My Youth Ministry Glossary

Many times over the years church members came to me and said something along the lines of the following:  "I love reading your articles in the church newsletters and the bulletin, and I love trying to keep up with what our youth are doing.  But it's like you people speak speak a foreign language!  So many weird titles and abbreviations.  I just can't keep up!"  They often looked like the man pictured at right, confused and afraid (That man is actually Pat O'Brien, a member of our YMT at WMUMC, and that picture was taken on a Myrtle Beach trip- so he WAS confused and afraid!).  So today, for those who read this blog and wonder "What does that mean?" I offer a partial glossary of terms and acronyms I used through the years.  As you will see, I LOVE abbreviations.  I hope this makes it easier to keep up with year #2!!!

YFYF-  Young Friends Youth Fellowship.  This was my name for our primary Sunday evening programs at both New Garden Friends Meeting (NGFM) and Springfield Friends Meeting (SFM).  We never said each letter individually- it was always pronounced "Yuf-Yuf."   Also see UMYF (United Methodist Youth Fellowship).

SCUBA-  Spiritual Concepts and Understanding Biblical Approaches.  This was a bible and book (The Screwtape Letters) study we did at NGFM on Wednesday nights, trying desperately not to make it sound like a class.  It was just much cooler to say "I'm going to SCUBA tonight- wanta' join me?  Plus the name was an inside joke to our group at the time.

2nd Heziciah-  A fictional book of the bible, the use of which was taught to me by my pastor at NGFM, David Bills.  It served many purposes over the years- to fool people and thus encourage them to learn more about actual scripture; to give emphasis to wise sayings and truths that are not actually from the bible; and to make fun of my own "wise" sayings.  For instance, I might offer my opinion on a song, and then say "Blessed is he who changes the radio station when rap music is heard- 2 Heziciah 4:12." 

Burger Doodle-  Any fast food place within a short driving distance of the church.  We used to go eat once a month following YFYF at NGFM and SFM, and we always went to Burger Doodle!

TNT-  That New Thing or The Next Thing or whatever I decided it meant!  It was our award winning outreach program at SFM; I also used the name later on at the First United Methodist Church of Kissimmee (FUMC-K) and the Union Church of Hinsdale (UC). 

SHO-Time-  Senior High Only Time.  This was a night out at dinner for high school students, begun at SFM and perfected at FUMC-K.  This ministry was great for relationship building, and I used it at UC, Wesley Memorial UMC (WMUMC) and Trinity UMC (TUMC) as well.

ICU-  Intensive Care Unit.  Based on an idea found in the book Spiritual Growth In Youth Ministry by J. David Stone, this was a leadership team of students who were charged with taking the pulse of our youth ministries and serving the students who attended- or in some cases, no longer attended.  I began trying this as far back as NGFM, and tried it at many other stops along the way.  It worked for a while a SFM & WMUMC, and worked best at FUMC-K.  It never quite became what I wanted it to be, but when it functioned properly it was an awesome ministry!

I will stop there for today.  I would love to hear which ones you remember.  Join us again tomorrow for more terms and learn that a Blizzard Run has nothing to with skiing, that Graceland was not just Elvis' home, and that Happy Hour has a place in student ministry!  Blessings to you all!  (For Part 2, click here!)

Because of Jesus,