Transitioning in your job? Finish what you came to do.

John 17 is Jesus' prayer just before his betrayal and arrest. In verse 4, he prays "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you sent me to do". Jesus hadn't gone to the cross yet, so what was it the he came to do? - - The rest of the chapter gives us a clue.

When you are called to work in a church, or an organization, or even volunteer, God has set you apart with a job to do. How do you know when it is time to go? How 'bout - when you are finished what he called you to do?

Last year I built a great two level deck with cool retaining wall and now we are moving... I don't even get you use it! Ever finish something for God and not get to experience the fruit of the labour? I moved to a new city for the sole purpose of ministry... why else am I there? Finish the work and leave when you are done.

Here are my ramblings for this week. Time for transition... here we go.

When you have completed what he sent you to do, you'll know - or He will release your heart - or your boss will 'inform' you.... either way, finish well.

Dave Brotherton was a youth pastor from 1984-2006 and now teaches youth ministry at Ambrose University College in Calgary. Dave is also the National Youth Guy for the Alliance churches in Canada, the director of Legacy Youth Conference, and a junior high volunteer in his church. Dave is married to Lisa and they share 2 of the greatest kids in the world. Fishing, camping, and cheering on the Leafs are some of his favorite things. 
This summer, Dave is transitioning to lead the ministry of Sauble Christian Fellowship, Sauble Beach, ON. 
twitter: @oldbrotherdave 

Swinging for the Fences

With pro baseball player Vernon Wells.

Last week, I was blessed to spend a week in Fort Worth, Texas for the second consecutive year.  I served as a trainer for YouthLeader and had the opportunity to help high school youth (and their youth ministers) develop their leadership skills (in a Christian context) through a week of sessions, prayers, games, socials, and more.  I was inspired by the enthusiasm and desire of the young people I met. 

When YouthLeader ended on Friday, I spent 24 hours with my good friends Marie and Mike and their 5 wonderful children.  On Friday night, we went to watch Andrew (the oldest child) play baseball.  It was a really fun night as we were treated to some decent hardball (especially for 9 and 10 year olds) and I got to meet and take a picture with ex-Toronto Blue Jay – and 3 time MLB All-Star – Vernon Wells.  He’s one of the coaches of Andrew’s team.

The game came down to the last inning and Andrew’s team was up to bat down 6-4 with 2 out and the bases loaded.  One of Andrew’s teammates walked up to the plate, and I just so happened to be standing next to the batter’s dad.

Pitch 1 was a ball.

Pitch 2 was a strike (the boy didn’t swing).

Pitch 3 was a ball.

Pitch 4 was a strike (once again, the boy watched the ball cross the plate).

Pitch 5 was a ball.

Now we had a full count of 3 balls and 2 strikes.  With 2 out.  And the bases loaded.  This had all the makings for a hero moment.

“Come on...you need to swing the bat!” the father implored his son.

Pitch 6 was a strike right down the middle. The bat never left the boy’s shoulder.  Game over.

“If you want to hit, you need to swing the bat,” the father mumbled to himself as we applauded the efforts of both teams.

Was the young boy intimidated by the pitcher?  Maybe.  Not prepared enough?  Perhaps.  Feeling the pressure?  Likely.

Often in youth ministry, we may feel intimidated, unprepared, or pressured.  We may withhold or withdraw because we don’t want to make a mistake. Or we’re afraid or failing.

But fear is not of the Lord!  In 2 Timothy 1:7 we hear “For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.”

We must SWING FOR THE FENCES!

Here are 4 ways we can swing for the fences in youth ministry:

1.  Make the extra effort.  Youth ministry can be draining.  It can be disheartening when you put so much work into a night and only a handful of teens show up.  Teens can be high-maintenance, and they don’t always say thank you and they may not pray for the leaders.  But despite all of this, they will notice when you put in the extra effort.  It might be spending a bit more time making decorations for the next event, seeking out a costume for an upcoming skit, or devoting a few extra minutes to respond to emails, Facebook messages, and tweets.  The answer to the question of “Is this worth it?” is almost always an unequivocal yes.  Doing that little bit extra might make the difference between a young person coming back to your youth ministry gatherings or staying home.

2.  Don’t be afraid to make a mistake.  Now I’m not talking about careless and care-free mistakes here.  But I am talking about practical risk-taking.  Sometimes, we need to just let our imaginations fly!   Our volunteers should not feel bogged down by bureaucracy.  Without some freedom, volunteers will lose their enthusiasm quickly.  So if you’re used to delivering a talk or teaching from a script, next time use cue cards or memorize the whole thing.  Or maybe you could try some new and crazy icebreakers for the very first time.  Trust that the other volunteers and leadership will have your back and bail you out if necessary.  We all need to take risks, even at the expense of failing.  After all, the only person who never makes a mistake is the one who never tries anything.

3.  Aim high.  There’s is nothing inspiring or satisfying about reaching a goal that you set too low.  Thus, I’d encourage you to ask yourself questions like “What will success look like?” or “What’s something we haven’t tried before?” as opposed to “How can we get by?” or “What’s the safest route?”  When we aim high, we stretch out of our comfort zones and we often surprise ourselves with what we can accomplish.  When young people see us aiming high and not being complacent, they will want to do the same.  Our goals should be challenging, yet realistic and practical.  But as long as we aim high, we won’t get stagnant, and we – and our ministry – will continue to grow.

4.  Be confident.  If we are genuine in our intent, then we can be confident that God will work in us and through us.  After all, we are ordinary people in the hands of an extraordinary God.  If we are called to serve in youth ministry, then we must have confidence that we are making an impact in the lives of the young people we are ministering to and with.  It’s through our witness, our conversations, and our relationships.  We are their affirmers, their cheerleaders, and their advocates.  We must believe that if God leads us to it, then He’ll lead us through it.  Sometimes we may feel tired, lazy, and unworthy to serve.  But God asks us to look beyond our so-called “inadequacies” or “deficiencies” and trust in Him; that His grace will be sufficient for us.


When we make the extra effort, when we’re not afraid to make a mistake, when we aim high, and when we’re confident, then we will inspire and motivate others – young and old alike.  And in turn, they will inspire us right back.  Such was the case with the amazing young people of Texas last week. Their desire to strengthen their relationships with God rubbed off on me and made me want to do the same.

So the next time you’re up to bat in your youth ministry, make sure you swing away!

It’s the only way you’re going to hit a home run.


In what ways do/can you swing for the fences in your youth ministry?










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

REVIVE US SERIES No. 2: Disciples of the "Buddy" Church

The views and concerns addressed in this blog series are bigger than our youth. It is a reflection of how Christians young and old view the church and what we feel we need to do to make Jesus look cool.  To expose how we got here, each blog in this series will describe a church concept that students came up with, followed by a personal challenge from myself or one of the other panel members in hope of a personal revival in God’s people.

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. (Revelations 2:7)

Revive Us Oh Lord.

RECAP

If money was not an issue what type of church would you build? Who would come? What would your church look like? 

This was the final group assignment given to Senior High Students at a Christian school. The panel was comprised of various full time ministers. Our role was to give students feedback on their church planting project along with an opportunity to gain some insight on what the next generation is looking for in a church. Instead our findings were startling as students delivered their presentations on their church plant. I came in looking for a little insight, but instead Holy Spirit gave us youth workers a snap shot of bigger problem, one that we created. These students response to this project is a reflection of various mentalities in the church. I am sounding the alarm with other voices, because "Houston, we have a problem." (Blog 1 in Series)

LET THE PRESENTATIONS BEGIN!!!

The first church was located in a new development. This was the Connect Church. Their mission was to serve God and have fun doing it.  The Connect Church has services at 10:30am for the old folks and 12:30pm for the younger generation. I asked the students, “How old is old?” A student responded, “35 and up.”  Grrrr. Punk kids!! I decided not to ask any more questions until they were done.  The pastor of their church was a preacher who was interactive. (That was all that was said about the Pastor) For the offering, if a person desires to give they can do so on their own time rather than a group collection. Each week the offering would go to a different organization except once a month when it would be designated to the local church.  (Oh, the things your church could do with a budget like that! LoL. Cool idea though) For weekly programs they had Worship and Wings. And we are not talking Ezekiel’s wings, but chicken wings. They’d sing some songs, hang out after and go out for wings or cook the wings at the church. Another ministry that the Connect church provided was the Landscaping Outreach. In their church building they have a place where the lawn mowers, trimmers etc. were stored. Those involved in this ministry would go out into their community and help new owners landscape their property. This is how they would minister to their community in a practical way. Brilliant!! They also had a ministry to the poor, where they would have a massive potluck dinner in the foyer of their church that they designed that was big enough to host such social events. (Somehow the poor would find their way out to that end of the city and bring a meal to share with everyone). This church had a youth, women and men’s ministry. And for the seniors, well they didn’t really know what to do with them, “Maybe a craft night?” sheepishly answered a student.

Lastly on their calendar of events was Prayer ministry Thursday nights.

This is a church for the socially lonely. The student’s favourite ideas and concepts were the landscaping outreach and Worship and Wings. When asked about by a fellow panel member who works for Youth Unlimited an organization that focuses on Evangelism to youth, “What is your churches strategy on implementing the Great Commission?” Silence.  Now awkward silence. Then a student broke the silence, “Can you explain that in a different way, we don’t know what that is.”

What will help the church grow? Acts of service to the community and having fun!  

  

The connect church had great ideas to connect with people, but for what purpose? Relationships. As the students talked about the Worship and Wings ministry, their eyes lite up as they spoke about their churches main event! With a strong emphasis on the Wings they never described what the worship aspect looked like, but they went into details about the gathering after and where they would get their wings from and the relationships that could get started there.

What does this reveal?

One of my colleagues nicknamed this the “Buddy Church”.  Clearly this churches heart was to have fun but their head knew, they needed to have a prayer ministry and a ministry to the poor and something for seniors. But was their heart in it?  How many people from the Buddy church do you think would show up to prayer?  Would any of those students attend?  No, but they would be there for Worship and Wings.

I’m glad our students know the different elements that go into a church but I am challenged by this, have we as youth ministers made church a Worship vs. Wings contest?  Have we put an emphasis on WINGS over worship?  I’ve learned that what are students pick up is a reflection of our own belief.

In your own life, when do your eyes light up? Is it in the eager anticipation of many voices in unity singing one song in complete abandonment and passion to the one you are in love with? Or do the great sounds of praise and cheers come the moment Sunday/Sabbath service or Mass is over and you get to talk to ‘buddy’? Do your eyes light up knowing you get to go home and get something to eat? Mmmm…wings.

In my own life I have spent a lot of intentional time trying to connect with students, whether it’s through my message, in a school or at my girls group. I’ve always looked for the invisible one’s to bring them into the fold. Clearly, that’s not wrong. However, somewhere down the road this has turned into a habit, something that I do to build relationships and try and learn student’s names as quickly as possible. Disciples of Alison Springer would build a buddy church. A connect church. I didn’t see it before, but at some point the do became work, and the reason why I was compelled to learn names and build relationships was lost. I’m not sure when it happened but now I serve God by serving people reaching out to the community in practical ways. I do this for the sake of people, not the sake of Jesus. Do I have a plan to live out the great commission?  Silence. Awkward silence. What do my students see me doing?  Reaching out to the community in practical ways, but how is my desire to see people come to know Christ expressed in my actions? I don’t spend time praying for my girls group by name, have I pursed them and stayed in contact with them after they graduated from my course or attend the conference? No! Because that’s more work and there is only so much I can do!! My cry is for more helpers!!

Do you find yourself in a similar place?  Since these presentations Holy Spirit has been convicting me and showing me all the areas in my life that I do for people and not for Jesus. I’m weary and don’t have the same excitement or jump for going to church and attending Tuesday night prayer services because like Samson, I’ve been doing my own thing, not realizing I no longer have divine supernatural strength. Now when I teach in the world, I’m getting beat up, and I leave exhausted not seeing much fruit.

My love for Jesus is why I originally got involved in everything that I’m involved in. But my eyes were fixed on the doing that I forgot all about the being, being in love, being full of joy.  Every morning waking up wondering what Jesus & God had in store for me that day. The last three weeks, I started going to prayer meetings Tuesday night not because I felt obligated to, because that pull hasn’t worked for a long while now. I go because I want to; I’m looking for something that I know can only be found in prayer, a deeper relationship with Christ. When I’m tired, in the rain on my bike, whether there are other things I can do, or people who want to connect with me, I will go because I want to connect with Jesus. This past week as I pursue my desire to fall in love with him, I’m meeting my neighbours, and people in my community.  We stop and talk and I’m remembering their names better. I’m having more God encounters with students that I teach at my course as I bump into them outside of my program. What?  The connections are all happening naturally because I’m seeking Him first and desiring to be in right standing with Him. All these things/connections that I’ve wanted are being added or given to me. (Matt. 6:33) Jesus said, through the cross He will draw all people unto Himself. (John 12:32) As I fix my eyes on Him, Holy Spirit taps me on the shoulder and I notice the people are coming.

Is the Connection “Buddy” Church the type of church your students/disciples would plant? 

Are you actively involved in your community planting seeds of love, but people are not introduced to Jesus?  Please, I’m not endorsing you to develop relationships with an agenda to convert people, far from it. But do you remember why you got involved in what you are currently doing in the first place?  Remember the love and excitement of learning more about Jesus, and consecrating your life to Him?  Do you remember the zeal?  It’s that love that draws. That first love, Jesus is calling you back to that place. Where your eyes are on him and not the next event. Where the emphasis is on the Worship, adoration and admiration of Him verses the activities, the creative play and talks.

Are you weary from doing good?  Fall in love again and be in love.

Youth Speaker & Founder of the Young Woman of Power (YWOP), Alison hosts conferences and develops programs that are designed to build the confidence of youth such as the YWOP PivotFWD workshop which she delivers in Calgary’s Youth Judicial System and the citywide Young Women of Power Conference. She considers herself to be a pastor to those who don’t want one or don’t know they need one. For more info or to book Alison as a speaker visit www.ywop.ca 

An Invitation to Speak at Open Vancouver

At most training events I’ve attended, the speakers are the outside experts. They’re flown in and paid the big bucks to share their expertise about a given subject, then fly off to another. They're often from a totally different context than my own. That’s okay–we’ve all gained and learned a great deal from this training model, both as listeners and as speakers. I’ve been both the learner and the presenter, and there’s wisdom to gain and share from this model. But I've wondered if we can do things differently.

Open Vancouver is different. We want to be...well...open.

So, here is my formal invitation to you:

You’re cordially invited to be a speaker at Open Vancouver.

The Open Vancouver organizing team (Matt Wilks, Clay Imoo, and myself, plus the guys from The Youth Cartel) would love to see a diverse and unique blend of local voices share about what they’re seeing, experiencing, and learning in youth ministry in the Vancouver, BC area. We’re looking less for a 90-minute lecture/workshop and more like a 20-30 minute TED-talk or focused training presentation, following by a session of Q&A. Open is all about conversation and dialogue. So if you have a story to tell, a rant to scream, a new concept or experiment you’ve wanted to try, an observation about culture, or a theological insight into the world of young people, you’re invited to step up to the microphone. (Even if you're not from BC, you're still invited to Open Vancvouer. Matt is from Calgary, and he's showing up.)

We’re just asking potential speakers to fill out a short form outlining what they’d like to share. We’re trying to gather as many speakers as possible by July 1, so get your proposal in!

I know, I know–it feels weird to propose yourself to speak at an event. That’s okay. Sign up anyway. Remember, I just invited you! Depending on the amount of proposals our team receives, you may not speak at this Open event this year. We’d still just love to hear from you. You have a voice. Use it. (Maybe sign up your awesome youth ministry friend who would never sign up themselves. Okay, not really. But…maybe.)

So would you please do two things?

First, prayerfully consider making a proposal to be a speaker. What idea / story / concept / experiment / rant / wisdom would you like to share?

Second, invite your youth ministry friends to Open Vancouver on Saturday, September 27. Seriously, tell everyone you know. We don’t exactly have a marketing budget for this sort of thing; we’re relying on word of mouth and the power of the Internets. Registration will open soon, we’d love to see you there!

Cruise Control: some good & some bad

 My ramblings this week were spawned after driving through a speed trap without getting a ticket. After celebrating, I thought of 2 ways cruise control happens in my life... one good and one bad.

Here's my thoughts...

Dave Brotherton was a youth pastor from 1984-2006 and now teaches youth ministry at Ambrose University College in Calgary. Dave is also the National Youth Guy for the Alliance churches in Canada, the director of Legacy Youth Conference, and a junior high volunteer in his church. Dave is married to Lisa and they share 2 of the greatest kids in the world. Fishing, camping, and cheering on the Leafs are some of his favorite things. 
This summer, Dave is transitioning to lead the ministry of Sauble Christian Fellowship, Sauble Beach, ON. 
twitter: @oldbrotherdave 

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

Interview with Ken McIntyre regarding Youth Ministry, Canada & Wonderings

Ken McIntyre is the youth ministry director at Beddington Pentecostal Church in Calgary, Alberta. Ken loves working with people, using technology & all things Canadian.

Watch/listen to this conversation about God's activity in and through the life and ministry of Ken (Follow him on twitter: @ken_mcintyre)