I have had a few busy weeks. Honestly, it feels like a month or two. Two weekends ago I was off to May Camp at Sunnybrae bible camp in Salmon Arm. It was a great weekend. We had 26 teens from parkland go to camp. Camp for teens is a magical place. I am always exhausted, but it is worth it when a teenager has an life changing experience away with God. On tuesday I asked some teens when during this past year did they feel God’s presence? They said at camp. Worth being tired for a few days.
Here is a funny satirical video about church. What do you think? Some of it sounds true. I personally think that sunday morning is more than that. It is seeing people connected to God. The songs, the young hip guy, the person with all the answers are all opportunities for people to connect with God on a sunday.
“It is not enough for te priest and ministers of the future to be moral people, well trained, eagerto help their fellow humans, and able to respond creatively to the burning issues of their time. All of that is very valuable and important, but it is no the heart of Christian Leadership. The central question is, Are the leaders of the future truly men and women of God, people with an ardent desire to dwell in God’s presence, listen to God’s voice, to look at God’s beauty, to touch God’s incarnate word, and to taste fully God’s infinite goodness?” – Henri Nouwen
Sometimes youth pastors fall into the trap that we need to be best friends with the students we serve. I don’t think they need another friend. Teenagers have enough friends already. What they do need is someone to leader them spiritually. Especially in a world that is confusing. I am not saying that we can’t have fun, but I think as youth pastors we need to look at ourselves and ask do I get in the way of ministry?
with that said, I like to have fun in my youth ministry. Enjoy it.
Breaking the Missional Code: Your Church Can Become a Missionary in Your Community. By Ed Stetzer & David Putman
Ed Stetzer and David Putman put together an amazing book about being Missional. This book has to be in the hands of every pastor in North America. This book is a critical look at the church today, and how the church needs to be reaching its community. The authors state in the first chapter the way the culture has changed and the need for a church to think differently. Stetzer states, “We need to go to the people. Maybe we have lost ground because we have been thinking that they would just come to us. Now, we need methods and models that address the changing glocal(means global and local) context that is North America.”
One of the biggest insights into the Missional movement that comes from this book is that being missional is a mindset, and not just doing missions. I think that churches and youth ministries (even mine!) get trapped in doing missional work. Doing missional work is running events that people are invited to, and people have the opportunity to accept Christ. Having a missional mindset is about being a missionary in our own context. So, my youth are missionaries in the school, their parents are missionaries at work. They have opportunities all around them. That is the difference. I still think that we need events, but there needs to be less emphasis on events and more emphasis on empowering people to be missionaries where they work, live, play.
This book is one of the best books I have read this year. Go pick it up.
I often wonder if youth pastors have a bullseye on their backs. I find in church people complain about two things. They complain about youth ministry and worship. I find it funny of all the complaints that you can hear from concerned parents. I often think it is better to hear complaints from parents because at least they are talking to you and you can try to improve areas that need work on.
Tip: Always listen, and be assertive, don’t say stupid things in the moment when a parent is talking about why they don’t like your youth ministry. They want the best for their teen.
I just read this article on Millennial Marketing’s site. It is an interesting article looking into the lives of the teens/young adults in our society. What do you think?
“Millennials are spiritually hungry and even consider themselves more spiritual than their parents. But they are the group least likely to attend church regularly. They have a ‘consumer’ orientation to spirituality; they shop around and select from among the ‘choices’ available rather than simply adopt the ‘faith of their fathers’. (Which is strange because they adopt their parents brand of bank, car and education quite readily!) Twenty-five percent consider themselves ‘unaffiliated’, yet two-thirds of those were raised in a religion. What a ‘marketing’ opportunity!
To reach Millennials, a brand, church or organization needs to make them feel as if they made a ‘discovery’ – it can’t be shouted at them. The values of churches and synagogues are very much in alignment with Gen Y values. They need to see how a church’s values fit with theirs. Once engaged, make it easy for them to share their discovery with others. Millennials love to share. They are connected communicators and they are always looking for ‘social currency’ to spend with their network of friends. Churches can offer that currency. Give them something to talk about and a way to act out their deep need to make a difference in the world. Give them a way to participate in their faith, not just talk about it.
My 16-year old son recently became involved with a small group of high school boys his own age led by a dynamic young adult. He didn’t even realize at first that it was sponsored by our church. He thought he had been ‘invited’ to participate in a special group of athletic, smart boys. They meet every week and he never misses it. It immediately led to participation in a retreat, Sunday night fellowship and finally worship services. He’s going on a mission trip this summer. He is now inviting others. I think this is a good model for churches to reach young adults.”
Being in youth ministry for the past 7 years has taught me a ton about leadership. One thing I think is lacking in youth ministries today is leadership. I see youth pastors coming through bible college to end up in a youth ministry only to be one of the coolest kids in the church. I feel like sometimes youth pastors are merchants of cool. They have to say the right thing, and wear the right clothes. Sometimes youth pastors will have what I call inappropriate relationships with teens. This happened to me when I was in Quesnel, and I think it was due to how close my age was to the teens I was trying to lead.
Youth pastors need to move beyond being the cool kid, or friend of teens to leader of teenagers following Jesus Christ. My hope and prayer is that bible colleges will raise up leaders who are Christ focused and want to lead rather than be a friend. I think teenagers have enough friends(just look at all those friends on some teens facebook accounts!).
by Shane Hipps
We live in a culture that is immersed in digital media. We are using social media sites like facebook, twitter, or wordpress. Shane Hipp’s does a great job talking about how technology shapes our faith. Shane Hipp’s states clearly in his preface of the book how important techology is for us in understanding how it imacts faith, “This book explores the hidden power of media and technology as a way to understand who we are, who we think God is, and how God’s unchanging message has changed, is changing and will change. It’s the about the way God communicates with us and the way we communicate God to the world.” This is a great book, but I personally thought that his other book The Hidden Power of the Electronic Culture was a great book, and this new book is a watered down version of that previous book. I would suggest you go buy, “The Hidden Power of the Electronic Culture”. Also, Shane Hipp’s speaks at Rob Bell’s church Mars Hill Grand Rapids. Check him out here.
Youth Pastor as Janitor
Have you ever had a youth event that you had to stick around at all night because someone spilt something on the floor, or you purchase cake for someone’s birthday and when the night is over you see it all over the carpet. If you ever have those experiences you know that the youth pastor also serves as a janitor for the church making sure that everything is clean after your youth night is over. Sometimes I wish that the garbages would magically empty themselves, or that someone would develop a building with cement floors that slant to the right, and at the end of the night I could just pressure wash the whole place. Teenagers are messy, and that is why a youth pastor is a Janitor.
Last Saturday I headed down to see Rob Bell in his new tour called Drops like the stars. I think that Rob Bell is one of the most creative speakers of my time. He spoke on creativity and suffering. I imagine that his tour has a lot to do with his book called, “Drops like Stars”. The main point of the book stated by Rob, “This book is an exploration of the complex relationship between suffering and creativity, driven by the belief that there is art in the agony.” Saturday was amazing. If it comes out as a dvd you should watch it. Definitely worth it.
You are currently browsing the archives for the church category.
twitter
