A Good Collection is More than a Gimmick
I have the largest Pringles collection that I know of. I have the largest Pringles collection that most people know of. I imagine there are larger collections out there, but not many. I have over 100 different cans consisting of over 70 different flavours. Most people's response is, "I didn't know they had that many flavours!" That or, "Why do you have those?"I started my collection unintentionally back in 2001 as a youth intern. Most church desks have some kind of candy or mint to offer to visitors, I didn't want to go the candy route so I decided I should offer Pringles. Why I ended up choosing Pringles I cannot recall, perhaps simply by God's appointment. I thought it would be neat to keep the cans and someday build something out of them (re-creation of the tower of Babel perhaps?). Years later I had 300 empty Pringles cans in my office and as a joke one of my leaders stole them. In my typical fashion, I didn't respond. I didn't even mention at youth that they were missing. Months went by and I got used to the extra office space. The leader got bored and didn't like taking up the space in her apartment so she returned them all. I kept the one-of-a-kinds and recycled the doubles.
Since I stream lined my collection to only singles it has continued to grow. Students and families have brought me Pringles cans from places like Spain, Chile, Mexico, Japan, Australia, Thailand and more. I have gotten Pringles related items like a vanity license plate and large display tins. I've also collected a lot of Pringles art from students from water colours to pastel drawings to a 2'X2' metal plaque made in shop class.
Why do I tell you about my Pringles collection? I think it's important for every youth pastor to have a "thing". I don't like the word gimmick but I guess that's essentially what it is. Lots of youth pastors collect Coke stuff from around the world, perhaps you collect retreat and camp T-shirts exclusively from camps and retreats you never attended, maybe it's miniature colonial figurines.
Why should every youth pastor have a gimmick? 1. It's a conversation piece. I can't tell you the number of times complete strangers (perhaps for a wedding, funeral or graduation) have been in our church and had to pop their head in my office and comment on the collection. People have even asked if they could take photos of my collection (I often joked that if you visit Medicine Hat there are two things you must see, the World's Tallest Tipi and my Pringles Collection). 2. It makes you more approachable. So many great conversations have started with, "Where did you get all these cans? Are they empty or full? Did you eat them all?" 3. Your students will want to contribute and feel part of your collection. I have students from years ago who are still proud that they contributed a one-of-a-kind can to my collection. I have people going on family vacations asking for a list of cans I don't have from the area they are traveling too. 4. It's something to look at. Sometimes students want to talk and it takes them a while to get to the point. Many times I've had students spend 30 minutes looking at my collection, asking about my favorite flavours (Mexican Layer Dip) and the worst flavours (Soft-Shell Crab) before they feel comfortable enough to bring up the heavy topics.
So what do you collect? Is your office overrun with a great collection? Does your collection scan the globe?
I have no office in which to have a collection. However, last night for me, was a affirmation of the value of inanimate distraction "thing."
I have no interest in video games, but a teen requested I play some racing game with them. I eagerly agreed to. It was obvious that this kid just needed to hang-out with an adult who cares. I figured that is all it would be; that I would spend sometime focused on them thus letting them know they are important. Turns out it wasn't about the video game for her; before the end of the first race she was laying out her hurts and life story for me. Through out that video game session (which neither of us were really paying attention to)I got to listen, encourage, and share the gospel with a kid who calls herself Wicken. The video game wasn't a gimmick, it wasn't even my idea to play, and I didn't ask any pressing questions to stimulate the conversation. Kids want to talk, sometimes they just need a gateway or distraction to get started.
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