Josh Griffin | More Than Dodgeball

Josh GriffinMore Posts Graduation Bundle from Simply Youth Ministry

Simply Youth Ministry has put together a little graduation bundle that might be perfect for your graduating seniors. It includes books by Doug Fields, Chuck Bomar and myself and is close to half price when bundled together. Check it out!

Here are a few other posts if you’re checking out gift ideas for seniors, too:

JG

Add Comment April 12, 2012

Josh GriffinMore Posts He Is Alive Spoken Word

On our Spring Break serve trip this week the guest speaker from Mission Church in Ventura, CA played this great video called He is Alive. Thought it would be a good share this morning!

JG

Add Comment April 11, 2012

Josh GriffinMore Posts Realistic Integration of Youth Ministry and the Church

All this talk about working to integrate our students into church before they have to make a huge leap from youth group to the adult services is helpful. But what isn’t helpful is the voices who simply want you to drop everything you’re currently doing (and is working) and go with some new plan.

Sometimes you have to get rid of something and start over completely—but we’re not convinced this is one of those times. So here are a few suggestions to help you take baby steps toward the integration of youth ministry and the church.

Serve together…mostly
An easy way to get some quick inter-generational ministry happening in your church is to combine some of your serve projects immediately. Consider cancelling the majority of your youth group service projects and join those in place for the church at large. Imagine the conversations that will take place as people serve food, rake leaves, or paint together. Chances are the older people in your congregation will be just as surprised as your teenagers at how fun it was to serve side-by-side!

Worship together…occasionally
Most youth groups have their own worship service or Sunday School happening at the same time the rest of the church is gathered for worship. What if you completely cancelled your youth stuff once a month so the teenagers could attend church with their parents? Sure, some might choose to stay home that weekend, but it’s a fairly simple way to make a statement that says, “25% of the time, our church worships together…and we need the teenagers to be part of the action!”

Mission trips…maybe
One of the big steps we’re considering is to integrate mission trips. Offering a Spring Break trip? What it everyone got involved? Is there a big church-wide trip to South America or Africa? Get behind it and take some students! Each church has their own missions agenda/format, but this is something worthy of consideration.

Overnighters…never
Hey, there are some things adults are happy are totally separate from them. Keep overnighters this way…but be thankful for the adults who do show up, give up sleep, and care for your students.

Where else is there opportunity for easy integration between your youth ministry and the church?

This post was written by Josh Griffin and Kurt Johnston and originally appeared as part of Simply Youth Ministry Today free newsletter. Subscribe to SYM Today right here.

6 View Comments April 10, 2012

Josh GriffinMore Posts This Is Why I Breathe Video

Here’s a video from the Simply Youth Ministry Conference last month – I wrote a little script for it and Parker did the narration and video magic. Enjoy – hope it inspires you today!

JG

Add Comment April 10, 2012

Josh GriffinMore Posts Book Review: The Cure

A friend gave me the book The Cure a couple weeks ago with a high recommendation – so I was eager to check it out since I totally trust what he points me toward. The book is super creatively designed and has almost a Pilgrim’s Progress feel to the story that is threaded through the teaching of each chapter. The short 120-page book goes after our view of God, us trying to control our sin, fighting temptation when it is too late and the masks we wear as Christians. Multiple times in the reading of the book it totally “got” me in multiple places in how I view God and attempt to walk with Him – I particularly was stuck by the chapter on how we agree to sin long before we commit it and how sharing that removes the power/grip of it. I’ll probably need to reread this one a bit more slowly again soon. So solid.

JG

Add Comment April 10, 2012

Josh GriffinMore Posts Boundaries with Students in Your Youth Ministry

Was reading Walt Mueller’s blog this morning and loved his most recent post about boundaries with students in your youth ministry. Here’s a clip of it and would encourage you to put his recommendations into place immediately:

Over the course of my years in youth ministry I’ve learned many things the hard way. . . either by watching myself or observing friends One of the lessons I’ve learned is just how important it is for a youth worker to set boundaries. The fact is, we’re in a spiritual battle where the hearts and minds of kids are at stake. Consequently, the enemy wants to take us down. Add to that the fact that we’re all broken and sinful people trying to lead and minister to other broken and sinful people. And wherever one or more broken and sinful people are gathered together, there’s a need for boundaries. I’ve learned to appreciate boundaries. They aren’t confining. They’re life-giving. Boundaries protect us from harm and they provide for our well-being. They keep us out of trouble. And in today’s world, boundaries are more important than ever. Here are some boundaries I believe every youth worker should pursue, set, embrace, and live within.

First, don’t do youth ministry unless you have and are using an accountability network. People who decide to do youth ministry on their own without the benefit of others are usually the first to get in trouble. Find a couple of trusted friends who will engage with you in vulnerable conversation, asking the hard questions about your ministry motivations, about where you’re spending your time, and about your relationships with kids. The great benefit of this boundary is that it helps you figure out just what your weaknesses are, which then helps you set and keep other much-needed boundaries.

JG

Add Comment April 10, 2012

Josh GriffinMore Posts SYMC 2012 “Breathe” Theme Video

Here is the Simply Youth Ministry Conference theme video from the evening sessions – the theme was “Breathe” and each of these scenarios helped drive home the theme in different ways. Thought it turned out pretty great. Hope you choose to breathe today, too!

JG

Add Comment April 9, 2012

Josh GriffinMore Posts HSM Weekend in Review: Volume 176

Weekend Teaching Series: You Own the Weekend: Tesoro HS (series finale, week 5 of 5)
Sermon in a Sentence: We all have sorrow, pain but God turns it into joy and hope.

Service Length: 66 minutes

Understandable Message: Tesoro High School juniors Chad and Ryan spoke this weekend with a great video testimony from Gabby in the middle. They did an incredible job teaching about how pain is universal but through the love and power of Christ was can be filled with hope and joy. They team-taught through 3 stories of the Bible – the healing of the blind man, the woman at the well and Peter denying Jesus. Both speakers also referenced the Canis Majoris star (Latin translation meaning Big Dog) and how God is infinitely bigger than all of us and His ways are far beyond ours. Really challenging talks from incredibly articulate and passionate students.

Element of Fun/Positive Environment: This weekend they brought in the band Shoot Up the Cat (a local band made up of Tesoro students) and played a couple of great videos as well. You can see their Hot Rod promo video here and the No services for Easter video here. They also had a ton of greeters, lots of great decorations and overall a lot of fun!

Music Playlist: Jackie Wants a Black Eye (Shoot Up the Cat cover), You Hold Me Now, Amazing Grace, It Is Well, Your Love Never Fails

Favorite Moment: I love the sheer number of students involved – it is one of the my favorite things we do all year – students who normally sit now serve. The decorations team, the T-shirts, banner, greeters, band – so much of is was so good this week and for the whole series. So proud of our students!

Up next: OFF (Easter weekend, everyone goes to big church)