‘What Soul Survivor Got Wrong’… a missed opportunity

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(First written in 2012, edited 2014

(more recent post: ‘The Christology of Soul Survivor)

Last year at Soul Survivor a very young (like 15 yo) member of the prayer or ‘enabling’ team kept showing up whenever anyone in my group was being prayed for and he had a couple of bad habits. First, he pushed! He would stand in front of the person he was praying for and give them a little nudge in the chest or just apply continuous pressure until they went down. As soon as they hit the deck he moved on to ‘get’ somebody else.

The other thing he did – which I found even more annoying – is he’d tell you that you were praying wrong. So he would physically move your hand to ‘more powerful praying positions.’ I was praying for one of my young people one evening and he came, moved my hand from the young person’s shoulder to their chest, but assured me that ‘everything else you’re doing is great!’ I wanted to ask whether or not the Holy Spirit has a better line of fire now my hand was out of the way?

I thought the enabling team was there to make sure groups we’re looking after each other and blessing what God was doing – not interrupting experienced group leaders to choreograph hand positions and push people over who looked a wee bit wobbly?

Why The Crit?… Hater!

I don’t want to come off as overly critical (too late right?). Soul Survivor is great! It has an amazing legacy and done some incredible ministry. I’ve been taking youth groups for years and we always get a lot out of it. We meet God there and are blessed by powerful, Spirit-led ministry. I respect the people running it and it forms an effective part of my annual youth work discipleship and mission strategy. But there is stuff that Soul Survivor has done (and does do) that has caused issues for young people that I’ve worked with over the years.

Soul Survivor wields an enormous amount of influence in the youth work world and has developed a large proportion of youth leaders in my generation. Big influence means big responsibility, and even though I know they get lots of unhelpful criticism – they need to set the example for how to properly evaluate themselves in humility and be clear about their mistakes, as well as their many successes.

The Opportunity Andy Was Given

I was thrilled therefore when in 2011, Andy Croft was given a huge opportunity to talk at the Youth Work Summit on ‘What Soul Survivor got Wrong.’ This was an opportunity to cut through all the crazy criticism they get and say, ‘here’s how we see it and how we’re trying to grow as a movement and serve your youth groups better – we know we haven’t always gotten it right and we’re aware of specific areas to develop and here’s how we’ve been doing it.’

Unfortunately, this is not the talk Andy gave. The ten minute message took on a tone that straddled the lines between subversively defensive and so broad that you couldn’t really blame them for anything. I’ve got mounds of respect for Crofty, but this really was a missed opportunity to set an example of how to engage critique well. The only real conclusion I was able to draw was that Soul Survivor does not effectively evaluate its ministry, doesn’t have a language developed to talk about its issues in public, and is not aware of specific areas that they need to grow in.

What Andy said

Andy talked about the initial phone call where he was given this opportunity, which he seemed a bit upset by. He moved on to say he realized the importance of evaluating ministry and so would give it a shot.

1. Evaluate ministries against their aims

He explained that ministries should be evaluated against what they are trying to achieve – which is right as long as that the aims are specific enough to be valuable. The aim Andy gave for Soul Survivor was “to reach young people and to equip them to live the whole of their lives for Jesus.”

This is a good aim – but is practically the same broad aim of every other youth ministry in the Christian world. How can we effectively evaluate against that? I guess we can in a very broad way, but such as a single aim, it’s very difficult to come up with specifics.

A better way of saying it might be “to reach young people and to equip them to live the whole of their lives for Jesus – by developing an event that works alongside churches to provide a worship and teaching experience that motivates, inspires, encourages direction change and sets trends for Christian youth culture.” That would have been more of a  benchmark to measure.

As it is, using such a broad aim means we have no effective tool to measure Soul Survivor’s success, or of course its issues.

2. What we can’t do

Andy continued by saying there are lots of things that Soul Survivor cannot do and shouldn’t be held responsible for. Again he’s right! Understanding the resource scope of what you’re doing is simply a smart thing to do!

He said that ‘As an event, we cannot do discipleship or effective followup.’ And fair enough – that’s true too. But if a key, pivotal part of Soul Survivor’s aim is to ‘equip young people to live their whole lives for Jesus’, isn’t that the heartbeat of discipleship? If we measure Soul Survivor against it’s given aim, then is it perhaps missing out something significant here?

More importantly though, Andy just took Soul Survivor off the hook. With a hugely broad aim, a tip of the hat to ‘well we can’t do everything’ and no specifics of what they can and should do we’re left with nothing but straw men and meanies like me saying ‘hang on a minute?!?’

3. No history to measure by

Andy said that as Soul Survivor is only ’19 years young’ it’s harder to evaluate how successful it’s been. Under that logic though the vast majority of the UK’s youth ministry to can’t be clearly evaluated or held to account either. Nor can – as my wife pointed out – most of our marriages.

Because of Soul Survivor operating over the last two decades, Andy says that the group to look at are the 20s and 30s of today’s church and culture. Andy makes some insightful and important observations here: 20s and 30s are missing from our churches and sexual ethics in that age group is confused at best.

Because of these two points Andy says Soul Survivor could have done better; particularly showing more clearly the cost of following Jesus and teaching better about relationships. And good on him – yes Soul Survivor can take a measure of responsibility here and should work on those two areas. However, so can just about everything else in society – and again, are these not primarily discipleship areas?

These are not Soul Survivor specific points. All of us – education, church, politics, the leadership of previous generations – have had a hand to play in today’s 20s and 30s culture. Even though I share Andy’s passion to teach the cost of following Jesus and be clear on sexual ethics – if that’s the only thing Soul Survivor takes away from two decades of youth event ministry we’re going to be found seriously wanting.

So what did Soul Survivor get wrong?

This is harsh, but it’s hard to take away anything of significance, or at least specificity, from what Andy shared. Andy ended with a short ‘what we’ve got right’ section. If I’m honest, it sounded like practiced criticism-rebuffing rather than effective evaluation or humble honesty.

I’ve not yet read or heard anything from Soul Survivor that demonstrates a language for evaluation and improvement. It must be there because Soul Survivor has developed and has got better every year. From this message four years ago though, however, it looks like Soul Survivor still thinks of itself as the underdog trying to get a seat at the big boys table.

What we need from you Soul Survivor

Soul Survivor please, you need to set the example and lead the way. Help us on the ground know that even you get it wrong and show us how to effectively evaluate, own up to, and change our own shortcomings. We need you to set the example!

Where do I think Soul Survivor may have got it wrong

I think Soul Survivor has got some specifics to answer for. I’m sure they have answers to some of these, different opinions on others, and have better insight for some I’ve missed.

– It’s part in the increased commercialization of Christian media
– The consumerist approach to the events that only nominally (or awkwardly) create space for genuine community participation
– The events effectively replace many youth groups short term mission trips that always used to be the first weeks of summer
– Copycat events all over the UK trying to replicate the Soul Survivor feeling, splitting churches and keeping young people in youth groups rather than growing into full Church life – not to mention draining resources and people
– Assuming everyone wants to be the happy, sweaty extrovert for the week
– Not always explaining the Gospel before asking people to respond to it by becoming a Christian
– Creating a generation (my generation) of youth leaders who think the Soul Survivor formula is the way to run week-in-week-out youth work
– An odd approach to the distinct parts of lament and joy
– An energy sapping approach to spirituality that doesn’t take physical health seriously enough in emotional encounters
– Although getting better, a poor respect historically for Bible Teaching
– Inspiring people to be on stage rather than on the front lines (made better with Soul Action’s work)
– Perhaps not properly training or supervising their enabling team.

I want to end by saying I have masses of respect for Soul Survivor – but I want them to lead too. They are not a reactionary group any more – they are mainstream and need to be taking their place as servant-hearted, wise and humble leaders in the UK Youth Ministry scene.

 

Dear ‘Free Hugs’ Guy… please stop

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Why, oh why must you do it? You wait by the entrance to the main tent every year with your cute pseudo-homeless cardboard sign, not so much offering as demanding that people hug you. And if we don’t hug you, you act like we just blended your kitten, and everyone around looks at us like we work for Nazi Germany. Sometimes when we don’t hug you, you bar our way, and that one time we did hug you, you let out that strange little noise and held on just too long. It’s. Just. Creepy.

Some people don’t actually do well with physical contact from strangers, and feeling judged or ridiculed for this is really not helpful. Some young people that come to camp have a genuinely problematic history with physical contact, and trust has to be earned before you get that right. Some people (like me) are just not ‘huggy’ people. I enjoy a good cuddle with my wife, but that’s a context you don’t need to go anywhere near.

And how old are you? If you are an adult looking for a prolonged physical contact with as many young people you can find, then there are some other people that I’d like to call. If you are young person, it might be useful for you to know that you are safeguarding nightmare.

There’s nothing really wrong with a hug, but a pressurised hug with a stranger? And with young people and children that you know nothing about? It’s also a bit weird when you’re asking leaders who’ve been through Safeguarding and Child-Protection training and police checking to get huggy with unknown and possibly vulnerable young people.

I know – most likely – that you just want to spread a little love around. Great! Are there not two billion other ways which you could do that? Camps are always looking for volunteers: Work in the kitchens, do some setup, get on the prayer team and do something, y’know, that isn’t a risk assessment nightmare.

I’m sure I look like a killjoy, but unlike you I’ve spent years pouring into the lives of young people with varied difficulties, carefully cultivating a healthy, trusting relationship with them. I know them. I know that these small gestures that makes them feel violated or judged does not help! Your pop-psychology googleomics class not withstanding, these things stick and they linger and they undo good work.

I’m sure in most cases the ‘free hugs’ thing is fine – but how many hugged and unhugged people did you let go by without a second thought for the real issues that you may have, inadvertently, and absentmindedly stoked.

If you really need that many hugs – go to your group or your family. Or – in all love – find some real help. And if you are that creepy adult… please stay away from my group.

Yours sincerely

A career youth leader with vulnerable young people.

Tim

Staying Healthy At Soul Survivor

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Soul Survivor is epic. Awesome. I love it! It’s not a ‘perfect’ camp, and has made some mistakes, but if it was perfect then I wouldn’t be allowed to go – and quite rightly. I’ve been leading groups to Soul Survivor for years now, and it consistently draws us together as a group, and deepens our collective and individual relationships with God. This will be my 9th or 10th trip leading… I forget.

One of the things I’ve learned the hard way is how to keep your group – and yourself – healthy! This is really important. I used to think ‘it’s only 5 days, and it’s camping anyway – let’s rough it!’ And there is ‘some’ truth to that. If you want your kids to have the fullest possible experience, however, there are some dangers to look out for.

Soul Survivor is a bit of a melting pot. Groups gathering from all over the country with all their local plagues in a field. And the ‘free hugs’ guy doesn’t help either! You mix cold, damp, lack-of-sleep, high-energy activity, emotional intensity and homesickness into that and you have a propagator for some real issues.

Bad health can also cloud and disrupt genuine experiences with God. God moves in powerful ways at Soul Survivor – but just a tiny bit of rational thinking will say ‘no wonder everyone’s crying in this emotional-physical-spiritual mass of bodies!’ God does move(!), but we should do all we can to keep people healthy so they can take stock and carry those God-experiences into the rest of their lives.

God always gives meaning and clarity to his experiences, but if all we remember is ‘the feeling’ without any content, then there was probably something else mixed in. Something easily preventable and solvable, that – as youth leaders – we can manage.

There are two ‘Ds’ that the medical tents deal with every year: Dehydration and Damp. I’m an experienced camper, climber and first-aider, and don’t exaggerate one bit when I say these two are the two biggest killers in the mountains.

Dehydration

This one sounds simple but gets really serious! Not getting enough fluid in – and loosing more through sweating (heat & activity) means your body’s natural mineral balance goes out of wack. The salts, sugars and natural joint lubrication deteriorate leaving your bodies immune system in overdrive.

This is often accompanied by vomiting… next to your cooking tent!

You know you’re dehydrated if you start getting dizzy or a bit lightheaded, tired at strange times, and are not peeing much – or when you do it’s a dark (and smelly) colour! Oh – and you might feel thirsty and dry too – but not necessarily.

So drink! Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! We don’t let any of our group leave our camp village without seeing their full bottle of water or squash. They get into the habit right away and keep it all week. They have a full drink with each of their meals and go to bed with a full bottle too.

Even if you – or they – don’t feel thirsty. Have a bottle and sip, especially on those long hot afternoons.

Damp

I once had a lad get his onesie soaked in the rain – and – leave his tent windows open all day. He crawled into his damp sleeping bag with his damp onesie in a damp tent. He spent the next few days very ill. Mixed fevers, a bad head cold, dizziness – and had to be bought back by the medic van twice.

Getting and staying wet is a nightmare! At least you’ll get a cold and be uncomfortable for the week – but you could be looking at maceration too – which is when the outer layer of skin (especially on your hands and feet) gets so saturated it separates, cracks and blisters.

So a few basics. If you get wet (you will), then go get dry! Take off and replace all your wet clothes and leave them somewhere outside your sleeping area to dry. If your tent leaks, take everything out, dry it fully with towels, let it vent and then put things back in (once they have dried).

Make sure you have a clothes line and pegs with you – or a gazebo to hang things up in the rain.

2 More things: Sleep and Food!

Make sure you have everything you need for a comfortable nights sleep! When we meet with parents before our trips we go through sleeping-bag ratings and what insulation (mats etc.) to use. We teach the young people how to set up and manage their tents and we do insist on our curfews.

And if you’re one of those groups that doesn’t impose a curfew, and your group is still running around the villages screaming at 4am while your snug up in your tent. Please don’t come. 🙂 Thank you!

Food wise, we make sure that they eat a good breakfast and a carbs-heavy, slow-release-energy meal in the afternoon. We watch them for overloading on sweets and make sure they are having some kind of actual meal from the cafes/trailers in the evening. Soul Survivor is not an excuse to eat crap, and by day three you’ll notice if you have! Proper diet means you have a group that stays positive and open, rather than cranky and surly.

Surviving Camp With A Fully Charged Mobile Phone

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Getting though summer camp with a fully charged mobile phone is like running down the side of a mountain with a dirty martini trying desperately not to spill it – good luck!

From hurrying up the tardy group member, to locating the mini bus, to checking in with concerned parents, every precious little bit of juice matters.

If you’re at something like Soul Survivor, finding a charging port can be the difference between going to the right seminar (you know, the quiet one with the wall sockets) and having to queue in the tool shed for half an hour while feigning interest in a gap year that you’re obviously ten years too old for.

Follow these simple geeky tips to be economic with your juice and stay on top of the battery game this year:

Make your software work for you, not without you.

This is an easy one! Simply make sure you’re not using power-draining apps and background software that you don’t need.

  • Go to your battery settings and find out what apps are using power. If you don’t need them, close them!
  • Also check out what background apps are running in your settings – close those too. Always close apps from the background after you use them.
  • Switch off wi-fi, tethering, bluetooth, data roaming and push email clients. Also switch from 3g or 4g to 2g (or GSM).
  • Switch off location services and GPS (once you get there!).
  • If you have a high deff or AMOLED screen, make sure your background and lock screen are set to just black.
  • Speaking of the screen, manually set the brightness to the lowest you can handle and drop the timeout/standby time to as low as it will go (usually 15 seconds).
  • Get rid of your phone’s vibrate setting, and put a boring but audible single tone ringtone on instead.
  • Look into power management apps and widgets like ‘Power Control’ or ‘DU Battery Saver.’

Discover new ways of charging your phone.

A few little tweaks, and maybe a little money will go a long way to recharge your phone without having to stand on a friend’s shoulders to reach the maintenance plugs above the loos!

  • Turn on aeroplane mode when charging. Aeroplane mode shuts down the processing power usually used to communicate to towers. This can speed up charging time by 10-25% depending on your phone.
  • Invest in a car charger, and spend 30 mins to yourself in an evening charging your phone. If you’ve got a small petrol engine, then you’ll be wanting to run the car for 20 mins of that time.
  • If you’ve got the option then go for a leisure battery or electric hook up so you can charge at camp.
  • Invest in a decent power bar / portable battery with a high capacity. Amazon are selling Anker E6 20800mAh bars right now for about twenty quid!!!
  • These should charge your phone 3-7 times.
  • Don’t leave your charger anywhere! Not every nice Christian person is a nice Christian person.

Be thrifty with the vanity.

If you’re on camp – be on camp! I’m a big tweeter, instagramer and facebook user, but y’know what? I’m camping!!! so I can use those data-heavy and power-hungry apps when I get home! Bring a digital camera with you instead, or just photobomb everyone else!