The Breakdown
My early days with Teen Mania Missions weren’t all flowers and sunshine, but the sum total of my experiences were largely positive. I’d seen a few interesting leaders get confused about their authority and role in the universe, I’d seen a few missionaries get a little crazy with interpreting an odd scripture here and there. But for the most part, I saw those as exceptions to the standard. Teen Mania was a large organization with great intentions and hopes, and as with all organizations there were bound to be flaws and mistakes along the way. By focusing on the mission, the call, and the purpose we could find unity and overlook all those pecadillos (sins not fish!) and fulfill our role in God’s kingdom.
I don’t want to get bogged down in the confusion of unique personal details that won’t apply or connect to anyone else. My focus is that prior to the internship, my experiences with TM were, by my estimate a good thing. Up unto this point in my life, my faith and Teen Mania were places that I found identity and fulfillment. The promise of the internship was that I could learn to focus my ministerial giftings in an environment that would foster and promote God’s mission. Teen Mania summer missions had provided the opportunity for me to experience freedom in the kingdom of God around the world. Once in Texas, I found this freedom to be seriously lacking.
I feel like my experience was somewhat different from many interns, not because they didn’t have crucial and devastating problems connected to their experience, but that I knew what I was getting into going in. In the summers before my year in Texas, I’d come to know many of the TM staffers. I’d known my intern advisor when he was an intern…I had familiar relationships with many of the staff members, either on trips, ATFs, or summer volunteering. By all estimates, I expected to have some repore with people I considered my friends. It was learning from these people that I was excited about…the people who’d I’d seen serve in passionate and effective ways. I wanted to plug my passion into that same effectiveness. I wanted to learn to put that level of intensity and purpose into what God was calling me toward.
Job placement was a shrouded veil of secrecy and supposedly divine leading. Throughout gauntlet week, I knew I was being evaluated and observed, but surely God’s will would put me in a place where I could grow the most. I had no idea that there were interns approaching staff and requesting placements, it seemed that to meddle in those affairs would be out of place as an intern. Later that week I sat in a meeting and waited for my name and ministry placement to be called. It felt like Dave was firing a gun into the crowd…name – placement, name – placement, on and on it went.
I was placed on an event promotions team. These were the teams that would prepare cities for invasion by the ATF crews. On a team of 5, supervised by another undergraduate intern, supervised by a graduate intern, supervised by an apprentice, I was separated from nearly every person of influence that I’d known. Instead of working with people with whom I’d come to trust and value I was lost in a sea of intern anonymity…this was a crushing change for me. But there were bright spots. In all of this newness, I thought perhaps God had a different plan for me. The internship rolled on and I was excited just to be a part of it.
It was the experience of watching many faithful friends come to the HA with genuine faith and leave in shame and heartache that I was convinced of a problem with the organization. Some friends violated rules, others left because of depression and hopelessness, still others toiled in their efforts and finished the HA, only to suffer greatly thereafter. Their failures are not solely the fault of the organization, but surely there is something corrupt about a community that sheds the broken so easily. Every church is damaged by the touch of the fall, but in this realization the opportunity for restoration is evident. A core problem with the HA is that it attempts to function in the authority of the church, but shirks the responsibility of the Body of Christ.
The Problem
The role of the church in the New Testament is vast. They are charged with evangelism, ministry to the poor and needy, missions, church organization, prayer, the list continues. Amongst all of these activities is the challenge to train and raise up leaders to continue the efforts. How is it that Teen Mania decided to take on the task of sort of reverse outsourcing everyone’s leadership training? In doing so, they have removed a core role of the church. This could be an acceptable choice IF Teen Mania saw themselves as or accepted the responsibility of the church. The problem with this proposition is that really becoming the church requires a long term commitment to people despite their situation.
The organization clearly takes on the privilege of the Church. They openly take on the responsibility of training leaders, challenging the body of Christ, and go so far as claiming an authoritarian structure amongst large groups of believers. This, by default is the action of the church. Yet, for financial, political, or even spiritual reasons TM refuses the title “Church.” This is, in my estimation, the central problem in confronting Teen Mania about anything. If we don’t agree on what the organization is, by default or by choice, how can we hold it to a standard of action? As it stands currently, there are many believers under leadership that refuses to call itself the church. I believe that the reason for this is that if it were to call itself a church…the standard would be much higher. That is a problem of utmost importance.
16 comments:
Anonymoussays:January 26, 2010 7:25 AMReply
It was the experience of watching many faithful friends come to the HA with genuine faith and leave in shame and heartache that I was convinced of a problem with the organization.
Their failures are not solely the fault of the organization, but surely there is something corrupt about a community that sheds the broken so easily.
Well, well put…
Recovering Alumnisays:January 26, 2010 10:07 AMReply
“The problem with this proposition is that really becoming the church requires a long term commitment to people despite their situation.”
I think Caleb brings up a really interesting point here. TM seeks to make spiritually mature leaders but without actual acceptance, love, etc. The New Testament is full of admonishments to “one another.” Bear with one another, forgive one another, bear each other’s burdens, accept as Christ accepted you, etc…
BUT, TM seems to think they get a pass on these verses when they dismiss interns or when interns aren’t “up to snuff.”
They like to say that its just because “the internship isn’t for everybody.” Really? Being a believer is not enough for them? Apparently, their standards are higher than Jesus’ standards.
So they chew people up and spit them out all in the name of “maturity” or “standards.”
h.says:January 26, 2010 10:26 AMReply
” A core problem with the HA is that it attempts to function in the authority of the church, but shirks the responsibility of the Body of Christ.”
wow. i know it’s been said before, but this is incredibly well written. i would never have thought to phrase it that way–but it’s so true…with such an issue at the heart of the matter, it’s no wonder so many of us became legalistic, compassion-less drones.
RA–i was told to “bear one another’s burdens” once at the HA…i had plans to go to the houston ATF with my call team over the weekend, and during the day one of my roommates had trashed the room and not cleaned up after herself. we failed room check and got campused [preventing me from going to houston], and when i asked my CA about potentially serving my campus another weekend, or even explaining to her that i had been at work and there was no way i could have known the condition of the room, let alone clean it up–she pulled out her bible and pointed me to the verse in galatians. apparently by serving time for a “sin” [heavy quotations on that one] i didn’t commit, i was bearing with my roommates burdens.
it’s not just that TM gets to pass on these verses…starting from the top down, when they do use them, they get to take them out of context and use them to support their own ideas and standards.
Recovering Alumnisays:January 26, 2010 10:29 AMReply
h. – ugh. I’m SURE that if you were supposed to be at the ATF on swat or support team you would not have been campused….yet another example of how they twist the rules when it benefits them.
katydidsays:January 26, 2010 11:16 AMReply
wow wow wow to all of the above comments–they are all straight-on! Esp.–Apparently, their standards are higher than Jesus’ standards–and anon #1 highlighted parts..
Anonymoussays:January 26, 2010 12:46 PMReply
Caleb,
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! I was disappointed you didn’t have more personal detail, which speaks more potently to me than generalizing the structure as a whole, even though I agree with most of your post. However, it looks like a lot of people can relate to what you said, which is wonderful. Take care.
Bensays:January 26, 2010 1:29 PMReply
“How is it that Teen Mania decided to take on the task of sort of reverse outsourcing everyone’s leadership training? In doing so, they have removed a core role of the church. This could be an acceptable choice IF Teen Mania saw themselves as or accepted the responsibility of the church. The problem with this proposition is that really becoming the church requires a long term commitment to people despite their situation. “
THAT is really insightful. I think it’s fair to say that this fact on it’s own means that something like the ha CAN’T really be successful simply by the nature of what it is. it’s like taking a job in a bakery so you can bake, but you refuse to do any cleaning. you just want to pick the things you like doing without taking anything that necessarily comes with it.
Recovering Alumnisays:January 26, 2010 6:03 PMReply
Ben – yes, it really calls into question the whole purpose/mindset behind the internship.
Rob Eichersays:February 25, 2010 9:01 PMReply
Hey Ben, here are my thoughts. First of all – well said Caleb – on the role of the Church.
I think an appropriate passage to bring up is 1 Corinthians 12-13. I view TM as one tiny part of the church – maybe like an ear. An ear is great for hearing, but if you ever try to eat with an ear, it just doesn’t work. That’s how I view TM. It isn’t an environment where everyone is going to thrive in – but some people do. Others come in and get “chewed up and spit out” of the system – and some unfortunately hurt for years.
The H.A. was a great place for me. I came in with a foundation of grace – knowing that I was already accepted by God because of what Jesus did on the Cross. To quote Matt Chandler “God doesn’t love some future version of you – He loves you right now – just as you are.” Anyway, I came to the HA with that as my foundation, and I came looking for new ways to grow. I had been surrounded by complacent people who were just kind of Christians by name, but had no resemblance of Jesus being their Lord. I ate up the “striving to be everything we can be” teaching style of Ron – because I really wanted to be all I could be – out of my love for God. It was exactly what I needed.
Others in my class – and obviously many more since then – didn’t have that foundation of grace. They felt like if they missed their quiet time – God was upset with them, or they didn’t measure up. Without that foundational understanding of Grace and unconditional love, people tend to go two ways in the H.A. 1. they start doing all of the good works, and get proud – because they are performing so well (like the Pharisees – no realization that it is only by His grace that they can even breathe.) or 2. they struggle to perform, and fall short of TM expectations, and expectations they placed on themselves, and they feel condemned and unworthy, and struggle to accept the fact that God loves them just as they are. Neither of those 2 outcomes are pretty, and I think both of those situations must break God’s heart.
In summary – TM is not the perfect environment – nor is any one part of the church. Each part has a purpose. He uses TM to help many people experience Him in new ways, and He is using websites like this to help other people experience Him and find healing. Glory be to Him.
To quote Paul “The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” and the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” TM has it’s purpose, and so does this website. I see both sides.
I also think it is important to keep in mind that there have been hurt feelings, and misunderstandings, and bitterness and well intentioned Christ followers making mistakes since the early church began. It is because the human race is broken. 3/4 of the New Testament is Paul trying to sort out problems in the church. This isn’t a new scenario…and yet He still loves us.
Recovering Alumnisays:February 25, 2010 9:08 PMReply
Rob,
Good points. The 1-2 people I know of that went thru the internship unharmed were people with exactly that kind of background – grace filled and loving – people who were totally secure in their relationship with Christ. On the flip side, these people also didn’t have life changing experiences. They went there to serve God and then went home – it didn’t rock their world b/c they were already secure.
Unfortunately, I don’t think its realistic to expect that most teens today are coming from a place of grace. How many are from broken homes? How many are from dysfunctional families? How many are already living in legalism?
I don’t think its fair to market the HA has a growth opportunity without fully disclosing the kind of spiritual understanding and emotional strength that is needed to succeed and survive in that environment.
All that said, it has unfortunately gotten MUCH stricter since your days there.
Today, even if someone like you were to arrive there, how long would they last when they are told things like – “Pressing your snooze button means you have no integrity.”
gc1998says:February 25, 2010 10:02 PMReply
@ra that is exactly what i have felt was the foundational and fundamental flaw…to create such a very, very intense environment, set leadership up to be so central/important, and then expect 18 year olds…who’re barely formed…to be able to process everything with any degree of spiritual/mental/emotional maturity.
and then there’s also their recruiting line…that EVERYONE should do the internship…until people get there and aren’t measuring up? and i think i recall in a post someone saying that they tell interns EVERYONE should stay on for a 2nd year?
Recovering Alumnisays:February 26, 2010 10:50 AMReply
Rob,
As I think more about your response, one of my greatest questions is your analogy to TM being an “ear.”
I recognize that different people and organizations have different functions within the body of Christ – but I don’t think that exempts anyone from treating others with love, kindness, and respect.
And I’m also doubtful that “assuming the Gospel” and heading straight for works is ever a good approach to take. What would Matt Chandler say about that? 😉
Rob Eichersays:February 26, 2010 2:07 PMReply
I agree, no one is exempt from treating others with love, kindness, and respect…including our enemies – Jesus was pretty clear on that.
Matt Chandler would take us back to the cross – he always does : )
I can see that this blog can become pretty consuming. It was all I thought about on my way to work this morning.
Recovering Alumnisays:February 26, 2010 2:37 PMReply
I hear you, Rob. Its A LOT to process. 🙂
Anonymoussays:November 9, 2011 5:41 PMReply
Excellent points, all. And I completely agree about Teen Mania’s lack of long-term commitment to its interns. Incidentally, I think it’s echoed in the lack of follow-up and long-term support that converts receive after a drama group comes sweeping through.
Aprilsays:November 26, 2011 1:36 PMReply
Oh my gosh, RA, your comment about the snooze button brought back memories for me. I was never a part of HA, but I remember attending youth conventions where a minister preached that failing to rise when your alarm clock went off was a sin because it was breaking a commitment you had made to yourself to rise at a certain time. How ridiculous!
As a teen, I saw so much of TM’s bad theology at work in my church, youth group and youth retreats. People don’t realize that the doctrine, attitudes and books that come from TM’s leadership are often absorbed by youth leaders outside of TM, leading to ever-widening cycles of abuse and misunderstanding. It’s quite worrying.