Josh Griffin | More Than Dodgeball

Josh GriffinMore Posts GUEST POST: Youth Evangelism and Outreach

Evangelism is a scary word because so many of us believe we have to have a memorized plan or speech, we must preach to the crowds of people, or we must have a flashy and trendy way of presenting the Gospel message. We have taken the word evangelism and associated it with something difficult to do. In reality, evangelism is a lifestyle. It is simply how we live our lives. The truth is we evangelize daily. We point people towards Christ or away from Christ on a daily basis simply from how we live our lives.

I once heard someone say, “You will never talk to your friends about Jesus until you have talked to Jesus about your friends”. This statement has stuck with me over the years and has helped me remind myself and my students that the best evangelism is friendship evangelism. Our best witnessing efforts will happen with those whom we share real life with on a daily basis. Friendship Evangelism simply means “caring” for people. Someone once said, “The best evangelism takes place in a context of mutual trust and respect. It takes place between friends.”

In the context of student ministry I see students struggle with how to do evangelism. We strive to help shape their everyday choices to simply following Christ’s example. Christ lived and breathed evangelism. He took every day situations and taught truth from them. We want our students to realize that every bus ride, every lunch break, every classroom discussion, every practice or rehearsal are all opportunities to point their friends to Jesus.

We also believe that God calls us to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Because of that calling our student ministry goes on international missions as well as domestic missions. However, over the years I have noticed students willing to fly to other countries to share Christ but struggling to share Christ locally and domestically. Because of this mindset, we are now in our second year of the following strategic plan to help students create a healthy and biblical mindset of missions:

First we offer what we call Outreach Saturday Projects (OSP). These projects rang from yard work to nursing homes, to cleaning local school campuses, and everything in between. We leave our church campus and serve in our local community. Students who desire to go on our domestic or international trips are required to attend a percentage of these OSP’s.

Secondly we offer our Spring Break Mission Trip. This is usually a three to five day trip during their spring break where we go and serve domestically. Right now we are in our second year of partnering with the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes where we go and serve on location with them for our trip. This trip serves two purposes: first it forces students to make a sacrifice. They must sacrifice the beach and hanging out with friends in order to serve those less fortunate. Secondly, it allows me the chance to see them in action on the mission field dealing with changes, team work, etc. Any students who desire to travel internationally with us are required to first attend a spring break trip. They are only required to attend once but many students are already signing up for another trip simply because they understand the biblical purpose for the trip.

Lastly, we offer an international mission trip in the summer. This trip is usually seven to ten days in length and will be in a third world country. We are in a partnership with Guatemala for the next two years and thus we will travel to this country together. This trip is the climax for a student’s mission experience. They will be exposed to things they have never seen, they will see God work in mighty ways, and they will be used by Him in ways they could never imagine. They leave this trip understanding what it means to share Christ with the poor, hungry, and orphans. They will return home with a new outlook on life and because we have a strategic plan to take students from serving locally to serving internationally we have seen students truly understanding the biblical mindset behind the reason we go and serve. This in turn also helps in students living for Jesus and accomplishing the friendship evangelism in their everyday lives.

Jeff Dye is the Minister of Students at Northcliffe Baptist Church. Follow him on Twitter here!

1 View Comments July 23, 2011

Josh GriffinMore Posts Stand Up Comedy with Professor Wallace

Another HSM Summer Camp video, this time featuring Professor Wallace teaching students how to do stand up comedy.

JG

1 View Comments July 22, 2011

Josh GriffinMore Posts Summer Camp Relationships with Professor Wallace

Professor Wallace takes on Romantic Camp Relationships in this video from HSM Summer Camp.

JG

Add Comment July 21, 2011

Josh GriffinMore Posts GUEST POSTS: Learning As a Leader on a Mission Trip

The group of American teenagers piled into the back of a dump truck and bounced across the small South American town. Dressed in matching T-shirts, long skirts, and khaki’s, the students attracted a lot of attention as they held on to the sides. The students had spent their first four days of their short-term mission trip in this new culture leading vacation Bible school, constructing a roof for a small orphanage, and doing various sports ministries. Their leader hadn’t told them much about this visit, just that someone would be sharing with them. As they walked in the gate and into the compound, they were greeted warmly and ushered into a large marbled parlor that also served as a church on Sunday mornings.Their host had been a missionary for 30 years — to the United States. And for the following hour she shared her heart for reaching America with the Gospel. She challenged the students in two ways: 1) See the needs of the people in your own community and be missions-minded to them and 2) Learn from Christians in other cultures. I’ll never forget the looks on the faces of those American teenagers as they sat there wide-eyed, considering, for the first time, that missionaries come to … America? And that late afternoon meeting ended up being one of the highlights of the trip for them.

I often wonder what we’d think if a short-term mission trip came to the community around our churches. What would we have to explain about the peculiarities of American culture to them? In my region, how would I explain Amish to them? Or interpret the meaning behind ‘touchdown Jesus’ on the Notre Dame campus? Seriously, what needs would they work to meet and what would they do in ministry? How would we respond to having a short-term mission team from overseas come to our area? Would we help with similar graciousness as those that host our groups in other countries? Where would they see the gap between church culture and the local culture? And, perhaps more importantly, what could we learn from them?

For the last two years, I have worked on two book projects that have opened my eyes to the future of youth ministry at our doorstep and around the world. Globalization gains momentum each year and presses in on nearly every local youth culture around the world. A youth worker from Houston just caught me off to the side at a conference where I was speaking, overwhelmed with the new realities he faced. He asked about how to handle legal issues related to immigration, working with the dynamics of Southeast Asian family culture, and how to understand Buddhist theology. As much as some want to ignore cultural issues, they give dramatic to how we do youth ministry and how teens think about theology and the world.

I think a short-term mission trip is not only a fantastic opportunity for your students to serve, learn, and grow, but it is also an opportunity for you (and I) to learn and grow as well. The next time you are on a short-term mission trip, I recommend finding some local Christian youth workers, who will probably be volunteers, and take them out for a meal or coffee. Spend the time getting to know more about their stories and ministries. Ask them to share what lessons they’ve learned and what challenges they face. Ask them where globalization influences the youth in their community and seek to understand how the church has responded to the new cultural influences.

Most of our printed materials come from a very distinct culture within America, but most youth ministry in the world takes place in other cultures. I’m of the opinion that, as youth ministry continues to grow in excellence all over the world, we in America can learn from those who lead in other countries and cultures. And a short-term mission trip is a great first step to do that. I know I learned from the various authors of Global Youth Ministry how to recognize the gaps between church culture and youth culture. I’ve been challenged by youth leaders in Eastern Europe to see the potential for youth ministry to be a shaping influence in my local community.

We’re always looking for fresh insights about youth ministry. I think many of them in the coming years will be coming from people leading youth ministry in other cultures. If leaders are learners, short-term mission trips are fantastic learning opportunities that God might use to expand your vision and invigorate your ministry leadership.

Terry Linhart now teaches youth ministry at Bethel College in Indiana and blogs at TerryLinhart.com. His forthcoming book, What Can We Do? (co-authored with David Livermore), provides creative solutions for youth groups to get involved and impact the lives of people and around the world.

Add Comment July 21, 2011

Josh GriffinMore Posts GUEST POST: The Mission Trip High

The ‘Mission Trip High’ as I call it is no secret in ministry. It’s that feeling people get after experiencing God in a unique way and they feel like they are spiritually on top of a mountain. It’s a great feeling, but it certainly can be dangerous if it is not handled in the right way. I think the enemy licks his chops when he sees Christians on that ‘Mission Trip High’ because he knows they are easy prey.

Most Christians who return to normal, everyday life after their mission trip or retreat do not prepare themselves for re-entry into the world and therefore fall prey to the onslaught the enemy throws their way as soon as they get home. So what can we, as youth pastors, do about it? Here are a few ideas:

Make your students aware that life after the mission trip, or retreat, is going to be difficult. Let them know that the enemy will be waiting for them and will want to make them fall. A firm realization that they are in the midst of a battle is a must.
Give them practical, user-friendly ways to spend time with God after the trip. It could be a devotional packet, a book, text message reminders, a prayer request list, or Bible reading; the point is that you are setting them up to succeed. You are giving them the opportunity to meet with God on their time and encouraging the development of their spiritual disciplines as well.
Pray earnestly for your students after you get back from the trip. Commit time to surround them in prayer and let the Holy Spirit do his thing.
Follow up with your students in the days and weeks after the trip. Ask them how their experience on the trip has changed the way they live and serve God. Reinforce the concept that discipleship = life change. When we meet God on a mission trip or a retreat, or anywhere really, our response should be worship and a change of life that more closely aligns us with God. This is an ongoing process and is not without its setbacks, so be sure to encourage your students to press on and when they fall to get back up and keep on moving closer to God.

These are just a few of my thoughts, I’d love to hear yours. Comment and let the discussion continue.

Cam Brennan is just finishing his first full year of Youth Ministry and is the Youth Pastor at Fellowship Bible Church in Gardner, KS. He blogs regularly at www.anewgravity.com.

2 View Comments July 20, 2011

Josh GriffinMore Posts Fulfilled – Escaping the Empty Series Video

Here is the bumper video we used at HSM Summer Camp – simple but sweet take on Fulfilled – Escaping the Empty.

JG

Add Comment July 20, 2011

Josh GriffinMore Posts HSM Weekend in Review: Volume 147

Weekend Teaching Series: 11 vs. the World (week 3 of 3)
Sermon in a Sentence: Be salt, be light, and take communion to remind ourselves of the great gift of God and eternal life through Him.
Service Length: 72 minutes

Understandable Message:The message this weekend centered around 2 specific stories of Jesus and the disciples. For the end of the series and the weekend coming right out of summer camp I wanted to challenge students to take their experience, commitments and life change back home and to their families, friends and the world. I first taught Matthew 5′s challenge to be salt and light, with a candle illustration that went through a section of the crowd. Then we transitioned to the story of the Last Supper and talked through communion and how it was a reminder to the disciples for the rest of their lives of what Jesus did and a re-commitment to His challenge to share the Good News.

Element of Fun/Positive Environment: This weekend coming off of camp is an important one! We played the HSM Summer Camp highlight video, had great music inclding a STOMP-style version of the song “Go” and a simple message with a couple of interactive live elements. Solid finish to camp and the launch of summer events.

Music Playlist: Go, Divine and Holy, One Thing Remains, Your Love is Enough, With Everything

Favorite Moment: After the 6:30pm Saturday service we invited up all of our students and leaders attending the Costa Rica mission trips, the first of which leaves in 10 days. They are awesome students and I’m so proud of them! They were a great living example of sharing God’s light all over the world and it was super cool to pray with and for them.

Up Next: Philippians (series premiere, week 1 of 4)

1 View Comments July 20, 2011

Josh GriffinMore Posts GUEST POST: The Grace That Goes Before Us

I cannot believe I am about to enter my tenth year in student ministry. Time flies when you’re having fun! Of course, my time in ministry has had its highs and lows. Overall, however, it has been an incredible and exciting journey. By working with people everyday one gets to see the best and worst of humanity. There are moments when I see the change God is making in young people’s lives and I cannot imagine doing anything else. Yet, there are also times when teenagers break your heart by making a terrible choice or decision. Those are the times when you consider working for a bank.

One particular truth that has really helped during these moments is my belief in God’s prevenient grace (yes, I know that’s a big word for a youth minister to be using). This is the grace that goes before us. This is the grace that pursued us long before we accepted Christ. This is the grace which declares that “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners!” God’s prevenient grace is the love that surrounds all humanity and stirs in us a deep longing for freedom from sin and moves us toward faith.

My deepening belief and trust in God’s prevenient grace has greatly impacted my ministry to students. I have realized over the years that the spiritual lives of teenagers are not in my hands. It is a great relief knowing that God has loved these young people much longer than I have. Furthermore, God has been working in their lives long before I ever met them. On one hand, understanding the beauty of prevenient grace removes some of the burden when my ministry is struggling. On the other hand, prevenient grace eliminates the temptation of pride when my ministry is going well. I am reminded that we, as youth ministers, are merely participants in God’s mission of redemption.

Brandon Dasinger has been working in student ministry since 2002 and is currently the student minister at the First United Methodist Church in Crestview, Florida.

1 View Comments July 19, 2011

Josh GriffinMore Posts Room Raiders Video from Summer Camp

Fun program idea we had for HSM Summer Camp called Room Raiders. We filmed this video the week before camp, he had no idea until it was being played in front of hundreds of students. He was such a good sport, too. Obviously most everything we made fun of we planted, but still … so fun.

JG