Being in the youth ministry training field, much of the training material was not new to me, but it was an encouraging affirmation that I'm actually teaching the right stuff. For example, the first morning session was a teaching from Eph 4:11-16, which is the very same passage I teach from in lesson 1 of my youth ministry course! Other topics included dealing with suicide, who is Generation Z, contextualization in youth ministry, and child safety policies and practices.
But outside of the teachings, I met a group of six youth workers who came from a small town church in northern NH. I sat with them over lunch and we ended up in a discussion group together. Since I was there alone, they welcomed me in as part of their group. Then right at the end of the last session, as everyone was leaving, they found me in the auditorium to pray for me and my mission in Namibia. People I'd just met hours before caring for me like one of their own. That's all it takes to make someone feel noticed and cared for and a part of something. That's what it looks like to be part of God's family.
