| *Trending: Week of March 6th, 2013 |
From Youth Specialties on Wednesday, March 6, 2013 @ 12:15 PM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
This week in youth ministry:
Doug Fields shares about some incredible youth ministry training opportunities. Kara Powell helps youth workers get more out of their meetings. Mashable follows-up on KONY 2012 a year later and more!
Have links we should be looking at? Think you have somethig the youth ministry world needs to read? Send us your ideas, posts, and links to Trending@youthspecialties.com
But first, the Video of the Week:
Links
Youth Ministry Training Options - Doug Fields
How to Get the Most Out of Your Meetings - Kara Powel, FYI
'Kony 2012' One Year Later: Success or Failure? - Mashable
The BIBLE, scores record viewership - CNN
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| A Theological Journey Through Youth Ministry: Taking Theology to Youth Ministry, Post 5, Chapter 5 |
From Youth Specialties on Wednesday, March 6, 2013 @ 11:52 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
In this Andrew Root liveBlog Erik Leafblad and I discuss the pull many youth workers feel between a ministry that is focused on taking kids "deep" or focused on evangelism ("outreach"). We discuss how certain theological ideas may help us not see this as an either/or situation, exploring further the thoughts in Taking Theology to Youth Ministry. Listen below.
Listen to internet radio with Andrew Root LiveBlog on Blog Talk Radio |
| Game Time With Les Christie |
From Youth Specialties on Wednesday, March 6, 2013 @ 11:38 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
Here are some tips and tricks from Youth Ministry pro, Les Christie.
When Doing a Game...
NEVER EVER ask "Who wants to do a game?", you'll get a screaming response that more than likely will sound like NO!
Get them in their playing positions before you give them instructions- students have short attention spans.
What are some of your tips or tricks?
Have some tips or tricks of your own? We are always looking for online contributors, send any program, game, or other related content to Trending@youthspecialties.com.
Les Christie has spent more than forty years in youth ministry, including more than twenty years in the same church. An energetic speaker, Les also chairs the youth ministry department at William Jessup University. He's the author of more than a dozen books and lives in California with his wife, Gretchen, where he no longer has to discipline his two grown sons, Brent and David. You can find some of his resources in the YS Shop |
| The youthministry360 Easter Vault |
From youthministry360 on Wednesday, March 6, 2013 @ 6:15 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
Welcome to the youthministry360 Easter Vault! At ym360, we're most passionate about seeing teenagers grow to love Christ more, and about equipping youth workers to help facilitate this growth. Pretty simple, right? But this focus really does drive all that we do. One of the most rewarding ways we get to do this is through our awesome collection of FREE STUFF. It's a blast for us to get to give away solid resources to our great community of youth workers.Easter is such a rich time for Christ-followers, a time of reflection and celebration. The resources you see below will help you lead students to do both of these! Read the descriptions of the lessons and download the one that most suits your needs. Or, download them all! And don't forget to download the free student devotions. You'll love how they help your teenagers prepare their hearts and minds for Easter.We hope you enjoy these and that they help your teenagers draw closer to Christ.Happy Easter from everyone at ym360! FREE BIBLE STUDY LESSONS:Title: Encounter: Death. Life. Forgiveness.Purpose: Challenge teens to remember why Jesus did what He did and what was accomplished through His sacrifice, and to formulate a response to Jesus' death and resurrection.Go To Encounter Download PageTitle: The Thread of LovePurpose: Help teens see how God wove a thread of redeeming love through the Bible, culminating with the greatest expression of love, Jesus' death and resurrection.Go To Thread Of Love Download PageTitle: The Big PicturePurpose: Challenge teens to fully grasp the impact Christ's resurrection has had on their lives by helping them articulate their response to Christ's resurrection, and how it has affected them personally.Go To The Big Picture Download PageFREE STUDENT DEVOTIONS:Title: 10 Easter Devotions: Death. Life. ForgivenessPurpose: Help teens get prepared for Easter by looking at a chronological view of the events surrounding Jesus' last days on earth. They will help your teens prepare their hearts and minds to celebrate Christ's resurrection. Go To 10 Easter Devos Download PageHelp Your Students Understand Their Faith . . . .A Bible study curriculum from ym360 designed to help students grasp the essentials of their faith. LEARN MORE |
| YM Essentials: When Influence Leads To A Lack Of Privacy |
From youthministry360 on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 @ 7:17 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
I was waiting for my car to get its oil changed and I couldn't help but notice the guy sitting across from me in the waiting area looking at me. Granted, I AM a good looking guy. [Editor's Note: This is when there really needs to be a "sarcasm" font. :) ] However, it was as if he wanted to say something. Finally after moments of awkwardness he asked, "Are you Chris Wesley? How's your son?" A moment of panic rushed over me as I thought, "Am I supposed to know this guy?" He saw my confusion and immediately said, "Oh, you probably don't know me. I go to your church and love what you do with the teenagers. Keep up the great work." His encouraging words meant a lot, and I was really appreciative that he asked about our new son. However, I felt a little awkward at the same time. It reminded me of a truth I've learned over the years. Maybe you have as well. It's simply this:The longer we serve at our churches, the more recognizable in public we become. Of course it's natural for students, their parents, and maybe even their friends to recognize us. I know some of my students' teachers and coaches, and some of them know me. But, the longer we spend investing in our church and community, the wider the circle of people who recognize us gets. And with that comes a certain erosion of privacy. Especially if you serve in a smaller or close-knit community. There are interesting ramifications. Because of your position, your identity is tied to the moral and spiritual aspect of people's lives. Therefore, there seems to be greater interest when you:Make mistakesHave a life change Participate in certain hobbiesGive your opinion, even on non-church issuesFor some youth workers, it's flattering when they're given this level of attention. But for others it can be offsetting. The line between public and private is a fine one, and when a youth worker feels like it gets crossed, it can affect both the family and the individual's spiritual health. How do we live with this tension? Here are some thoughts:Set BoundariesOne of the results of a long tenure in a church or community is increased involvement in a community outside of your role as a youth worker. However, if you're not careful, this adds to your already over-committed schedule and can easily rob you of family time. Set boundaries. Do your best to create blocks of time where the only reason you'll pull away from family is in case of an emergency. Keep It ConsistentWe have to be consistent in our lives at church, at home, and in public. An appropriate level of transparency is a must. But, you still have to both protect the trust of your spouse as well as the trust of your fellow church staff (or volunteers, parents, etc.). It's a fine line. Consider talking with your senior pastor and/or fellow youth workers to see how they handle similar pressures.Surround Yourself With SupportFind a group of youth workers who are in the trenches with you. These men and women will pray for you and lift you up. They'll offer sage advice and direction. These should be some of your most important relationships, as these individuals understand your pressures.Embrace Both The Rewards And ConsequencesEmbrace both the influence and the accountability that comes with your role. People in your community might want to occasionally extend you a favor or show generosity in some way because of the impact you've had in your church/community. It's OK to graciously accept. However, your role means you're also under more scrutiny in your community, as well. People may be inclined to be more vocal if/when you show poor judgment somehow. But we can't have it both ways. You may have earned a certain influence, but it comes with increased accountability. Embrace both. You'll be a better leader for it.When you make a significant investment in your church and community, there will be an increase in your public profile, no question about it. Certain people will take greater interest in what you say, do, wear, and so on. You'll be criticized and loved. The goal is to own it. See it as a way of bringing people closer to Christ. Stay humble. Don't get too high or too low. And remember your role. I'm curious: Do you ever struggle with the breakdown of privacy because of you role? Is it wrong to think this way? I'd love to hear your thoughts. |
| God is on TV |
From Interlinc on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 @ 5:45 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
Seriously. Have you noticed how popular He is on the small screen right now? THE BIBLE Miniseries (on The History Channel Sunday night) had over 14 million viewers, and it trended #1 on Twitter on Sunday. I know I'll be ... Continue reading → |
| YM Essentials: What's Real Community Look Like? |
From youthministry360 on Monday, March 4, 2013 @ 3:20 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
[NOTE: We're wrapping up our last day at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference. It has been an awesome experience, as it is each year. It's one of our favorite conferences each year and we'd love to have you join us in Nashville, TN next year. While we're at the conference, we're running this article that was originally posted last year. Hope you enjoy! We'll be back tomorrow with fresh content, which, BTW, is an awesome FREE Easter Lesson and FREE Easter devotions. Don't miss 'em!]I've written before that community is the "incubator for discipleship," and I believe this to be true. I think Scripture attests over and over again that the Christian life is not meant to be lived or cultivated in solitude. I recently revisited a sort of working definition of biblical community I came up with a few years ago. I thought it might be helpful to pass along to help you evaluate the community you're growing in your youth ministry.For me it all starts with one question: How do we move a group of students from merely a collection of disconnected people to a true, biblical community?When I think of biblical community, I automatically turned to Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 4:32-35. Looking at these passages, we get such a great view of the young Jerusalem Church. Through their example, I think we see the amazing potential we have for developing real community. I've developed a diagram that helps me think about it. Here's the diagram followed by a short explanation: Desire To Follow ChristFirst and foremost, there has to be a desire and a commitment to actually grow as a follower of Christ. As we think about community, this starts with a commitment to grow in knowledge of God, with spiritual growth coming from the application of this knowledge.Acts 2:42 says, "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching."Acts 2:46 says, "Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts." (implied teaching)Acts 4:33 says, "With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus."A desire to grow spiritually must be present in your students as the starting point of growing biblical community. Without it, you're just hanging out. You're no different than any other group of people that gather. Ask yourself:How would describe the level of desire your students have to follow Christ?What can you do to help grow this desire?FellowshipFellowship, i.e., hanging out, doing life, etc., is what it's all about. If you think about it, it's kind of both the means and the ends. Fellowship is the heart of community.Acts 2:42 says the believers were "devoted to fellowship." Acts 2:46 says the believers met "every day."If you look at these passages from Acts, you get idea that fellowship has two aspects: proximity (literally being together) and frequency (being together often). Fellowship can't happen unless we're hanging out, doing life together, and doing it frequently. Ask yourself:Are your gatherings fostering fellowship?Is it enough to just meet with students formally? Or do you need to find ways to meet informally outside of your programmed meeting times?Accountability, Transparency, GenerosityWhile there are probably other characteristics of community, here are three main ones I think we see: Transparency, Accountability, and Generosity. Acts 2:44-45 says, "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need." There is great transparency here! They weren't concerned about image. They didn't hesitate to openly bring their needs to the group.There's generosity here, as well. These believers put others' needs above their own. James 5:16 says, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." Accountability can't be forced. It grows out of community. I can only overcome my sin nature and talk to you about my sins if we are "one in heart and mind." We have to have a track record of fellowship. I have to trust you. And you have to have my best interests in mind. Ask yourself:Does your group value transparency and generosity?Your students may not have physical needs your group can meet, but they have other needs. Is your group a place where students can openly bring spiritual and emotional needs to their friends?CompassionOver all of these things flies the banner of compassion. Transparency, accountability, and generosity are all contrary to our human nature. The temptation is to sit in judgment of each other when we are transparent, or as we are being held accountable. Compassion must rule! I think the best expression of this is Galatians 6:2-3:"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself."If there's no compassion, there can be no true transparency, accountability, or generosity. And ultimately, there can be no fellowship. Ask Yourself: Do you foster an environment of compassion in your group?Are your students sympathetic toward each others' unique life situations?The GoalAnd of course the goal of community is to grow together towards Christ-likeness. Well, there you have it. I wonder what you think?What did I miss? What would you add? |
| March Mania NYWC Sale this Weekend |
From Youth Specialties on Saturday, March 2, 2013 @ 8:09 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
National Youth Workers Convention March Mania Sale!
Join thousands of your fellow youth workers at the National Youth Workers Convention (NYWC) this fall in San Diego or Nashville. Get training in over 80 seminars, be inspired and encouraged, do some bonding and team building, and have fun!
We have a great line up of Big Room speakers and worship leaders: Bob Goff, Rachel Held Evans, Mark Batterson, Harvey Carey, Shane Claiborne, Doug Fields, Kara Powell, the Skit Guys, Rend Collective Experiment Audrey Assad just to name a few.
Space with this Price Code MARCHMAD13 is limited, so register early. (Code expires 3/4/13)
Learn More! |
| March Mania NYWC Sale this Weekend |
From Youth Specialties on Saturday, March 2, 2013 @ 8:08 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
National Youth Workers Convention March Mania Sale!
Join thousands of your fellow youth workers at the National Youth Workers Convention (NYWC) this fall in San Diego or Nashville. Get training in over 80 seminars, be inspired and encouraged, do some bonding and team building, and have fun!
We have a great line up of Big Room speakers and worship leaders: Bob Goff, Rachel Held Evans, Mark Batterson, Harvey Carey, Shane Claiborne, Doug Fields, Kara Powell, the Skit Guys, Rend Collective Experiment Audrey Assad just to name a few.
Space with this Price Code (MARCHMAD13) is limited, so register early. (Code expires 3/4/13)
Learn More! |
| Flashback Friday (Mar. 1): This Week's Links From The Youth Ministry Blogosphere |
From youthministry360 on Friday, March 1, 2013 @ 3:11 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
One of the things we are committed to at ym360 is Networking. Our vision for networking is connecting you to people and organizations doing awesome youth ministry.Flashback Friday is a feature where we give you the run down of some of the awesome posts from the past week across youth ministry blogs. Consider it our way of keeping you connected with what is going on. This week's posts from the ym360 BlogYouth Ministry Essentials: Five Characteristics Of Healthy Discipleship by Andy BlanksYouth Worker BOOST: Winning? by Richard ParkerYouth Worker Sound Off: What's Your Definition Of A "Veteran" Youth Minister? by Andy BlanksThree Tips For Making The Most Out Of A Youth Ministry Conference by Andy Blanks Posts From Other Awesome PeopleWe search the Internet to bring you relevant information to help you be a better youth worker. Here are some links from posts we thought were pretty great.Dear youth pastor: It's not a competition, Part 1 by Adam Ramsey6 Keys To A Productive Meeting by Bill ReichartThe 10 Commandments of iPad Preaching by Brandon HilgemannHow to build a youth ministry from scratch. by Brooklyn LindseyLeadership Void by Doug FranklinGrow a Disciple-Making Culture in Your Church by Godwin SathianathanMinistry Jealousy…It's Not a Competition by Justin Knowles3 specific ways to thank people well. by Kara Powell29 Ways to Stay Creative by Kolby MintonGuest Post: Are We Caring for the Spouses of Rookie Youth Pastors? by Ron Marrs That's all the links for this week. As always, have an awesome weekend . . . And THANK YOU for the chance to serve you as part of the ym360 community. |
| The Quack Pack is Back! |
From Interlinc on Thursday, February 28, 2013 @ 9:15 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
Guest post by Troy Hargrave, interlinc's South Central Regional Director Did you catch the season premiere of "Duck Dynasty" last night? Maybe it's just a good escape from all of the craziness these days, but I am hooked on watching those ... Continue reading → |
| Youth Worker BOOST: Winning? |
From youthministry360 on Wednesday, February 27, 2013 @ 4:55 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
ym360 knows youth workers. We know what an incredibly rewarding, yet incredibly challenging job youth ministry can be. There are days when your spirits are sky-high, and there are days when you could use a bit of a "pick me up" from God's Word . . . That's why we're happy to offer Youth Worker Boost, one of the many valuable resources on the ym360 Blog. Boost is a short, weekly piece of encouragement designed to, well, "boost" your spirits and encourage you as you minister to students. We consider it yet another great opportunity to serve you and your ministry. Suscribe To The E-Boost and get them all delivered right in your inbox! "'Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble."--Psalm 90:14-15A visit to a Christian bookstore or a glance at religious television programming reveals a modern-day fascination with being a champion or a winner in life. While we know that God is indeed in the business of blessing us, His children, the guys on TV seem to consistently miss the point. And we definitely never see them talk about the other side of the "blessing coin." All the feel-good, super-smiley pastors on TV don't mention the spiritual significance of trouble and adversity.Is a trouble-free life filled with winning situations the ideal path God has in mind for each of us?Psalm 90 is a prayer of Moses. If you think back to Moses' story, especially the part of how he lead the Israelites out of Egypt, you'll recall he was familiar with tough times. In this passage, we see Moses asking to be made to rejoice in the humbling times of God's blessing and in the years of adversity. Why? Because Moses has apparently realized a truth that many of us have realized, as well: Tough times not only strengthen our faith, but help us realize our total need for God.True "winners" are those who accept both blessings and troubles as ways God molds us into the people He wants us to be.Our prayer for you: We pray that you wouldn't have to experience tough times. But when they come, our prayer is that you'll be "eyes-wide-open" looking for God to move in the midst of your trials. Look for a new Youth Worker Boost each week on the ym360 Blog.Last Week's BOOST: Still Before GodNext Week's BOOST: Learning To Give Get more BOOST articles HERE! |
| YS Roundtable Episode 2: Barrett McRay |
From Youth Specialties on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 @ 8:40 PM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
Welcome to the YS Roundtable Episode #2.
This is a new video show hosted by Terry Linhart, director of the Youth Specialties Academic Support Network (YSASN) and Professor of Youth Ministry & Adolescent Studies at Bethel College in Indiana. In this episode, Terry will be joined by Barrett McRay to discuss soul-care amoung youth workers and the students in their ministry.
YS Roundtable is produced by our friends at RemedyLive. |
| YS Roundtable Episode 2: Barrett McRay |
From Youth Specialties on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 @ 8:39 PM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
Welcome to the YS Roundtable Episode #2.
This is a new video show hosted by Terry Linhart, director of the Youth Specialties Academic Support Network (YSASN) and Professor of Youth Ministry & Adolescent Studies at Bethel College in Indiana. In this episode, Terry will be joined by Barrett McRay to discuss soul-care among youth workers and the students in their ministry.
YS Roundtable is produced by our friends at RemedyLive. |
| *Trending: Week of February 26th, 2013 |
From Youth Specialties on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 @ 8:12 PM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
This week in youth ministry: A bullied kid fights back, and makes a video about it. Doug Fields asks if you laughed or felt compassion at the Oscars. Watch Mark Matlock shake it with a space-helmet at PlanetWisdom and Jonathan Mckee confronts a Facebook app.
Bullies Called Him Pork Chop. He Took That Pain With Him And Then Cooked It Into This. -UPworthy.com
Did you laugh or feel compassion when Jennifer Lawrence tripped at the Oscars? - Doug Fields
Watch 1000's of Students and Mark Matlock do the Harlem Shake - YouthSpecialties.com
Bang With Friends? - Jonathan Mckee
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