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Josh GriffinMore Posts How to Create the Perfect Panel

This weekend we hosted a parent panel in HSM and it was incredible. I’m going to post some of my learnings about the setup this week, but wanted to point you toward a great article from Forbes that helped me a ton beforehand. I saw a link randomly on Twitter from DC Curry, and it was so good I passed it on to each of the panelists during the preparation week, too. Here’s a clip of it, follow the link for the rest:

Don’t feel compelled to let every panelist answer every question, but do make sure each one gets some air time, but do try to keep their contributions short to allow others to participate. I don’t believe in contrived one-minute rules, you have to use your judgment.

Keep the time tight, redirect mercilessly if they run on. You are the boss!

Tell the panelists at the outset that you will call on them at the end to give 2 sentences to give their takeaways at the end. Stick to it. Keep them breathless. Keep everyone breathless.

In advance of the panel, get each panelist to give you at least one question they would like to be asked by the other panel members, and one they would like to ask others.

If you can swing it (I can in most cases), have a 15 minute huddle with the panelists before, start a fist fight there, and then stop it just before the panelists come to blows. Let them take the fight into the ring. Fist-fight interruptus works every time.

JG

Add Comment May 25, 2011

Josh GriffinMore Posts How To Keep Your Edge in Youth Ministry

Thought that DC had some good thoughts over on Curry Stew this week – loved his post about keeping your edge in youth ministry. Here’s a clip of his experience and wisdom, head over there for how he’s applying it to his ministry this season:

Always be Learning something new! This is more than “being current” on what’s going on around you. What new technology, skill, principle can you be sharpening that God can bless. What passage of Scripture have you heard 10,000 times that God wants to make new TODAY?!!
Work harder than everyone else. When you’re working…WORK HARD! I’m all in favor of a good “brain-break”, “vacation”, “day-off”, “Sabbath” but when you’re in the office, GET IT DONE!!!
Find some finishers. Seek out people who are willing to go the extra mile NOT just “get it done”. Personally those people make me want to………..on to the next bullet.
Harness a nothing to lose attitude. Sounds reckless huh? Well in nature it is, but in principle it’s exactly what’s needed to keep the edge on emerging culture.

JG

Add Comment October 5, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts Helpful Thoughts for Your Youth Group’s Fall Kickoff

DC is on a roll this week – he just posted some great thoughts about how to have a great Fall kickoff. Hopefully something in there will stir up an idea and trigger something cool as you prepare for the launch. Here’s an excerpt, more thoughts if you head over to his place:

Push Momentum generators. This is a great time to push what your focus for the fall/school year will be or whatever builds momentum in your group. Our students love each other so we push Small Groups HARD the first three weeks.

Have all your ducks in a row. I think this is more important in high school than in middle school (we all know middle schoolers love things more when the ducks are NOT in a row, haha). In my experience some high schoolers are looking for a reason to discount the church as “not relevant to their life” or “just a knock-off of pop culture” and if there is a lack of excellence this opens that door for them…NOT TO MENTION GOD DESERVES OUR BEST! (Also note: You have to define excellence for your context, don’t judge it off of another church, it must be contextualized.)

Meet the minimum expectations THEN EXCEED THEM. This one sounds odd at first but most students come to our ministries with a bare minimum expectation of what could/should happen. Some minimum expectations are things like: We will read/open/hear about the Bible, Jesus’ name will probably be used, someone will pray, there might be music, someone will likely talk to us, I’ll have opportunities to spend with my friends. So we try to meet those bare minimums every week (because they’re good ones) AND THEN completely exceed them by trying to constant “redefine church/youth group”. This is especially important considering during the launch phase there are usually lots of new students. (Comment if you want me to write more on this topic).

JG

4 View Comments August 26, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts Fighting for a Youth Worker’s Spiritual Growth

Thought that my man DC had some great thoughts about spiritual growth today – good to pass along to your student leaders or even to challenge yourself with this last day of summer. Here’s a clip, head there for the rest:

DISCIPLINE: Are you sick of poor spiritual growth? Then know that you’re the only one who can change it. Develop of plan/method and follow through with it. Budget time for it and get it done!

BE FLEXIBLE: Rigid plans/methods are ESSENTIAL, but don’t lock yourself into lofty goals, like reading the entire Bible in a month. Instead, aim for realistic goals like reading AND DIGESTING one book in the Bible in a month. Finishing earlier is just icing on the cake!

BE FREE: You have the freedom to develop a “custom” plan for your growth. Be free to do what will work for you…this implies you know yourself. You don’t have to take what someone else did and replicate it. (Although sometimes that’s a good place to start if you’re in the same place spiritually

DC is a youth worker worth following. Add him to your RSS feed reader!

JG

Add Comment August 25, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts DC Curry is Cool

DC Curry is cool. Love the way he asked Granger to start 2009. Awesome.

JG

Add Comment January 12, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts The Workaholic Youth Pastor

Loved this new article from DC about workaholic youth workers. Here’s a clip, slow down long enough to read the whole thing.

Big Questions I’ve been considering this week as I take some time off:

* How do I schedule my time so that ‘family’ always stays first.
* How do I continue to let other people surge ahead in their leadership and give them more opportunities to lead.
* How do I always make sure I’m getting some rest without getting rid of the thing I love, our ministry.
* How do we keep ministry going up and too the right without anyone burning out from ministry fatigue.

JG

Add Comment September 23, 2008

Josh GriffinMore Posts DC Curry Visits HSM

We had quite a few visiting youth workers in the service tonight – one of them being the illustrious DC Curry. Can’t wait to read what he writes about us. Actually, I’m kinda nervous, in a standing-before-Simon-Cowell sorta way.

JG

Add Comment March 15, 2008

Josh GriffinMore Posts Rick Warren Featured in PSA

This press release was just released talking about a new series of ads that feature Pastor Rick, amongst other folks. Interesting – can’t wait to see it!

“This is a first step in a long-term effort to start making the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty part of the election conversation and Americans can be part of that by joining ONE.ORG,” said Matt Damon who appears in and narrates the spot. “Decisions made in Washington, D.C. really do have the power to save lives. I think at their heart Americans are good people and I think people want to help — I think there’s momentum building. People are starting to realize that the history books are being rewritten and they want to be on the right side of history, they want to be in the story.”

“ONE Vote” will air across MTV Networks channels during primetime from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 23 and premiere online on Tuesday, Oct. 24 in streaming video on the front page of MySpace http://www.myspace.com , in a special :45 web version and special content on the front page of YouTube http://www.youtube.com , and on Google video http://www.googlevideo.com and Yahoo video http://www.yahoovideo.com. It will also air on News Corporation’s FOX Broadcasting Network, MyNetworkTV, FX, Fox Sports Net, National Geographic Channel, FUEL, Fox Reality, Fox Soccer and Fox Movie Channel through Election Day, in addition to airing on their giant Panasonic Astrovision Screen at ONE Times Square in New York City.

The PSA brings together Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, George Clooney, Don Cheadle, New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady, singer songwriter Toby Keith, Alfre Woodard, faith leaders Pastor Rick Warren and Bishop Charles E. Blake and Democratic and Republican Strategists Mike McCurry and Jack Oliver.

In the spot, they join with over 2.4 million supporters of the ONE Campaign to “pledge ONE vote” not for a candidate or party — but instead to help fight global AIDS and extreme poverty and make a better, safer world for us all.

“My deal has always been — forget politics. You know, politics has really nothing to do with it,” said singer songwriter Toby Keith. “We’re so divided here in the United States with this red state/blue state, left wing/right wing thing. I’ve been to Africa and seen it first hand, it left a mark on me that I have to live with now, so I want to do my part. It’s a chance for everybody with a big voice to step up to their people and say — go to ONE.org, get educated and stamp out poverty and AIDS.”

JG