North Terminal

Air port runs have become just one more routine in this masters world. You tend to have a lot of interesting conversations with youth leaders behind the closed doors of a car. My friend Austin recalls a car full of "female" cadre members FORGET that he was in the car and started talking about libido's or something. (I still don't know what it is, but he didn't make it sound like it was "appropriate" conversation.) I've had some amazing talks with youth pastors from around the world and some rides that were nothing but awkward silence. This morning's 10 o'clock was one of my favorites.

I picked up Nick, who was staying in apartment 132, at exactly 10:02. oops. Nick was the last one left in the apartment and he was ready to go. Greeted with a smile, Nick seemed like a genuine down-to-earth-Jesus-lover.

We hit it off right away with our common interest in music. When I asked him what he was in the mood to listen to, (which is always a scary thing for me, because I'm a little picky) Nick listed off my 5 top worship leaders and we were in business. So as we listened to David Crowder's new cd "Remedy", we started to talk. Nick had noticed my new airsoft rifle in my trunk when he put his bag in and shared a story about how his "amazing" intern flooded their church with pin-point accuracy when he took his airsoft pistol and nailed the "detonator" on the sprinkler head in the ceiling (it was a dare). I asked him about the cadre and he had nothing but amazing things to say. Then conversation turned exciting when he mentioned his small group.

I was intrigued. I shared with him my dream to go home, get a house, and have it based around a small group. He got a little excited too with the idea and thoughts started to fire. He shared how he was able to bring his small group together and create a sense of family with a red-hot burning ember. Nick told his small group that embers have to be together in a fire to stay hot and when he took one out of the fire, it died out.

Blown away by the creative tactics flowing from Nick's brain, I told him about one other goal that I had for the group. I said that I want to challenge the kid's way of thinking far beyond what they're used to or comfortable with. I want to push them to crazy extremes and get them to actually DO something and LIVE Christianity AS they learned about it. Nick suggested that I ask this; "why do people only look to God when their world is falling apart? Challenge them to ask their piers who they look to when life is going GOOD."

Just as he finished explaining the question, we pulled up to the North Terminal. I grabbed his number really quick and said I'd like to stay in touch. He encouraged me to follow the dream and that if full time ministry doesn't happens to be calling my name, then GOOD! Because "youth pastors need dedicated leaders as much as dedicated leaders need youth pastors." Thanks Nick. I was absolutely blessed to be able to hang with you on the way to the atlanta airport.