Category Archives: Youth Ministry

Mission Trip 09 Part 1

July 31, 2009 mjfelker1980 1 Comment

Three weeks out from our mission trip to Atlanta I knew something was wrong.

I had been planning for this trip for the better part of the year. My desire was to take my teens to another large American city similar to the DFW area to work with homeless and those living below the poverty line. After talking with a few Atlanta ministers back in February I contacted a local homeless shelter and signed our group up to work there for the week of our trip. After Spring Break, I call just to reconfirm and iron out a few details. Everything seemed on track. We would work for the better part of the days in the shelter serving, meeting, and sharing with the men and women of the shelter. I was excited. My teens were excited. This was going to be a great trip.

Like I said though, three weeks out I wasn’t so sure. As we were returning from camp, while my teens slept in the van, I called the shelter again just to re-reconfirm.

“Who are you again?” the voice on the line said. “When are you coming? Ok, Someone will call you back.”

That day came and went without a phone call. The same story the next day. Something was up.

Very long story short… The shelter was nearly bankrupt. They had been cutting staff right and left. Our trip had been lost in the turmoil. They had no idea we were coming and they couldn’t promise to even have something for us to do once we got there. Oh snap!

Have you ever had a moment where the bottom dropped out? That is exactly how I felt. What were we going to do? Time was running out and the bulk of our trip was now, not just in jeopardy but, out of commission.

God, what are we going to do now? Father please help me, help us! You have to step in right now God!

If I had ever doubted whether or not God hears the prayers of the desperate I was about to be shown the power of what an Almighty God can do. Yes, he heard my prayer(s) but not even I could have expected how greatly these prayers would be answered over the course of our trip.

To Be Continued…

D'oh!, Stories, Youth Ministry

Ya’ll Got Towed

June 22, 2009 mjfelker1980 1 Comment

I experienced a first (and hopefully last) in my youth ministry career on Friday night.

I got the church van towed!

That’s right! I parked in an apparent tow zone when I took a group of teens downtown Friday night. I felt so stupid and angry and scared and frustrated and embarrassed and alone and helpless and… I think you get the point. Thankfully, everything worked out fine. No one was angry. No parent took their kids out of the youth group. It wasn’t brought up from the pulpit on Sunday and no one asked me to go forward. It was an event that I don’t ever want to repeat but it was also a learning experience that helped me put into practice some youth ministry basics.

Here is what I learned from the evening:

1) Make first contact with the parents.
Once it was determined what I needed to do and what it was going to take for us to get the van back I called the parents to let them know what had happened. I didn’t dance around what happened and I quickly admitted my ~~stupidity~~ mistake. I was able to make first contact with all but one family- their teen called them on their cell before I could. The ubiquitous nature of cell phones makes this a difficult task for sure but make sure that the parents hear from you sooner rather than later. A great side note: All of the parents were quick to offer assistance. That gave me a little confidence in a tough situation.

2) Name on the Insurance Card
One thing that would have made everything as smooth as silk is if my name had been on the insurance card for the van. (According to the impound lot) In the State of Texas, a tow company can only release a vehicle to the owner/operator of the vehicle. Our insurance card only listed the name of our church. All though I am a registered driver for the van my name was absent from the card. Make sure that your church/business puts your name on the insurance card along with any other drivers registered for the vehicle. One of my youth deacons had to come sign for me and we had to have that document notarized. Big hassle!

3) Keep Your Cool
I wanted to scream, kick, spit, and shove the valets and the (at first) unhelpful tow truck driver. Back in high school this is exactly what I would have done- I would have let my temper get the best of me. When we walked up to the spot where the van had been I immediately saw the fear and confusion in the eyes of my teens. I had to fight against pride and anger (pride in that I knew that they would begin blaming me and I felt stupid enough and anger in that I was so mad at myself and the whole situation) to put on a brave face. “Wait here,” I said, “We’ll figure this out.” I then began talking to the tow truck driver and began weighing my options. My intern said that he and the teens took comfort in seeing that I handled the situation calmly and rationally- for me, that’s a big win.

4) Don’t Park in a Tow Zone
Duh right? When I pulled into the spot I was paying more attention to the meter than the tow zone signs. We were actually parked in the last spot reserved for a restaurant. The sign warning against towing was halfway down the van (as opposed to in front of the parking spot) and I completely missed it. While I still believed that the zone was/is poorly marked that didn’t keep the van from being towed. Just be extra careful when parking in an area you’re unfamiliar with.

I hope that this never happens to you but if it does come back here and leave your story in the comments section so that I can feel like I’m not alone. have a great week!

Discipleship, Preaching, Sermons, Wrestling With Scripture, Youth Ministry

5 Ways to Avoid Graduating from Your Faith

June 1, 2009 mjfelker1980 1 Comment

We celebrated Senior Sunday yesterday as we honored and blessed the class of 2009. The point of my message was to challenge these teens to not graduate from their faith when they graduate from High School.

I based my message on 2 Timothy because it is probably the last letter Paul sent the young minister. Paul’s life was coming to an end and in this letter he lays out the “non-negotiable” for Timothy. Paul’s final words to his young friend highlight the things that will help Timothy grow his faith long after his mentor moves on. I think this letter has a lot to say to you and me and our young graduates.

1) Don’t Be ASHAMED of Your Faith

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self–discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,” (2Timothy 1:6-8 TNIV)

This culture- especially the culture found on many college campuses- wants you to be ashamed of your faith in Jesus Christ. You will feel the need to apologize for being different or for having a different morality than those around you. It was much the same for young Timothy. The minute you begin to apologize for what you believe or the minute you begin to be embarrassed by the gospel is the minute you begin living on your own understanding and move away from living in the power of God.

2) PURSUE Righteousness

“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” (2Timothy 2:22-26 TNIV)

When you step foot on your college campus or when you start in the workforce you are going to see people in pursuit of many things in their lives.

People will be in pursuit of grades.
They will pursue power.
People pursue glory for themselves.
People will be pursuing what feels good.
They will pursue what’s easy or what they can get away with.

They will pursue all kinds of things but not necessarily what is Right or what honors/glorifies God.

3) ENDURE with God’s help and protection

“You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2Timothy 3:10-15 TNIV)

Keep on keeping on. Once you decide to not be ashamed of the gospel and set you heart/mind to pursue God’s ways with your whole being- ENDURE!

Find your pace and trust that God will carry you through.

4) Fall in Love with GOD’S WORD

“All Scripture is God–breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2Timothy 3:16-17 TNIV)

How do you know the power of the Gospel- the truth of Jesus? How do you know what is right and how to follow it? Where can you find encouragement to endure? You find these things in God’s Word.

5) Intentionally RECOMMIT- Everyday/Every way

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2Timothy 4:1-8 TNIV)

Everyday and in every way you have to recommit in your heart to follow Jesus Christ. Living out and believing in the Gospel takes recommitment everyday.

Every one of us is just one day away from graduating from our faith. Each day brings its own troubles, challenges, & changes that jockey for 1st position in our hearts.

These graduates aren’t the only once susceptible to the world around them. Each one of us in here must pledge allegiance to the Gospel of Jesus Christ every single minute of every single hour of every single day.

Youth Ministry

Firsts and Lasts

May 29, 2009 mjfelker1980

Life seems to be a series of starts and stops; a series of firsts and lasts.

I am preparing my lesson for Sunday entitled Graduate From High School Not Your Faith so I’ve been thinking a lot about this curious aspect of life. Remember back to your school career.

For twelve years everything is your first: first day to school, first field trip, first time to read, first time to write in cursive, first test…

Then you become a Senior. Even if you contracted Senioritis your freshman year, everything you did that year had a sense of finality to it.

Your last first day in High School.
Your last pep rally in High School.
Your last ball game in High School.
Your last assembly in High School.
Your last dance in High School.
Your last day in High School.

I’ve been preparing my lesson with this idea in mind. There are some scary stats out there that say there is a 50-60% chance that once a student graduates from High School they graduate from their faith as well. Some believe that percent is even higher. Most churches will celebrate a Senior sunday- a day to honor and bless their graduates- this week.

For many Seniors this Sunday might be their last.

Scary indeed.

Youth Ministry

Tale-Tell Signs

May 4, 2009 mjfelker1980

As I began my day today I noticed some of the classic tale-tell signs that summer is fast approaching.

As a youth minister, I know that summer is right around the corner when I see…

a) Checks for various events and camps
b) File folders labeled for these various events and camps
c) Release forms filled out and returned for these various events and camps
d) Spreadsheets and sign-up sheets filled with the names of campers and teens

As of right now, every check that I was given this weekend is counted and logged. Release forms have been copied and filed into place. I have also updated my computer spreadsheets. I am good to go!

That is until Wednesday when I will probably be handed another round of checks and forms.

Oh yeah, Summer is almost here.

Discipleship, Ethos, Faith in Action, Prayer, Wrestling With Scripture, Youth Ministry

Event vs. Lifestyle pt. 2

April 16, 2009 mjfelker1980

So yesterday we looked at 3 mindsets that keep us trapped by the idea that serving others is merely an event to DO rather than a lifestyle to BE LIVED OUT!

One Time Event Perspective:
1) Serving Seems Like a Waste
2) Serving Can Be Scary
3) Serving Hurts

These mindsets limit us and shut our hearts off from true service. But what if we changed our perspective? What happens to our service/attitudes when we realize that we’re called to BE servants? What changes might we see?

Serving Has a Purpose
By framing service as a lifestyle we gain long-term perspective and our individual acts of service no longer seem wasted time or money. You begin to build relationships with those you serve and you can see small changes to their lives and situations (even if only incremental changes). Your serving does have a purpose! You are helping others. You are lifting others up. You are loving others! You are doing this all while glorifying God. Living a lifestyle of service shows others that you care for them and that you love them. This models the care, concern, and love of the Father. Serving has a purpose but you don’t always get to see it in the short-term.

Serving Becomes Natural
When things seem unnatural to us they automatically fall into the realm of scary. It is human nature to be afraid of the unknown or uncomfortable with the strange. When we serve once a year or every once in a while we don’t have time to get over our fears. One of the biggest fears we all have is being scared of things that we don’t feel like we are good at. Starting out, no one feels like they are good at serving. We are great at receiving service from others but carrying it out is another story. We become confident in tasks the more frequently we practice them. In AA they tell you to “Fake it til you make it.” I wonder if this advice will help us gain confidence in our service? The more you serve, the easier it becomes. The more you serve, the less you be afraid.

Serving Hurts
Yes, Serving Hurts was on the last list. However, when we only see serving as an event to check off our list serving only hurts our muscles, our bottom line, our time, and our pocket books. These are the only costs involved in event service- well, they are the only costs we care about. When you live a life of service though something else begins to hurt- your heart. As you come in contact with broken and hurting people your heart can’t help but hurt. When you look at the task before you and come to grips with your desire to make a difference your heart hurts. When you begin to see the world through the eyes of those that you serve your heart hurts. When it comes to changing your perspective about service I think about a prayer I once read. It said, “Father, may my heart break for the things that break your heart.”

When you pray that prayer get ready. You will no longer simply DO service. Your desire will no longer be for serving in the short term. You won’t be trapped by fear or apathy any more.

You’ll be changed. You will BE a servant.

Campus Ministry, Discipleship, Ethos, Experience, Faith in Action, Wrestling With Scripture, Youth Ministry

Event vs. Lifestyle pt. 1

April 15, 2009 mjfelker1980 1 Comment

I had the opportunity to speak in chapel at Dallas Christian again this week. I have been able to speak to the students there about a dozen times over the last few years and I very much enjoy being with the students there and sharing Jesus with them.

I was given the topic of “Service.” Now, being that this could be a very broad issue I decided to do two things. 1) I wanted to be up front and honest about our attitudes surrounding “service” and 2) I wanted to leave these students with a few practical “service” ideas that they could begin practicing right away. So, the following is what I shared with them earlier this week.

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If you speak, you should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If you serve, you should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (1Peter 4:8-11 TNIV)

I think we can all agree that we, as followers of Jesus, are called/challenged to serve others. We are to be servants of all and in doing so we show others the love of God and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. The problem comes when we fail to live lives marked by service. Service or serving others should be a lifestyle for the believer rather than an event to check off our Christian “to-do” lists. We aren’t called to DO service but are called to BE servants.

When you look at service as merely an event or something that you simply check off a list every once in a while, your serving can be hindered by 3 things. These 3 things seek to stop your service dead in its tracks by trapping your mind in fear and apathy.

Serving Can Seem Like a Waste
You step into a situation and you begin to immediately call things into question- “Do these people really need help?” “Have they even tried to get a job?” “Why are we here?”- or you begin to become hyper-critical- “All we are doing is slapping paint!” “It is too hot!” “Nobody said ‘Thank you’ to us!!!” Because you see service as a one time event your heart isn’t in a condition to really see the people your are helping. You have no long-term perspective on how to show and embody love in this situation. No wonder it seems like a waste.

Serving Can Be Scary
The people you deal with. The neighborhoods you have to go into. The equipment you use. The weirdoes you encounter. The situations you’re forced into. Serving can be scary and when something is scary we avoid it like the plague. We’re in, we’re out, and we leave a smoking trail behind us as we hightail it back to our homes and what’s comfortable.

Serving Hurts
While in high school I was helping tear down a garage for a family during work camp. As we were shoveling debris away I stepped right onto a nail. I threw down my shovel, pulled out the nail and the board it was attached to, and threw it down the street as far as I could. For the rest of my time there all I thought about was how much my foot hurt (and if I was going to get lockjaw). I wasn’t thinking about the service. I wasn’t thinking about love. I wasn’t thinking about Jesus.

I’m not going to lie to you. I have to battle against every single one of these mindsets. Romans 12:10 says that we are to “outdo one another in showing honor” (ESV). This means that service is an all new mindset. Service is 24/7/365. Service is a lifestyle. If we can begin to change our minds/hearts about service than our fears, our bad attitudes, and our focus will then be centered. We will then be focused and empowered by the embodiment of true sacrifice- Jesus Christ!

Event vs. Lifestyle pt 2 Tomorrow

Bible Study, Discipleship, Ministry, Remarkable, Technology, Theology, Wrestling With Scripture, Youth Ministry

Teaching and Reaching

February 18, 2009 mjfelker1980 3 Comments

Last night was an epic moment for me in youth ministry.

Everyone who came to Bible study came with their own Bible! Seriously… It was a beautiful thing!!!

As a minister in the 21st century I often wonder if we have created an impossible scenario where the teens/adults in our ministries/churches don’t feel the need to bring their Bibles because we provide the text for them via PowerPoint or some other presentation software. Maybe they don’t feel the need to have their own Bible because we too often only use one or two verses in our lessons or jump around from book to book. This too often leads to proof texting (boo!) and a blasé attitude to actually bringing, reading, and engaging with the Word on a personal level. I’m not saying we should stop projecting scripture- we shouldn’t- I just wonder if we make it too easy for people to just look to the screen.

This semester we have been slowly working through 2Timothy using Barry Shafer’s inductive Bible study Rock Solid Faith.

This has been a great introduction to the inductive method of study. The way I describe it to my teens is by saying that we are using the Bible to study the Bible. Simple as that. By prompting the teens to read and dig and explore they naturally come across what God is saying to them. Living inside the text allows the heart to tune into the Holy Spirit’s prompting and guidance.

What I sensed happening last night is that these teens are interested in what their Bibles have to say- that is, they want to hear from God! They really engaged with the passages last night and shared some great things- even some laughs as well! That’s what youth ministry is all about.

On a side note, one teen was reading his Bible from his iPhone last night using the YouVersion app. I have talked with a few of our adults who are using the YouVersion Blackberry app on Sunday mornings. Another thing to consider in this 21st century ministry climate: as the technology evolves will we see it as a distraction or as a tool? One leads to avoidance and stagnation- the other leads to adaptability and growth. Which will you choose?

Awesomenessness, Campus Ministry, Collecting Experiences, Leadership, My Life, Study, Youth Ministry

Looking Forward

February 3, 2009 mjfelker1980 1 Comment

I am so excited about an opportunity I’ve been given. At the end of the month I’ll be teaching a seminar class at Harding University for the youth ministry department. My seminar will focus on weighing the differences between Campus Ministry and traditional Church Youth Ministry. I’ve titled the class Bringing the Big Man to Campus.

I am super excited about this. It has been a goal of mine to pursue opportunities in public speaking and teaching. This opportunity fell in my lap and I am running with it. One day I would love to travel and speak. I love inspiring people and discussing issues of ministry, leadership, and development. This is a chance to do something different and to work on my skills. This also lets me meet and interact with students who are about to set out and serve teens and their families. This is promising to be a great weekend.

Please keep me in your prayers as I am preparing to teach this class. I’ll be sure to post some content for the weekend here soon. Thanks for your prayers!

2009, Ethos, Leadership, Life, Resources, Youth Ministry

Thursdays Are For Micheal

January 15, 2009 mjfelker1980 1 Comment

This semester I have changed my day off from Tuesdays to Thursdays. Tuesdays were not working for me for a variety of reasons but mainly it boiled down to being too early in the week and too many commitments that made Tuesdays a terrible day for me to be off.

I have spent the last two weeks spending my Thursdays on myself and have felt the better for it. I don’t feel rushed trying to finish a Bible study or preparing for Wednesday night class like I did on Tuesdays. I have actually been able to work on a few personal projects. I am learning what a day off really can be. It feels good.

MichealFelker.com