From the mailbag

I usually don’t like getting email from parents. If you are a youth pastor, you immediately can relate. Most of the time when a parent emails, it is to demand a custom-tailored event to fit their student’s schedule and preferences or to complain that their student had their underwear soaked in IcyHot cream at summer camp. But this morning, I got one that made me laugh and encouraged me… the names have been changed to protect those who need protecting:

Our son Joseph is an (incoming) 7th grader. I wanted to give you some feedback on the “we have no budget - so learn to tithe” campaign from a kid’s perspective. When the idea was first introduced in June, my son said (and I quote) “That’s just crazy. I don’t know what they are thinking. They’ll never get any kids to go along with that.”

We went on a month-long vacation, and his first day back at church was last weekend. All week long, he walked around saying “You’ll have to make some tough choices: M&Ms…or God, sour straws…or Jesus, a crunch bar…or baby Jesus in a manger. Choose wisely.” You can bet that today he brought his 10% from mowing the lawn, and threw in an extra dollar from his stash. You certainly have your finger on the pulse of junior high boys!

When was the last time you sent or received and encouraging email?