“I AM A YOUTH MINISTER”



I am a Youth Minister.

I am the unsung worker in the unsung field of the unsung harvest. It should be no shock that no one recognizes the work I do considering very few people recognize the kids to whom I have dedicated my life to reach. The world of my kids is a distant land, seldom thought of or journeyed to, and rarely considered. I have sailed away from shore in an effort to reach it, and in doing so, I have sailed, in some ways, away from being recognized and remembered in what I do.



I am a Youth Minister.



I won’t fit the mold of the “everyday job”. I might not be in the office by 8:30 a.m., since I probably won’t leave before 9:00 p.m. I don’t wear a tie. I get to wear jeans. My office might look a bit like a wreck, complete with a paper-filled desk surrounded by volleyballs and left-over sleeping bags, old retreat T-shirts and broken guitar strings, dog-eared copies of paperback bibles and crumpled sign-up forms and flyers. Contrary to most, my office isn’t where most of my work happens. My work happens in the bleachers at the high school soccer game, at the local Dairy Queen, at the mall, the arcade, and the dance recitals. My work happens wherever those kids are. Right now they are in second period. So, I’ll clear a space in my office and sit here and wait until 3:00 p.m. when I can see them again.



I am a Youth Minister.



More than likely, I’ll never be “successful” by the world’s standards. I knew that when I answered the call to be here. I can’t forget that. I’ll never be a Gold Medallion level frequent flyer with the ability to complain how much my company makes me travel because they need me so much. I’ll never have a company car. I may never travel out of my neighborhood, and my car will always have face prints on the windows, soda cans rolling around under the seats, and a few teenagers sitting inside. I’ll never be moving up the corporate ladder. I may never get a new title, since there isn’t much other way to describe what I do.



I am a Youth Minister.



I’m not like some other ministers, I can’t simply open up the doors of my church and expect people to flock to me and hear words of wisdom. I must go find them. I can’t afford to stand above those around me or rise above them in image, personality, or ego. I must use all my effort, humility, and character to dive down to where most of where my kids reside, meet them where they are, and work to pick them back up. Glossy, multi-syllable words aren’t a benefit to me. They do nothing more than get me funny looks of confusion. My rule is simplicity. Simple words. Simple ideas. Simple love. I try to love on kids the same way Jesus did.


I am a Youth Minister.



Most of that which surrounds me will be unique. I’ll be the one that submits receipts for reimbursements that include marshmallows, bungee cords, whipped cream, rub on tattoos, massive amounts of pizza, and multi-colored wigs. I’ll be the one that everyone runs to when something around the church gets broken, spilt upon or stained. I’ll be the one that few board members will take seriously. I’ll be taken for granted and overlooked. When my group is going great, I’ll simply be meeting expectations and I’ll hear very little. When things occasionally go awry, I’ll hear it from everyone. I’ll be the one that everyone simply considers a “playmate” to the kids, everyone except the kids, that is. They’ll be just about the only ones that could speak of the depth, heart, and magnitude of what we are dealing with here. Unfortunately, their voices are taken less seriously by the rest of the church than mine.



I am a Youth Minister.



My boss doesn’t yell at me. God is my boss. Some people try to consider themselves as my boss sometimes, but they aren’t my boss. My real boss is one of the few that recognizes what I do. He smiles down on me when my kids smile and cries with us when we cry. He worries about them a good bit, for He truly sees what they are up against each day. My boss never leaves me. I depend on Him in everything I do. He provides for me my every need. He know me. He knows the kids. He is the one at work here, not me. It does me good to constantly remember that. I get overwhelmed when I forget. I am not in charge here.



I am a Youth Minister.



My customers are teenagers. They have little or no money, prestige, influence, or buying power. They are confused and lost more times than not. People seldom listen to them or give them respect. They need to talk, to laugh, to be loved, to be listened to, and to rest. Most adults are always on their case. They hate to see most adults coming. Most adults just want them to turn their music down, cut their hair, quit talking like that, and leave the mall. That is the extent that most folks see out of them. I do not.



I am a Youth Minister.



My job will never be understood by my friends. I can consider myself to them, in some ways, like the nuclear bio-physicist. They have heard of the title, but they don’t really know what I do. Sometimes they will say, “Well, that is an admirable job” or “Well, there is a field that definitely needs some attention” but that is about as far as it will go. To many, they will see what I do as the best that I can do. So they will think that I had to settle for working with kids. To me, I will see it as something that I have chosen to do…and feel that I must do. Many will ask, “What will you do when you are fifty?”
”God willing, exactly the same thing,” I will respond. Many will be jealous of me, because they have noticed that I never complain about what I do, and love what I do.

Plus, I get to wear jeans to work.



I am a Youth Minister.

This was something that a friend got from a friend who got it from a friend and posted it on Facebook. This was not written by me. If you’re the original author or know the original author, let me know because I’d love to credit them. I just wanted to share with you in the hopes that it would encourage you.

Tags: youth minister, inspirational, encouragement

    – Why did you get involved with the youth ministry?
    – What do they do with the ministry?
    – What was the best moment they’ve experienced?
    – What is something that has surprised them about youth ministry?
    – Why should someone else get involved with youth ministry?

These are just a couple of the potential questions that you could ask. Just get them talking and sharing and you’ll be amazed at what they say. This is an awesome way to honor your volunteers who are doing such amazing ministry, and to show the congregation the life change that is going on in your ministry.

Tags: youth ministry, volunteer, recognition

Job

We’ve all worked someplace that was just a paycheck. We hate (or at least tolerate) going there, and the only redeeming quality is the money we get in the bank at the end of the week. Most would agree that viewing youth ministry as merely a job is not good, but too many are in it for the paycheck. They are in it because its the only place you can get paid for playing video games and chubby bunny.

Career

Viewing youth ministry as a career sounds like a good thing, right? Generally we think of a career as something we like, something we enjoy, and a profession we’re going to stick around in for a while. Unfortunately, the downside of a career is that we’re always looking for the next promotion, or the next payraise, or the next opportunity. It becomes about OUR upward mobility. I’m sure most of us at times are guilty of treating youth ministry as a career, but there are some who are solely looking to move up the youth ministry totem pole.

Ministry

Viewing what we do as a ministry means that sometimes we do it for less pay (or no pay!) Sometimes it means we go to a smaller church, not a bigger church. Sometimes it means we take another job to support our ministry. Sometimes it means doing whats best for God’s kingdom, not our own resume. Sometimes it means its hard work, not fun and games.

I’ve been in ministry for a long time, and I’ve seen many of the first two. Sometimes I’ve been a part of the first two. But if you’re going to make a difference, then the only way to go is for Youth Ministry to actually be a ministry. If you are ministering for any other reasons than to honor God by bringing teens to Christ, then you’re in the wrong profession. But if you’re in it for the ministry, then I want to encourage you. One of my favorite verses is Galatians 6:9 – Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Don’t give up, and keep ministering!

“Merry X-mas!” That was written on the inside of a Christmas card from a relative who you THOUGHT knew Jesus. Clearly, he’s trying to remove Christ from Christmas, so when Christmas dinner comes along you’re going to really let him have it.

Christmas is two days away, and we’ve been inundated with the “Christmas Season” since well before Thanksgiving this year. For several weeks now, I’ve seen Facebook friends and Twitter-ers complain about people who use such sayings as Happy Holidays or Merry Xmas. The general consensus is that the world is trying to take Christ out of Christmas. The general reaction is to get huffy and upset, and say something really dumb.

First of all, the world is always trying to get rid of Christ. That’s no secret. King Herod tried to kill Jesus as a toddler, and people have been trying to get rid of him ever since. So, no shocker that the world wants to make Christmas into something other than Christ’s birthday. Its safer, more manageable to make it about gifts and family and pretty lights than about a savior who stepped out of heaven to be born in a dirty barn. Jesus has managed to persevere this long, I think he can manage without our Facebook indignation.

Secondly, what amazes me is that people are getting bent out of shape over nothing. Lets take a look at the first word. Holiday. Holiday is simply a combination of two words, Holy Day. So, when people say, “Happy Holidays” they are really saying “Happy Holy Day.” Maybe we should reclaim the word holiday and make it about something truly holy, and celebrate holiday rather than condemn it. And then, the second, the dreaded “X-mas.” Growing up, I remember writing “Merry Xmas” in a Christmas card, and got chewed out royally for it by some well meaning Christian. The truth of the matter is that the X has long stood for Christ, and not as in “I am Xing him out” but as the Chi (Greek letter that is shaped like an X) the first letter of Christ. Chi (X) was often used as an abbreviation for Christ. Now, I wouldn’t go around saying “Merry Xmas”…the more accurate way of putting it is “Merry Chi-mas” which just sounds awkward. While people may use these phrases to avoid using the name of Christ, they are still saying the same thing!

What is at issue is not the attempts by the world to remove Christ from Christmas, but how Christians respond. This is not about a war on Christmas. Its about saving souls. That is why Jesus came, so that we could be reconciled with God. How we have lost that and instead make it an “Us vs Them” proposition I do not know. We are fighting battles in the wrong war. The only way Christ comes out of Christmas is if we as Christians do not model Christ during this season and all the seasons. Yeah, it can be disheartening sometimes, but as Jesus said “Take heart! I have overcome the world!” We need to be the ones putting Christ in the season, and not worrying about others “taking him out.” So, have a merry Christmas and happy holy day.

I took 3 classes – Spiritual Formation, The Church, and Survey of Church History. Spiritual Formation was a class on spiritual disciplines and growth. The Church was on the biblical doctrines of the Church. Survey of Church History covered the entire history of the church.

Here are some of the things I learned…

- Spiritual disciplines are so much more than reading the bible and praying. We need to make space for God to work in our lives, not just do things that we think we’re supposed to do

- We need to have a plan for our spiritual growth, not just hope it happens by accident

- Most churches are surprisingly far from a true biblical expression of what the church is supposed to be and do

- We fight over too many inconsequential things in the church, while not standing up for what is truly important

- The church has been messed up from day one…

- But amazingly the church has managed to do a untold number of great things throughout history

- Much of what we believe about history is grossly mistaken

- The future of the church is not as bleak as some would have you believe

Thats just a short sample. I’ve learned a lot so far, and its only the first semester. Hopefully I can finish it up in 2 years and get my masters, but we shall see. I should be back to posting regularly as well.

Tags: seminary

It’s simple. You need a pitch black church. One person goes and hides, and everyone tries to find them. Once a person finds them, though, they hide with them. As more people find them, it becomes quite the crowd. Once they have been found by everyone

(or when enough time has gone by), start a new round.

A couple of pieces of advice. To avoid PDA, we always have adults making the rounds through the building at all times. Also, we have people team up in same-sex groups of 2. It cuts down on any temptation. Keep the game going quickly, and end it once you start to sense that some of the teens are beginning to check out and get bored. Also, you might want to confiscate cell phones and ipods before the game, because those quickly become flashlights and aids to cheating. If the game is getting long and people are having trouble, be willing to give out hints.

I’ll share one awesome Sardines story – one church I served at was the perfect “sardines” church…lots of hiding spots, few windows, and some really creepy old church stuff that made it fun. In an old storage room there was this 3-d depiction of the top half of Jesus on the cross, and it was terrifying in the light. In the dark…forget about it. One of our students hid underneath that picture for well over an hour without being found. It was epic.

Have you played Sardines? Any great stories? Any idea as to why its called “Sardines?”

Hopefully you are doing some training. You can always do more! Look for ways to go beyond the monthly training meeting without being too intrusive on your team’s time. Here are some ideas to help supercharge your training beyond the monthly training meetings…

Weekly Emails

You can say a lot with a short email. You don’t need to overwhelm your team, but giving them something to think about during the week will be helpful. If you have trouble coming up with enough stuff on your own, check out Doug Fields “Youth Leader Training on the Go”, it offers weekly pdfs you can send out.

MP3 Training

Most of your volunteers probably own an MP3 player or spend time in the car, so once a month give them a 30 minute (or less) MP3/CD to digest. Search online for podcasts, mp3s from SYM or YS Conferences, or other training from “professionals.” Sometimes another voice saying the same thing you are carries additional weight.

Yearly Retreat

Your volunteers are probably very busy with jobs, family, and life. They’re contributing to your ministry in the little spare time they have. So you probably can’t get them out for a weekend retreat or attend a conference. If you can, great! If you can’t, plan a 6-8 hour mini-retreat. Don’t meet at your church, go somewhere crazy. Go mini-golfing and have each hole be a 20 second training exercise. Have lunch at the local teen hangout, and talk about the importance of outreach. Be crazy, be creative!

Training videos

In this era of YouTube, we can’t ignore the value of video. This is especially helpful if you can’t meet regularly. Record yourself covering important topics. Don’t go longer than 10 minutes, and make them interesting.

Skype/Google + Hangout

Maybe you can’t get everyone together for a training session. To make things interesting, schedule a skype/google + group video chat. There are limits to how many that can chat at the same time, but for smaller groups it would work great. Note – Skype would require one of you to have a “Skype Premium” account, but its pretty cheap.

One on One mentoring

Take time each month to meet with some of your volunteers to mentor, pray with, and address personal concerns. These meetings will help to connect your relatively impersonal big training sessions to personally applying training in their lives. These meetings are invaluable.

These are just some suggestions to help train your volunteers. How do you train your team, and do you do anything creative to make things more dynamic?

I’m writing this blog post because tomorrow, October 31st, is the last day to register for the early bird savings. Considering this conference sells out every year, you might want to register already and save yourself some serious moolah. This year’s theme is “Breath” and is going to be amazing with Francis Chan, Jon Acuff, Shane & Shane, the Skit Guys, and of course me! You won’t want to miss it. It is in Louisville, March 2nd – 5th.

Go to http://conference.youthministry.com/ and sign up today to save big!

“Those teens keep talking during church!”

“They were passing notes during the sermon!”

“Can’t you get those teens to come in from the foyer and sit in the pews?”

“Did you see how those kids dress? Why can’t they wear more church appropriate clothing?”

“The teens were causing trouble after Sunday School. Make sure they behave right!”

Likely you’ve heard something from well meaning (or less well meaning in some cases) individuals in your church. They look at your teens, see the outward behavior, and make judgments regarding them. The desire is to make the outward actions “Christian.” If the outward is clean, then we’ve been successful. The old “cluckers” aren’t the only ones guilty of this. We’re often guilty of this as well. We look at the outward behavior and pick out the “true Christians” from the “problem kids.” We reinforce this by commending the outward behavior – singing, praying in public, correct answers or rule following – and punishing bad behavior – talking, bad attitudes, wrong answers, etc.

The problem with focusing on the outside is that we communicate that behavior is the important thing. If they’re able to “act the part” then they’re good to go. We ignore the inside transformation – to our student’s peril.

Its hard to ignore outward behavior, because it is behavior is often a reflection of the inward reality. But don’t ignore the inner person. When you teach, talk about how it affects both outer and inner. When you compliment students, be sure to acknowledge the aspects of inner development you’ve seen as well as the outer behavior. And when others start to say, “Why don’t those teens…?” you say, “Yes, but they’re really loving Jesus and doing such and such.”

How do you recognize and reward inner growth in your teens?