| Video: Powerful "To This Day" Anti-Bullying Project |
From Rethinking Youth Ministry on Friday, May 3, 2013 @ 9:00 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
From the poet: "My experiences with violence in schools still echo throughout my life but standing to face the problem has helped me in immeasurable ways. Schools and families are in desperate need of proper tools to confront this problem. This piece is a starting point." - Shane Learn more here. |
| Youth Ministry "Pin of the Day" |
From Rethinking Youth Ministry on Friday, April 26, 2013 @ 10:37 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
This idea gets passed around on Pinterest a lot, probably because it is so simple and so cool. I think this project would make the perfect gift from your church or youth group to give to your graduating seniors. Just get some plain white mugs from the dollar store. Let everyone write an affirming message to the person on the mug with a sharpie (and, if doing a lot of these, be sure to write the person's name on the side or bottom of the mug). Then, you bake the mugs in the oven for thirty minutes at 350 degrees and "Pesto!" -- the writing is permanent and you have the perfect gift for your graduates to drink coffee, tea or cocoa from as they start the next step in their journey of life and faith. Read more about this idea here and check out all my Pinterest pins on youth ministry, creative prayer, and more here. |
| YouTube Faith: Week 3 |
From Rethinking Youth Ministry on Thursday, April 25, 2013 @ 5:14 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
This is part two of our series of resources developed to be used with a mixed group of youth and adults, discussing issues of faith through the lens of various videos discovered on YouTube. We are intentionally drawing from both religious and secular videos. Part one is here. Part two is here.Week Three: What is the Meaning of Life?Share:What is life all about? Is the answer different if you are a Christian? Has anyone figured it out? This week we look at how the world of YouTube has tried to address that question.1. The Meaning of Life - Dan Is Not On Fire Ask:Do you relate to Dan's experience of "permanent existential crisis"? How important is this question of "meaning"? Dan treats it humorously – does that seem like the right approach? Dan says that the answer is "do whatever you have to do to be happy"? What do you think about that? Dan says "There's way too much fun and joy in the world for anyone to waster their time or their life doing something that makes them unhappy." What would you say to him about this? Does your thinking on this change depending on what a person might say makes him or her "happy?"Share: Dan seems to be having fun with the question of existence. But for others, this is a much more serious consideration – especially those who have a lot less time to figure it out. As you watch this next video, think about how your answer might change if you were forced to come to your conclusions against a ticking clock: Soul Pancake: My Last Days – Meet Ann Ask:What is your initial reaction to Ann's story? What emotions did it evoke? How do you think the question of meaning changes when you know that your time is limited? How do you think true struggle changes the way your approach that question? Do you think her family has changed how they see what is important and meaningful? Share your thoughts on these quotes: Ann's husband: "Life after death isn't the issue. It's living a life well up to that point."Ann: "Most people live with blinders on and are so caught up in all the little things that distract you from what really matters. And all that stuff is kind of washed away and you get clean and see what really counts…and that's the people that you love." Does this change your reaction to how Dan in video one looked at the same question? How are Dan and Ann's thinking similar? Different? Share: Many people are wrestling with this question of the meaning of existence. But, as Christians, should we have a particular (perhaps unique) way of considering it? Think about that as we view this next video from Brian Mosley, who leads Right Now Ministries, an organization focused on the Missional church. What is a Trader? Ask: What's your reaction to this definition of a "trader"? What do you think about the suggestion that you have to "trade in the American dream" for being a Christian?Do you agree that the World mostly sees life's meaning in "more, more, more and me, me, me"? In collecting possessions and wealth and status? What do you think Dan and Ann would feel about this as a measure of life's meaning? As Christians, do you think the question of meaning could be answered by deciding what our mission is? Share your thoughts on these quotes:"The mission you are on is what makes you a missionary" "What makes your heart break and your first clench?"Do you think that its realistic that your job, your time in school, your entire day could be about your "mission" and what you see as "the meaning of life"? Share your thoughts on these ideas in the video: Live life "so your short time here can have an eternal impact" "Choose daily to help those in need, follow Jesus, hate injustice and act on it!"Share: As we end this session, let's close with this video that shows high school students in Texas coming together around a mission they found meaningful: standing up to bullying. To make this video, two students brought together their entire school to take a stand on bullying in the same district where just a year before 13-year-old Asher Brown committed suicide after being repeatedly bullied. Cypress Ranch: Anti-Bullying Video Allow the song to speak for itself. Close with no discussion or a short prayer. |
| Would You Be Willing to Be Gay for a Day? |
From Rethinking Youth Ministry on Thursday, April 18, 2013 @ 1:46 PM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
What would it be like for you to experience a day from the perspective of a gay teen? Would you be willing to find out? If you are a gay pastor or youth leader, you already know what it's like. Everyone else: keep reading.This year the Day of Silence falls on Friday April 19. This is annual observance when students choose to remain silent in their schools for one day to show solidarity with LGBTQ teens who are silenced every day by being kept in the closet through intolerance and fear. I participated in this day in seminary years ago and it was a powerful experience that even included a worship service held completely in silence. Of course, the Day of Silence is not without its controversy, particularly for those who feel participating in the event might (God forbid!) send the message to gay teens that they are loved, accepted and affirmed. But wherever you place yourself within that debate, I think that blogger Kimberly Knight is really on to something when she suggests that straight persons try becoming "gay for a day": What do I mean by this? Well, this is a bit of a challenge for my straight friends. Those of you with boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands or wives – for the next 24 hours, imagine that the one you love, the planet around which your heart is in orbit, is someone you can not openly acknowledge in any conversation – anywhere. When you are at work, do not talk about your boyfriend or husband. When you are at lunch, don't mention the Friday night date you are looking forward to. When you are grabbing that mid-morning coffee, don't talk about your weekend plans with the wife....So here it is, a challenge – be gay for a day. Really, really – I invite you to give this a try. For 24 hours beginning on the morning of Friday, April 19 live your every moment as if the people you love are just friends, roommates, strangers.... (Read the full post here.)Participating in what Kimberly is suggesting has nothing to do with whether or not you have problems with a person's sexual orientation. But it has everything to do with whether or not you believe that all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Being willing to spend a day in the other person's shoes is a step away from treating LGBTQ teens as an "issue" and toward treating them as individual children of God. Of course, "being gay for a day" isn't going to let you really see what like is like living in the closet anymore than sleeping on your church parking lot for one night is going to teach your teens what it is like to be homeless. In fact, the power of both of those experiences is in helping the participant to become aware of how little they know of what life is like for the "other" and that so often we are willing to pontificate and share our absolutist opinions and beliefs about something we have no knowledge of first-hand (and in some cases never will). |
| Youth Ministry "Pin-of-the-Day" |
From Rethinking Youth Ministry on Monday, April 15, 2013 @ 8:03 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
Here's a thoughtful idea for helping your teens pray for each other or to encourage your congregation to pray for your youth.This latest find from Pinterest comes from the blog by Pastor Lisa. The idea itself is simple: have a person trace their hand and then pass that along to someone else. Each time the receiver places their own hand into the person's hand print, they stop and pray for them. I could see this as a great creative project with youth, encouraging them not only to trace their hands but also filling the hand print with words, images, drawings, symbols, and so on that relate to the things in their lives for which they need prayer. When everyone is finished, trade around the hand prints and each person takes one home, committing to regularly pray for the owner of the hand print. A related approach might be to collect the youth's hand prints and distribute them to your elders or other adults in the congregation who would be willing to regularly pray for the teen whose hand print they receive. Pastor Lisa also suggests other approaches: Praying for a sister congregation.Praying for students away at college. Praying for those who are imprisoned. Praying for your local firefighters, police officers, or city officials. Praying for a mission team while they are away. Praying for those who are home bound or nursing homebound. Praying for those who are in the midst of long treatments or recovering from surgery.You can read the full post here and check out all my Pinterest pins on youth ministry, creative prayer, and more here. |
| YouTube Faith: Week 2 |
From Rethinking Youth Ministry on Sunday, March 24, 2013 @ 10:36 PM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
Week 2: What is it all about? Figuring out God, Jesus and Religion 1. Kitten vs. Two Scary Things Views: 7 million Ask:What do you think is going on in that kitten's head? Is it playing? Does it feel threatened? Do it have a clue what's on the bed? Think about how we're like that with religion sometime – especially when it comes to trying to figure out what Jesus and God are all about. What are we clueless about when it comes to religion? What aspects of God do we find unsettling? Share: Let's take a look at one young guy's attempt to figure it all about. As you watch it, think about the argument he makes about the following Jesus vs. being part of a religion. 2. Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus Views: 24 MillionsComments: 167,000 Ask: This 4 minute video has an astounding number of views. The author, Jeff Bethke, received significant publicity for it, appearing on news programs and launching him into the speakers' circuit. In the speaker's words: "Synopsis: A poem I wrote to highlight the difference between Jesus and false religion. Religion is man centered, Jesus is God-centered. This poem highlights my journey to discover this truth. Religion either ends in pride or despair. Pride because you make a list and can do it and act better than everyone, or despair because you can't do your own list of rules and feel "not good enough" for God." What's your initial reaction to his spoken-word poem? What ideas do you think he's struggling with? In the video he says "Jesus hated religion." What do you think of that assertion? In the video he says "Church isn't a museum for good people. It's a hospital for the broken." How does this fit your experience of Christianity? What other parts do you agree/disagree with? How do you feel about his ability to so passionately express his thoughts on religion? Do you think most people feel able to do this? Share: Let's take a look now at a very different view on God and religion, this one not from someone inside the church, but someone on the outside looking in. 3. An Atheist Meets God Views: 2.7 millionComments: 194,000 Ask:How would you describe this person's view of religion? How do you react to his statement, "Worship me, the God of the Bible, or else!" Do you think their view of God is a reasonable one? Did you find the video funny? Offensive? How do you think this view compares with Jeff Bethke's? Which arguments stuck out most to you? How would you respond to them in real life? This video has 43,000 likes an only 18,000 dislikes. What do you think people would find appealing about this view of religion. Share: Now let's look at another controversial view of religion, this time from popular Christian author/speaker/minister Rob Bell. 4. Rob Bell: Love Wins Views: 14,000Comments: 61 Ask: Bell's assertion that he doesn't believe God condemns anyone to hell has been very controversial inside the conservative Christian church. Why do you think that is? Bell says lots of people want nothing to do with the Christian faith because "they see it as an endless list of absurdities and inconsistencies." What's your reaction to that? Why do you think this video has so many fewer views and comments than the previous two we looked at? Do you think the style of his presentation compared to the other two had any effect on that? Do you think Bell sees seekers as being similar to that kitten, people trying to figure out something that just doesn't make much sense to them? Does our faith journey seem that way on certain days? Share: Let's end today with a music video from contemporary Christian singer Michael Gungor. This animated version of his song "God Is Not a Whiteman" explores our attempt to get our hands around just who or what God is. Share with the group these comments from Gungor on what inspired the song: "I started writing this song after hearing a preacher talk. He was speaking in that typical preacher-like fashion in a way that implied that he was an expert and had God figured out. He had mentioned his education credentials several times, and we were apparently supposed to be very impressed by the man who was gracious enough to hand us the truth that he had mastered long ago. The preacher talked about God as if God was a very manageable subject. There was no mystery or wonder in his tone, just dogmatic arrogance. It was almost as if God was simply a larger and more powerful version of this man in the sky. The thing about infinity is that it is infinite .There is no containing infinity. As soon as you try to grasp it, you've reduced it to something less than infinite. 5. God Is Not a White Man Views: 1 million Allow the song to speak for itself. Close with no discussion and a short prayer. |
| Are You Caring for the Introverts in Your Youth Ministry? |
From Rethinking Youth Ministry on Sunday, March 24, 2013 @ 10:34 PM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
In my experience, many pastors I meet fall at least somewhat on the introversion side of the personality spectrum. Their introversion allows them to cultivate many of the gifts helpful for effective ministry: the ability to listen deeply, encourage introspection, and lead others without the need to take center stage. Conversely, most youth ministers tend to be extroverts (you may disagree but I'm just sharing what I've observed over several decades working with youth ministry colleagues.) Considering the energy it takes to work with teens, it makes sense that many youth ministers are outgoing, enjoy being around large groups of people and have a high tolerance for noise and commotion. In fact, they might even thrive under such conditions which may explain why so many youth ministries are centered around programming that involves large group activities, wild games, lock-ins and road trips. But it's important to remember that at least some of the youth in our ministries are introverts -- those individuals who tend to give of their personal energy to others and can be quickly tired out when being with a group. These teens need opportunities for small group experiences, silence, rest, quiet prayer, and the permission to opt out of high energy activities when they need time away from the group. Think back over your last few youth gatherings. Have the activities been primarily aimed at the extroverts? What opportunities were included for quiet reflection, one-on-one interactions, or low-key activities?This article suggests several helpful examples of things not to do if we seek to be more sensitive to the introverts in our ministries. I particularly like this one: "Since you're not doing anything..." Sitting quietly and staring into space is doing something. It does not mean I'm waiting for a nice chat.For a more thorough study of the qualities and needs (and special gifts) of introverts, check out the texts The Introvert's Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World and Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking.What about you? Introvert? Extrovert? (Not sure? Take the quiz.) How does your personality type affect your ministry? How do you attempt to meet the needs of both personality types in your youth ministry? |
| YouTube Faith: Week 1 |
From Rethinking Youth Ministry on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 @ 6:31 PM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
My doppelganger (henceforth referred to as Barry, my twin brother) is developing a new multi-generation study for our church centered around videos discovered on YouTube. This group includes teens as well as adults who are interested in joining the teens as fellow learners and mentors. The plan is to view several YouTube videos each session as a jumping off point to discuss issues, questions, challenges, doubts, and ideas about the Christian faith. We'll post a new YouTube faith lesson each week and look forward to your feedback. Youtube Faith: Week #1Ask: What videos/types of videos do you usually ike to watch on Youtube?How often are those videos related to politics, religion or social justice? Have you seen any videos about Christianity? What did they talk about? Were they positive or negative?Explain that over the coming weeks you are going to explore together topics of spirituality, social justice and Christianity, all through the view that is created by this one channel: Youtube Share: Let's start by looking at one specific Youtuber's unique view on what Christianity is all about: 1. Tyler Oakley: Christianity in a Nutshell: Ask:What's your reaction to Tyler Oakley's description of Christianity? Did you find it funny? Accurate? Misleading? What would you say to Tyler about his video and his interpretation?If this was someone's first intro to Christianity, what sort of picture do you think they'd have?Share: Let's check on this next video from the Soul Pancake Youtube channel-- as you watch, think about what connection, if any, this has to your understanding of what Christianity is about, beyond cosmic zombies (re: a reference to Tyler's video): 2. Soul Pancake: A Pep Talk from Kid PresidentAsk:What do you think about Kid President's message? What is his message? What connection, if any, do you see with the Christian walk?What does the "road not taken" have to do with Jesus and his example?Respond to his comment: "It hurts man...rocks, thorns, pieces of glass. Not cool, Robert Frost" KP says, "If life is a game, aren't we all on the same team? What is that team? What was/is Jesus's team?How is this a different view from Tyler Oakley's?Share: Let's check out one more video -- as you watch, think about its connection to the idea that if we're all on the same team, what impact that has on us as people: 3. Soul Pancake: Take a Seat - Make a FriendAsk:What moments stand out to you about what these people shared? The boy removing his teeth? The woman with MS? What about being in a ball pit helped these people connect?How did you see their interaction shift over the time they were talking to one another? Why do you think they opened up and became more vulnerable? Why is it harder to connect outside the ballpit? What's the link here to the Christian story? (consider the nature of fellowship, community, and Jesus bringing together the twelve disciples) Tyler Oakley thinks Christianity is sort of goofy. But so is sitting in a pit of colored balls. Yet look at the impact that had on these people. What can we take away from that? Consider: Christianity isn't so much about a "definition" as it is our "experience" of it. Share: In the weeks ahead we'll:explore other videos and ideasgive the participants a chance to suggest videos to viewthink about creating our own Youtube video |
| Lent Ideas for Youth Ministry 2013: Prayers of Michel Quoist |
From Rethinking Youth Ministry on Friday, March 8, 2013 @ 8:48 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
"Lord, why did you tell me to love all people?I have tried, but I come back to you frightened.Lord, I was so peaceful at home, I was so comfortably settled.I was sheltered from the wind and rain; I would have stayed unsullied in my ivory tower.But, Lord you have discovered a breach in my defenses.You have forced me to open the door of my heart.The first came in, Lord. There was, after all, a bit of space in my heart.I welcomed them. I would have cared for them as my very own little lambs, my flock.You would have been pleased, Lord; I would have served and honored you in a proper and respectable way.Until then, it was sensible.But the next ones, Lord, the others – I had not seen them, they were hidden behind the first ones.There were more of them. They were wretched; they overpowered me without warning.I shared this and another related Quoist prayer with our youth recently and they really responded to the language, the imagery, and the challenge inherent within the simple words. These prayers could certainly be used as a regular way to open or close your weekly time together, as part of a night focused on prayer, or even as an outlet to encourage your teens to work together to write similar prayers that focus on the reality of God in their daily lives filled with bus rides and textbooks, sports, music rehearsals, after school jobs, dating and fears about the future. Perhaps most helpful for Lent, Prayers of Life could be used to connect youth with Jesus' own 40 day struggle in the wilderness to discern what God was really calling him to do and be. In addition, the text includes an entire section entitled "Prayers on the Way to the Cross," complete with scriptures and meditations to lead your group in an exploration of the last days and hours of Jesus' life. |
| Quit Taking Your Kids to "Service Projects" |
From Rethinking Youth Ministry on Friday, March 8, 2013 @ 5:48 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
The following is a guest post by Aaron Kirkpatrick, youth minister in Little Rock, Arkansas:I love teaching our teens to serve. Over the years, service has become ingrained in our group's DNA, and our teens serve hard. They are willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, and they are regularly challenged to press through their comfort zones when they are serving in the name of Jesus. Numerous teens have told me that the most impacting things they have experienced in our youth ministry happened when they were serving, and a few of our teens have even chosen career paths after an experience serving someone changed their worldview. So when I tell you to stop taking your kids to service projects, I am absolutely NOT telling you to make your teens stop serving. I'm asking you to consider reframing your service in a healthier way. It should be obvious, but every service opportunity must have a human component. There must always be someone who benefits from your service, or else you're wasting your time. If your teens visit cancer patients at the local children's hospital, the human element is obvious, but even cleaning graffiti off an overpass, picking up trash at a local park, and painting government housing projects touches people in the name of Jesus. You don't clean up the park for the park's sake: you do it because it will benefit the children who play there. You don't clean an overpass for the sake of the concrete, you do it because it blesses people on their daily commute. This is true every time you serve, and it's important for your teens to understand who they are serving and how their service helps others. When we talk about doing a "service project" though, we immediately put a stumbling block between our students and what we want them to accomplish and experience.A project is a job. A project is an assignment. A project is something that must get done, regardless of whether you actually want to do it. Cleaning the bathroom is a project. That fifteen page paper your seniors have been putting off doing is a project. My honey-do list is full of projects. But we're calling our students to serve people, and people are not projects.When we refer to these times of service as "service projects" we immediately cheapen what our teens are doing, we limit the ministry our teens will do, and we hinder our students' ability to be transformed through the experience of serving. At best, our words frame their service in terms of what they do instead of who they touch, and at worst they cause our teens to view people in an impersonal way that removes the love and compassion that is at the heart of Christian ministry. So the next time you call your teens to serve, find a more positive way to discuss what they're doing. In our ministry, we have started referring to times of service as "service opportunities" because an "opportunity" is a positive thing that you don't want to miss. This puts everyone in the right mindset from the moment they are asked to serve.When it's all said and done, any time a teenager serves, it's a win. But if we, as youth workers, help our students frame their service in a way that clearly places the highest value on the people we serve, our students will come away with a deeper appreciation for the work they accomplish and the lives they touch, and they will be more likely to jump at the chance to serve again in the future.Aaron Kirkpatrick has been leading the Chenal Valley Youth Group in Little Rock, AR for seven years. He is passionate about relational ministry and connecting with teens outside the walls of the church building. This has led to countless hours at basketball games, plays, recitals, Sonic parking lots, Minecraft servers, and anywhere else teens are congregating. When he needs to recharge his creativity, you'll find him haunting a local Starbucks, Panera, or Baskin Robbins. You can follow Aaron on his blog and catch up with him on Twitter . |
| Quote of the Day |
From Rethinking Youth Ministry on Thursday, February 28, 2013 @ 10:36 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
From Downtime: Helping Teenagers Pray by Mark Yaconelli:"Some of my friends in youth ministry create youth rooms that try to emulate the culture, with walls covered in posters of Christian rock bands or athletes with inspirational verses. I've found it more helpful to create youth rooms that speak not only to the energy of young people but also to the souls of young people. Often this means creating a space that invites spiritual reflection and prayer, one that draws young people into a different sense of space and time - so that prayer seems a natural activity, rather than an abrupt shift from the speed and pace of the culture."This, by the way, is an excellent book with many thoughtful ideas for engaging teens meaningful in the spiritual practice of prayer. |
| Lent Ideas for Youth Ministry 2013: Self Portrait |
From Rethinking Youth Ministry on Thursday, February 21, 2013 @ 9:38 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
The following Lenten creative project is an adaptation of a previous post, but new-and-improved after the teens who tried it out took a better approach than the one I had planned. As Lent is intended to be a season of introspection, of looking inward (inspired by the story of Jesus' forty days of discernment in the wilderness), inviting youth to create a self portrait can be a way of encouraging them to look within themselves.Supplies needed: LCD or overhead projector, pencils, colored construction paper, scissors, glue, magazines, markers.Opening: Set up an overhead projector or LCD projector to cast the shadow of each person's silhouette on the wall. Invite teens to pair up, tape piece of construction paper to the wall and help each other trace their silhouettes onto the paper. Next, have each person cut out their silhouette and glue it onto a contrasting color sheet of construction paper. Provide the group with lots of magazines or other scrap ephemera and challenge them to cut out words, symbols and photos that reveal who they are on the inside: their likes, dislikes, gifts, loves, hopes, fears, limitations, doubts and so on. They then glue these onto their profile. You might also invite the group to look for words and images that they feel help to describe their fellow group members and to share them with each other (in our box of scraps I came across a map of Texas which was perfect for the girl in the group who was able to find her hometown on the map and add it to her portrait). When finished, give everyone a marker and ask them to go around and write descriptive and affirming words about the other group members in the blank space around each person's silhouette. Challenge youth to meditate on their portraits and make a Lenten practice of looking inward and considering where they may want to make changes in their attitudes, behaviors, and priorities in life and faith.Closing: You might want to share the music video of "Remind Me Who I Am" by Jason Gray, a perfect Lenten song. Close by reading together Psalm 139. |
| Free Youth Ministry Ebook for Lent |
From Rethinking Youth Ministry on Friday, February 1, 2013 @ 5:55 PM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
Looking for ideas to help your youth experience the journey of Lent? We've posted many over the past few years but we know you may not have time to go digging through our archives so in 2011 we compiled a "greatest hits" compilation of the top ideas in this free e-book. Included are Bible studies, prayer stations, suggestions for spiritual disciplines, ideas for worship and discussion activities, and links to other resources to help your youth take time during Lent to look inward and consider their own call from God. Download a free copy of the book here and please feel free to pass it on and share it with others. |
| Can A Super Bowl Party Be Missional? Yes! |
From Rethinking Youth Ministry on Tuesday, January 29, 2013 @ 1:43 PM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
Last year at this time, a fellow youth leader contact me to ask if I thought there was a way to make a Super Bowl party missional. He wasn't really enthusiastic about hosting such a party but it's what his students wanted. He noted that I'd never talked about Super Bowl parties before and so asked my opinion. Here's what I wrote:The observation that I haven't posted on this topic was right on target for one simple reason: I'm not a fan of youth group Super Bowl parties. For one thing, I wouldn't know a Patriot from a Giant unless one is carrying a musket and the other is really, really tall! For another thing, I think it's a stretch to claim that sitting around watching competitive football and TV commercials is a good use of precious youth group time. All that aside..is a missional Super Bowl event possible? In our book Missional Youth Ministry: Moving from Gathering Teenagers to Scattering Disciples, I write: "When we dare to think about youth ministry holistically and to incorporate the spirit of the Way of Christ into everything we do -- from lock-ins to mission trips, from game nights to campfire worship-- we're inviting young people to experience a missional way of life in which God's Spirit is evident in all they say and do." (p. 149) It is my firm belief that we shouldn't be leading any activities in youth ministry that don't clearly connect to our understanding of the wider mission of the church. For me, being "missional" means measuring all that we do against the degree to which it helps us participate in God's mission of peace, community, love, grace, forgiveness, and justice. Can a Super Bowl party really do this, or is it just an excuse to set aside youth ministry for one night and submerge ourselves in popular culture? What might a more missional approach to a Super Bowl party look like? Here's a few ideas:1) Participate in the Souper Bowl of Caring: It's simple. Just encourage your youth to bring canned goods or monetary donations to your gathering and make a plan to deliver them to a local food outreach ministry or organization. Even better, challenge your congregation on Superbowl Sunday morning to drop their donations off at the youth gathering later that evening. Feeling really intrepid? Skip the half-time show and go out into your local neighborhood and solicit canned food donations door-to-door. Download the "Tackle Hunger" sign from the Souper Bowl website, invite your teens to write their own messages about food inequality on the signs, photograph them, and upload the shots to the Souper Bowl website, Facebook, or wherever else you might be able to raise the awareness of others. 2) Send Greetings: Watching the game together can simply be seen as a means to a different end. With everybody in one place at one time, take advantage of the opportunity to set out a table of blank greeting cards and invite all of your youth to help you fill out greetings to your home bound elderly, anyone who is in the hospital, church members in the military, college students away from home, teens who haven't been to youth group in awhile, and so on.3) Promote Community: Sometimes the most "missional" thing you can do is offer ways to help your youth strengthen their bonds of fellowship and their identity as one body in Christ. Promoting fellowship can be tough if everyone is just sitting around staring at a TV. Why not provide a variety of activities in addition to watching the game? Set out board games, art supplies, or even create a quiet space where youth can sit comfortably and chat with each other. Speak with your adult mentors in advance of the evening and ask them to take advantage of the unstructured time to talk with as many of the youth as they can, catching up on their lives and needs. 4) Share the Gospel: I'll admit one problem I have with elevating the Super Bowl to the center of attention for a youth ministry gathering is the fact that it celebrates competition and for me competition is antithetical to the gospel. We don't compete to be #1 in the Kingdom of God yet the Super Bowl puts a great deal of emphasis on winners and losers (including the competition to present the best commercial!). Why not take some time during the event to ask your group: "This game is being watched by millions of people. What sort of messages do you think are being presented to all of them during this broadcast? If our group could afford to buy commercial time in the Super Bowl and send one simple message about the gospel to all those millions of people, what might it be?" As an extension of this conversation, perhaps encourage your teens to make a large banner with that message that can be posted in front of the church or challenge them all to text that message to their friends right then and there or add it as their status update on Facebook. 5) Invite Guests: You can turn an inwardly focused youth group party into an outwardly focused opportunity for mission by challenging your youth to bring guests to the event -- in particular, youth who do not have a church home but really need to belong to a community of care and nurture. Hopefully, the teens in your group feel like it is a place where they are loved and accepted as children of God. Ask them to invite other teens who need to know that experience for themselves and make them the guests of honor at your event. 6) Prepare and Eat a Meal Together: Sure, you could just order pizzas and sub sandwiches. But there is something about preparing a meal together that strengthens community (maybe this is why Jesus hangs around with so many people at mealtime!). So make pizzas or sandwiches together from scratch before the big game. For an added challenge, connect the entire group by using yarn to tie their wrists to each other so that they have to practice give and take to both cook and eat. I've done this before with youth with great success. I finish by sharing this favorite metaphor about the difference between heaven and "hell." (Here's video and photos to show you how one person approached this very idea!) Following this post, we received some interesting feedback: Adam: Every time I think about youth and the Super Bowl, I remember when I was in my late teens and joined a Presbyterian church where the only other youth were the pastor's sons. Super Bowl came around and the associate pastor invited me to his house for a party, saying there would be other teens there. I took a friend, and the apartment was PACKED! I didn't recognize anyone apart from the pastor's kids. Apparently all the kids were grandkids of members and either were part of some other church or no church at all. It was a great night, but I never saw those kids again. Josh: I agree with what was said about the competition factor. I also am wary of bowing down to cultural golden calfs and idols. I also usually try to promote games that encourage team building rather than competition and to turn our worship to Christ BUT with that said, there are a few themes that can be built on around football....These two teams are comprised of individuals. There can't be football without teams. Even the superstar MVP can't win games by himself - someone needs to pass him the ball and defend him. Someone needs to stop the other team. Every member has their job and if one member fails, it effects the whole team. (Body of Christ much?) Amy: I understand the struggle to find or create missional events instead of "social" events for our youth, however, after 10 years of youth ministry, they have found a place in our program for one main reason: there are youth who don't have friends outside of youth group. (and heck, they struggle to keep the friends they have IN youth group) I have had several youth go through my program that would never have attended a superbowl party, a pool party, or a baseball game with their peers if it wasn't part of our program. Ben: I'm fully on board and wish Church took more of a priority rather than a stupid football game that doesn't matter. But at the same time, I could have been stubborn and still had Youth Group last night. I would have had some annoyed volunteers and zero kids show up. Im glad I got to open our house and have every square inch occupied by adults and teens cheering and yelling together. Other thoughts? How does the Super Bowl fit (or not) into your ministry with youth? How would you turn a youth group Super Bowl party into a "missional" experience for your teens? |
| Youth Ministry Idea for the New Year: Gratitude Jar |
From Rethinking Youth Ministry on Friday, January 11, 2013 @ 7:01 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
Start of the new year with a new spiritual practice of gratitude in your youth ministry.I really like this idea that I keep bumping into on various blogs and Pinterest as it's an easy way of developing a ritual for your group of practicing gratitude each time you gather. In its most basic form, you just get a jar and provide your youth with slips of paper and pens or markers (or even smooth stones, post it notes, or whatever you can dream up). At each meeting, invite everyone to record one thing they are thankful for from the recent week. Then you can each share what you have written (or not) and place it in the jar. As the year goes on, the jar becomes fuller and fuller. In December, you pour out these prayers of gratitudes and read them all over again as a reminder of the past year. You could also consider putting them all up on a bulletin board at the end of the year or using this as part of a creative art project (Glue them all down onto a canvas to form an image? Tape them together on the wall to form the word "thanks?). Another option would be to have a youth group meeting where each person creates/decorates their own gratitude jar. Each student takes theirs home and adds to it whenever something good happens in their lives.Just a simple idea that could become a regular and meaningful ritual in your ministry. |
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