Have you ever thought about doing this? I’m not talking about shutting it down, closing the doors and never opening them again. What I’m talking about is shutting down your youth ministry over Christmas break, march/spring break, easter weekend, or over the summer.
I’m seeing this more and more and as I speak to youth workers, this is not just denominational specific. This is
Design this, you have time to plan for your youth group.
happening right across denominational lines.
The reasons for this epidemic of shutting our youth ministry down are from paid and volunteer youth workers:
i don’t have the resources
i’m not a paid youth worker
i have a family
i have vacation
we are giving the kids a break
we give pour volunteers a break
most of our students go away at this time
what's your reason?
My response:
your kids don’t care about resources, they care about you in their life.
you have not been a paid your worker the rest of the year.
did you have a family the rest of the year?
take your vacation. enjoy and rest. let someone else take the lead for the youth ministry.
kids and youth workers take breaks all the time when they can’t make it out during the rest of the year.
most of your students going away is not ALL. You need to get over the numbers game your playing and address this with God. It’s not about most but about one.
The one thing I know about youth workers, paid or volunteer, is that you are creative enough to over come obstacles. Just because the school calendar tells us that their is no school does not give us the right to say to our students that God has entrusted to us that their is no youth group scheduled.
There are many reason why youth workers honestly cancel youth group and here are three I have seen:
insecurity
control
greed
Surprise your kids and church by not cancelling your youth group over break. Create a new plan and involve your students to help you accomplish it. They will surprise you, guaranteed!
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?
Last weeks blog post (here) I asked a money question: If money was not an obstacle, what would be in your youth room?
That is a great conversation starter with other youth workers when you first meet them or even try it with your fellow youth worker team members. It is bound to start a great discussion with almost Christmas twinkle in their eyes.
As I thought about this question and even started asking other youth workers. Some of them laughed, some them had blank stares not heir faces, while others just shook their heads and said, “where to start?”
If money was not an obstacle for me, I would have just “ONE" thing in my youth room.
Youth workers.
That’s it! I would have the best available recruitment, training, and equipping system for youth workers anywhere. We would be a family of youth workers that ministered to the youth and the whole families.
Jeff Smyth is the worst youth worker. He has been involved in both the local church and non-profit areas of Canada for more than 15 years. Jeff lives in Toronto with his wife Heather and son Nathan. Jeff online: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+
As another year is wrapped up and pushed into the dark recesses of our minds, we look forward to a new year in 2013.
2012
What are your highlights for 2012? In our family we talk each night before bed by asking "what was your favourite part of today that you are thankful for?" This helps us review the day and giving us a time to celebrate as a family those things through out the day that we are thankful for. Yet as you review 2012, what are those things that you are thankful for? Personally, youth ministry, family, personal development, etc?
2013
What are the highlights that you are looking forward to this new year? What is your purpose and direction behind those things that you are laying the plans down in your life or ministry to accomplish this year? What has God given you a passion and drive to move forward on this new year? Are you scared? If it's truly a vision from God for you , your family, your ministry, your neighbourhood you need to rest in the faith that God is going to grow in and through you.
Colossians 1:3-5Our prayers for you are always spilling over into thanksgivings. We can't quit thanking God our Father and Jesus our Messiah for you! We keep getting reports on your steady faith in Christ, our Jesus, and the love you continuously extend to all Christians. The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope. 6-8The Message is as true among you today as when you first heard it. It doesn't diminish or weaken over time. It's the same all over the world. The Message bears fruit and gets larger and stronger, just as it has in you. From the very first day you heard and recognized the truth of what God is doing, you've been hungry for more. It's as vigorous in you now as when you learned it from our friend and close associate Epaphras. He is one reliable worker for Christ! I could always depend on him. He's the one who told us how thoroughly love had been worked into your lives by the Spirit.
You’re
getting some laughs but at whose expense? Humour is important to add into your
talk, but there are some things that you need to be aware of that your audience
will not tell you to your face but have shared behind your back especially if
you are working with young adults or older. There are 5 Things that people do
to get laughs but really...THEY ARE NOT FUNNY.
YOU ARE NOT FUNNY WHEN...
1.You Make Fun of Others. This includes other races, other
faiths, or a specific person in your audience. Though you may get laughs it is
at the expense of another. Females tend to be more empathic and concerned about
the needs of others, making this kind of humour a turn off. Instead point the
finger at yourself. Self-deprecating
humour is the way to go as no one involuntarily is put on the spot and you don’t
have to worry about offending. Plus you help others learn to laugh at their own
circumstances.
2.You Speak With A Lisp to Mimic Gays. It’s hurtful. There are students that
have questions about their sexual identity
and they are watching you wondering if they can confide in you, looking for
safe places and safe people to disclose their secret or struggle. Students will
not even think about inviting their gay friends to your youth group or church even
if they are laughing. Why? Cause You are not SAFE! Plus... YOU ARE NOT FUNNY!
The Golden Rule of Comedy & Humour.If
you are Spanish...You can make fun of Spanish people. If you have blonde hair you
can make fun of blonde’s. If you have one arm, you can make jokes about people
with disabilities. BUT to
make jokes about Jews, people’s accents, Lesbians or Blacks when you are not
one...You are treading on thin ice.
3.You Tell Your Inside Jokes That Only Two
People Get! I’ve
seen people get up on stage and they thank whoever brought them there and for
the next 10 minutes the front row filled with staff members are cracking
themselves up, bantering back and forth. Yeah, it looks like the audience is having
a good time, people are laughing, but they are not laughing with you because
they can’t...They don’t get it. They’re laughing because it’s funny to see
other’s laugh. But what have you really done? Excluded your audience. Keep your
message inclusive so you can win all people. People are tired of cliques so don’t
create a barrier between you and them in your message. If something happened
that was funny, set it up to your audience and then let the jokes fly so they
can join in the laughter too.
5.You Swear. They are not real laughs. Those are
awkward, nervous I-can’t-believe-you-said-that
laughs especially in a faith base or professional platform. Over time your
influence will dwindle as swears are withdrawals out of your credibility and
respect account. Don’t Do it. It’s not worth it.
Laughter is not always an indicator that you are funny. I have often given
a half hearted laugh, just because I was in the front row or I was embarrassed
for the speaker or comedian. Stay away from the above as we approach 2013 and you
will continue to win over your audience. Not just one but many.
--------------------------------
A member of the Canadian Association
of Professional Speakers (CAPS) Alison has dedicated her time to developing her
gift of Public Speaking so that her listeners would believe the truth that she
shares and to raise up other strong youth communicator’s in Canada. She has
been speaking full time for four years and is currently enrolled in Youth
Speakers University.
Let’s face it, Christmas break brings an entirely new and short menu of ministry venues: Christmas Eve services, family trips, New Years Eve parties and regular late nights. Even during this short break there are plenty of opportunities for ministry during these two weeks.
But what are some of the best arenas where teenagers actually open up and talk during the Christmas break? And what are some tools we can give our adult leaders to seek out these times?
Here’s two ways that we can connect with teenagers during these Christmas break:
3) Scheduled: have your small group or a small group of students and other youth workers over to your house. This can be a relaxing time to eat all your chocolates and cookies while watching a Christmas movie or to play a group board game together. This time should be relaxed and fun. No agenda or Bible study, just a time to hang out and enjoy your time together.
2) Non-Scheduled Scheduled: post that your family is going to a public event (skating/mall shopping/McDonalds for lunch/etc…) and say that youth are welcome to join you there. This is a low key time together where they will see you with your family and where you will not have any responsibilities for a youth group event. Make sure they know that they are responsible for their own costs.
1) You Fill In the Blank: … yeah… I left this blank on purpose because you all probably have the best ideas! Use the comments below to let us in on your #1 tip for connecting with young people this Christmas Break!
Join thousands of youth workers from across Canada at http://cywc.com this fall in Toronto. When you are in youth ministry sometimes holy moments connecting with students happens when you least expect it in the most unlikely of places. I want to invite you to come spend a weekend with thousands of other like minded youth workers for a worship, training, teaching, encouragement and inspiration at CYWC.
You can be part of the online conversation as they have convention breaking news and contests leading up to the CYWC.
Seeing the message of Plan B impact so many lives around me, I am convinced that this really affordable, high-quality DVD study is a proven winner. Pete Wilson is a great, fresh communicator. Highly recommended for older teens / young adult and youth leader studies!
About the resource...
Putting Plan B into Action Pete Wilson Trade Paper w/DVD • Thomas Nelson •9781418546076
What do you do with a shattered dream? Or an unmet expectation? How do you accept your Plan B when God doesn't show up the way you thought he would? With powerful real-life stories of disappointments and tragedy along with biblical stories and teaching, Pete Wilson leads study groups through the process of discovering the Plan B for your life, accepting your story, and embracing it as your reality. The Plan B DVD-based study offers you the chance to share with and embrace a community of believers as you begin a journey of real healing and change.
Born and raised on Vancouver Island, Ellen Graf-Martin now lives in the heart of Ontario’s Mennonite country with her husband Dan, where she continues to work in publishing and ministry.Learn more about her work at www.grafmartin.com
How are you celebrating the mom's from your youth ministry/church this weekend?
The best idea I've heard of for this year is: put together a video mashup of all your students saying "thank you" and post it on your website/facebook page for all to see.
If you are looking for some last minute videos to show publicly for any of your youth gathering or main church service here is one by our friends TheSkitGuys
Is the North American church overprotective, repressive, and shallow? "UnChristian" looked at outsiders and their perceptions of the church, and what we could do to respond to these very real concerns. With "You Lost Me", Kinnaman examines young insiders who have left disconnected from the church, giving them a voice and an opportunity for the church to respond in love.
Millions of young Christians are disconnecting from church as they transition into adulthood. They're real people, not just statistics. And each one has a story to tell. The faith journeys of the next generation are a challenge to the established church, but they can also be a source of hope for the community of faith. Bestselling author of "UnChristian", David Kinnaman, with the help of contributors from across the Christian spectrum, offers ideas for pastors, youth leaders, parents, and educators to pass on a vibrant, lasting faith, and ideas for young adults to find themselves in wholehearted pursuit of Christ.
An excerpt...
A generation of young Christians believes that the churches in which they were raised are not safe and hospitable places to express doubts. Many feel that they have been offered slick or half-baked answers to their thorny, honest questions, and they are rejecting the “talking heads” and “talking points” they see among the older generations. You Lost Me signals their judgment that the institutional church has failed them.
The story—the great struggle—of this emerging generation is learning how to live faithfully in a new context, to be in the world but not of the world. This phrase, “in but not of the world,” comes from Jesus’s prayer for his followers, recorded in John 17. For the next generation, the lines between right and wrong, between truth and error, between Christian influence and cultural accommodation are increasingly blurred. While these are certainly challenges for every generation, this cultural moment is at once a singular opportunity and a unique threat to the spiritual formation of tomorrow’s church. Many young adults are living out the tension of in-but-not-of in ways that ought to be corrected or applauded, yet instead are often criticized or rejected.
In the vibrant and volatile story of the next generation, a new spiritual narrative is bubbling up. Through the lens of this project, I have come to understand and agree with some, though not all, of their grievances. Yes, we should be concerned about some of the attitudes and behaviors we encounter in the next generation of Christians, yet I also find reasons to hope in the best of what they have to offer. Apparently they are a generation prepared to be not merely hearers of doctrine but doers of faith; they want to put their faith into action, not just to talk. Yes, many young dropouts are stalled in their spiritual pursuits, yet a significant number of them are reinvigorating their faith with new ideas and new energy.
From this generation, so intent on reimagining faith and practice, I believe the established church can learn new patterns of faithfulness. You Lost Me seeks to explain the next generation’s cultural context and examine the question:
How can we follow Jesus—and help young people faithfully follow Jesus—in a dramatically changing culture?
Excerpt from You Lost Me by David Kinnaman. Copyright 2011, Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Used by permission.
Born and raised on Vancouver Island, Ellen Graf-Martin now lives in the heart of Ontario’s Mennonite country with her husband Dan, where she continues to work in publishing and ministry.Learn more about her work at www.grafmartin.com
After going through Stuck with a small group of women, I can say wholeheartedly that I LOVE this study! This is the freshest curriculum for young adult women that I've ever seen - and it is quality material. Short, high-impact DVD sessions and achievable weekly 'homework', and a really affordable curriculum - this is a winner. From Ellen's Picks
About the resource...
Stuck by Jennie Allen
Bible Study, DVD Curriculum • Thomas Nelson • 9781418548735
We are often so stuck in invisible struggles in our hearts and minds, we
barely have space for God. These deep struggles, these stuck places,
are familiar to every one of us: brokenness, anger, discontentment,
fear, and sadness. Stuck takes on these struggles within us so that we
can encounter God. Because until we recognize that we are stuck and in
need of God, we will miss what He has for us.
Jennie Allen's fresh DVD-driven Bible studies are designed to draw women
close to God and to each other. These shorter studies dig deep quickly,
creating experiential conversations and allowing women to wrestle with
Scripture in a deep and authentic way throughout the week.
Jennie Allen's Bible studies are designed to draw women close to God and
to each other. These shorter studies dig deep quickly, creating
experiential conversations and allowing women to wrestle with Scripture
in a deep and authentic way throughout the week.
8 sessions on DVD + Study Guide, Leaders' Guide and "Conversation
Cards"
An excerpt...
This study began for me out of a deep struggle—a stuck place. It would serve better to call it something a tad more dramatic . . . it was a war. The kind of war that happens inside of you, the kind that nobody sees. God versus me and all my junk. It wasn’t something I could even put words to at the time. In fact, those close to me were oblivious to the chaos ensuing behind my gathered exterior.
But it was real and raging, and even though I couldn’t describe it, I was keenly aware of its presence and was exhausted by it.
I was stuck.
I experienced a sense of bondage I could not name and did not know how to escape. The outside of my life was bright and shiny, but inside I was a mess: anxious, lonely, afraid, and looking for significance.
This study exists because I know I am not alone in this. The more I am let into the deep crevasses of people’s hearts, the more I am convinced that every one of us is fighting something. Yet we look out from our secret wars and see people who smile peacefully and seem to be all right—and we smile back at them.
I’m done smiling.
Many of us have known God for a long time—and honestly, we know a lot—but are we living what we believe? For some, this may be your first encounter with Him. Wherever you are, I ask and pray that you be honest. Pretense and pretending have never really been God’s thing. Not much tolerance for it. So my prayer is this study will be a safe place to explore God and your own heart. The state of our hearts and what we believe about God are the two most important things about us.
Born and raised on Vancouver Island, Ellen
Graf-Martin now lives in the heart of Ontario’s Mennonite country with
her husband Dan, where she continues to work in publishing and ministry.
Learn more about her work at www.grafmartin.com
Youth Ministries have failed our youth and families for too long. We have focused on only two areas of youth development:
- physical
- spiritual
We know how to watch out for the physical changes that youth go through and we even help parents and youth through this process as best we can with the relevant information. We also help students and their families with the spiritual development from acceptance to asking tough questions as a normal development of youth from jr. high through high school and college. Where we have failed in youth ministry is that we have stopped right there.
Youth are very complicated beings yet when it comes to any other development and their stages we ignore them.
What about emotional, social and brain development? Do you take any of these aspects into account when you lay down the various forms of your programming or teachings or Bible studies?
Tomorrow from 9am - 1pm (est) a few of us will be attending One.Day Underestimated for youth workers. This event is being held in Toronto and will focus on the four key "Ages and Stages" of youth development. Jr. High and High School facilitation track where youth workers can share their ideas, thoughts, failures and success's based on the 4 stages of youth development.
$10 youth ministry training that you can miss if you can join us live.
Jeff Smyth is husband to Heather and father of one active boy Nathan. He has been involved youth ministry for 15 years in both the local church and non-profit areas of Canada. He has been serving for the past 3 years as the coordinator of community initiatives with DOXAToronto.com the Scarborough area of Youth Unlimited (Toronto YFC). Learn more about him by visiting his blog ThinkYouthMinistry.com or follow him @jeffsmyth
