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Chris Darling
Youth Director
chris.uumc@yahoo.com
Chris Darling is a senior at Hope College in Holland, Mich.
He is a religion major with an emphasis on youth ministry. He works in Lansing
part of the week and studies in Holland for part of each week. He plans to
graduate in the spring.
Q: What made you choose this career?
A: Before college I was touring in a Christian band. We did
a church tour and a tour of Christian clubs, so I got to know a lot of youth
ministers pretty well. I was around the kids quite a lot. It ended up being just
a good fit.
Q: What was your band's name? Did you play guitar or
bass?
A: We were called "Boink." We came up with that in middle
school. I played a trumpet and congas. (Our sound) was kinda like Supertones or
Five Iron.
Q: Do you still play?
A: Not really, I'm pretty busy.
Q: What's been your first impression of UUMC?
A: It's great here. After being in Holland, it's a little
liberal out here, and I like that. It fits well with me. It's been a smooth ride
so far.
Q: What are your goals for the program and for your
career in general.
A: The goals for the program are to revamp the youth room
and make it more senior-high friendly. I'm forming a committee to help me do
that. I want the kids to own the program. I'm also trying to get the parents
more involved. It's very inconsistent who shows up and who doesn't. They don't
think it's their (program) and I need to get them to own it...to feel like it's
part of their schedule.
Q: What about goals for your career?
A: My degree is in youth ministry, so I hope to do that. But
that doesn't pay the bills by itself. So I also work at MSU on the grounds crew,
and I do irrigation over there.
Q: What inspires you?
A: I'm different than my friends. I don't go out, I never
have. When I wake up, it's for myself, for God and for the kids. I designed a
logo and call the program here "Out of Love Ministries" and my whole idea is
that after all the theology, we do things out of love for God and for each
other. I've realized that through my friends, through my family, and through my
Church family. Those are the three institutions that really shaped who I am.
I'm trying to get the kids to realize that God really loves
them. There's a (PBS Frontline documentary) video called "Merchants of Cool,"
(http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/view/) about the
infrastructure of MTV and institutions like that and how much they invest to
market to kids. They'll spend a whole day with a kid and make them feel special,
and give them products. That is their research. Then they'll market a product
like an iPod to them. They're investing millions in them. And the church doesn't
have that much money. But we have something better, which is the love of Christ.
So somehow we need to get that to them.
Q: What concerns you?
A: My inspiration is my concern. A lot of kids I hear (them
say) that their parents don't understand, they don't listen. And much of that is
true. It's not that they hate them, it's that they don't know how to express the
love that they have, and it's in the form of discipline. I've noticed that the
kids who like youth group and don't get their homework done, that's the first
thing to go. That doesn't make sense to me. Then again, this is my job.
Q: What is your favorite Bible verse or parable?
A: It's probably Corinthians 13:4-8. The one they use for
marriage all the time. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does
not boast, it is not proud..."
Q: What's your favorite book.?
A: "In the Name of Jesus" by Henry Nouwen.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: "High Fidelity" with John Cusack.
Q: Favorite song or singer?
A: Third Eye Blind is my favorite band.
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