How much can you bench?

How much can you bench?

Walk into any weight room where any guy is working out, and that's the question that you'll hear.
Middle school
High school
College
Young adults
Old guys pretending to be young guys
The question is the same ... how much can you bench?
Did you ever fall into that trap?
Thinking that somehow if you had a big number that you could bench, that made you the man.
In my high school if you could get into the 300 club, then you had arrived.
Here's the thing though, when you look at most men, would you say that they are in shape?
Sure, they can bench press a small house ...
... but they have chicken legs because they never work on them
... walking up stairs winds them and cause them to look for the elevator
... other muscles are overlooked and neglected because of all the time spent on that one area

You do realize, that as youth pastors, we still fall into this same trap
You meet another youth pastor for the first time
You get together with a group of youth pastors
You get in Monday morning and are meeting with your senior pastor
And, almost without fail, what is the question?
How much can you bench? = How many students have you got coming?

Because somehow if you have a large number of students, that is the measure of success
The reality is that you can have a ton of students showing up for your stuff; and yet experience no life change.
You can be packing a place out, and still be failing in your call

The goal isn't a big youth group
The measure of success isn't a big youth group
Your identity is not found in a big youth group

The goal is that students would love and serve Jesus
The measure of success is obedience
Your identity is found in Him

So, take a deep breath
Stop buying the lie
And focus in on leading your group to become all that God has called it to be