If you are like me you try to read as many articles, blogs and books as possible but just cannot catch all of them. “In Case You Missed It” is my way of pointing out a few “reads” that I think are too good to miss. The Hunger Games and What It Means for Your Students - Chris Trent…
Tag Archives Youth Ministry
Ministry linguistics, as I addressed it in last week’s post Ministry Linguistics: Connecting Core Concepts, may be as simple as communicating how two concepts are supportive of each other. However, sometimes the issue is not comparing concepts: it is clarifying terms. If while talking about your favorite sporting event or high school memory, students look at you as if…
I guess you thought that once the election was over, you would not hear that line again for a while. I am as weary of hearing it as you are, but let me use it just one more time. We have all heard much about each political candidate’s qualifications, passion, compassion and vision during this election season, so let me…
Let’s face it. Summertime student ministry is different and sometimes difficult. The familiar routine of the school year is in chaos, and students either have a ton of free time or are busier than ever. The change of seasons usually results in a change of strategy for the majority of youth groups around the country. There are tons of ideas…
Networking is more than handing out your business cards to complete strangers. It’s about making meaningful connections with others and coordinating with them to achieve common goals. Ministry Networking should produce a “Win – Win” effect for both ministry partners. It is about relationships, it is not about brokering a merger. The goal is to leverage the strengths of both…
The teen years are not a “holding pattern” but should be a time of utilizing the power of youth. We are not preparing them to be leaders in the future; we are preparing them now for this moment. Being salt and light is not a post-graduate concept. Some of the most vocal advocates for change in student ministry are the…
Why do students today choose not to become a Christian? Too often the reason is related to a negative experience with someone wearing the Christian label. Sometimes it is a life event or circumstance that does not fit neatly into the world of “Jesus Loves the Little Children.” Perhaps others reject the truth about Christ because they just do not…
“I’ve tried everything!” Remember those words from Part 1? If not refer back to my post on January 12. I have divided the philosophical approaches into four sections determined by their predominant thrust. In Part 2 we will examine the first two sections and will conclude next Tuesday with Part 3, so stay with me. Keep in mind that some…
Student Youth Ministry Conference I had a stimulating time with a group of youth pastors today in Atlanta. My friends Larry Lawrence and Roger Allen of First Baptist, Jonesboro, GA hosts a youth pastor's conference each year as a ministry of their church. Brent Crowe of Student Leadership University began the conference dealing with "Five Myths that Cause Ministry Syndication."…
Autonomous (capable of independent function) Youth Ministry - Part 4 Highly-effective youth ministries also have a parent ministry focus. The home should be the primary resource for spiritual training; however, we all know there are many spiritually-deficient homes. Is it our responsibility to be surrogate parents and take the place of their parents or are we to work in tandem?…