My Experience as Youth Pastor

The last student walked in 28 minutes late and SYP closed and locked the doors behind her. So begins the next adventure of Super Youth Pastor. For details on the origins of SYP please see the following posts:

• Super Youth Pastor
  
• SYP v. Angry Dad
  
• SYP v. Angry Dad II
  
• SYP and the Sickly Student
  

Even as he locked the doors the tension in Super Youth Pastor began to lift. The Naïve Intern had some great plans for games and pranks. SYP was really looking forward to scaring the teens early the next morning. Somewhere in the back of his mind a voice that sounded suspiciously like Super Wife warned him that the planned fun might be dangerous. She wasn't here to give strength to that voice and the call of awesomeness easily won out. SYP absentmindedly thumbed through the permission slips and medical release forms as he thought about everyone who couldn't make it to help for the night. It seemed odd that only the Naïve Intern and Griz, an older youth worker that seemed to believe the Salem Witch Trials were conducted to deal with out of line teens, were the only volunteers that could make it this evening. It seemed even stranger that almost every regular Youth came to the event and even brought friends. The Youth room had never been so full.

Even though all of this wondered through his mind it was a passing thought that glowed dimly against SYP's excitement over having so many Youth at this event. The Naïve Intern may not know soteriology from a soda bottle, but the kids loved him and so did SYP.

SYP had finished counting all the forms. His heart skipped a beat. 138. That couldn't be right. 138 students and only 3 adults? The voice in the back of his head got a little louder as he counted again. Once again he counted 138. The youth had never been more than 70 before. Nearly double in this one event. The worry was a little brighter, but if the worry was twice as bright the pride and excitement was ten times as bright. SYP was trying to do the math in his head. They had expected maybe 80 kids. They ordered 20 pizzas and that wouldn't be nearly enough. He would have to call for more. Griz would have to run and get more soda too. They had charged $5 per student which meant $690 for the night. They needed 40 pizzas, double what they had ordered. That would cost a total of $200 plus the sodas. Even counting the money they spent on secret supplies for later that night they wouldn't have trouble with expenses. That was a great feeling considering all the times he had come up short and over budget.

SYP called to get the extra pizzas and then went into the gym. He could smell the drama. Despite the pounding music and flashing lights he could hear the whispers about this guy or that girl. People that had been friends until this week and the breakup and make-ups, it was almost unbearable to hear all the murmurs at once like that. SYP tried to focus but that only made things worse. Eventually all the activity distracted him, which did much more to alleviate the discomfort than any concentration he could muster.

He grabbed the mic to make some quick announcements.

"Good evening everyone."

Hmm, hardly anyone responded. Maybe they didn't hear him.

"I said good evening."

Yep, much better that time.

"Tonight someone is going to die." He waited for the gasps to settle before he continued, "That's right, some time tonight one of you will die. It will be your job to try and solve the murder. No one will be allowed in or out so our killer cannot escape."

The crowd seemed to be catching on. The first big surprise was that this evening was a murder mystery lock-in. The Naïve Intern had helped him plan the whole thing. There would be games, clues, and staged events through the night. If all went according to plan they would easily double attendance at the next event. He could already hear the whispers about what friends will wish they had come and could see the not so inconspicuous texting to friends that thought they would rather stay home.

"Through the evening and morning members of our drama team will be spreading rumors and truth. Use your skills to sort the fact from the fiction and piece together the clues. The lucky person who solves the crime will win a new Wii."

The crowd was really getting excited and the mention of the prize pushed them over the edge. They were cheering and SYP had to wait for them to quiet down before he continued.

"Before we continue let me share a few rules."

1. No leaving the gym without permission
   
2. No PDA aka making Purple, bright pink, or bright blue
   
3. No fighting
   
4. You must listen to me, the Naïve Intern, and Griz
   
5. We will call your parents to pick you up if there is a problem
   

"Mostly we want you to have a fun and safe evening. We will be having pizza and soda a little later and the murder will be soon. Until then have fun."

The music and lights started up again and the teens started talking again. Along the back wall he had setup a bank of video games. They were playing some zombie game. SYP couldn't remember any zombie games so they must have brought it with them. He considered shutting it down but then figured he wouldn't worry about it. That sort of thing might bother Griz though.

Griz, shoot SYP had forgotten to tell him to go get the sodas. SYP scanned the crowd and saw Griz lecturing some young couple. SYP guessed Griz had caught them holding hands or some other terrible sin.

"Hey Griz," SYP called as he walked up on the scene. "I'll take care of this. I need you to grab a bunch of extra sodas. Run up to me office and get the checkbook and a tax exempt form then go get more two liters and ice."

"But Sup," Griz started to say.

"Don't worry about it, we'll keep the hordes at bay while you get supplies," SYP interrupted.

The teen couple seemed relieved. Griz must have really been giving it to them though. They looked pale, poor kids. SYP smiled at them as Griz left.

"Don't worry about him too much. He'd gripe at Jesus for not wiping his feet when he got into the boat after walking on water."

The couple groaned. Coming from teenagers it was somewhere between a grunt and a moan. SYP chuckled a little inside. These kids felt more strongly than they would at any other age but were so insecure they couldn't really express themselves.

Just then the Naïve Intern bounded up.

"Hey Sup," he shouted. "Awesome showing tonight. We're gonna knock them dead with the mystery game."

"That was a great idea. They really got excited when they found out."

"Yeah, the surprises are gonna make them freak. Heh, I even planned a few that you don't know about. Better watch your back."

He was already disappearing into the crowd with that last statement.

What did Griz catch those two teens doing? Will he get too many diet sodas? What crazy plans does the Naïve Intern have? Tune in next week. Same SYP time same SYP channel.