Last November, over 40 high school guys arrived at our youth building on a Friday afternoon to begin their weekend known around our youth group as the very popular Ultimate Man Weekend. You’re probably thinking, what exactly is Ultimate Man Weekend?! Well, it is an opportunity to teach young men how to become more faithful and confident men of Jesus. Through our four teaching sessions, we focus on the different struggles that young men battle every single day. Between these teaching and quiet time sessions, we eat bountiful amounts of food and travel throughout the church campus and city participating in various manly activities. These guys are on the go from Friday afternoon through Sunday night. At the end of the weekend, all the students and leaders are exhausted, but can confidently and proudly say we conquered and survived Ultimate Man Weekend!
Being my first experience with Ultimate Man Weekend, I was exhausted at the end. BUT, I can confidently say it was one of the greatest experiences ever!
Now, how did I get myself into this kind of a weekend? Well, about 8 months ago, I begin to feel a strong tugging on my heart and had no idea how to respond to it. As I sat in prayer and confided in my mentors, I slowly started to realize that God was calling me to something. I became anxious, nervous and excited all at the same time.
In my book, God had done the imaginable. He was opening the door for me to become a youth leader and I was scared to death. Just months earlier I didn’t even know how to talk to youth kids, let alone want to interact with them. They were scary. But knowing that God was calling me through this open door, I took a huge leap of faith and walked through the door knowing that He was going to take care of me. And that’s exactly what has happened. It’s so cool looking back and seeing how God has played such a big role in transforming my life. Today, I can’t imagine my world without these guys.
Working specifically with the freshman, I can’t wait to watch them grow over the next three years into strong mature men of Jesus. However, a difficult challenge for me is wanting them to understand everything that we are teaching them and hoping that they “get it,” but really having to except the truth in knowing that they are not going to always “get it” or understand everything we teach them at this stage of life. A friend of mine told me recently that during the high school years they may never really “get it,” but what’s important, is that we are planting seeds within their lives and at some point during this journey called life, everything we are doing and saying will all come full circle.
I have learned so much in my short time as a youth leader! It excites me for the future to know that God is in every detail and leading me through this journey with these guys. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
As always, follow me on Twitter for an inside look at my life – @seanpfernandez
United. 
Hi Sean,
Sounds good for you. I myself was an “English and Youth Minister” in two different churches, where I ran the Friday night youth groups.
One huge hidden problem in “Bible-believing” Evangelical churches is that people think they are “following Jesus” when in reality, subconsciously, they are following Paul. Here is a contrast between Jesus vs. Paul regarding the Most Important Commandment.
JESUS
Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?
Jesus replied: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these TWO commandments.” [Matthew 22:36-40, Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18]
Of all the commandments, which is the most important?
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “ is this: ‘Hear, of Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than THESE.” [Mark 12:28-31, Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Leviticus 19:18]
PAUL
But, in contrast, Paul didn’t know the greatest, most important, first commandment according to Jesus. Paul made up his own rule. Paul wrote:
“The entire law is summed up in a SINGLE command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” [Galatians 5:14, Leviticus 19:18]
And again, Paul wrote:
“He how loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not covet, and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this ONE RULE: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” [Romans 13:8-10, Leviticus 19:18]
Jesus said it’s TWO commandments, with the greatest, most important, first command to
.1) first, love God with everything you’ve got, and
.2) second, love people.
Paul said no, it ONE commandment- to love people.
Paul, and the Beatles, were wrong.
Jesus is right. I’m following Jesus.