Tag Archives: student ministry

The Importance of Networking

Posted on February 21, 2012 | Leave a comment

I am going to be honest (as if I’m not at other times??) with you all. When I am with students, I often feel like a different person than when I am on my own with a group of adults. With the students, I am outgoing and sometimes crazy. With adults, I am more reserved and introverted. Therefore, when it comes to networking with other youth workers, I do not feel naturally inclined to go out of my way to make it happen. Nonetheless, God knows better for me. He placed some ideas of this in my head back at the Orange Conference, and He has been making things happen ever since.

Currently, I meet with two different groups of youth workers. One is a monthly meeting that includes a wider geographical area. The other is a group of guys who live closer together. The first primarily exists for networking, while the other has grown to something beyond that. We often partner in doing ministry. God has also provided other random opportunities to network in the last year or so with conferences, retreats, and other events. All of these groups are also cross-denominational, which has been an excellent bonus!

I say all this for one main reason. God has reminded me of the importance of networking with others who are also passionate about youth ministry. It has been great to get connected with these others around me. It is a time to bounce ideas around. It is a venue to share frustrations and excitement with a group of people who share similar experiences. It is a healthy, fun time to grow beyond our little circles of influence. I would encourage everyone in ministry to find a network of other ministers in your area. Get together regularly for opportunities to share, connect, and grow. If you do not know where to start, I encourage you to check out the National Network of Youth Ministries website. They have resources available to help you connect with others.

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Posted in Thinking Out Loud

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Reflections on Taking Up My Cross to Follow Jesus, Away from Family

Posted on January 10, 2012 | Leave a comment

This morning, I received a phone call from my father, where he proceeds to tell me my sister was involved in a car accident. To sum up what happened, her and a friend were rear-ended while sitting on the side of the road. She has been released from the hospital with a mild concussion, neck pain, and some memory loss regarding the accident.

I say all this for two reasons. First, your prayers are greatly appreciated. Second, it has obviously got me thinking more about my sister. It is an odd series of thoughts. That is not because we do not get along or anything. It is just that we have never been incredibly close. This is partly because we are five years apart. We had our own group of friends, we were only in the same school for 2 years (during elementary), and we are different genders. I moved out when I started college, and did not really spend much time back in my home town. And just when we were getting a bit closer, God called me to ministry several hundred miles away.

This is extremely difficult for me. I do not vocalize it much, because I never want to seem like that type of a person. However, it does get overwhelming every once in a while and I feel like I need to tell someone. Today has been one of those days. Not that I could have done anything, but I wished I could. And part of me thought that, “If only I was there…” Similar thoughts have crossed my mind when my great-grandmother was not doing well about a year or so ago.

I guess what I really want to say is that I am constantly being reminded how ministry/missions can be lonely, especially when God removes you from your family and friends. Visits are never long enough, and it feels like time creeps by as you await another time to catch up. Technology helps but it is not the same. Nights are spent wondering what life would be like if we actually had friends and family around. Days go by when you wonder if it will feel like “home.” At times, you get discouraged at how difficult it is to make friends, trying to remember when was the last time people just wanted to hang out and share life together. Do not get me wrong; there are amazing days when things go so good! I thank God for these times!! But there are other times when you think about such things.

If you are considering ministry as a profession, I can only tell you to pray. Make sure it is what God wants for your life, because it will not always be easy. It will not always be filled with people giving their lives to Jesus, church growth, and no problems. And if He calls you to leave your friends and family, pray even more, because you will soon begin to understand what Jesus means in Matthew 8:18-22 and Matthew 10.

I know that God will help my sister get through this, and He will continue to watch over my family and friends I “left behind,” but I just want to be honest. It is tough sometimes.

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YM Resource – Free eBooks for Youth Ministry

Posted on January 4, 2012 | 3 Comments

Ever since my wife received her Kindle as a birthday gift last year, I have loved the idea of digital books. In fact, I eventually bought myself one, and we are in the process of trying to figure out how to get all our bookshelves onto these little devices.

Brandon Schmidt over at Youth Pastor Gear has posted a list of several FREE eBooks that you can download for your Kindle, Nook, or any type of eReader. Among them include game ideas, Bible study resources, and theology classics. I’ve already downloaded several of them myself!

Youth Pastor Gear – Free eBooks for Youth Ministry

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Posted in YM Resources

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Why Go to Orange 2012?

Posted on September 22, 2011 | 1 Comment

Today marks the opening of registration for The Orange Conference 2012. Many of you might be wondering why I am pushing this conference so much on here. Well, here you go…

If you are like me, it is easy to get in a ministry rut. Days go by, and you continue doing ministry the same way you have been doing it. Occasionally, something will come along to challenge you, but you typically stay the same. The Orange Conference, for me, is all about confronting myself. I get to sit at the feet of many who have walked before me and gain from their God-given wisdom. At the same time, I get to rub shoulders with others who are doing ministry. We get to talk and figure out what is working and not working in their setting. These times open my mind to the much larger world out there and how we can better reach them for Christ.

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Favorite Speakers at Orange: Doug Fields

Posted on September 21, 2011 | 1 Comment

One of the reasons I love going to any Christian conference is gaining from the wisdom of others. The Orange Conference is no different. One of my favorites is Doug Fields. Many of you in the youth ministry world probably know who he is already. For those who do not, you should get to know him. He was the lead student minister at Saddleback Church in California for many years, before his recent resignation. Now, he continues to write and speak about student and family ministries all across the country.

Photo from whatisorange.org

Doug speaks from the heart, and he speaks from experience. Not only does he keep things interesting with lots of personal examples, he is a great communicator.

One of the things I have learned from Doug is the importance of putting family first (behind God of course) after ministry and the church. As a minister, your first priority should be on helping your family know, serve, and glorify God. Then, you should go help others do the same in the church and world. If your family is not healthy in their relationship with God, your ministry is suffering. This is a change of mindset for many in ministry, but it is crucial. Sure, things get busy and tough, but a minister needs to lead at home before the church. In turn, he lead better at church.

One other point I have learned from Doug is to move out of the spotlight and put others in it. This should happen in many ways. For me, it has influenced me in two ways. I have placed more importance on our small groups and small group leaders, with the goal of allowing the students to connect with them and seek them out for spiritual guidance (in addition to their parents). Secondly, I have also been trying to help the students realize their own spiritual gifts and talents, and in turn, begin using them in the ministry. Doug has helped me step out of the spotlight and place others in it, so that the ministry does not depend upon me.

To find out more about Doug Fields, head to his blog.

For more on The Orange Conference, head to their website.

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Posted in Orange

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Why Orange?

Posted on September 20, 2011 | 1 Comment

As we kick off Orange Blogger Week for September 2011, I’d like to address a simple question of “Why Orange?” For those of you who have been in ministry situations for a while, or just starting, I know a new idea like this could be confusing as to why to change it up.

For me, it is all about the heart of the Orange philosophy. The idea of Orange is combining the heart of the family (red) with the light of the church (yellow). These two institutions were began by God, and it is important that they are brought together. Too often in churches today, we are fragmenting our ministries. The student ministry, children’s ministry, worship ministry, etc. have no clue what is going on in each others’ area. On top of that, parents often have the mindset that the church is the primary spiritual influence for their kids, instead of themselves. The Orange philosophy is about dismissing these two concepts. Instead, the idea is to get all ministries on the same page, partnering together in support of families being the primary source of spiritual influence. The church should partner with parents and families to make this happen.

This is why I have chosen to support Orange, this is and why our church has adopted this philosophy. Specifically, for student ministry, this means that I am working with parents more and championing the family. In the end, it seems like a “why not?” decision for me. Why not partner with families in helping them serve Christ? That’s why orange.

For more about Orange, check out http://whatisorange.org.

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Register for the Orange Conference 2012

Posted on September 19, 2011 | Leave a comment

Today official kicks off Orange Blogger Week for September 2011, To start with, I just want to let you know about The Orange Conference, especially since registration opens this week! Below is a TON of information about the conference straight from the ones who put the event together.

What is The Orange Conference?
OC is premiere gathering for church leaders in family ministry (preschool, children’s, student and senior leadership). There were nearly 5,000 people at OC11 from all over the world.

When is The Orange Conference 2012?
April 25-27, 2012

Where is OC12?
The Gwinnett Center in Duluth, GA (a suburb of Atlanta)

Where can I get more information?
www.TheOrangeConference.com

When does registration open?
Thursday, September 22, 2011

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Ministry Update: Busy Days Ahead

Posted on June 30, 2011 | Leave a comment

I apologize for not blogging much. In the past several weeks, I have been a bit overwhelmed. Between mission trip fundraising/planning, getting ready for camp, and all other student ministry stuff this summer, I have been quite busy. It doesn’t stop, though. We are almost finished with Camp Create at RCC. After that, I will have about one week “off.” Then, I leave for Southern IL to speak and lead worship at a camp. This is particularly exciting for me, since I am taking two of our male students along! After that, I will have two days to rest before heading out on our mission trip to Puerto Rico. When I return, I will be gearing up for our middle school camping trip, high school Six Flags trip, recruiting adult leaders, and planning for our first-ever high school fall retreat.

Just the other day, someone from our church told me that I am “aging.” While I am not sure exactly what she meant (either that I am looking old or reminding me that I am not that young anymore), I still feel that God is with me, helping me all along. It is overwhelming at times, but I am enjoying it. Although, it would be nice to get some rest along the way. Thank you, God, for telling us to take a Sabbath! This weekend’s mini-vacation will be just what the doctor ordered.

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“Don’t Fade Away” Volunteer Song from Orange Conference 2011

Posted on May 4, 2011 | 2 Comments

Each year at the Orange Conference, they perform a song for all volunteers in the church, specifically those serving in children’s and student ministries. I can honestly say they are often overlooked and not appreciated enough. I know that I personally would be up a creek without my awesome team of volunteers! To all my volunteers and the others out there serving God in sometimes tough situations, thank you!!

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Posted in Music, Orange, Photos/Video

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Doug Fields Explains the Essentials of Youth Ministry Discipleship (Orange 2011)

Posted on April 29, 2011 | Leave a comment

Photo from whatisorange.org

Discipleship is not a short-term process. It is a question of where they are going to be 5, 10, 20, 30+ years from now. That is something Doug Fields and I both agree upon. In his breakout workshop, Doug goes explains some “Essentials of Youth Ministry Discipleship.” Above all, he reminds us that ”We do the possible with faith that God will do the impossible.”

Doug breaks these essentials down into three main areas: what we believe, which is all about our discipleship philosophy; who we are, which is all about our discipleship qualities;  and what we do, which is more of the practical program initiatives.

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