morethandodgeball.com

Facebook Parenting for the Troubled Teen

(WARNING: there’s some language in this video!)

So many possible application for this video in youth ministry! This weekend I played a clip (just the shooting part near the end) of this video during the service to illustrate how fast news travels nowadays. I made a comparison to how the Good News of Jesus traveled, without the aid of technology, through the world in the book of Acts. Made for a great pause/illustration in the middle of the talk!

JG

simplyinsider.com

The Best Gift You Can Give Your Community and Ministry is a Healthy Family

Serving in Christian ministry should be a life-building, life-giving, life-inspiring experience for leaders, spouses, and families. So why isn’t that always the case?

In this book, youth pastor Brian Berry pours out his thoughts on why it’s so tough to build a healthy life, a healthy marriage, and a healthy family in the midst of ministry craziness. He focuses on the three best gifts you as a youth worker can bestow:

• The best gift you can give your marriage is a healthy self
• The best gift you can give your family is a healthy marriage
• The best gift you can give your community and ministry is a healthy family

A Message from author Brian Berry

Just reading this book won’t transform you into a youth worker with a healthy self, marriage, and family. But reading this book will guide you, challenge you, and inspire you as you ponder the stuff that we all wrestle with as followers of Jesus, the stuff we strive for as spouses, and the stuff we yearn for as parents.

Brian Berry serves as the generation ministries pastor at Journey Community Church near San Diego, California, where he works directly with high school ministry and oversees a staff that is responsible for infants through 20-somethings. Brian is also a frequent blogger, writes and teaches for youth workers, and speaks at various conferences, camps, and retreats for a variety of audiences. He and his wife Shannon have five kids.

CLICK HERE [...]

juniorhighministry.com

?Thanks for Talking to Me?

Posted by Scott Rubin

I wasn’t intending to write a blog post right now. But just had an interaction that made me want to jot some things down? (If you can see a parallel between middle schoolers and senior citizens, this post might make sense.)

I got in early this morning, needing to crank through some things before anyone else gets to the office. I flipped on my computer, and went to empty my overflowing trash can before attacking my day. Walking back to my office, I ran into a 70-year-old volunteer from our church who helps do cleaning stuff around here, early in the mornings. (In my opinion, jr. highers and senior citizens can both be a bit ?invisible? to people if they?re not careful!)

When I said ?how are you doing? to this guy (not realizing he was really going to tell me!), he proceeded to fill me in about the stroke he had last year, and how he?s recovering from it. I was aware that I really wanted to get to my office & dig into the stuff I need to get done today? but I tried to dial in with him? it only took 5 minutes. Honestly though, I was probably half-listening, and half thinking of my ?to-do? list for the day. He told me about how his left side was paralyzed last May, but now he?s doing better.

As I wished him a good day & started to leave, he said 5 words that made me pause:

marriedtoayouthpastor.com

In regards to a comment?

You are right, there are far more dangerous jobs than youth ministry. I am extremely thankful that my husband does not stare down the barrel of a gun. I cannot imagine the kind of strength a wife would need for that. No matter what the job each one of us, including myself, has and will face great tragedies. Just in each day there are so many ups and downs. Our lives are sprinkled with many different feelings and emotions from happiness to thankfulness, to frustration to sorrow. My hope is that not one of us would deny ourselves the right to feel validated in each and every feeling that we have that gets mixed up inside of us. I hope that in some small way this blog may be a place for someone in ministry to feel heard, connected, and uplifted through a comment, a funny story, or a serious post. And what I love so much about this community of women is the honesty shared about their lives, and the tone that we all take loving God and our husbands seriously but don’t take ourselves too seriously.

I write this in no way with a defensive voice, but with so much concern that many pastor’s wives are told that their feelings are silly or not important. Whether from someone at church or their own inner dialogue. Our “perspective” should be to accept and embrace our feelings whatever they may be and then with God [...]

morethangossip.com

Days Away

It’s just days away! I spent a good amount of time today working on my upcoming workshop!

We’ll be examining the outside voices coming at young girls and how the church can counter those voices.

What are some messages that you think girls are hearing today? And what can the church do to help them?

Also- will you be at Simply Youth Ministry Conference? If so, let’s have coffee!!!

youthmissionsinsider.com

Planning a Mission Trip is way more than details!

Mission trips can be very heavy on logistics. Where you go. Where you stay. Who you serve. How you serve them. What you eat. How you get there. And many more details? Ugh. In the mountain of all that info, it?s easy to miss planning and preparing for what may be the most important thing that will happen on your mission trip.

Let?s quickly make sure we agree on a few things (I?m sure we do, just double-checking):

• The goal of youth ministry overall is to help young people grow closer to Jesus.
• As youth leaders we?re always looking for the best method to ?transport? our students closer to Jesus.
• Missions are one form of ?transportation? that are remarkably effective.

OK, do we agree? If so, then?

• In order to make a mission trip most effective you need a clear idea of where you want your young people to go? and how to help create that environment on the trip for Jesus to work.
• Having a well-developed plan for a deep spiritual experience is key to reaching your ultimate goal. This is true whether you build the experience or you select an experience built by others.

To get started here?s several questions to ask to help shape the spiritual growthgoals you have in mind as part of your mission experience.

Where are my students and adults at spiritually?

- individually

- the group as a whole

How do the following issues impact your times of worship or spiritual [...]

simplyurbanministry.com

You need VISION

q Jeremiah 1:4 ?The Word of God came to me saying, before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.?

q God had a vision a plan for you. Do you have one for the assignment He has given you?

q Vision: The picture of God?s potential, purpose, and possibilities for your life.

q Show me a person without vision, and I will show you a person who is at a standstill in life.

q Proverbs 29:18 ?Where there is no vision the people perish.?

q Life Point: The key element to getting out of my present state is the vision that I have for myself.

q Jeremiah 29:11 ?For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope,

q True vision goes beyond what I can accomplish on my own.

q True vision adds value to others.

q True vision attracts vision.

q True vision must have God in it.

q Acts 2:17 ?And it shall come to pass in the last days says God, I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams.?

1. Not knowing who you are. If you don?t know who you [...]

holysoup.com

5 Keys to Share Faith?Without Being a Jerk