I Figured It Out

This is the true reason why Souled Out is faltering...

Jason.

No it's not because of how he preaches like I originally figured (although he still needs to work on it. It's also not because he doesn't know how to plan events ahead of time. It's definitely not because of him and his bloodline.

The number one reason why Souled Out is faltering is because everybody knows Jason.

Yeah, I said it. Everyone knows Jason. Jason has been with the church from the beginning, just like the rest of his family. He grew up in Souled Out when it was Souljaz Of Light and Brian and Co. were still a part of it. And because of this, we know him so well. We didn't need a pre-hiring meet up to see if this guy had the chops. We know he's a guy Souled Out for God. Last Sunday, Pastor Jim was saying that in order to learn more about the Bible, you should find somebody who quotes scriptures all the time. Jason is that guy. Jason is everything a youth pastor should be. The only problem is, we already know that.

And that's why he can't be taken seriously. We've been so well acquainted with Jason that we can't take him seriously. I don't know how, but that's how things have ended up. How do I know? From experience.

When I took the reigns of the youth worship band at NW Church, the youth already knew me two years prior. I had a chance to grow as one of the youth group. they knew me as something already. A kid who like to go wild, run around the place, and be energetic. I don't want to be pompous, but I was actually pretty popular there IMO. And that's what almost led to my downfall as a youth worship leader. For much of the beginning, I could not get the audience to stop focusing on what I was gonna do next and have them focus on the Lord. Near the end of my first tenure there, however, I had begun to create good chemistry. Just as I was making it I ended up following Nick to Northshore.

Northshore was a very different environment. Not only was I the new youth worship leader there, but I had to generate new bonds. This time, I knew it was gonna be different. I had a completely new group of kids who had never seen me before and thus did not know about how I was back in NW Church or anything. All they knew was that I was their youth worship leader and technically one of the staff. What this meant was I was able to create great bonds but I was also treated as a leader that could be taken seriously at the same time.

Jason you'll make a good leader someday, but just not in Souled Out.

This is why I'm so excited for Frankie coming. He's a completely new persom whom other than a couple visits, he hasn't really stayed with the group for too long. In the end it will mean the same thing I experienced in Northshore; great bonds with the youth while still maintaining a sense of authority amongst the group.

In Souled Out's history, virtual unknowns has been of great success in the past. Pastor Vic, Pastor Mike, Pastor Nick, Rachael, they did well becouse we had no history with them prior to them becoming our youth leader. Even Alula did a great job FTMP and she was a relative of Jason's and a former member of Souljaz Of Light. We may have known her, but she had that special ability of maintaining authority throughout.

I'm syked for the arrival of Frankie. I know the rest of Souled Out is syked for Frankie. And judging by our past with virtual unknowns, I know Frankie will do a great service to Souled Out.

Psalm 98:4,
Billy Pierluissi