Lock In Weekend

There is one event in youth ministry that can send chills down your spine. That event is a lock in. The basic premise is that you lock the kids in the church with you for an all-nighter that features messy, disgusting games, lots and lots of food and, of course, the inevitable sleep deprivation. Add into this mix lots of caffeine, sugar and hide-and-go-seek in the dark, common referred to in our Youth Group as predator, and you've got all the ingredients for a great time.
We do one lock-in a year in our church. Other events provide sleepovers and sleeping in gyms, but they do all have one thing in common -- sleep. At a lock-in, you go into it knowing the general idea is to stay awake ALL NIGHT LONG!
Personally, I like lock ins. It's a great way to get to know your youth a little better and they bring their friends too. Outreach opportunity! I also get to pull games out of my hat that I would never try any other time of the year. In the past, we've duct taped youth to the wall (the girls won!). Last year, I dress four youth in garbage bags and had them stand about 10 feet from their team. Their team then threw peanut butter covered bread at them to see how many they could get to stick to the garbage bags. Great Fun! This year, my cool game involves whipped topping and cheese balls. I'll let you know how that one goes over.
Our food will vary from cookies and bars, to chips and pizza and then, at 6 a.m. breakfast. I am always grateful to my breakfast crew. They come in, well rested and make us a healthy breakfast, while we try and keep the kids on their feet until their folks come to take them home.
My lock in volunteers are a special breed. They know exactly when to start the caffeine loading on Friday morning and they are just as cheerful at 4 a.m. as they are at 8 p.m. God has a special place in heaven for those who chaperone lock ins.
I usually do better than the kids do at these all nighters. I know how to ration my energy and my caffeine. I keep busy and don't sit anywhere too long. I don't eat too much and drink lots of fluids. I think that youth workers have special genes that allow for sporatic sleep habits and strange food combinations.
When you retire on Friday night, think about all the fun you are missing. We will most likely be in the midst of movies, snacks, games, predator and duct tape. If you think of it, say a prayer for my adults and I. Watching the sunrise surrounded by sleepy teenagers is not for the faint of heart or stomache. We, too, will be driving home groggily to catch a few hours of sleep before trying to reset our sleep cycles.
If you can't sleep, come on down to Mandan UMC and join the fun! We'll leave the light on for you.