| Dear Youth Leader, |
From Dare 2 Share Ministries International on Thursday, May 9, 2013 @ 8:37 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
Dear Youth Leader,
As you read this letter perhaps it's 9:25pm on a Wednesday night. The last teenager and adult volunteer have left the building and you're stuck folding the metal chairs and doing your best to clean the youth room so the church custodian doesn't get mad at you...again.
To add insult to spilt Coke, tonight may have been one of "those" nights for you. Your jokes fell flat and that group of arrogant churchy kids (who always sit in the back left corner) were mocking you with whispers from their giggling Pharisee paradise. The preacher's kid glared at you, daring you to call out daddy's dearest in public. You took his dare and was met with rolling eyes and heavy sighs by him and his sarcastic posse.
Down deep inside you may be wondering if you're making a difference at all. You're scrolling through your weekly to do list and it may seem more like meetings than mission. You're tired of the stress youth ministry triggers at home, at church and, most of all, down deep inside your own heart.
You may be thinking about giving up.
You may be wondering if it's worth the small paychecks and big headaches.
You may be considering hanging up your paintball gun and canceling your subscription to Group Magazine.
Don't.
It is worth it.
It's worth every late night text from every frantic teen girl who just got dumped. It's worth every angry phone call from a can't-understand-why-you-let-those-kids-in-youth-group parent.
Think about Jenna who put her trust in Jesus last summer at camp. She was a cutter and suicidal. But your talk on Friday night made her run to the front of the auditorium and collapse in your arms sobbing. But she wasn't really running to you. She was running to Jesus and he was hugging her through you.
And you can't forget about Jake, the tough kid who Jeremy brought out to youth group last month. Not only did he believe in Jesus as a result of Jake sharing the gospel with him, but now he's leading the charge for evangelism at Jefferson High School. And it all started when you taught Jeremy to share his faith and then challenged him to do it.
Degree by degree your teens are changing. Every talk you give, every mission trip you coordinate and every prayer you utter are nudging most of your teens closer to Jesus in often imperceptible but deeply undeniable ways.
Don't let the left corner kids discourage you. Don't let that nemesis elder dissuade you. Don't let the politics of puberty rob you of your calling.
Keep praying, teaching and discipling. Keep energizing to evangelize. Keep loving teens relentlessly with the love of Jesus.
And one day, when you collapse in his arms after a job well done, you'll hear "Well done" whispered in your ear. In a flash he'll show you the kingdom impact you made in the form of changed lives and saved souls. He'll show you how he used all the youth ministry trials you endured to make you more dependent on him and, as a result, more effective in your ministry. He'll show you the full extent of your investment.
That will be the real payday. That will be the ultimate pay off. On that day you'll realize in full that it was all worth it.
So, until that day, stand your post and embrace your calling.
You are a youth leader. |
| YM Essentials: Building A Team Of Volunteers (Who Aren't Just Like You) |
From youthministry360 on Thursday, May 9, 2013 @ 7:39 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
One afternoon, our youth ministry organized a service day for our teenagers at a local food bank. Mark, a sophomore in high school, was one of the students who had been assigned to ride with me. As we walked to the parking lot together, he asked if John, a youth leader on our team, was coming. When I told him John wasn't able to make it to that event, Mark replied, "That's too bad. He has a lot cooler music in his car than you do." While some in that situation might have been offended, I wasn't. I was grateful. Mark was a pretty unique teenager, and while I enjoyed hanging out with him, no one on our team could connect with him like John.You probably have a similar story in your youth ministry: There's a student you've never really been able to connect with, but who really has a great relationship with another leader. If you think your students, you'll likely notice that certain students tend to gravitate towards certain leaders because of their personality, background, or age. If students tend to connect with leaders they can identify with, what does that say about the kind of team of leaders we should be building? As you build and lead your team, do you put much thought into the fact that a more diverse team will be able to serve a more diverse group of teenagers? In case it's not something you've every considered before, here are three things to keep in mind as you build your team:Make an effort to recruit leaders who are unlike you.You probably already know that the best way to recruit leaders is to invite them personally. The problem is that our default mode is to invite leaders who tend to be like us. If we only recruit leaders to our team who are like us, then we're in danger of building teams who can connect only to teenagers who are like us. Get the picture? To serve a diverse team of teenagers, we need to invite people who are not like us to be on our team; people who might have different tastes in music, different personalities, different experiences, and so on.Think about the kinds of teenagers God might be calling you to reach.Chances are, your goal as a youth pastor is to reach teenagers. But have you ever stopped to think about what kind of teenagers God is asking you to reach? Maybe God is asking you to start focusing more on the teenagers in your church's neighborhood—and those teenagers might not think, act, and look just like you. How can you add members to your team that can connect with those teenagers and their families? It might be as simple as adding some leaders who can help you reach those kids who skateboard in your church parking lot after school. Or the changes to your team might be deeper (and more difficult), such as looking at the racial diversity of your neighborhood as compared with the racial diversity of your leadership team. It could be that God is asking you to reach teenagers near your church that you have ignored for far too long. Does the diversity of your team reflect your desire to reach those teenagers?Pray for (and invite) leaders who are better at youth ministry than you.This might be hard to hear, so I'll say it quickly and be grateful that I won't be in the same room as you read this: You aren't the best small group leader, or Bible study teacher in your church. In fact, depending on your church, you may not even be in the top five. I recently sat in on one of our high school small groups. One of the adult leaders masterfully led a thirty-minute discussion about "tough questions" for a group of mostly freshman boys who rarely sit still the other six days of the week. By the end, I had a realization: This guy is far better at this than I'll ever be. Thankfully, my church didn't hire me to be the best small group leader on our team. It's not in my job description, as far as I can remember. And it's probably not in yours, either. Our job as youth pastors is to create an environment where high school students can meet Jesus and grow in their relationship with Him. A big part of that is building a team of youth leaders who may actually be better at relational ministry, or leading a Bible study that we are. ?Certainly there are more factors that determine how you build a diverse team. Which factors do you focus on? |
| Youth Ministry Handoff: A Response |
From YouthMinistry.com on Thursday, May 9, 2013 @ 2:02 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
Kurt & Josh continue to offer great topics and content with SYM Today. I was both challenged by the thought-provoking journal questions and encouraged by the practical transition suggestions. This week they have out done themselves by including a Football analogy. So, in keeping with the "football" theme, I wanted to play a little Thursday morning quarterback.
It starts with the General Manager (Christian Education Committee) -
One way we have found to create harmony, is to know and develop together each departments 3 year scope. Knowing what other classes are teaching and what is coming next allows us to teach on the same topic or book of the Bible throughout the many classes. This doesn't always work through "Big Church", but if a series is known early enough we can connect to that topic as well. Leaving space for an "audible" to be called is important. Something that is relevant to now can make a huge impact instead of strictly going by the game plan. For example, taking time to work through the recent Boston Marathon tragedy.
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Help Your Students "Thrive", Even in Transition
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The roll of the Cheerleaders is crucial -
Kurt & Josh wrote about this briefly, but I wanted to emphasize the importance of cheering on our students when opportunity presents itself. We are small enough that all our Sunday School classes are at our "Promotion Sunday". This is a great time to celebrate as our students move from one class to the next with certificates, pictures, applause, and smiles. Also, consider using this opportunity to connect with parents of students moving up to your team. Use every chance you can find to celebrate with students during their accomplishments.
read more |
| Youth Worker BOOST: Rental Faith |
From youthministry360 on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 @ 7:04 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 offerYouth 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.CLICK HERE to have the Youth Worker Boost delivered right to your inbox whenever we publish a new one! We call these the E-BOOST! "Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, 'Who do the crowds say I am?' They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.' 'But what about you?' he asked. 'Who do you say I am?' Peter answered, 'The Christ of God.'"--Luke 9:18-20There was a newscast recently that shed light on a relatively new issue plaguing certain sectors of our country. In this economy, where foreclosures are at an all time high, people who rent their homes are frequently finding them trashed by the people renting them. Or when Banks come to take over a home whose owners are being evicted, they find the home in disrepair.There was a very significant point made in regards to why this was occurring so frequently: People don't value what they don't own.You may be ministering to some students who are living with a faith they borrowed from their parents. Len Woods, author of the book, "Unofficial Guide to Life After High School," says that "borrowed faith is when people talk about God and do things for God instead of spending time with God." This describes many of our students, doesn't it? And it might describe many of us. But it doesn't describe Peter. Peter knew Jesus intimately and had no problem confessing that He was the Messiah. Do your students have a real or a borrowed faith? Better yet, what about you? Do you spend more time "doing for God" or more time hanging out with Him? Has your time of seeking Him personally been replaced with office work and and logistics? If so, ask yourself: "Is this what God intended when He called me to this ministry?"Like He did with Peter, Jesus is asking us and our students if we know Him. This question may be the most important one we'll ever answer.Our prayer for you: We pray that you would be able to know where you stand in regards to your relationship with God. If it's time you turned back toward Him and reorganized your priorities, our prayer is that you have the strength to make that change. Look for a new Youth Worker Boost each Wednesday on the ym360 Blog.Last Week's BOOST:The Source Of Our StrengthNext Week's BOOST: Hello Neighbor Get more BOOST articles HERE! |
| Great leadership is as simple as a cup of coffee… |
From YouthWorkTalk.com on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 @ 5:01 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
Great leadership is as simple as a cup of coffee. I was reminded of the reality of this statement recently when I went on a java run for my staff. When I entered the office with four cups of joe I was greeted with joy, excitement and appreciation. There was a new mood in the [...]You just finished reading Great leadership is as simple as a cup of coffee...! |
| FREE Parenting eBook for Helping Teens Answer Tough Questions |
From Life in Student Ministry on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 @ 5:00 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
Children and teenagers ask a lot of tough questions. This free ebook equips parents and youth workers with Biblical answers to those questions. |
| Youth Ministry Transitions |
From YouthMinistry.com on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 @ 2:02 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
This is a season of transitions in our ministry. In just a couple of weeks the 6th-graders will be moving into our junior high ministry, our new freshman will be entering high school, and our just-graduated seniors will be moving up into the college-level program. It's a bittersweet time of excitement for the new, mixed with the loss of incredible students who are no longer formally in your care.
Today we hope to provide you with a few keys to make the transitions smooth in your church. As we learned yesterday, the youth ministry "handoff" can be a time when students fail to make the move up in one of their life's most challenging times. Here are some thoughts to make them go well.
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Help Your Grads Start The Next Season With This Graduation Bundle
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Work in harmony with the other areas of ministry.
If you work in junior high ministry, you should be in relationship with the children's ministry leaders. If you're the new college pastor, one of your first steps should be to develop a relationship with the youth workers who care for your high school students. Know their programs, their wins and losses, and reach down to grab students to pull them up.
Prepare your students for what is ahead.
?As recently as this past year we had a few graduating seniors that LOVED our youth ministry but had never been to "big church" before. We love that they loved us, but it was sad that they only really knew youth group and had not become part of the whole church. Some of those conversations became the genesis of the Worship Together Weekends we've talked about so much in the past. (If you don't know what WTW is, click here for more details.)read more |
| Is your life your message? |
From Youth Leaders Academy on Wednesday, May 8, 2013
in the "Blog" Category.
My life is my message. I love this quote from Ghandi. It's the more poetic form of the well know saying that actions speak louder than words. Don't get me wrong: we need words, absolutely. I'm not a big fan of the quote that's often attributed to Fransiscus of Assisi that we should preach the [...]You just finished reading Is your life your message?! Have you subscribed to our free biweekly newsletter yet? |
| Ways to be a great team-leader, smart phone safety nets, preparing for summer, the need for female |
From Youth Specialties on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 @ 11:25 PM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
Ways to be a great team-leader, smart phone safety nets, preparing for summer, the need for female leaders in student ministry, the part doubt plays in your students' lives. Check out these and other links today.
Links:
10 Ways to Play a Great Team-Player - Doug Fields
Smart Phone Safety Nets - Jonathan McKee
Preparing for Summer, Partnering in Ministry - CYMT
5 Reaons Your Ministry Needs Women Leaders - YouthMin.org
Letting Students Doubt - Justin Knowles |
| YS Idea Lab: Turning Your Ideas Into Reality |
From Youth Specialties on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 @ 2:54 PM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
What does it look like to live whimsically and love inefficiently? Seth Bartlette interviews Bob Goff about how he chooses to.
The YS Idea Lab was filmed on location at the National Youth Workers Convention. Don't miss out on 2013, register now. |
| YS Idea Lab: Turning Your Ideas Into Reality |
From Youth Specialties on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 @ 2:53 PM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
Welcome to the second episode of the YS Idea Lab. Everyone has great ideas, but what does it take to actually turn them into reality? Seth Bartlette interviews Charles Lee about what it takes to start implementing your ideas and do your best work.
The YS Idea Lab was filmed on location at the National Youth Workers Convention. Don't miss out on 2013, register now. |
| Summer Movies Save the Day (Part 1) |
From YouthMinistry.com on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 @ 10:53 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
The Heroes and Villains at the Box Office of 2013
An article from David R. Smith at TheSource4YM.com
Look out: there are lots of bad guys threatening Earth at the box office this summer! Aliens, terrorists, zombies, Klingons – and even a few idiots – will all take their turn trying to destroy our world.
Fortunately, we've got some well-known heroes, and a few newbies, that'll save the day.
The Summer Smashes
Let's face it: Hollywood LOVES summer. Each year, the hottest films make their debut during the hottest months. The period from May to August is such a windfall for studios that producers and directors plan their releases several years in advance. Since The Source for Youth Ministry knows that millions of young people will make their way into theaters during this timeframe, we always write a two-part article that previews the movies that are sure to be at the top of kids' watch lists.
This summer's lineup looks to be a strong one. There will be plenty of action movies – many of which threaten the existence of Earth – with epic battles between heroes and villains. As usual, Hollywood is offering a healthy mix of "current" and "classic." Moviegoers will see good guys save the day on the "Final Frontier" as well as in the "Wild West."
We'll cover the blockbusters in order of their release date; Part One will include May and June, while Part Two will be reserved for flicks coming out in July and August. For each of the films, we'll provide a preview along with an official trailer (or two), as well as give the movie's rating (where available). We'll also provide a few tips that'll help your family pick the winners – and avoid the losers – at theaters this summer.
I hope you're ready. The villains seem to be.
May 3 - Iron Man 3 – (Currently Unrated)
As usual, Marvel is the first big studio out of the gate. All three of the films in the Iron Man franchise have enjoyed an early jump on the summer box office; #3 will follow suite. The official trailer reveals that movie goers will experience much of the same high-energy, explosion-heavy action sequences that made the first two flicks such a success…in spite of the fact that Jon Favreau, the director of the first two films, will be replaced by Shane Black (from the renowned Lethal Weapon films).
Fans will probably catch a cool story line, as well. Given that terrorism is such a concern in the real world, Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) will tackle a fearsome terrorist (The Mandarin) in the make-believe world. In the film, the evil villain played by Ben Kingsley says, "Some people call me a terrorist. I consider myself a teacher. Lesson number one: heroes – there is no such thing." Trailer scenes then paint a pretty grim picture for our metallic superhero.
The film is currently unrated, but will likely be PG-13 once it's released in theaters. The first two had to be rated PG-13 to keep up with the action sequences and Tony Stark's brash, conceited, playboyish character.
But even if Iron Man saves Earth from The Mandarin, our world is slated to fall into peril again…in the same month!
May 17 – Star Trek Into Darkness (Currently Unrated)
Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scotty, and Uhura are all back in the sequel to the highly popular film from 2009. At the helm of this sci-fi thriller is the same beloved – and enigmatic – director of the first film, J. J. Abrams, which may be one of the reasons the film is titled "Into Darkness" rather than "2". The movie's official trailer doesn't give much away, but that's how Abrams likes it. (Remember Super 8 and Lost?)
We do know a few things, however. For starters, audiences will get the chance to further invest into the life and story of young James T. Kirk (played by Chris Pine). We also know that British actor Benedict Cumberbatch will have a role, but what exactly that role will be remains unconfirmed. Finally, true Trekkie fans are ecstatic that Klingons will actually be in this film.
Again, this film is currently unrated, but will probably wind up being PG-13 due to action sequences and images of violence.
That said, there is no doubt what the next film on our list will be rated.
May 24 – The Hangover 3 (R)
I regret to inform you, the Wolfpack is back (again).
The big three, Bradley Cooper (Phil), Ed Helms (Stu), Zach Galifianakis (Alan), have returned to Vegas, and are bringing along their supporting cast members from the first two films, Justin Bartha (Doug), Ken Jeong (Mr. Chow), and Heather Graham (Jade). If their adventure is anything like the first two, it's sure to be littered with overt sexuality, drug and alcohol use, and plenty of course language and dialogue.
(I apologize if I'm a wee bit biased about this upcoming film. It's just that I don't find it necessary to grant any accolades to a bunch of writers, producers, and actors who continually pick the low-hanging fruit in order to make money.)
The movie's official trailer shows that the main characters are still up to the same "bad decisions and mayhem" they were known for in the first two films. The only comforting news at this point is the fact that Part 3 will be the last installment in this franchise. Director Todd Phillips has said that, "The Hangover Part III is Alan's story. He's going through a crisis after the death of his father, [and] the Wolfpack is all he has."
God help him….
When declaring that Part 3 will be the end of the trilogy's mayhem, Phillips also stated, "We're going to surprise a lot of people with the final chapter we have planned." Pardon me if I remain doubtful. After all, I did see the trailers for Part 1 and Part 2.
Regardless, The Hangover 3 will be big. Fans shelled out well over a billion dollars at the worldwide box office for the first two debauchery-laden films. No doubt, many of them will pay to see how the stupidity concludes.
I'm just happy that this hangover is about to wear off.
May 24 – Fast and Furious 6 (PG-13)
One look at this movie's official trailer and it's easy to see why this film franchise has lasted so long: uber cool, high-speed stunts.
Granted, this movie won't get any Oscar nods, but it will definitely attract the cult following it's built up over the last 12 years. Yep, 12 years. Even though this is the 6th installment, the franchise continues to make money and movies because it knows how to attract young fans: speed, stunts, and skirts.
In this film, which seems to have a slightly better story than the others, Dominic "Dom" Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his gang are pulled out of retirement and hiding when special agent Hobbs (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) recruits them to take down an unknown team of hijackers that includes a "ghost" from Dom's past.
F&F6 speeds into theaters on May 24th. So will young viewers.
June 7 – After Earth (Currently Unrated)
Anytime Will Smith teams up with his son Jaden Smith, it's a smash hit. This time, they're taking their father-son skills into the future with a film entitled After Earth.
Although there's sure to be plenty of action, the movie's official trailer spends much of the time providing the backdrop, while the movie's official website fills in the blanks. At some point in our future, Earth had to be abandoned by humans due to cataclysmic events that would have ended our species. Survivors formed the United Ranger Corps and tasked it with one responsibility: preserve humanity. Journeying from their new home Nova Prime, Cypher Raige (Will Smith), a celebrated member of the Rangers, crash lands on Earth with his teenage son Kitai and sustains a serious injury in the process. Young Kitai must face his fears, signal the remaining humans, and evacuate himself and his father off of the very hostile planet once known as Earth.
The movie is directed by M. Night Shyamalan, a filmmaker who knows a bit about story…and surprise endings (The Sixth Sense and Signs).
And if you're wondering how Earth became so hostile in the first place, just check out the next movie on our list.
June 7 – The Internship (Currently Unrated)
When the one-two combo of a bad economy and changing technology puts two middle-aged salesmen out of work, they swallow all their pride and venture to Google's headquarters to take an internship they hope will lead to full-time employment. That means this movie, starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, will be like The Social Network meets Wedding Crashers.
The movie's official trailer shows that there will be plenty of laughs in this film, but it also hints that there will be plenty of crude humor that is a staple of Owen's and Vaughn's movies, like Hall Pass, and Couples Retreat respectively.
This buddy movie will appeal to several different kinds of crowds, and it will be interesting to see how industry-leading Google partners with the launch of the movie as it gets closer. Whether or not these two actually win a job at Google, they're just about assured to win the box office that weekend.
June 14 – Man of Steel (Currently Unrated)
Though I absolutely hated Superman Returns (2006), I've been a fan of "Supes" since I was old enough to run around in red underwear with a matching towel strapped to my neck. In fact, I think we should have an annual Christopher Reeve's Day. Maybe you can understand why I'm putting so much hope in this latest recharge of America's oldest superhero.
News of the film began with this teaser trailer that focused on the (ongoing) decision that Clark Kent has in revealing his powers to the world, but the movie's (second) official trailer didn't give away too much more of the plot, continuing its focus on the struggle that Superman has had since his relocation to planet Earth. However, we do know from cast listings that General Zod, the evil Kryptonian military leader, will be a part of this film.
Speaking of cast, this movie has a pretty solid one. Henry Cavill (The Cold Light of Day and The Immortals) plays Clark Kent and Superman while Amy Adams (Trouble with the Curve and Night at the Museum 2) plays his love interest and co-worker, Lois Lane. Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner play Superman's dads, Jor-El and Jonathan Kent, respectively. Zack Synder, the director, is also no stranger to action flicks; he piloted 300 and Watchmen, and is leading Superman's latest story from comic books' pages to theaters' screens.
Interestingly, this movie uses Superman's alternate moniker (Man of Steel) as its title…similar to that of "The Dark Knight" in the recent Batman trilogy. Maybe that's just a new move by DC, the parent company of both…and maybe it has something to do with the fact that this film is being produced by Christopher Nolan, the same guy who directed all three of The Dark Knight movies.
Regardless what it's called, this generation will call it theirs.
June 21 – World War Z (Currently Unrated)
What should the world do when zombies try to overrun the human population on Earth? Simple…just call in Gerry Lane (played by Brad Pitt), a representative of the UN who specializes in zombie prevention and annihilation.
The "zombie genre" is a huge one in our culture, and this movie's official trailer provides plenty of reasons why that's the case: a sense of the unknown, plenty of near misses for the good guys, and of course, widespread death on a global scene. This movie is actually based off of the book World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War written by Max Brooks, and is directed by Marc Forster (Machine Gun Preacher and Quantum of Solace), a guy who knows about action and brutality.
Not only will Brad Pitt fans pour out in droves, but this film is sure to draw out masses of young people too, including college students who've taken actual college classes about zombies.
Prepare yourself. This could be worse than World War 3….
Intermission
OK…Earth is on the brink of disaster at the hands of zombies. Seems like as good a place as any to take an intermission and provide a few tips for choosing the best movies for your family this summer.
With very few exceptions (for instance, The Hangover 3) most of these films will probably be fairly clean. That's pretty good news. However, you'll still want to do your homework before taking your teenagers to the theater this summer, and The Source for Youth Ministry is the perfect place to turn for assistance. We've got several FREE tools that will help you make great decisions about this summer's entertainment; here are two of them:
MOVIE REVIEWS & QUICK Q's page. Over the years, this has become one of our users' favorite resources. Our team will take the time to preview the films highlighted in this 2-part article on its opening weekend and then offer their thoughts on the film's entertainment value, appropriateness for teens, and even some ways to use the movie to springboard into discussions about biblical values. (In some cases – not all – we even have those reviews available on the movie's opening day because we're able to preview the film before its release.) Keep a close eye on this webpage; you'll want to reference it over and over again this summer.
MOVIE CLIP DISCUSSIONS page. This webpage combines clips from Hollywood blockbusters with a relevant Bible passage, small group questions, and even a wrap up that will help you make a spiritual point in the lives of teenagers. This user-friendly page is searchable by movie title as well as topic. You'll definitely be seeing some of these films on our list as they are released so check back often.
In Part Two of this article, we'll look at the blockbusters of July and August, as well as provide a few more tips on how to make the most of your movie-going experiences. Don't miss it!
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David R. Smith is a 15-year youth ministry veteran who helps youth workers and parents through his writing, training, and speaking. David specializes in sharing the gospel, and equipping others do the same. He co-authored his first book this year, Ministry By Teenagers. David provides free resources to anyone who works with teenagers on his website, DavidRSmith.org. David resides with his wife and son in Tampa, Florida. |
| The Great Gatsby or The Great God? |
From YouthMinistry.com on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 @ 10:50 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
By: Lane Palmer at Dare 2 Share
Leo DeCaprio is a law breaker…not in his real life (as far as I know) - but he definitely crosses the legal lines in his latest cinematic venture as Jay Gatsby.
If you don't believe me, then read the great American novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald entitled The Great Gatsby. If you don't have time for that, you can always plunk down a huge chunk-o-change and take in the film adaptation of the classic novel on the big screen.
As you probably know, The Great Gatsby features Titanic stars like Leo DiCaprio and folks who have a spidey sense about things like Tobey McGuire. You'll enjoy a two and a half hour journey back to the roaring 20's packed with flapper dresses, one-of-a-kind cars, and several billion dollars of product placement (Got Prada?).
And you'll also see that Jay Gatsby is a law breaker…
Not that it wasn't easy to dabble in a bit of crime during that period - gangs running rampant, prohibition was in full swing, even the World Series was fixed! For Gatsby, the temptation to bend the rules became infinitely more appealing when status and love became the end game. The possibility of reuniting with the object of his affection allowed him to justify breaking the law to win her back.
To be sure, the Great Gatsby achieved his "greatness" by getting away with more than most people would, but there is one universal law that he ignored that is a 100% guarantee:
Make no mistake, God is not mocked. A person will harvest what they plant. Those who plant only for their own benefit will harvest devastation from their selfishness, but those who plant for the benefit of the Spirit will harvest eternal life from the Spirit(Galatians 6:7-8).
"A person will harvest what they plant" - or to put this surety another way - you will reap what you sow.
It's not "you might reap what you sow," or "chances are that you will harvest what you plant," it is you will…
You will find your life full of loneliness when you plant seeds of hate.
You will reap a harvest of bitterness when you sow unforgiveness.
And like the Great Gatsby, you will harvest destruction when you scatter the kernels of jealousy, greed, cruelty, pride and selfishness.
Why? Because "God is not mocked"! He wove the law of reaping and sowing into the fabric of the universe, and one of the biggest and most common mistakes I've witnessed in the lives of those around me is forgetting that this principle is non-negotiable.
But praise God, even though we harvest what we plant in the soil of our sinful nature, there is another garden in life where the ground is incredibly rich and the harvest is bountiful. Just as sure as the sowing of sin brings destruction, so the investment of our time, talent, and treasures in the Kingdom of God through the power of the Holy Spirit will bring eternal life.
It's not that doing good works and pleasing God earns our entrance to heaven, rather "eternal life" in this passage refers to the way Jesus defines it:
"Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent"(John 17:3).
You see, "eternal life" is not just a quantity thing - it's a quality thing as well! When we emulate and imitate the Great Gatsby by planting the seeds of living for pointless and petty pursuits, we are setting ourselves up for the certain destruction of our relationships, health, happiness, and even our very lives.
But when we yield to the power and presence of the Holy Spirit and live each moment for the Great God, the landscape of our lives will begin to take on the beauty and eternal value of heaven itself.
So what will it be for you, my friend? The Great Gatsby movie may perhaps be a fun way to escape from everyday life for a bit and marvel at the pre-war America that was built on opulence – but…
America in 2013 is in a real spiritual battle for the lives and souls of those who don't know Jesus Christ. Committing yourself to THE Cause of Christ is a great way to sow the seeds of the gospel in the lives of our friends and see a harvest that matters now and for all eternity! |
| Teaching Your Teenagers The Basics Of Their Faith |
From youthministry360 on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 @ 6:46 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
In January we launched Volume 1 of our elements Bible study curriculum. It represented the first 5 of the 25 studies that will eventually make up the line. We followed that up with elements Volume 2 in March. We're super excited to be launching elements Volume 3 today!elements is all about helping you teach your students the basics of their faith. We all want our students to live a vibrant faith life. It's hard to do this if they don't have a full picture of what they believe. elements takes 25 foundational concepts of our faith and looks at each concept through a really unique framework. Each study looks at one of these key concepts--concepts like God's Mission, God's Love, the Salvation, Discipleship, and many more--in three lessons. Each lesson works like a "lens."The first lesson looks at the concept through the lens of God's character.The second lesson looks at the concept through the lens of the Gospel.The third lesson looks at the concept through an ultra focused lens of practically living out the concept as a 21st Century teenage Christ-follower. And as of yesterday, we have 15 of these studies available! Between volumes 1, 2, and 3, you can teach your teenagers any one of the following concepts:God's LoveSalvationGod's JudgmentGraceDiscipleshipHoly SpiritGod's WordSpiritual GiftsGod's GloryEvangelismGod's KingdomThe ChurchWorshipPersecutionGod's MissionI'm pumped. I love what this line of Bible study represents for your teenagers. I love that you'll have the chance to really help them focus on the essentials of their faith. As much as anything, elements also reflects the strong relationship you've allowed us to build with you, the youth workers who make up the ym360 community.The commitment to craft a curriculum that teaches these foundational truths started with you. We heard you telling us over and over that you want more for your students when it comes to leading them deeper in their relationship with Christ. You told us you'd love some help teaching core truths in a way that was deep, but still easy to teach, solid but still engaging and interactive. We feel like elements is all of these things and more. The feedback so far has been so, so positive. We love hearing from you about the great discussion and times of Bible study you're having with your students using elements. So, we're excited. And we think you will be too. As we continue to roll out content, feel free to go check out elements for yourself.CLICK HERE to learn more or to try a FREE elements studyAnd, while you're here, take a second and watch this short video:If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! Call (888.969.6360), Live Chat us by clicking on the link at the top of this page, or email us at customercare@youthministry360.com. We'd love to answer any questions you may have. |
| The Youth Ministry Handoff |
From YouthMinistry.com on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 @ 2:02 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
The quarterback takes the ball, and hands it to the running back. The running back forgot the play for a second, maybe the quarterback goofed and was a split-second late—either way there's a problem with the exchange and before you know it the ball squirts from his hands on to the AstroTurf™. FUMBLE!
Something went wrong and the end of the play usually leaves everybody wondering what it was and how to make sure it never happens again.
The children's ministry is doing their own thing. The college ministry is on their own page, too. Big church is doing something completely different. Oh boy. Here come the kids—there go the seniors. How can we be better at the crucial handoffs between our ministries? Is it possible not to fumble this important part of youth ministry?
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Help Your Seniors Transition With This Graduation Gift Set
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That's what we're going after this week: lots of practical stuff coming tomorrow, but today let's focus on the big picture.
1) The handoff is critically important.?
Often times students leave in the transition. In junior high they were forced to come to church with the family. In high school they have some options. In college the have total freedom. In each life stage the handoff is a vulnerable time to lose students as they move from one ministry to another.
2) It is difficult to move from a ministry you love to the unknown.
?Students who LOVE their junior high ministry might be intimidated by the bearded upperclassmen in the high school ministry, or maybe a young adult is so comfortable with the college ministry they have a hard time moving up to big church because it is largely unknown to them.read more |
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