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This will be my third year at SYMC, and to say that I am excited is an understatement. I have had a countdown going on my computer for weeks, and just recently made one of those elementary school paper chain countdown things in my office. (Seriously, it droops over the picture wall!)
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SYMC 2010 in Chicago was my first year. I went with a couple of other youth workers in my local network who had been before and said how great it was. I was kind of reluctant to go. I had been in a valley in my ministry and felt like I was on my way out. I thought that I would go and maybe get a few good nuggets of info here or there, hear a couple of good bands, and head back to a situation that I wanted so desperately to flee. What I got from SYMC was so much more. Yes, I did get some information that I was able to use in my ministry, and yes, I heard some good music, but I got so so much more than that. I got back my passion for ministry, this wasn?t something planned but God knew what I needed and showed me just that at SYMC. I also strengthened old relationships and built new friendships and relationships. Those people I met have become some of my closest friends to this day and have [...]
Posted by Kurt Johnston
This is the 5th in a little series about some of the things that have helped me last for almost 25 years. There is no silver bullet here, just a little insight about things that have seemed to make a difference in my journey as a youth worker.
BLEED IT, BUT DON’T BLEED TO DEATH!
Every now and then, a young youth worker will say something like this, “Youth ministry is my life!”. To which I always reply internally, and upon occasion even blurt out, “Really? That’s too bad.”
I think youth ministry, or any ministry endeavor for that matter, deserves some extra effort. Youth ministry isn’t for folks who are clock-watchers, who only want to do the minimum job requirements. I actually think it deserves to be led by men and women who aren’t afraid to “bleed” it a little bit. But we should NEVER bleed to death!
- When you consistently sacrifice your family for the sake of your youth ministry…you are bleeding to death. - When your friendships suffer because you spend too much time at youth ministry events…you are bleeding to death. - When you have no outside hobbies because you spend your free time with teenagers or planning events for teenagers…you are bleeding to death. - When you fail to take your day off, or you skimp on vacation time due to the demands of youth ministry…you are bleeding to death. - When you spend time in the word out of the need to [...]
Our good friend (and founder) Thom Schultz has an interesting take on one of the ongoing debates in youth missions – Are they really worth it?
Short-Term Missions A Waste?
What do you think? Did Thom get it right?
You are right, there are far more dangerous jobs than youth ministry. I am extremely thankful that my husband does not stare down the barrel of a gun. I cannot imagine the kind of strength a wife would need for that. No matter what the job each one of us, including myself, has and will face great tragedies. Just in each day there are so many ups and downs. Our lives are sprinkled with many different feelings and emotions from happiness to thankfulness, to frustration to sorrow. My hope is that not one of us would deny ourselves the right to feel validated in each and every feeling that we have that gets mixed up inside of us. I hope that in some small way this blog may be a place for someone in ministry to feel heard, connected, and uplifted through a comment, a funny story, or a serious post. And what I love so much about this community of women is the honesty shared about their lives, and the tone that we all take loving God and our husbands seriously but don’t take ourselves too seriously.
I write this in no way with a defensive voice, but with so much concern that many pastor’s wives are told that their feelings are silly or not important. Whether from someone at church or their own inner dialogue. Our “perspective” should be to accept and embrace our feelings whatever they may be and then with God [...]
I’ve noticed something lately about the way the church and youth ministries tend to talk to girls. We (unfortunately at times I would include myself) communicate that the end game for a girl is getting the right kind of guy. Even though we don’t mean to it just happens. Books sold to teen girls about how to get the right kind of guy (a christian book nonetheless…and I haven’t read it but I am assuming the title is meant to mislead by promising to help girls snag a guy.) A youtube video for Christian girls on how to attract a godly guy. And than we are surprised and frustrated that all girls care about is boys. Oh the irony.
We need to change the end game.
The end game for every girl we encounter should be a radical life following after Jesus. That life may include an occupation in the public circles, a life of full time ministry, marriage, kids or all of the above.
When we begin to believe in a bigger or more radical end game for girls it changes how we communicate to them. We tell their stories better. And in my heart I believe we help girls move their attention from dating to bigger dreams…from drama to radical living. Don’t we all really want that for our girls?
What do you think? What are your thoughts about changing the end game?
Don’t sell Jesus short.
I spent the weekend with a church in a faith tradition I am fairly new to. They have a rich heritage of liturgical worship. But if one made the mistake of thinking this church’s denom is bereft of showing feelings of faith or the goodness of God, one would be wrong.
The YP of this church had a similar epiphany today. She has a deep love for Jesus but thought her diverse international students would be uncomfortable with referencing anyone but “God.” After all, they don’t declare an emotional faith and “Jesus” is just too intimate, right?
After she had a discussion with my ministry partner, Adam DeVries, she told her students she was going to unashamedly call Jesus by his name. How shocked and delighted she was when they were happy for her AND them. They cheered.
My point? Don’t sell Jesus short in your youth ministry. Kids KNOW when they come near you that there’s a good chance they’re going to hear about God. They’re even disappointed when they don’t.
Remember: Jesus is the name of the one to whom everyone will bow. It’s just a matter of when.
S
q Jeremiah 1:4 ?The Word of God came to me saying, before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.?
q God had a vision a plan for you. Do you have one for the assignment He has given you?
q Vision: The picture of God?s potential, purpose, and possibilities for your life.
q Show me a person without vision, and I will show you a person who is at a standstill in life.
q Proverbs 29:18 ?Where there is no vision the people perish.?
q Life Point: The key element to getting out of my present state is the vision that I have for myself.
q Jeremiah 29:11 ?For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope,
Vision Truthsq True vision goes beyond what I can accomplish on my own.
q True vision adds value to others.
q True vision attracts vision.
q True vision must have God in it.
q Acts 2:17 ?And it shall come to pass in the last days says God, I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams.?
5 Road Blocks to Vision Failure
Proud of my friends Kurt Johnston and Jake Rutenbar for their first Simply Youth Ministry Show! I loved it … great job, dudes. Excited for the potential with some legit guests in the near future, too.
JG
Summer is winding down, in many places pre-season athletics are starting and it is just about time to head back to school. We’ve still got a full month of time off before our first day of school, but it begs the question – how was your summer? Vote in today’s poll!
JG
I have read a lot of articles and blog posts about dealing with volunteer leaders in the past few years, and as you know they can be a great part of the pastoral gig or a burden and challenge. You work so hard to make sure that expectations around lifestyle and conduct are clear, understood and an upheld and for the most part leaders honor and uphold this agreement. But from time to time, something happens, where all your best preparations could not prevent, and one of your team violates the agreed leadership covenant and action needs to be taken. There is so much that needs to happen around this but for this, lets focus on following through and following up with your leader.
Follow Through: If we have a leadership covenant with clear expectations and consequences, it will be worthless if we are unwilling to do the tough and messy job of upholding that which we have expressed as the standard. If someone breaks the covenant to the point that the painful task of removing them is necessary, we would be poor leaders if we were not willing to engage the difficult process of removal. Though there is pain and sadness is following through on this, the reality of not doing it could have much more dire consequences to our leadership when we are not willing to take a stand for something that is obvious. We owe it to our team to act in grace and forgiveness, but to be firm when needed.
Follow-up: This is the hard part and something I have done poorly in the past. Asking a leader to step down or removing them is tough and made tougher knowing that the process of restoration is likely to take a season. If it were like firing an employee that you never saw again it would be easier, but the reality in ministry that the process of restoration can be long, difficult and necessary. Our leaders commitment to mentor and growing our students should be a reflection of our commitment to mentor, grow our leaders even through the tough stuff. The Follow-up process should come from a heart of forgiveness and guidance to help your leader see what led to what happened and help them focus on restoration.
This is the stuff in Ministry that is not easy or enjoyable to deal with but is a necessary part of being a Pastor. God never gives up on us, even when we don’t honor commitments we made to Him. We have the opportunity to live that out through our leadership, when we make tough calls and choose to forgive and love in the midst of painful but necessary decisions. If we commit to our leaders, we need to be committing to the good times and bad and be a leader in all seasons.
Geoff Stewart is the Pastor of Jr & Sr High School for Journey Student Ministries at Peace Portal Alliance Church and regularly contributes GUEST POSTS to MTDB. Be sure to check out his Twitter stream for awesome ministry goodness. Want to get in on the fun and write up a guest post yourself? See how right here.
Weekend Teaching Series: liveSTRONG (series premiere, week 1 of 4)
Sermon in a Sentence: This first week of the series focused on Paul’s mission to live Christ above everything else.
Understandable Message: I was gone this weekend! So I’m writing this based on what was planned to happen since I didn’t make it to any of the services. Phil Chenery stepped in to speak this weekend, and taught Philippians 1 expositionally. You can read the series arc right here as well. The big idea was that Paul wanted to honor Jesus and did that by putting his interests above his own desires.
Element of Fun/Positive Environment: This weekend we were stripped down to a pretty classic format – music, fun announcements and message. Really straightforward, but totally solid.
Music Playlist: We Shine, Cannons, Savior of the World, The Stand
Favorite Moment: My favorite moment was being able to trust our team to be gone for the weekend. Nothing is better than hearing amazing things that happened without you there. Means you’ve got some incredibly capable people on board, and we sure do.
Up Next: liveSTRONG (week 2 of 4)
I’m excited to be travelling with our youth group on a mission trip to Costa Rica. The team put together this little prayer guide for the trip – thought it might be a good example of something you may want to do for an upcoming mission trip of your own. Would appreciate your prayers of course, too!
HSM Costa Rica Prayer Guide
Students: Please pray that the Lord will work in their hearts and minds as they learn how to do ministry on the Mission Field. Pray that they will grow in their faith as they minister to others in Costa Rica; that they will have open hearts and open minds to however the Lord might want to use them there. Please pray for good attitudes, energy, peace, and a gentle spirit. Pray for relationships with their peers and leaders. Pray that the students will rely on the Lord to help them know what to say and how to act when they may feel uncomfortable.
Leaders: Please pray that the Lord will guide us as we lead our students. Pray for energy and enthusiasm, wisdom, discernment, strength, peace, and patience. Pray that we would have open hearts and minds to all the ways the Lord will want to use us in the lives of our students and those we’ll be ministering to in Costa Rica. Please pray for our relationships with the students and people of Costa Rica.
The People of Costa Rica: We will be working with a number of people in Costa Rica (Pastors, teenagers, children, etc.). Pray that the Lord will give them open and hearts and minds to the message of Jesus we are bringing to them. Please pray that we would be able to help and love on them in whatever way possible.
Churches: Please pray for the churches we will be partnering with in Costa Rica. Pray that the help we give would be sustainable so that they can continue to grow in health and outreach even after we leave.
Events: Please pray that all will go according to plan, and when it doesn’t, that we would be flexible and ready for anything. Pray that the people of these events would see Jesus working through them and understand His love.
JG
Some pretty exciting stuff happening really soon – next week The Simply Youth Ministry Today newsletter will hit inboxes for the very first time!
The brand new Simply Youth Ministry Today will be written by Kurt Johnston and I and this month alone will cover topics like our calling, youth ministry basics, calendar planning and dealing with students in crisis. It goes out every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with the Week in review on Friday. Expect new twists and additional voices in the conversation every Thursday.
You can subscribe (for free) right now right here!
JG
Last night I spent some significant time with a great friend well outside of the day-to-day operations of our church.
He’s one of the few people that understands and gets me and what I do more than anyone else. He was a youth pastor in the past and his insight, wisdom and listening ear alone made me walk away refreshed and ready to take on the challenges of another season of youth ministry.
Reflecting on it this morning made me so thankful to have him in my life, and brought back memories of that dark period early in my career when I did youth ministry alone. I didn’t know better. I was a lone ranger. I was living dangerously. And today I just wanted to encourage you to find someone like this in your life – they’ll be more valuable to you then you will ever know:
You can get some of these things from a youth worker network, from podcasts and even blogs to a degree. But there’s nothing better than a late night hang at Denny’s with a real friend with no agenda.
Don’t stop searching until you find one.
JG
A little game called Spikeball is getting some serious traction in our youth group as of late. First at summer camp, now at some of our summer events. Kurt blogged about it last week, here’s a little video showing off the incredible new game.
JG
What kind of a youth worker are you? Vote in today’s poll!
JG
We just started a new summer series this past weekend in HSM – a 4-week study of the book of Philippians called LiveSTRONG. Here’s a quick overview of the arc for the teaching series:
WK 1: To live strong is to serve Christ. To die is gain. Philippians 1:19-26
WK 2: To live strong is to do right and stand firm in a wicked world. Philippians 2:14,15
WK 3: To live strong is focusing on the future and running the race. Philippians 3:12-16
WK 4: To live strong is being content, depending on God’s power. Philippians 4:11-13
JG
More Than DodgeBall – Youth Ministry Blog by Josh Griffin – Saddleback Church's High School Youth Ministry (HSM) A blog about youth ministry and youth worker life from the High School Pastor at Saddleback Church.
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