I got the monkey pox!

What do you do when you are sick?  As youth pastor I think I have only missed one youth group gathering in 15 years or so because I was sick.  Not that I'm one of those that drags their half alive, coughing selves to work no matter what.  I'm actually a really big sissy when I get sick.

I was sick last week, I knew Sunday morning when I woke up that there was no way I was going to make it to church that day and most there would not have wanted to catch the monkey pox from me.  I had not been that sick in 20 years.   I put my, "I'm sick" plan into action.

1.  E-mailed the YM team and let them know they would be on their own.

2.  Put one YM team member in the lead.

3.  Knew which video they would show since it was too late to come up with a lesson that someone else could teach.

I did discover the flaw in my plan.  Next time I will have someone who knows where the video is and how to get it.  I will also make sure there is someone who knows how to turn on the sound and video equipment.  I ended up having to drive to the church to do those two things and then sneak back out the back door.  

This is why serving in a church of teams is great.  Every member is a minister.  You don't have to have the "paid guy" there to have youth group, or even worship.  Our team is the best!

Another thing I noticed was that some of our members who have come from various church backgrounds and histories are still carrying some of their baggage.  There are many churches who have this idea that the pastor is to do everything.  Problem is if the pastor is down then the church ceases to function.  We did have a few assume there would be no youth group.  I'm the youth pastor but I'm not the glue that holds it together.  What would happen if I missed next week?  Youth group would still happen.

As a youth leader what is your plan if you come down with the monkey pox?