More Than Dodgeball | Youth Ministry Blog by Josh Griffin

Josh GriffinMore Posts Simply Youth Ministry Podcast — Episode 100.5

We’re still not ready for primetime on the new show, set and format – so you’ll have to make due with this little “tweener” podcast we shot during PDYM. Look for the show to return this Thursday!

JG

podcast

Add Comment March 29, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts 2,400 New Saddleback Members Today

Just clipped this from a press release that went out about a HUGE day at Saddleback. So great to see the success of Membership Month. Wow!

SADDLEBACK CHURCH TRAINS NEARLY 2,400 NEW MEMBERS ON HISTORIC DAY

LAKE FOREST, Calif., March 28, 2009 — Dr. Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California, trained nearly 2,400 new church members this morning representing the largest membership class in the Saddleback Church history.

Over the past 30 years, more than 35,000 people have participated in Class 101, Saddleback Church’s introductory membership session. The new member training walks attendees through three areas focusing on God’s plan and purpose for everything; the history, faith and future vision of the church; and the importance of membership. This foundational, historic class comes in the midst of economic troubles and uncertainty in our nation. But, Warren says difficult times are why the church was created.

“The Bible says the church is the support and foundation of the truth,” said Warren, who personally led the class. “We in California know the importance of support and foundation, because we have earthquakes. If you don’t have a good support and a good foundation when an earthquake comes around, your house will collapse. The same is true of every area of life. If you don’t have the correct foundation and support for finances, relationships and your marriage, it will all collapse. God never meant for you to go through life alone; you need relationship, you need a spiritual family.”

JG

Add Comment March 29, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts Songs Played this Week at PDYM

Here’s the song list from the Purpose Driven Youth Ministry (PDYM) Conference this week, in case a few of them struck you as something you want to drop into your iPod or have your youth ministry band play:

You Deserve – Hillsong United
Song of the Broken – Something Like Silas (HSM/WILSIDE CD)
Take it All – Hillsong United (HSM/WILSIDE CD)
Blessed Be the Name – Matt Redman (This arrangement is on HSM/WILDSIDE CD)
Your Love is Strong Jon Foreman
Beautiful Lord – Leeland
So I’ll Look to You – Hillsong United
The Stand – Hillsong United
From the Inside Out – Hillsong United (HSM/WILDSIDE CD)
Came to my rescue – Hillsong United (HSM/WILDSIDE CD)
Mighty to Save – Hillsong Untied (HSM/WILDSIDE CD)
We Shine – Steve Fee
Jesus Paid it All – (HSM/WILDSIDE CD)
Savior King – Hillsong United
O Come Let us Adore Him – Christmas
Hosanna – Hilsong United (HSM/WILDSIDE CD)
Sing Sing Sing – Chris Tomlin
Breathe on Me – Todd Fields

JG

conference

12 View Comments March 28, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts 3 Key Learnings about Discipleship This Past Year

Kurt and I just finished up a 3 Key Learnings part of the general session on discipleship at PDYM. Here are some of the notes we took into the talk, if there’s something here you can use:

SESSION 6 — DISCIPLESHIP

1. Expect resistance. I love programs – and discipleship at Saddleback is a non-program. Youth pastors are good at launching programs – we use them to defend ourselves from parents and problems. It doesn’t come naturally for everyone, so you might find resistance from parents or volunteers, too. Small group leaders have to see this as an integral part of their role. HABITS are modeled and handed down through the small group ministry – we even had a short HABITS highlight every week in our fall training so leaders could get an idea of what resources we were expecting them to help students go after.

2. Being connected to an adult leader makes all the difference. Someone is Twittering every time we say something about relational volunteers. They are the BIG deal.

3. “Growing On Your Own” (Sprout/H.A.B.I.T.S.) requires continuous vision casting. We say “grow on your own” then hide behind it. We need to walk a little way down the path, then help them take some steps on their own. In the talk, suggest a verse for core students to memorize. At the end of a message, consider a HABIT being an action step from the talk. But because there is no weekly class, or weekly meeting in a house, discipleship can slip under the radar too quickly. You have to keep beating this drum. Discipleship never ends.

JG

1 View Comments March 26, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts Refinery Water Cannon Shot

Jason shot some fun video of people getting hit with the Refinery water cannon.

JG

Add Comment March 26, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts 3 Key Learnings about Worship This Past Year

Kurt and I just finished up a 3 Key Learnings part of the general session on worship at PDYM. Here are some of the notes we took into the talk, if there’s something here you can use:

SESSION 4 – WORSHIP

1. When we “wing it”, we suck. We focus on debrief every week, between the first 2 services of the weekend. Don’t be afraid to beg, borrow, steal (example, Grangeris using our series this week, we’re using their screen game next week). Plan ahead, evaluate, debrief, strategy. The -2,5,12,19 Meeting.

2. Relational leaders are the key (and they are hard to find!). If there was one wish I had right now, it is that we had more weekend leaders. Leaders that engage in the weekend service. When we say “just talk with students” that isn’t enough – it isn’t easy enough to “get” it, and stand in the back. God uses all types of personalities.

3. There’s more to a crowd program than a program. People, program, place

JG

Add Comment March 26, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts A PDYM Tour of the Refinery

Jake takes us through the Refinery during the PDYM Conference.

JG

conference

Add Comment March 25, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts Crowd Program Adult Volunteer Tips

Really liked Brian’s post on PDYMCommunity.com about the crowd program and some options he had listed as a sort of “job description” for a crowd program volunteer. Here’s a clip, head there for the rest: