weigh in | More Than Dodgeball

Josh GriffinMore Posts Weigh In – Volume 6: Responding to Natural Disasters

From time to time I post a youth ministry question that I’ve received and leave it to you, the MTDB youth ministry community, to answer it. This is a timely one from a youth worker in Texas. We don’t do much about this issue in our youth group – but I pointed them to this post, hoping you would chime in with wisdom and best practices. Go!

QUESTION: I have a question for you. Today I have been watching all of the news about the earthquake in Japan. It is all over the news, radio, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter so i know that it will be on the minds of our young people. What are some ways that you would recommend using natural disasters and any huge disaster as a teaching moment for young people?

JG

4 View Comments March 14, 2011

Josh GriffinMore Posts 3 Cries and 3 Dreams

Occasionally I’ll post a question or thought that I won’t answer in hopes that you will. Today is one of those days! Here you go:

What are your top 3 cries to God?
What are your top 3 dreams?

Very interested to hear what you have to say!

JG

7 View Comments February 28, 2011

Josh GriffinMore Posts Weigh In — Volume 5: Apathetic Youth Group Sinking

From time to time I post a youth ministry question that I’ve received and leave it to you, the MTDB youth ministry community, to answer it. This is a particularly good one from a new and hurting youth worker. I replied to them personally, and pointed them to this post, hoping you would chime in with passion, encouragement and wisdom. Go!

QUESTION: I recently started a new job at a church as the Youth Director. It is a part-time position and I am in charge of youth ministry for middle and high schoolers. The church is pretty big, probably 300 members, but the youth group is relatively small – only about 12 kids that come regularly. Students are apathetic and there is a lack of passion of any kind in their faith. I have been trying to make our discipleship and teaching about why Jesus matters and how He effects our lives in practical ways, but nothing seems to be sticking. I am getting very discouraged, this youth group ship seems to be sinking and I am afraid that I can’t stop it. Please pray for my situation. I would welcome any advice you have.

JG

14 View Comments January 6, 2011

Josh GriffinMore Posts Weigh In – Volume 3: Interim Youth Leader

From time to time I post a question about youth ministry and ask you to post your answers. The results are always pretty cool – looking for you to weigh in on this one this week!

… my situation is this: I have been helping out with this youth group since i was a part of it. This is my home church and recently our youth pastor left and I, a young 20-year old with a call to youth ministry, stepped up and have been leading the youth. The numbers have stayed the same if not grown. We are discipling our youth and have received a lot of praise that we as a youth group team have passed along to God as it is his doing not ours.

However I was approached by our sr. Pastor and told the board had asked to start looking for another youth pastor and that it wasn’t me doing bad but a few people voicing their opinion. A new guy was brought in for an interview and without even getting to know the guy on a Sunday morning during service when they were introduced a few people stood up and cheered. This made me feel horrible. Like the youth group was in dire need of a savior. I love my teens more than anything, i have a lot of supporters in the church but I know there is also opposition and it is my church. Some want me to ask to be considered for the position. Does this sound like a good fit? Have you ever gone through anything like this? Am I wrong to feel a little angry or upset?

Help!

JG

12 View Comments December 7, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts Weigh In: Volume 3 – YMCA Youth Group

Every so often we take a question, perhaps an unanswered one from the Simply Youth Ministry Podcast, and pose it to you the MTDB community to answer instead of our show’s panel. Here’s a great one that came in — if you have some wisdom I hope you’ll share in the comments!

I’m brand new to the youth ministry world and would love your ideas, tips and thoughts on how we’re doing youth ministry. We are going to start our youth group soon and will be meeting in the local YMCA. It has lots of potential – full access to the pool, gym, weight and more. The problem is I’m not sure how to program each night to use this amazing building/facilities wisely. Help me out!

Now — weigh in!

JG

8 View Comments November 2, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts Weigh In: Volume 2 – Connecting with Local Schools

Every so often we take a question, perhaps from the Simply Youth Ministry Podcast, and pose it to you to answer instead of our panel. Here’s a great one that came in – if you have some wisdom I hope you’ll share!

I’ve been looking for ways to connect with our local school districts that are appropriate as a church worker and not offensive, ways to let them know we care about the students and are willing to help in any way that we can. Any suggestions you have in this area would be greatly appreciated.

Now – weigh in!

JG

20 View Comments August 31, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts 4 Questions for Your Youth Ministry Fall Kickoff and Suggested Resources to Help Answer Them

August is here – summer programs are winding down and school is about to begin. Scratch that – for more than half the country, kids are already in classes this week! You’re heading toward the Fall kickoff of your youth ministry, and thinking about what’s next. I posted When to Buy Youth Ministry Resources last August, but thought something tangible with solid suggestions for the fall might be a good idea as well. Here are the questions I’m asking with a couple weeks to go before our official kickoff:

1. Is your youth ministry service ready to go?
Take the time to lay out the fall teaching calenda r. Create or purchase a teaching series that is compelling and make it easy for your students to bring their non-believing friends. The start of the school year is one of the most opportune times for Friendship Evangelism. Then think about the atmosphere that first-time student will walk into – are a few crowd games or a cell phone poll the way to go? Is the room setup ideally for what you’re trying to accomplish? Do you have a way to contact students during the week? How can you give your youth group a jolt of fresh energy this Fall? Suggestions: 2nd Greatest Story Every Told, Heart of a Champion, Awaken Your Creativity

2. Are your small group leaders and volunteers trained?
Capitalize on the fall to get some good reading into the hands of your leaders or good material into your hands for training meetings. Suggestions: Youth Worker Training on the Go, Emergency Response Handbook for Youth Ministry, Connect

3. What are you reading for your personal development?
You meant to read a few good books over the summer – and honestly, they’re still in the bottom of your backpack. Take them out and get cracking! If you’re looking for a good book Terrace had a good list for young influencers and Kurt’s new book The 9 Best Practices of Youth Ministry looks challenging. My favorite book this summer was Linchpin. Pick up a book for your own development. Suggestions: Tribes, Switch, Steering Through Chaos, Crazy Love, The Next Generation Leader

4. What is it time to launch?
For us we’re talking about helping hurting students, so we’re concentrating on our pastoral care program for teenagers who are at risk. You’ve got the pulse of your student ministry – what is it time to launch? Or maybe what is it time to re-launch? Maybe it is time to stop something, so this January you can breath new life into it? Suggestions: The Landing, Help! I’m a Student Leader, LeaderTreks

JG

tp://terracecrawford.blogspot.com/2010/08/top-20-books-every-young-influencer.html

Josh GriffinMore Posts Weigh In: You Answer the Youth Ministry Question – Volume 1

Each week on the Simply Youth Ministry Podcast we’ll feature one question we’re calling the Weigh In question – where we don’t give answers – you do here on the blog! Here’s the first in the new series. Based on the information you’ve been given, what is the correct course of action for this youth worker:

I live in a smaller town in California, we are a rural farming community. The town consists of 75 percent Hispanic families and 25 percent white families. Because of this dynamic the majority of the students in the town are Catholic and and for the most part are not interested in church. We are the biggest Protestant Church in town and the majority of our members are upper middle class and white. Beyond that there is a private school 15 minutes away that many of our church kids attend. How do I do good ministry to my community, and effective outreach in particular, in a community that the majority of my students aren’t a part of but still live in?

JG