Comments on: Student Evangelism: What is Working In Your Setting? http://www.morethandodgeball.com/youth-ministry/student-evangelism-what-is-working-in-your-setting.html A blog about youth ministry and youth pastor life from Josh Griffin, the High School Youth Pastor at Saddleback Church. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:14:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Kevin Becker http://www.morethandodgeball.com/youth-ministry/student-evangelism-what-is-working-in-your-setting.html#comment-27092 Kevin Becker Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:41:42 +0000 http://www.morethandodgeball.com/?p=7888#comment-27092 Me and my wifes first night of youth ministry, we threw a mini (I mean mini) local concert in the basement. We had about 8 kids. All from our church that lived in the district and decided to come with us. We grew to a steady 35 kids until June of the following year. Thats when the Presbyterian church gave us the news that they were closing up shop and selling the building. The new church that bought the building gave our program a big thumbs down. We had to be out by July 1. “You’r doing what? But?… God what’s happening? We were just starting to sink our roots into the neighborhood. I did not want to find another building and start all over again. As a team we decided to trust God and pray. This is when it all changed. We found out through the grape vine that we could rent the grammar schools gym for peanuts if we made the event open to the neighborhood. What an awesome opportunity. A public school is an established center for learning in the community. It’s universal, non threatening, and a place where parents and students can feel comfortable. Elmora School number 12 was were God decided we should park our rear ends. The school was located in the heart of the district. The gym was huge. All of the kids in the neighborhood could walk there. Opening night in september blew our minds. We opened the doors to the gym at 7 p.m. and God literally opened the doors to the neighborhood to us. We steadily began to grow and are still growing as we seek God, and refine our program. Is there any way you could rent your public schools to meet in? www.phoosh11.wordpress.com Me and my wifes first night of youth ministry, we threw a mini (I mean mini) local concert in the basement. We had about 8 kids. All from our church that lived in the district and decided to come with us. We grew to a steady 35 kids until June of the following year. Thats when the Presbyterian church gave us the news that they were closing up shop and selling the building. The new church that bought the building gave our program a big thumbs down. We had to be out by July 1. “You’r doing what? But?… God what’s happening? We were just starting to sink our roots into the neighborhood. I did not want to find another building and start all over again. As a team we decided to trust God and pray.

This is when it all changed. We found out through the grape vine that we could rent the grammar schools gym for peanuts if we made the event open to the neighborhood. What an awesome opportunity. A public school is an established center for learning in the community. It’s universal, non threatening, and a place where parents and students can feel comfortable. Elmora School number 12 was were God decided we should park our rear ends. The school was located in the heart of the district. The gym was huge. All of the kids in the neighborhood could walk there.

Opening night in september blew our minds. We opened the doors to the gym at 7 p.m. and God literally opened the doors to the neighborhood to us. We steadily began to grow and are still growing as we seek God, and refine our program. Is there any way you could rent your public schools to meet in?
http://www.phoosh11.wordpress.com

]]> By: Freedy http://www.morethandodgeball.com/youth-ministry/student-evangelism-what-is-working-in-your-setting.html#comment-27088 Freedy Sat, 19 Dec 2009 06:15:23 +0000 http://www.morethandodgeball.com/?p=7888#comment-27088 Agree with you guys. Thanks Freedy Agree with you guys. Thanks

Freedy

]]> By: Adam Colter http://www.morethandodgeball.com/youth-ministry/student-evangelism-what-is-working-in-your-setting.html#comment-27087 Adam Colter Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:39:53 +0000 http://www.morethandodgeball.com/?p=7888#comment-27087 I talk with my adults leaders and student leaders about "the win" for our entry level program. For us this breaks down into specifics: talk to 5 people whose names you don't know each week. Be intentional about remembering names and addressing students by name. If you notice anyone sitting or standing alone, talk to him or her. Based on these gaosl, my leaders can walk out each week and self-evaluate - Did I win at my role this week or not? adults modeling this behavior consistently has an impact on other students and becomes contagious. That's the good. The bad: we don't keep great records of visitors and don't follow up with them well. Looking for a framework for those administrative aspects that will owrk for us. Any suggestions? I talk with my adults leaders and student leaders about “the win” for our entry level program. For us this breaks down into specifics: talk to 5 people whose names you don’t know each week. Be intentional about remembering names and addressing students by name. If you notice anyone sitting or standing alone, talk to him or her. Based on these gaosl, my leaders can walk out each week and self-evaluate – Did I win at my role this week or not? adults modeling this behavior consistently has an impact on other students and becomes contagious.
That’s the good.
The bad: we don’t keep great records of visitors and don’t follow up with them well. Looking for a framework for those administrative aspects that will owrk for us. Any suggestions?

]]> By: nathan logsdon http://www.morethandodgeball.com/youth-ministry/student-evangelism-what-is-working-in-your-setting.html#comment-27086 nathan logsdon Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:30:51 +0000 http://www.morethandodgeball.com/?p=7888#comment-27086 bobby- for us i've been where i'm at for about a year and i've tried to induce an environment that is welcoming to unchurched. at this point we don't have greeters but when new students walk in i challenge "core students" to go to them and invite them to play games or sit with them, etc. i've noticed that if i talk to my student leaders and tell them to be on the look out for new people nothing happens. i'm in middle school ministry so i've taken on myself to challenge students situation by situation. i also have new students fill out an information card which i follow up with a hand written card that says thanks for coming and give them a calendar and basic ministry info bobby- for us i’ve been where i’m at for about a year and i’ve tried to induce an environment that is welcoming to unchurched. at this point we don’t have greeters but when new students walk in i challenge “core students” to go to them and invite them to play games or sit with them, etc. i’ve noticed that if i talk to my student leaders and tell them to be on the look out for new people nothing happens. i’m in middle school ministry so i’ve taken on myself to challenge students situation by situation. i also have new students fill out an information card which i follow up with a hand written card that says thanks for coming and give them a calendar and basic ministry info

]]> By: bobby rife http://www.morethandodgeball.com/youth-ministry/student-evangelism-what-is-working-in-your-setting.html#comment-27084 bobby rife Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:19:25 +0000 http://www.morethandodgeball.com/?p=7888#comment-27084 Are there key elements that you guys have in place to make sure your entry level ministry is welcoming and inviting to unchurched i.e. greeters? Are there key elements that you guys have in place to make sure your entry level ministry is welcoming and inviting to unchurched i.e. greeters?

]]> By: Alan Crookham http://www.morethandodgeball.com/youth-ministry/student-evangelism-what-is-working-in-your-setting.html#comment-27082 Alan Crookham Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:48:33 +0000 http://www.morethandodgeball.com/?p=7888#comment-27082 Most youth are looking for someone they can trust, this can be difficult when most unsaved people in the States already have a distrust for the church because of all the hypocrisy. They are also looking for something real, and when modern day youth pastors who are 30 and acting like they are 15 come along, most youth see it as a show, which is usually is. Young people these days need people to guide them in life, not another friend. So friendship evangelism is essential, but we need to make sure we aren't putting on a show and that we have real solutions for their real problems. http://seekingtheking.blogspot.com/ Most youth are looking for someone they can trust, this can be difficult when most unsaved people in the States already have a distrust for the church because of all the hypocrisy. They are also looking for something real, and when modern day youth pastors who are 30 and acting like they are 15 come along, most youth see it as a show, which is usually is. Young people these days need people to guide them in life, not another friend. So friendship evangelism is essential, but we need to make sure we aren’t putting on a show and that we have real solutions for their real problems. http://seekingtheking.blogspot.com/

]]> By: John Harney http://www.morethandodgeball.com/youth-ministry/student-evangelism-what-is-working-in-your-setting.html#comment-27081 John Harney Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:50:37 +0000 http://www.morethandodgeball.com/?p=7888#comment-27081 Our main avenue is through relationships. Students bringing students whether it's to a Sunday service (which we too work really hard to make it exciting, interesting and safe for outsiders) or a Connect event. It's cool watching students reproduce themselves. Actually about to make a video about that for a service in January. Our main avenue is through relationships. Students bringing students whether it’s to a Sunday service (which we too work really hard to make it exciting, interesting and safe for outsiders) or a Connect event.

It’s cool watching students reproduce themselves. Actually about to make a video about that for a service in January.

]]> By: Ethan Smith http://www.morethandodgeball.com/youth-ministry/student-evangelism-what-is-working-in-your-setting.html#comment-27080 Ethan Smith Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:39:48 +0000 http://www.morethandodgeball.com/?p=7888#comment-27080 I agree with Sean. Evangelism is about going to them. We have been going through what the gospel means with our discipleship group (grace, sin, God, Christ, faith) and will begin relational evangelism training in January using the XEE materials. http://www.xee.info I agree with Sean. Evangelism is about going to them. We have been going through what the gospel means with our discipleship group (grace, sin, God, Christ, faith) and will begin relational evangelism training in January using the XEE materials. http://www.xee.info

]]> By: Sean McGever http://www.morethandodgeball.com/youth-ministry/student-evangelism-what-is-working-in-your-setting.html#comment-27079 Sean McGever Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:54:51 +0000 http://www.morethandodgeball.com/?p=7888#comment-27079 We build relationships at the school campuses themselves and then network through students themselves. I don't invite students to our events until we already know each other by name. The key is a go-to-them strategy. With that said, many students invite their friends based on our strong entry-level events just like you mentioned. We build relationships at the school campuses themselves and then network through students themselves. I don’t invite students to our events until we already know each other by name. The key is a go-to-them strategy.

With that said, many students invite their friends based on our strong entry-level events just like you mentioned.

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