us a model for being in relationship with "sinners," loving, sacrificing, and speaking truth among them - as well as the righteous ones. Jesus was not unbalanced in his approach to people. I think Larry speaks some great truth when he says:

"The only prophylactic we can offer our children to guard again sin is love. If our children are passionate about loving God and loving their neighbor (all of them) they will less likely to contaminate themselves. Life inside the fortress builds boredom, cynicism, and legalism in our kids." (fortress=church)

Go read the article, I'd love to hear some feedback from you on your thoughts about how we can help kids be in the world, but not of it.

the new uncovering the old

I'm embarrassed. I was checking blogs today and happened to see one that had an "app" that showed their friend's blogs latest updates... and mine read "I-75 Fun" 2 months ago. Wow! It's been a long time. A lot's been going on.
Where to start?
I've had a job change... I'm no longer a custodian (I no longer have to clean toilets daily... yes!!!). I'm still a student (for 2 more years), but now I am a children's minister at Hope Springs (where Joanna and I attend church). It's a part-time position, but challenging for me, as well as ministry experience. Currently, my main responsibilities are recruiting volunteers, starting children's ministry at the second service on Sunday Mornings, and communicating with parents. I thought I would struggle to fill my "hours" each week, but I haven't even had to stretch anything yet. For the first time since I came to seminary, I've been experiencing some "senior-itis" - I'm getting to the point where I'm ready to be out full-time concentrating on what God's called me to do. I'm not dying to get out of school yet, but I'm having those moments of wondering and excitedly thinking ahead at what I could do if my time was not divided between two important roles in my life (school and children's ministry).
Where would you like to be in two years, if not where you are right now in your life?