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Archive for the month “October, 2011”

20 Oct 2011

Preparing for your world series

I am still reeling from the Rangers beating the Tigers in ACLS and dreading a pink shirt at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference ( please don’t ask, just come the to convention and see).
I began to reflect on how much practice, energy, coaching, trading of players, players in the preseason getting ready and finally the big game. The Cardinals and the Rangers are playing a best series that will determine the world series champions of baseball.
Transition to Youth Ministry… How are you doing in preparing for the big game? Are you practicing your lessons, praying for your leaders and students, are you recruiting and training high quality leaders? How is your preseason preparation coming along? Do you have a vision and mission statement? Have you mapped a course bathed in prayer for the future of your ministry? Have you checked your course of direction, are you staying on course, do you need to make some adjustments?
I wanted to be transparent with you and say it is a continual process for me in setting the course of direction, of reviewing our history and current situation, of determining who we are needing to join our leadership team to help us reach God’s goal for our Youth Ministry. I am praying, reading the word and keeping my leaders in mind as I seek to please God in His ministry.
God’s speed friends.

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11 Oct 2011

Pulling for your team!

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I am a big fan of the Detroit (fill in the blank) teams. I have been since I can remember. This year seems to be a great year to be a fan.. We can usually count on the red wings, lions are playing well and the tigers are in the ALSC against the rangers.
A couple of youth worker friends associated with the Simply Youth Ministry Conference and I made a friendly wager… The challenge is simple… If we (tigers) win, they have to wear shirts during the conference referencing our greatness and buy us Starbucks. If they win, we wear pink possibly bedazzled ones… Praying this doesn’t happen lol.
Allow me to venture back into the youth world and ask you how much a following do you have for your ministry? Do you put your team shirt, hat on or have your faces painted? We need to be setting the example for our team and church in the area of pulling for our ministry. You can bet
You are either helping people support you or not…. It depends on your attitude and excitement.
I would encourage you to take some time this week and evaluate your spirit…. Make a plan to get your attitude going and share your support and excitement… It will catch

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05 Oct 2011

What is with all the iPhone 4s hype and does your ministry compare to it?

Everyone is waiting on pins and needles, will Apple announce the Iphone 5 or not……
The answer is NOT. They didn’t introduce the new Iphone 5 but the new revised and ever so special Iphone 4S. I am not sure if that excites or disappoints you but as a tech interested borderline addict I don’t care and am not surprised one bit. The Iphone 5 most likely isn’t ready and a natural pattern would be to spice up the Iphone 4 to buy some time.

How do we as Student Ministers compare or contrast what Apple did? Allow me to challenge your assumption here.

1. We often submit a budget (generally under what we really need) to our finance team only to get a portion of that requested amount due to giving or expected giving.
2. We will have a solid plan of our ministry at the beginning of the year and as we progress through the calendar we gradually adjust and become side tracked and end the year missing the goal or plan we intended to do.
3. We preach to our students from the pulpit (youth room or class room) that we need to be continually in the Word, but we often compromise our time in the Word because someone needs us, a game is on etc. I would even say in my life on occasion if it weren’t for my lesson prep time, I wouldn’t be in the bible at all.
4. We compare ourselves to other youth ministries in our area or attend youth ministry conferences only to come home feeling the need to overhaul our ministry. I am not implying we shouldn’t attend conferences or even challenge ourselves to do quality ministry.

I am not sure if any of these examples strike a sensitive spot in your gut but I do hope you can take a minute to evaluate your ministry and approach to youth ministering. Then compare your actions with that of the actions of Apple and it’s Iphone 4S announcement. It could be a rewarding or convicting moment, either way we should reflect and challenge ourselves to bring the best ministry we can. It is important that we don’t settle for less in our ministries allowing all the hype of something coming and follow through with the end result.
God has called us to minister to students under His leadership within our giftedness and abilities not someone else abilities or gifts.
It is my prayer that we can bring high quality programs and experiences to our customers that allow them to experience Christ in unique and personal ways and to avoid the disappointment of all hype and compromise.

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04 Oct 2011

SYMCSimply the Best Youth Worker Conference for Youth Workers in the World

Getting into the Game is important but so is practice and recovery time.
I would encourage everyone that works with youth or knows someone who works with youth to check out this event. I know the team putting it all together and you will not find anyone more passionate about Christ or youth workers in the world… Be there even if you have to ask the in laws to send you.

SYMC

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