If you've been in youth ministry for any length of time, you know that the tools we use in ministry change. Sure, there are some tools that might stick around for decades, but there are several that have gone by the wayside, never to be seen again. I thought it would be fun to dig up some of those old relics and take them on a walk down memory lane. Not everything I list below are tools I've personally used, but all them have a special place in our youth ministry hearts. Here are some items from antiquity that you might remember:
AOL Instant Messenger. This baby was high tech. I remember having several conversations with students over Instant Messenger when I was a volunteer in college as well as in my first paid position. Did you know the ol' AIM is still around? I even still have access to my account, and a quick glance through my Buddy List reminds me of students I worked with over a decade ago. But these days, no one ever seems to be signed on.
Worship Songs with Hand Motions. "Pharaoh Pharaoh" and the hand motions to "Lord I Lift Your Name on High" are long gone, having given way to David Crowder and Hillsong.
The Overhead Projector. I last used one of these on a retreat in 2005 during worship. May the Overhead Projector--along with its messy markers--forever rest in peace.
The Slide Projector. You thought the overhead projector was bad? Apparently the carousel slide projector was once the ProPresenter of youth ministry. I have on my bookshelf a
youth ministry book that describes in detail how to make worship slides with photo backgrounds to use in a Kodak carousel slide projector. Keith Green sold separately.
The Hot Seat. This one
needs to stay in the past. If you're not familiar with the Hot Seat,
you need to watch this video. In fact, the Hot Seat belongs in a broader category of things that need to stay in our youth ministry past that I loosely call "Games That Severely Injure or Mortally Embarrass Teenagers."
QUESTION: What would you add to the list of Youth Ministry Relics of the Past?
