Making a (Mission) Statement

I'm wrapping up a wonderful week of youth training in Fort Worth, Texas as I facilitated a program called YouthLeader.  YouthLeader trains youth to be leaders of ministry and forms youth in the vision and values of Jesus; helping them make the connection between their faith and their actions in leadership. 

As part of our closing session today, we had the students create mission statements.  It was a very fruitful process as the youth were able to articulate their strengths, weaknesses and hopes.

I was inspired by the ones that were shared aloud and I encouraged each of them to post it somewhere so they could reflect on it regularly and go back to it when necessary.  As well, I suggested that their mission statements are dynamic – they can change them any time.

I would suggest this process for any ministry (or anyone for that matter) looking to set goals, inspire one another, or keep themselves on track.

Here is mine:

I am husband to Gail. 

I am father to Sean Isaiah, Jacob Isaac, and Kayla Marie.

I am a Catholic and a believer in God, follower of Jesus, dweller in the Holy Spirit.

I am a youth minister, director, writer, speaker, musician and Canucks fan.

I live by my favourite scripture from Philippians:  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Although I have a lot of serious responsibilities, I don’t take myself too seriously.

I strive to be Christ to everyone I encounter.

I am a connector, an advocate, a motivator, and a servant leader.

May I never forget my priorities: my faith and my family.

Because when it’s my turn to go upstairs, He’s not going to ask me: 

-How many people did you speak to?  

-How good of a boss were you?   

-How many kids came to Youth Day and Spirit Day?   

-How many friends do you have on Facebook or followers do you have on Twitter?

Instead, I will be asked:  “The 4 people that I gave you at home to love:  do they know who I am?"

May my answer be a resounding YES!

Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie.  He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years, helping parishes develop their own youth and young adult ministries.  When not doing ministry, Clay enjoys spending time with his family, playing music, playing sports, playing naptime, and writing blogs on topics such as family, faith, and the Vancouver Canucks.  Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo

Transitions

What is our response when things change? In this short film I had the honour of creating alongside some work mates, we explore the hope that surrounds transitions.

3 Ways We Destroy Connection

Two weeks ago I wrote about the necessity youth workers face to create environments where students find a place to belong and someone that believes in them. Last week in a video interview with Mark Oestricher, he mentioned that teens are being driven by their desire to belong to connect as their foremost filter through which they create their connections.

If we agree that creating space to belong is important, are there habits and elements that erode or destroy these connections?

1. Humiliation - No one likes to be the focal point of jokes on a regular basis. When students make mistakes do we ridicule them in some way? Do we parade them in front of their peers and ask them to apologize? Do we use them as an illustration in our next youth talk to "inspire" their peers to choose differently?

Jesus met with a Samaritan woman at a well. (Read more here). As he interacted with her, he challenged her towards a hope-filled life but he didn't humiliate her in the process. We all make mistakes. We are all sinners. When we humiliate someone we alienate him or her from community and cause they to question their sense of belonging. What would our youth ministries look like if we instead responded with love and grace while avoiding the seductive nature of humiliation?

2. Condemnation - When we focus on behaviour more than identity, we tell a student that who they are is less important than what they do. Character is reflected by our actions, that's true, but activity void of deep connectivity to a set of values that govern our decision making process is empty and really does not have any formative connection to character.

What if instead of focusing on a list of do's & don'ts, we focused on living into a rhythm of life filled with hope, joy, compassion, kindness, gentleness, patience & self-control? What if instead of hearing how bad we are we focus on how great our God is and how amazing His design for life really is? I don't know about you, but I'm tired of feeling like I'm not good enough to do something because of what I've done and need to be inspired to live life despite my past, present or future mistakes. Perhaps teens are longing for a sense of mission beyond sin management similar to what we as leaders may be craving?

3. Lack of Invitation - When we expect students and families to get involved in the experiences we create instead of taking the time to invite them into the creative process and the experience itself, the program becomes more important than the people. 

I've been learning a lot about this theme lately. What is success in invitation? Is it when the person responds to the invitation positively? Or is it simply the extension of the invitation? Jesus interacted with a young rich man and invited this man to become a disciple. The man chose not to respond positively to the invitation Jesus extended, so does that make this interaction a failure? I don't believe so. In this story we are shown that reality that not everyone will want to be a part of what we are doing and/or facilitating. If it is true that teens are desperately looking for a place to belong, if they are never invited to do so, how will it be possible for them to find it? Do our youth ministries need to reflect more of an invitational culture than one of expectancy?

Do you agree with these 3 ways we destroy connection? What would you add to this list and why is it important?

Leaders who are Different

This post also appears on the Youth Cartel blog.

There is no “one-size fits all” approach to leadership. There is an abundance of examples of rich diversity in nature marked by the sheer volume of unique species of plants, animals, fish, rock or foliage. And as diverse as creation is, leaders too are developed through different gifts, personalities, abilities and styles.

Here are four types of different leaders I’ve had the privilege of serving with:

1. The reluctant leader – I wrote about this at length here. A reluctant leader is someone who believes that they could be or should be doing something else. There are countless biblical examples of this leadership type. For this conversation, however, let’s refine our thoughts to the person of Moses.

Moses didn’t want to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.  He didn’t want to carry the burden of leadership while wandering in the desert. Moses was called by God to lead even though he wanted to live into a different calling.

We sometimes will work with leaders like this. It’s important for us to affirm their calling, while encouraging them to engage emotionally in the leadership opportunity they’ve been given.

2. The timid leader – Gideon is a prime example of a timid leader. Timid leaders question both their calling and their ability, and yet timid leaders are often times the most powerful and profound leaders of an organization. They spend a great deal of effort connecting relationally with those whom they are charged with leading because they are willing to earn the right to lead through relational connection.

Timid leaders are catalysts for relational depth in your community.

3. The headstrong leader – These leaders are intense. They push through obstacles and often times run over people in the process. Peter was this kind of leader. At times their intensity can be misdiagnosed as arrogance. Headstrong leaders have a clear picture of where they are going and are determined to get there.

Headstrong leaders need boundaries or they will run over everything in their path. Be firm, remind them of vision and set them up to succeed by allowing them to help lead your organization and community forward.

4. Systematic leader – Systematic leaders choose their path wisely. They calculate the pros and cons of any given leadership situation and have often thought through a variety of different solutions to a problem while others may still be attempting to describe what they problem is. One biblical case study for this type of leader is Joshua. Joshua learned how to bring a vision to life by leading the people of Israel into the promised land.

Systematic leaders can help you make wise decisions that may bring a larger vision into focus and/or into reality over time.

The reality is that each of us is a blend of these different leadership types, but we may possess a natural tendency or dominance towards one or two of these profiles. Think about your team of leaders. Which ones fit into which profile? Are there other types of leaders you would add to this list? What type of leader are you, and how does this shape how you lead?

The Spiritual SAT

This post also appears on The Youth Cartel blog here.

Sweaty palms. Loss of breath. Fear and panic.

These are some of the many symptoms different people experience when they are confronted with life’s most unforgiving tutelage… the test.

I can remember the first time I wrote a mid-term exam in university. I had studied more intensely than I ever had before, and had even decided to sleep on top of some of the study material I was supposed to memorize hoping that osmosis would allow for more absorption and retention of information in my nearly exhausted body.

Exam day came. I entered the room, found a place to sit and began feverishly attacking the test with great vigor. Two hours later I found myself back in my dorm room, mentally and physically exhausted, hoping that I had done enough to pass the test and continue on with my course studies.

Several days later, I received confirmation that I not only passed the test, but did better than I was hoping to do because of something called the bell curve that my professor had decided to implement for this particular exam.

This was probably one of the most significant times where I took notice of a metric, something that is used to measure the success of failure of an individual. This bell curve pushed me into an entirely different category than what I had labeled myself to be, and I wasn’t too sure how I felt about it.

The Spiritual SAT

I think one of the most challenging facets of ministry is measuring success. We’ve learned through studies like the Willow Creek Reveal, Sticky Faith and Hemorrhaging Faith that what we’ve typically used to measure the spiritual success in others isn’t working. Our metric seem wrong. These studies have shown us that we cannot assume a person’s attendance at a religious activity will develop long-term transformation in their life. But we still have this desire to measure how successful we might be, and so we continue to utilize the broken metric. The metric; the Spiritual SAT. The test that doesn’t really tell us anything that matters, but something we continue to point to cause we don’t know what else to do.

Maybe I’m the only youth pastor in the world that will ever say this, but I’m tired of the metric.

This test that we’ve created doesn’t tell us anything that we don’t already know, and it places a label and structure on the lives of teenagers that they don’t need and aren’t asking for. I’m tired of asking teens to find our fit instead of allowing them to find how they fit into the life of the community they so desperately need to connect to. I don’t want to view teenagers through the lens of attendance, or spiritual merits achieved. I want to see them for who they’ve been created to be. Intentionally flawed masterpieces.

It’s time to find a new metric; a new way of defining what success looks like. Success should be based on character development and life transformation instead of attendance and compliance. Death to the Spiritual SAT.! Life to a new creation!

Define your success. What does that look like?

Connect with Jason here Jason has lived in Calgary, Alberta Canada since 1995, and been a youth pastor since 2001. He is married to the love of his life, Bonny, and together they have three incredible children: Saydie, Cannon and Deklon. Jason possesses a desire to see youth, parents and families become who God created them to be through loving and living like Jesus. He currently serves on staff at Centre Street Church in Calgary. He loves hockey, playing guitar, writing and creating environments and opportunities where others can realize their potential in Jesus while experiencing the full life He promised to those who follow Him!

Conversations

Conversations are one of the most humbling, inspiring, deflating and empowering experiences that humans can have. Did you know that the average human being uses over 16,000 words on a daily basis?

With all the words that are being exchanged, do you ever wonder what is really being talked about? This past summer I sat down with some creative friends of mine to produce a video dedicated to conversations. Here is what we came up with:

How are you leveraging conversations with your family, friends, people in your ministry, volunteers and others to be a source of inspiration and joy? What other tips do you have to generate conversations that matter and have an impact on the lives of others?

Thankful for Dad 8 Years Later: Wonderful Memories of a Wonderful Man

For this week's post, I decided to take a break from youth ministry writing.  Rather, I would love to use this time and space to reflect on my Dad's passing...from 8 years ago.  Thanks!

Eight years ago on Thanksgiving Monday, October 11, 2004, my loving father Larry passed away on the 17th fairway at Burnaby Mountain Golf Course. Not a bad way to go, all things considered! Our family purchased a beautiful memorial bench with a plaque reading: “In loving memory of Larry Imoo. He will always be in our hearts and thoughts.” I take solace in the fact that every golfer who stops to pause at the bench will learn a small bit about my dad.

Usually on or near his death anniversary, we gather with my Mom and brother Jason (and his family) for dinner. This year was no exception, as we had Thanksgiving Dinner at our place on Sunday night. We shared a laugh and a tear over our shabu shabu meal…remembering just how much fun Dad was and all of his amazing qualities: his ability to not take himself too seriously, his unselfishness, and his knack for making everyone around him feel important and special.

I can’t believe that 8 years have passed already. I remember October 11, 2004 so vividly. How we had just returned from the pumpkin patch in anticipation of Halloween. How I was preparing to meet Mom and Dad at my in-laws for Thanksgiving Dinner. How the doorbell rang and how surprised I was to see Father Smith at my door. How he sat me down and how I innocently thought that he was going to confess something to me! How loving, caring, and respectful he was as he shared the horrific news. How I sat in total shock, not believing what I had just heard. How I broke down in passing the news on to my brother over the phone. And how heartbroken I was to find my mom weeping in her living room…the cops had beaten me to the house by a mere two minutes.

Not a day goes by without me thinking of Dad and/or praying for him. His picture adorns a wall in both our home and my office – a wonderful reminder of his good looks, warm smile, and snappy wardrobe. But more than pictures, I see Dad in Sean, Jake and Kayla. Sean has Dad’s athletic ability: when Jason and I were kids our friends would come over to see if my Dad was free to play with them…leaving Jason and me inside…haha. Jake has Dad’s charm and sense of humour: it’s hard to get mad at Jake just as it was hard to get upset with Dad (well…my mom might have something different to say about that). And Kayla has Dad’s playfulness. How I wish that Dad had the chance to meet Kayla; he would have loved her, spoiled her, and undoubtedly taught her how to golf…or at least retrieve his golf balls.

Some of my most vivid memories of my Dad revolve around sports. Dad always made time to play outside with us, watch sports on tv with us, or get whooped in video games by us. In fact, one of my favourite stories about my Dad is how Jason, Rich and I would rush home from UBC to play NHL 94 on the Sega Genesis. Dad would have the game all set up for us when we walked in the door, and within 2 minutes we were well into our game. But not before we would pick teams…or more accurately…find out who had to team with Dad. NHL 94 actually tracked winning percentages, and invariably the percentages usually looked something like this: Jason 70%, Clay 65%, Rich 60%, and Dad 5%. And sadly, I’m likely over-estimating Dad’s percentage. Anyway, the 3 younger guys would play “Rock, Paper, Scissors” with the loser having to team with Dad (and likely suffering a dent in his winning percentage). But in the spirit of fairness, you only had to play with Dad a maximum of 2 games in a row…if you lost the 3rd time we would re-draw. Needless to say, the games of “Rock, Paper, Scissors” to determine the teams were often more intense and dramatic than the actual hockey game.

Yet another fond memory of mine was listening to Canucks games on CKNW 98 in the 1980s. Dad, Jason and I would lie on his bed and soak in the descriptive commentary of Jim Robson and Tom Larscheid. Jason and I would often fall asleep before the end of the game, but it didn’t matter: that time together was very special. To this day, I’m not sure what Mom would do for those 3 hours, as there was certainly no room for her on the bed!

It’s almost fitting that Dad did pass away on Thanksgiving…as there is so much to him that I am thankful for. Simply put, he was an amazing man who always put the needs of others ahead of his own. He was an awesome Dad, loving husband, faithful son, and playful grandfather. He was the undisputed leader of the Imoo family, and had a strength and courage about him that you couldn’t help but admire.

Thank you Dad for teaching me what it means to be a man.

Thank you Dad for showing me how to raise my children.

Thank you Dad for being my father, my friend, and my hero. I love you.

View our video tribute to Dad here.

Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie.  He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years, helping parishes develop their own youth and young adult ministries.  When not doing ministry, Clay enjoys spending time with his family, playing music, playing sports, playing naptime, and writing blogs on topics such as family, faith, and the Vancouver Canucks.  Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo