| YS Idea Lab: Five Tips For Training Your Own Volunteers |
From Youth Specialties on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 @ 3:40 PM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
Jonathan McKee offers five great ideas for training and developing your volunteers that you can do yourself.
https://vimeo.com/65251639 |
| Cooperative Learning and Its Implications for the Church. |
From Deep Thoughts by Gman on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 @ 12:58 PM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
A reader of mine sent me this article on Cooperative Learning
seems to me this is almost like Youth Cartel's Open Source meeting or even some of what discipleship needs to look like in the context of the church of group support, learning, and modeling it.
Thoughts? what do you think Cooperative learnings implications for the church is?
Each church attender has different variety of learning styles and so to win one we become different styles so we can reach one. Taking people from where they are to where they need to be.
Thoughts?
HT to Kerry Walsh for the Article.http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/ZioO |
| And the April 2013 Winner is.... |
From Pastor2Youth.com on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 @ 10:03 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
Dear Gold Members,It's that time again… for the monthly give-away drawing!!! The April 2013 Winner is.........Andrew Farmer!!!!Congratulations Andrew.Next step – Andrew, please shoot me an email reply with your choice of prizefrom the list below:1) A Youth Ministry Volunteer Speaks His Mind by Rick Williams2) Everybody's Urban by Leneita Fix and Jeffrey Wallace3) Criticism Bites by Brian Berry4) Ministering to Gay Teenagers by Shawn Harrison5) The Hot Seat by Johnny Scott6) Underground - 3 week sermon series by Scott Rubin7) The Red Stuff Sermon Series - 3 week sermon series by Kurt Johnston8) Trinity - 3 week sermon series by Johsua Griffin9) The Indispensable Youth Pastor by Mark DeVries and Jeff Dunn-Rankin10) The Disconnect by Doug Franklin11) As For Me and My Crazy House by Brain Berry12) Mission Trips from Start to Finish by Lynne Ellis and Doug Fieldsor13) Power Play Volume 5 by Doug FieldsCongratulations again... and Good luck to everyone in May, where there will be TWO give-aways.In His Grips,RyanP.S. If you would like to see the full results, as well as verifythat you were included in the drawing (also with the "weight" of yourentries (1 for monthly members, 3 for annual members), you are welcometo do so here: http://www.randompicker.com/protocol/30347x14552 Andplease let me know if there is anything I can do for you. |
| Trending: Sacred movement, Discipleship Failure, Current Race Issues, Power, and more |
From Youth Specialties on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 @ 8:57 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
Sacred movement, discipleship failure, current race issues, power, time off or time forward? Some thought-provoking stuff from around the web.
Links:
Finding God In Movement - Steven Argue (stickyfaith)
While Failure is Okay in Discleship - Andy Blanks (youthministry360)
Denying Race - Efrem Smith (efremsmith.com)
Taking Time "Toward," vs Taking Time Off - Terry Linhart (In This Corner of the World)
Power: An Unseen Commodity or Position of Influence - Randy Brown (Youthworker)
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| Youth Worker BOOST: The Source Of Our Strength |
From youthministry360 on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 @ 6:51 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. 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! "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."--Psalm 1:3Years ago we had a severe drought in our part of the country. After a long summer with little rain the grass turned brown. The plants and trees started dying. The lack of moisture robbed the trees of what they needed to thrive. First the leaves fell off, then branches decayed. Eventually trees just started falling over, hollow shells with rotted cores.Can you relate at all to these trees? Most of us can, or have at least experienced times where felt spiritually dry and hollow.The psalmist lived in a very arid climate. He had probably seen trees struggling to grow in the rocky, dry soil. And he had apparently seen trees growing lush along the river banks. The trees on the riverbanks thrived because the water provided a constant source of nourishment. The psalmist understood the correlation between the river trees and a person's spiritual life.Maybe we could use a reminder of this correlation, as well! The person who plants his or her life in God will find a constant source of spiritual nourishment. However, the solitary tree striving to grow on its on in the dry, arid wilderness is destined to struggle. Death is a possibility. But even if the tree can somehow survive, its growth potential will never be reached. But the tree by the river? The sky's the limit!Stay near to God and your spiritual life will flourish. With God as your nutrient source, you'll grow in ways you never could on your own.Our prayer for you: Your life is busy! But our prayer is that this will be a reminder to make time today to draw close to God, feeding yourself on His Word and His presence. Look for a new Youth Worker Boost each Wednesday on the ym360 Blog.Last Week's BOOST: Where Is God?Next Week's BOOST: Rental Faith Get more BOOST articles HERE! |
| The Essential Leadership Qualities Of Effective Youth Ministry Veterans |
From YouthWorkTalk.com on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 @ 5:01 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
Today we continue our series looking at leadership in youth ministry. If you and I want to be successful in youth ministry and have a lasting impact, there are some key qualities we should be aware of and strive for. Take a look: Do you recall the story in Genesis 12 of "Abrams Call" by [...]You just finished reading The Essential Leadership Qualities Of Effective Youth Ministry Veterans! |
| The 3: Best Youth Ministry Apps (Kurt) |
From YouthMinistry.com on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 @ 2:02 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
Got a smartphone? Chances are you're working at integrating some great apps into your youth ministry world. We do the same thing—and while Angry Birds Star Wars and Temple Run 2 take up a little too much of our time if we're honest, there are some incredible apps for youth ministry.
Josh gave you his yesterday, and today Kurt offers up his 3 favorites. Add your favorite apps in the comments, too:
Okay, I've got a confession to make: I'm FORTY-SEVEN years old, so phone apps aren't a big part of my daily routine. I haven't loaded any new ones on my phone in a while.
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Unleash the Power of LIVE Curriculum Wherever You Go!
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So, instead of acting like I'm hipper than I am, I'm just gonna list a few that I have on my phone that I use from time to time. And, I'm pretty sure they were all free 'cuz there's no way I'm paying money for an iPhone app…I have a kid in college!
1. PicFrame ($.99)
?PicFrame lets you put multiple pictures into one nstagram shot before you upload it. It divides the screen into a variety of pre-determined patterns for you to choose from. read more |
| Connecting with Students |
From Youth Specialties on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 @ 4:43 PM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
Last month a student from the high school just down the street from me excused himself from class about 10:15 a.m., walked into a restroom, and shot himself.
It was his 17th birthday.
My heart sank as I read the entire story in our local Sacramento paper. That's the third article this week I've seen about teenage anxiety, depression, violence, and self-injury. Anyone in contact with youth notices their stress, pain, and emptiness.
As youth workers, we read books to try to understand a youth culture that seems to be growing more relationally disconnected and distant. Book titles like Hurt and Helping Teenagers in Crisis are becoming more commonplace. Young people are in pain, and they are seeking others who can identify with those feelings.
Ironically, this generation that feels so "alone" is looking for comradery in the wrong place... seclusion. The Friday night hangout is drifting away from a physical place with living, breathing bodies. Alone, in the privacy of their own bedrooms, kids flock to virtual hangouts and encircle themselves with e-friends-surrounded, yet isolated.
Technology allows young people to instantly connect to others digitally while staying geographically isolated from them. Their favorite social networking site brags several hundred friends-yet somehow they still feel alone. The tools that are supposed to cultivate connection leave students wanting more-and for good reason. E-friends can't fill the tangible, relational void in students' lives.
Whether realized or not, all of us long for face-to-face relationships.
We need them.
Recently, artist Evan Baden created a series of photographs called The Illuminati, depicting current children and teenagers in a common light–the glow of their electronic devices on their faces. Baden's words describing the photographs are almost more revealing than the pictures themselves:
From our earliest memories, there has always been a way to connect with others, whether it is Myspace, Facebook, cell phones, e-mail, or instant messenger. And now, with the Internet, instant messaging, and e-mail in our pocket, right there with our phones, we can always feel as if we are part of a greater whole. These devices grace us with the ability to instantly connect to others, and at the same time, they isolate us from those with whom we are connected.
Considering the increase in time spent communicating, one might assume technology helps young people build deeper relationships. However, statistics show us quite the opposite. Students and young adults have fewer close friends than their peers of just a decade ago. I believe the lack of face-to-face time is dissolving relationships, and wounds from this are beginning to emerge in the lives of teens all around us.
As I write this chapter, I'm traveling on a plane that just left Chicago. During takeoff I picked up the airline's magazine, flipping through the magazine I noticed an advertisement for a dating service. It read:
With over 100 million unattached people in the U.S., why is it so difficult for singles to meet? In an age where the BlackBerry is a true companion, and people have become so fixated on their real-time/anytime correspondence, has everyone forgotten the simplicity of communicating face-to-face?
The need for face-to-face relationships is becoming so readily apparent that even advertising targets this felt need.
Studies are also showing youth and young adults are participating less in team sports and more in individual activities:
Since 1998, the number of young adults participating in team sports has decreased from 19 percent to 13 percent.
The number of young adults going out to the movies has decreased from 13 percent in 1998 to just 3 percent in 2008.
The number of adolescents staying home to watch television or rent videos has increased from 24 percent in 1998 to 32 percent in 2008.
It seems to me students today are more isolated, have fewer close friends, and are drifting away from activities with personal interaction. This is creating a relational void in their lives. Add this to the growing levels of stress and pain teenagers already face as part of adolescence, and it is no wonder we are seeing an increase in teenage anxiety, depression, violence, and self injury. Teenagers are hurting more than ever before.
Where is the hope? How can we make an impact in the lives of today's lonely and hurting teenagers? Is there anything a caring adult can do?
Is it possible the solution might be somewhere beyond technology's reach? Could the answer be found in something as simple as a face-to-face meeting and good-old-fashioned, one-on-one interaction?
Jared
Jared seemed impossible to reach. Students warned me about him the first time he walked in the door of our weekly youth group meeting. He seemed polite enough when I met him, but it didn't take long for him to live up to his reputation. Whenever I talked-Jared was talking. Whenever there was a problem in one of our small groups-it was Jared's small group. If there was a disturbance in the Taco Bell parking lot after youth group, my first question was always, "Where's Jared?"
But something miraculous happened one day. I took Jared out for a soda, and Jared and I sat face-to-face, eating, laughing, and talking. For the first time ever, Jared looked into my eyes and shared his home life with me. We connected.
He wasn't distracted by his friends or preoccupied with impressing the girls around him. I took time to listen to Jared, and then, Jared began listening to me. I slowed down enough to meet with him one-on-one.
Keri
Keri was a student leader in our senior high group. She had accepted Christ in early adolescence and was growing in her faith each year. By her junior year she was put in charge of our Easter break mission's trip. Her senior year she led a Bible study and was probably more reliable than many of our adult volunteers. But Keri was looking for something more than she was receiving from youth group, small groups, and Sunday morning. Keri wanted a mentor-she wanted to be discipled.
Keri started meeting with Cindi weekly at a booth in the corner of a little restaurant by her house. Cindi was a caring adult from our church who had connected with Keri. She wasn't technically part of our volunteer staff, but she made herself available to disciple a few girls at different times during the week. They read a chapter of a book each week and discussed it together over a chocolate shake.
Of all the activities, events, and memories Keri experienced in high school, she looks back on her weekly time with Cindi as her most valuable time. Someone cared for her enough to meet with her one-one-one.
Monica
Monica had never been taught to take care of herself. With an absent dad and a full-time working mom, Monica had been left to raise herself and her brother on microwave dinners. Her breath was foul, and her social skills were poor. Even my adult volunteers steered clear of her, not out of a lack of compassion but a lack of understanding of how to handle her. Monica was very difficult.
Monica wasn't a popular student. Whenever she entered the junior high room at our church, you could sense the other students thinking,. "Great, there goes the evening."
But then Gina game along. Gina was one of my volunteers who had a rough history of her own. She understood what it was like being raised by a single mom who worked full time and the weight of the responsibility of caring for a younger brother.
Gina began hanging out with Monica and began understanding her like none of my other leaders could. At first she would just pick her up and take her home from youth group. But that grew to fast-food stops and even overnighters during which the two would stay up watching old movies, stuffing their faces with popcorn. Gina connected with Monica like no one else ever had.
In just six months Monica became a different person. She grew more comfortable with who she was in God's eyes, gained confidence, and become more social. She began to care about the way she dressed and took care of herself in other ways. She developed better personal hygiene. But the biggest difference we noticed in Monica was the smile she wore all the time.
She had a reason to smile. Someone had taken the time to notice her. Someone was willing to give her a gift she had never received-personal time. Monica felt loved for the first time in her life because someone was willing to spend time with her one-on-one.
Brian
I'll never forget when Brian prayed to receive Christ. We were in a local fast-food joint at about four o' clock on a sunny March afternoon. He had been coming to our campus outreach for about nine months already and had heard me share the gospel multiple times. He always seemed responsive to what we were saying, nodding on cue, even answering our questions with insight. Brian seemed like he was getting a lot out of our discussions. But he never gave any indication he wanted to make a life change-until that day in the restaurant.
Back in October I had asked Brian if he wanted to grab some nachos after school sometime, and he quickly accepted my invitation. I met his dad as he picked Brian up from our outreach club and asked his permission. His dad was happy that I wanted to spend time with his son. So Brian and I hung out at least once a month. We'd connect by either grabbing nachos, video gaming at a mini-golf arcade, or playing Frisbee golf. (We were the only two on the course without mullets!) Sometimes Brian would even join our family for dinner.Then that March afternoon in our normal booth at a local restaurant Brian asked me about my job and why I decided to become a youth pastor. I told him about how much I cared for students like him, and how I wanted to see them succeed. Brian nodded appropriately as he scooped the last puddle of cheese from the bottom of the nachos container. Feeling a nudge from God, I asked Brian a pointed question, "Why do you think I do all this?"
Brian stopped his chewing and gave me the articulate answer I expected: A shrug of the shoulders accompanied by the grunt commonly accepted as "I don't know," but more specifically verbalized as, "Uh-nu-nuh?"
So I told him. I told him that everything-everything we talked about at youth group, every activity, every fast-food meal-I did was because of God's love for us and God's desire for a relationship with us. Brian nodded on cue just like at youth group. But this time I laid it out right on the table, just the two of us. I shared the gospel with him. I told him the story of God's love for us, despite our sin, and about the sacrifice Christ made on the cross. I asked Brian questions all along, confirming understanding, and finally asking him, "Would you like this relationship with God?" Brian prayed right there in the booth, trusting Jesus with his future-all I did was take time to share with him one-on-one.
Kristen
On night, Kristin joined our family for dinner. Later in the evening,my wife and I shared the gospel with her, and she eagerly prayed to trust Jesus. When we gave her a Bible, she asked for the page numbers of the verses we had discussed because she didn't know where to find them.
Then we asked her about going to church. Uh oh! Kristen seemed pretty hesitant. Noticing her uncertainty, we asked what was wrong. She candidly told us, "I've been to church. Church sucks." But when Lori asked Kristen if she could start meeting with her at the house each week and going through the Bible, Kristen said, (and I quote) "Hell yeah!" Kristen was interested in God, just not church.
Lori started connecting with Kristen each week. They looked through some foundational passages about God's commitment to us, prayer, worship, church, and fellowship. As Lori and Kristen spent more time talking, studying, and praying, Kristen became more interested in church. But it took baby steps-it took time. And the only reason she began to change is because Lori discipled her one-on-one.
The Common Denominator
Jared, Keri, Monica, Brian, and Kristen-these students have little in common outside of owning a cell phone and a Facebook page. They may not have even liked each other.
Some were believers when we met them, and some were far from it. Some were curious about God; some didn't think God had a thing to offer. But each was changed by God and eventually plugged into a church home to continue to grow in faith.
The common denominator? Adults who spent time with them one-on-one.
Face-to-face conversations can be transformative. It's amazing how God uses one-on-one interaction to shape lives.
I lead an organization called The Source for Youth Ministry. Our Web site has a question-and-answer section called Ask the Source. Each week I receive a huge number of questions from youth workers around the world asking about youth ministry problems, issues, and needs. As the number of these questions increased week to week, I quickly discovered something: Most of these questions share the same answer.
As different as many of the questions are, one answer keeps floating to the top. Whether the question is about a problem student, a staff person needing encouragement, a student leader wanting discipleship, or a student with problems getting connected-the answer I provide most often includes spend time with them one-on-one.
Sometimes the questions stump me, though. Often when I don't know where to turn, I joke with my coworkers, "When in doubt answer, 'Spend time with them one-on-one.' It usually works."
Making a Difference
Relationships are powerful. Without question, the entire Bible is really about relationships: our relationship with God, and our relationship with others. Are you getting to know the students in your ministry area? Do you know their names and their stories?
Do you have a high-maintenance student like Jared in your ministry? Do you know a student like Keri who is showing a lot of promise? How about a student like Monica who just needs to be loved? What about a student like Brian who needs the gospel but never seems to respond in the typical youth group or small group setting? Do you know someone like Kristen-a student who would really love Jesus but isn't too fond of the church right now?
How do you make a difference in the lives of these students? Don't underestimate the impact of one-on-one –making a difference one teen at a time.
If you liked this article from Jonathan, you’ll love his books, Ministry By Teenagers, Connect: Real Relationships in a World of Isolation, and his brand new 4 Session DVD curriculum coming out this May, Real Conversations: Sharing Your Faith Without Being Pushy
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| An Interview and a Bio of Gman |
From Deep Thoughts by Gman on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 @ 1:16 PM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
Gerrard R. Fess was born in Hamilton, Ontario. At the age of 4 – he moved to Selkirk, Ontario. He graduated from Mid-Atlantic Christian University. Pursued a MRE from Anderson University's School of Theology. Gerrard is married to his college sweetheart, Valerie for over 16years. They have 3 children: Kendra, Nicole, and Brian. Currently Gerrard resides in Ashland, Virginia. Prior to coming to Virginia – Gerrard was a preacher in Maryland and held several youth ministries in NC,VA and Ohio. He is a published author, as well as a messy disciple still on the journey of faith. He dreams of driving a zamboni for an NHL game one day. You can reach Gerrard at fess2@juno.com , visit his blog fess2.blogspot.com or connect with him on facebook or twitter. @fess2us.
What gets played the most on your Ipod?
David Crowder Band.
What's the one book (besides the Bible) you'd recommend to anyone.
I love to read, it is hard to pick just one. I would recommend "Who Stole my church?" – Gordon Macdonald. I'd also say Daring to Dance with God by Jeff Walling.
What's my favourite restaurant?
I love to eat. (anything but the Golden Arches). I would say Golden Corral …lots of choices.
What team do you root for the most?
I would say the Toronto Maple Leafs. I'm a hockey fan.
Who (besides Jesus) is your favourite leader in the Bible?
I would say King David. A man after God's own heart – messy, repenting and all.
What do you get most excited about?
When people finally get it. By "IT" I mean the gospel – that we are loving God and others and are transformed ….. from immersing a new believer to others making disciples ..it makes me go "woohoo!"
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to read and try new social media things. I love to be with my family and just enjoy life.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/ZioO |
| YM Essentials: Why Failure Is OK In Discipleship |
From youthministry360 on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 @ 6:24 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
As I think about the role we play in helping teenagers become followers of Christ, I like to envision a picture of us walking with students on their journey. I intentionally didn't say our role was to "lead" students in discipleship. Here's why:The biblical model of discipleship is grounded in relationship. And if our relationship with students is a real relationship, we won't always be out front. As someone who plays a meaningful role in students' spiritual development, you must engage in real relationship with students if you have any hope to play a role in their discipleship. And this relational aspect of discipleship will dictate the assumption of different roles in the discipleship process.It's fun to think of these roles in terms of proximity. Most times you will be out in front of students as you walk through this journey. In these times, you are in fact leading. But often, you will be walking alongside a student. These are moments where the relational bond you have necessitates that you and the teenager be co-learners and/or co-laborers. If we are to walk in a discipleship relationship with students, we must be open and willing to walk in front and beside them.But I believe the most important (and most neglected) manner in which we walk with students is to let them get out in front of us.If we're ever going to see teenagers develop a robust faith life, we have to let them lead-out. We have to break free from our culture's worst tendencies as it pertains to how we treat teenagers. We can't be "helicopter" youth workers. If our students are to grow into articulate, sound, transformative Christ-followers, we have to encourage and allow them to boldly live out their faith.We have to do this knowing that they will both succeed and fail. We have to embrace the possibility of failure. I'm not talking about moral failure (though we will almost certainly deal with this along the journey). I'm talking about our students' "trial-and-error approach" to owning their faith life.As it is now, far too many youth ministers and youth ministries treat teenagers as if they are too fragile to handle missteps, too uninspired to take bold ownership of their faith, or to immature to experience spiritual transformation. While we may not actually articulate any of these elements as reasons why we function as we do, I believe they subconsciously inform and affect how we do (or don't do) discipleship.If we look at Scripture, the first disciples blew it all the time. Over and over again. Yet, Jesus didn't keep them in a sterile bubble. He literally, in His words, sent them out "as sheep among wolves." He allowed the disciples to journey through a process, a process where failure was regularly a possibility. And while He was there to pick them up and teach them through their failures, He let them fall flat on their faces.If we ever want to see our students actually grow and progress in their discipleship journey, we must be willing to do the same thing.What does it look like from a practical standpoint? A few thoughts . . .We have to encourage students to engage their friends and strangers alike in spiritual conversations, even if it means they crash and burn. We have to be there to put out the flames and clean up the debris. But we have to be willing to let them crash nonetheless.We have to provide opportunities for our students to plan and execute service initiatives (born out of their passions, not necessarily ours) even if it means that they are not as efficient or "effective" as they would be if we planned it. We need to be close-by as a voice of wisdom and experience, but we must embrace the idea that their effort might be clumsy by the world's standards.We have to empower students to search, question, and wrestle with the Bible. We can't answer every question for them. We must let them grapple with it. Let them struggle. Let them teach the Bible to one another. Be ready to gently and unobtrusively redirect any mistruths, but step-back and allow them to own biblical truth for themselves. Even if it means a small group time that looks a lot different than it would if you do it, they need this tension.We must create expectations that our students will both bear much of the responsibility for determining how they will apply Scripture in their lives, and that they will boldly follow through on living out their faith. They will fail at times, just like we do. We must let them, as painful as it can sometimes be. And instead of shaming them, or cutting them off, we must play Christ to their Peter, reaffirming their purpose and redirecting their passions.We are traveling with our students along this incredible discipleship journey. It can potentially be a powerful time. But we must be willing to give our students ownership of this journey. It only happens with intentionality. And it only happens in the context of a relationship genuine enough to embrace the possibility of failure.Thoughts? |
| A Leadership Lesson From A Youth Ministry Veteran: Part 2 |
From YouthWorkTalk.com on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 @ 5:00 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
In my previous post I talked about the audacious faith youth ministry veteran Byron Porisch. Last weekend, I was able to share some fun memories about Byron at a celebration his church threw for him. Byron is the guy who gave me my opportunity to move for England to the United States twelve years ago. [...]You just finished reading A Leadership Lesson From A Youth Ministry Veteran: Part 2! |
| The 3: Best Youth Ministry Apps (Josh) |
From YouthMinistry.com on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 @ 2:02 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
Got a smartphone? Chances are you're working at integrating some great apps into your youth ministry world. We do the same thing—and while Angry Birds Star Wars and Temple Run 2 take up a little too much of our time if we're honest, there are some incredible apps for youth ministry.
This week Josh is up first and Kurt will offer up his 3 favorites tomorrow. Add your favorite apps in the comments!
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Read Group Magazine On The Go With The Free App!
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TOP 3 APPS for youth ministry
1. Evernote (FREE)?
Evernote is a productivity app that syncs important documents in the cloud and on all your devices. It is incredibly robust and keeps everything from brainstorm notes, pictures you take, and even voice memos and delivers them to all of your devices. It's a great place to work on talks, share documents, and even manage to-do lists. An incredible app for your phone, Web site, and computer—and the price is right.
2. HeyTell (FREE)
?Communicate with your friends like a walkie-talkie. The best part is you can make a group and send a quick voice memo to all your volunteers at once. The interface is simple, one touch, and responsive. Even if someone isn't a phone person, this is a perfect compromise.read more |
| Helping youth thrive |
From Youth Leaders Academy on Monday, April 29, 2013 @ 11:40 PM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
It's not often that you see people talk about youth with the passion of Peter Benson. His whole TED Talk titles 'How youth thrive' shows his love for young people and it really encouraged me. Peter Benson is not a youth pastor however, he's a psychologist who does research amongst young people on their 'spark'. [...]You just finished reading Helping youth thrive! Have you subscribed to our free biweekly newsletter yet? |
| Would you rather... |
From Dare 2 Share Ministries International on Monday, April 29, 2013 @ 9:13 AM PST
in the "Blog" Category.
Every once in awhile I'll play my own daddy version of the "Would you rather..." game with my kids. It's built on crazy scenario options like "Would you rather eat a chocolate covered worm or a slice of moldy bread?" It's fun to watch my kids struggle through this process of deciding between two less-than-appealing options.
This morning, as I was thinking about this, I wondered how many Christians (myself included) tend to choose the worst of two options. But in our "Would you rather" game we have one okay option and one way-way-better option. Sadly and too often, we choose the worst option.
Don't believe me? Let's play!
Would you rather...
Read a book written by the latest, trendy Christian writer or study the book written by God himself?
Share your faith with a stranger or support an evangelist financially to take care of the dirty work?
Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps spiritually or walk in a daily declaration of dependence on Jesus?
Give 10% of your income to God or give 100% of everything you own to Him?
Go to church every time the doors are open or be the church everywhere you go?
Take someone through a Bible study on mercy or take someone out to serve the poor (and share the gospel of course!)
Drive with humility and deference to others or put a Christian bumper sticker on your car but drive like you want (ouch!)
Go on a short-term mission trip or be an everyday missionary everywhere you go?
Talk about Jesus with other Jesus followers or talk about Jesus with your unbelieving neighbors?
Point made. Excuse me for pulling the beam out of my own eye and beating you for the speck in yours. May we choose the harder, better option...not to be accepted by God but because we are accepted by God!
What are some other "Would you rather..." questions that Christians could choose from? |
| Linked Post: Keeping Parents In The Loop |
From youthministry360 on Monday, April 29, 2013 @ 8:11 AM PST
in the "Resources" Category.
Image courtesy of shutterstock.com / (c) Stephanie Barbary
At ym360, everything we do falls into one of four categories: Bible Study Resources, Training, Community, or Networking. For us, networking means highlighting great content, great people, and great ministries. When we find something valuable, we share it. This happens most frequently on our Flashback Friday posts. But it happens in other ways, as well.One of the ways we focus on Networking is by linking to solid content we encounter on blogs or websites. Bill Nance is an awesome youth minister and a ym360 Contributor. He writes a great which you can access here.We loved this post Bill wrote. It's a super practical look at how you can make sure your students' parents know what's going on in your youth ministry. There are some great takeaways! We've copied an excerpt of the article below. Check it out, and then head over to Bill's blog to finish the rest. And be sure to tell him ym360 sent you! :)Keeping Parents In The Loop, by Bill NanceDo parents know whats going on in your ministry? I'm talking beyond a calendar of events. Do the parents of the students in your ministry know what your talking about in youth group? Do they understand the vision of your ministry and how it impacts their children? Do they know of any spiritual victories, or defeats, that their kids have had recently? Parents are the most important influencers in the lives of their children. That is undeniable. Yet we as youth workers too often ignore these influencers and instead operate independently of them. That is insanity. Believe me, I know the hesitation. I've been in ministry for a long time, and have seen my share of parents who couldn't find a verse in the bible if you spotted them the page numbers. I've sent out plenty of calendars, announcements, emails, and texts only to hear from a parent the day after a big event, "I never saw anything about that!" So, it can sometimes feel like a waste of time when we communicate with parents. DON'T LET YOURSELF FEEL THAT WAY!Even if it doesn't impact 9 out of 10 parents, we are helping that one parent better impact their students. Truth is, the more we communicate the more likely we are helping parents. Here are some simple things we can do to help keep parents in the loop…1. Communicate vision – Find times to regularly communicate the vision of the ministry, and put it into personal terms for the parents. For example, one of my goals of the ministry is to equip students to have a deeper relationship with Christ. That sounds great, but it would be more meaningful to a parent for me to say something like, "This month, we've taught your students how to be better communicate with God through prayer." Click here to read the rest of Bill's article. |
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