As a young boy, one of my favorite days of the year was Halloween. While candy was always a nice reward, my little heart could only take so many pixie sticks and peanut-shaped marshmallows before it wanted to explode.
My favorite part was dressing up, and Halloween was my one opportunity each year to wear something that expressed the true desires of my heart. Superman . . . check. He-Man . . . check. California Raisin . . . check. (Okay, I was an obscure little child. Seriously, what little boy says, “I want to be a raisin for Halloween?” This guy).
Thankfully, God was only preparing me for my future career. After all, as youth ministers, we know that there are only so many times you can shave your head until you have to find a new way to get teens to come to youth group. Why not try a costume?
Do you need One Direction to make a special appearance at your youth group?
Dress up as them. (Although you should be prepared to see some disappointed teens.)
Need to illustrate a scripture passage?
Dress as a camel and try to fit through the eye of a needle. (Yep. We did this, and just as Jesus alluded to, it’s pretty difficult.)
Need to blend into the environment based on the Garden of Eden?
Wear a full-body fig leaf costume. (I still don’t know how I got talked into that for the 2012 Catholic Youth Ministry Training Convention.)
In a world that places such an emphasis on shock value, silly costumes are our one opportunity to have a teen say, “He’s going to wear what? Oh, I’ve got to see this.” And if dressing up as Justin Bieber allows me the chance to bring one teen closer to heaven, break out the skinny jeans shirt and the awkward haircut.
It’s worth it.
Question: What’s the craziest costume you’ve ever worn at your youth group? (Share below.)
My old youth minister, who all of us miss terribly, loved pulling the deepest meanings out of unusual things. He declared one night a “faith in the media” night and got us all to come dressed as our favorite movie characters. Although we knew he was fearless concerning these types of things and his talk would most likely have at least one reference to
The Dark Knight (a very good example of that deep stuff in media), it didn’t save us from getting the shock of our lives when he welcomed us into the youthhouse dressed full-out as the Joker! Face paint, green hair and all!! That was an awesome night and when our youthgroup Joker gave his talk he went incredibly deep- deeper than you would ever dream you could get when your in a room full of highschoolers in ridiculous costumes lead by a man dressed as the creepiest villian- and it was just AWESOME!!! This all being said: Inviting your teens to dress up goofily one night OR surprising teens by not warning them you’re coming in some full-out costume is also BEAST!!!
Elise,
That sounds so cool!
Back at my first Life Teen parish, I once went as “Life Teen-Wolf”!
Haha! Love it!
Not only have I dressed up for Life Nights, I also get to do it for VBS. In the four years I’ve been at my parish I’ve been:
Mad Scientist, Moses, the Holy Spirit, a Pirate, an old timey aviator, a leprechaun, over the top gym teacher (long old school socks and all) and the random bible times guy in the background. Needless to say, I love what I do:)
Bert, That’s awesome! I’d love to see the leprechaun outfit. Sounds so fun!
Cheerleader… (Yikes, I’m not 16 anymore!), fisherman, Mary from Mary had a Little Lamb, Rockstar… Fun stuff!
Nice! Love it!
[...] race through my mind, I can’t help but wonder what it would look like if I combined my love of silly costumes with my desire to be a [...]