Many of you who read this blog know that I have worked for the last six years as part of the CORE/YS ONEDAY TEAM. If you read this blog you also know that one of the people at YS that has had a major influence on my life and the lives of so many youth workers is Tic Long. Tic was the President of Events at YS and was with the company for over 30 years. AMAZING! Tic was sadly let go this past Summer by Zondervan who was the owner of YS up until recently when YS was bought by YOUTHWORKS. Many youth workers around the country were shocked and saddened by that development and didn't quite understand what was going on. I was one of them. It was like the youth ministry world was losing something that it could always rely on.
Well Amazing news everyone! TIC IS BACK!! IT'S OFFICIAL. TIC IS BACK! TIc Long has been brought back by Youth Works to lead Youth Specialties. It feels like things have been put right in the youth ministry world. Those of you who were there in Atlanta at the NYWC this year for the announcement that Youth Works was buying YS were surely wondering what was going to become of YS, I know I was.
So what does this all mean? It does mean it's a new day for Youth Specialties, while at the same time maintaining a connection with the original vision and passion of YS. It means the company that you have trusted for so many years to provide you with quality training and has an uncanny way of knowing what was going on in your world as a youth pastor is still alive and well! Obviously all of that is not just because Tic Long is back, but is due to all that Youth Specialties is and has been over the last 40+ years. I think for me the bottom line is TRUST. YS earned my trust many years ago when I was a young youth pastor. Years later when I got the privilege to see "behind the scenes" of YS on a regular basis and be a part of the team, what I found were people that grew that trust even more, people like Marko and Tic. It has been my privilege to work with Tic and I am excited to see what new things he has planned for YS.
So it's a new/old beginning in the youth ministry world. One thing I know for sure is that YS is being led by a man who loves youth workers with everything that he is. Do you really need to know more?
I hope you will join me in praying for the future of YS, for Tic Long and for all that YS is going to become. I also pray that you support them with your attendance at the NYWC in 2010.
The Future is So Bright I've Gotta Wear Shades!
Mark
P.S.
Here is one of my favorite pics with Tic, Marko and Brock Morgan the day of last year's AFC playoff game between the Chargers and Steelers. Of course Pittsburgh won!
It's been something like 34 and 1/2 months from the last one, and the Comment section has been back for around the last three of those (I missed those until now). Apparently that's just me, but there was a one-off nearly 27 months ago, and I missed that too... anyways, back to work... for now.
I'm never sure of what the circumstances of someone who has faithfully done their job to the best of their abilities getting sacked. Especially so when they are SO experienced and qualified and have seen what an industry is from the beginning.
As of when Tic Long started (don't know him, but sounds like a guy I should), I don't think so-called "Youth Ministry" was that old, and it's likely been evolving as the culture has.
The fact that he got brought back sounds similar to Steve Jobs, where he was brought back into Apple and took back over what he started. It sounds like the several times when I was able to come back in several circumstances in my life, and my disappointments when I haven't. After keeping my head down and kicking tail somewhere else, I come back bigger, better, and grateful.
It sounds a kind of like you, except instead of re-starting in place, some new and amazing things seem to show up each time you get beat down and rise again.
Not to mention, being further able to speak the language of "Life Sucks," for a lot of people that are like if you dropped an English speaker in a non-English country and said "Yeah, you're gonna live here, good luck!" Of course, it's not English speaking, but over time, you can learn, understand, and find a new kind of home.
I don't know what the aftermath of Tic Long going back, I do know that you dropped off YS to focus on home.
It's a story of "new beginnings," and restarts, which I know you know something about. I don't know what all of my re-starts were all about, nor yours, but I do know that it's a strong faith and compassion that just doesn't give up that has gotten you to your next stop and, in a way, given each stop a new and better leader.
One pretty cool "new beginning" which I think you've done better by bringing some friends that will drag you along is your new podcast.
I'm not sure what slammed on brakes on the original "Flipcast," (featuring Sean Allred, and the REALLY early days of MUTEMATH (that's a long time ago) they may as well have been called "Earthsuit 2.0."
I guess, in a way, even when it doesn't seem like it, this is not a bad idea to keep in mind... because somehow, in some way, it comes true...
"The Future is So Bright I've Gotta Wear Shades!"
As for San Diego versus these guys, I know I had some fun with this picture.
I also know there was a post for feedback on PCP...
How about a "Post-Christian Pastors" supergroup episode, not unlike some of these Old School (the band guys you grew up with) coming together to make two great parts try to make a pretty awesome whole, and just shoot the breeze on some topics for a good 75-80 minutes, as the shows tend to be these days.
Maybe "suffer through" a full two hours of worthwhile stuff by bringing these dudes in on some GoogleHangout sesh or something.
Sounds like an idea... "Hel's Angels," maybe? "Steel Chargers?"
Anyways, hope this return to order has (or did) bare some great results in the aftermath! Things like these somehow manage to, if people let them.
Posted by: Alexander Wilhelmsen | April 24, 2016 at 01:28 AM