More Than Dodgeball | Youth Ministry Blog by Josh Griffin

Josh GriffinMore Posts GUEST POST: Dealing with Feelings of Failure

I’m not even sure how to start this off, so I’ll jump right in. I’m a youth pastor at a church of a few hundred people. Our youth group is maybe 45 students (depending on if the Redskins are playing that Sunday night). I’ve been struggling recently with one BIG thing… FAILURE…and it seems to be infiltrating many areas of ministry.

Here’s my issue: I read blogs and check in on other churches/youth groups to see what they’re up to, what is working and what is not. Then, I start becoming envious of what they have or how many students they attract. I understand that some of this is insecurity, I get that, but I cannot be the only one who feels this way.

One of the things I am lacking… VOLUNTEERS!!! I am always on the lookout for potential volunteers, but I feel as if they want only want to help out when it is convenient for them. I have 2 full-time volunteers (and one is my wife!) and about a handful of parents who chaperone trips. Because I lack volunteers, I feel as if I’m not leading effectively, which in my eyes has failure written all over it! Don’t get me wrong…I LOVE what God has called me to do, but sometimes I really question if the feelings of failure are God’s way of telling me to move on.

To add icing on the cake, I live in one of the richest areas in America. These students have “everything” they could ever want. My mind tells me that the students thought process goes a little something like this: “Why do I need Jesus? I mean, I’ve got a Beemer, all the new technology, and basically anything else I could ever want. What is Jesus going to give me?” Here in lies another one of my problems. I begin to think that I’m failing because I’m short-changing Jesus. I’m putting Him on a leash and saying, “You can only go this far before I’m going to pull you back in.” So, I’m looking for some thoughts. Honesty is my thing. My students know that every time I speak it’s going to be from the heart. So I’d love to hear yours.

This guest author has requested his/her name be withheld. Help them out with a comment!

5 View Comments August 18, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts Caring for the Needs of Your Students

Journaled a little bit last week about pastoral care – how we’re called to care for the wounds of the students that have been entrusted to us as youth workers. In the setup we’re launching soon, we’ll have a 3-pronged approach to helping students with the hurts in their lives. Here’s the breakdown:

Small group leaders
One of the most effective groups of pastoral care volunteers in our ministry are the small group leaders. Students that have taken a step beyond the entry-level program of the weekend service come to experience being known, loved and cared for. When they have a problem (or a celebration, for that matter) they most often turn to “their pastor” – a title we’ve quick to award these amazing leaders. The majority (that part isn’t represented well in my Moleskin drawing above, sorry) of struggles and issues are addressed personally and directly here.

Pastoral care volunteers
This is the area where we have a great opportunity to build, we don’t have this yet so I’m talking in more ideal than real. What if there was a team of adults who pray for, counsel, guide and respond to students in need? If a student doesn’t have a small group leader, or needs more than what that leader can provide, we have a response. When a student is looking for prayer on the weekend, there’s a place for them to go. When they finally get up the nerve to call or Facebook, someone is quick to respond back.

The Landing (check out this program in detail here)
On the other end of the spectrum there are kids dealing with major life issues perhaps considered to be “above the pay grade” of the care team or their small group leader. And while we hope leaders know they can take on anything, we want to offer a program with specifically trained and called volunteers who’ve “seen it all” and can help coach and love these students through recovery. That’s where The Landing comes into play – a Celebrate Recovery for students that is available every Friday night of the year.

How do you care for students? Just thinking out loud today – hoping it triggers and idea to care for your students, too!

JG

1 View Comments August 17, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts POLL: How often do you use video teaching?

This week’s poll question: how often do you use video teaching in your youth ministry?

JG

Add Comment August 17, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts USA Today Article on the Decline of Youth Ministry

I’ve enjoyed Marko’s post on the now-infamous USA Today article on the decline of youth ministry as we know it. Here’s a clip of the original editorial content that has spurred on some interesting reactions by youth pastors around the country:

“Bye-bye church. We’re busy.” That’s the message teens are giving churches today.

Only about one in four teens now participate in church youth groups, considered the hallmark of involvement; numbers have been flat since 1999. Other measures of religiosity — prayer, Bible reading and going to church — lag as well, according to Barna Group, a Ventura, Calif., evangelical research company. This all has churches canceling their summer teen camps and youth pastors looking worriedly toward the fall, when school-year youth groups kick in.

“Talking to God may be losing out to Facebook,” says Barna president David Kinnaman.

“Sweet 16 is not a sweet spot for churches. It’s the age teens typically drop out,” says Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville, which found the turning point in a study of church dropouts. “A decade ago teens were coming to church youth group to play, coming for the entertainment, coming for the pizza. They’re not even coming for the pizza anymore. They say, ‘We don’t see the church as relevant, as meeting our needs or where we need to be today.’ “

I think they’re are quite a few potentially valid responses and perspectives to this article:

Our youth ministry numbers are up. The whole thing is bogus!
Our youth ministry numbers are down. I have a valid excuse when the elders pin me down next time!
Really? Facebook is the reason students don’t do to church anymore? Wow.
Yes! What can youth ministry do to become relevant again?
What’s wrong with a little pizza every now and then?
What are we doing to go after lost sheep?
Are camps truly a thing of the past?
How is your youth ministry known/positioned in your community?
So go the adults, so go the youth ministry.
What can we do to streamline our youth ministry to fit into the busyness?
USA Today’s readership is down, so they’re dragging everyone else down with them.
If the students are on Facebook, are we?
Does Barna know what they’re talking about anymore?

So … let’s hear what you think. What’s your response after you read the whole article on USA Today?

JG

7 View Comments August 17, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts Yoda Helped Translate the KJV

Fun little post here I really enjoyed – noticing the similarities of the KJV Bible translation and the way Yoda speaks. Made me laugh! I grew up with that translation, so when I quote a verse from memory it almost always includes some these and thous!

I almost laughed out loud when I had the thought that it sounded like Yoda. It was then that I realized Yoda sounds more like King James English than modern-day English. Then I found out that many Star Wars fanatics believe that George Lucas based Yoda’s dialect off of the King James Bible. So, I decided to put together this list…

Thanks for D Miller for the link!

JG

star wars

Add Comment August 17, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts How to Get Re-Energized

Loved this post over on Junior High Ministry, some good stuff about how to stay energized and get filled back up after pouring out ministering to students. Here’s a clip, worth heading over there (and more importantly putting some of it into practice) for the read:

* Get rid of the monster: If I have something non-fun or conflict oriented that I must do, I do it within the first hour of being in my office. I get rid of that big, looming monster so I can move on to more life-giving things.

* Administer the positive pep-talk: As I am going over the mission trip contributions or editing my summer camp manual, I say to myself (usually out loud) “This is all for the kids! Because you’re doing this, it’s going to be a better experience for the kids!” It may sound cheesy, but it works for me– I remind myself that it all blesses the kids in the end.

* Get out of the office: Many of us could be busy in our offices for days at a time– it takes being intentional to break out of that administrative grind and be with kids. As I look at my weeks, I make sure there are multiple one-on-ones with students, football games, musicals or lunches in school cafeterias. Even if it’s just a couple hours away, it refreshes my spirit and enables me to do the stuff that doesn’t.

JG

Add Comment August 17, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts LAUNCH Series Bumper Video

The new LAUNCH bumper video that one of our talented volunteers pulled off this week. Nice!

JG

2 View Comments August 16, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts HSM Weekend in Review: Volume 107

Weekend Teaching Series: LAUNCH: Ready for Re-Entry (week 1 of 5, series premiere)
Sermon in a Sentence: Getting ready to go back to school starts with a check of your heart and forming habits that will get you through the year.
Service Length: 70 minutes

Understandable Message: This weekend I asked Ryanne Witt to teach while I was away at a wedding. She’s been on the HSM team longer than me and been at the church literally forever (even came through HSM), and works as the coordinator of our volunteer team. She plays a great role in training, coaching and caring for them and this is one of only a couple times she’s spoken at our entry-level program. She made it look effortless and was completely comfortable, even though I know the time, preparation and prayer that she put into it as well. I have long-realized the importance of multiple voices to our students, and loved having her teach this weekend. The message centered on loving God and preparing our hearts for what God was going to teach us in the year ahead. She had a GREAT application – that as of today we’re 30 days from school starting, and how it takes 28 days to form a habit. She encouraged students to choose a spiritual discipline (and suggested 1 of 6 choices on the back of the outline/program) that would help them be ready for re-entry.

Element of Fun/Positive Environment: The program was super simple – there was a simple opening element of fun that involved a target, a water balloon slingshot and Fun Size candy bars. Simple and clean summer program getting the students to think about LAUNCH. The collective groan of students when we started talking about going back to school was awesome, too.

Music Playlist: The Time Has Come, How He Loves, You Hold Me Now, Let My Words Be Few, So I Look to You

Favorite Moment: Two this week – 1) Ryanne teaching was awesome, and 2) one of our volunteers made some simple “rockets” to use as stage decoration – when the countdown hit “zero” they launched one of them by pulling a string and it flew into the air. Hilarious.

Up Next: LAUNCH week 2

4 View Comments August 15, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts Love God Love Others Video

We used this video in our LAUNCH series opener to help convey the truth about the Great Commandment. Good stuff, looked great and very student-friendly.

JG

3 View Comments August 15, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts How to Become a Trusted Counselor

Appreciated the post over on VolunteerYouthMinistry.com today about being a sought after counselor. Thought Dennis had some good insight and thoughts, here’s a clip of his thoughts, head there for the rest:

- Longevity in ministry is gold. Stick it out and you’ll be the go-to person eventually. Even if you don’t have your own teenagers, there’s a great amount of relational wisdom to be gained by spending a few years working with students. Your beliefs will be solidified or revolutionized by what you encounter. When you go to counsel a student, you’ll come from the perspective of observational or hands-on experience rather than tentative theory.

- Sharing your story lends credibility. When I talk to students about their issues, I relate something from my own life that shows I understand what they’re going through. I’m careful not to dominate the conversation with my stories, I just share enough to relate and build trust. The key is to not only share a couple of facts, but the emotions that I felt when I went through what I share. Doing this during a regular conversation builds the trust needed to become their go-to person for counseling when they’re ready to open up on a deeper level.

JG