Category Archives: Youth Ministry

Faith in Action, Youth Ministry

This Week

Summer youth ministry is in full swing this week with Work Camp. Our group has joined with 200 or so other teens from around the area to paint houses and serve the community. My kids have worked so hard this week. They’ve made me proud.

Thunderstorms have sent us running from the work sites twice this week and the rain washed off most of our work today but we are undeterred.

We finish tomorrow so I’ll try and post some pics of the house we worked on.

Please pray that tomorrow we won’t have to stop for rain. We really need to finish!!!

Discipleship, The Word, Youth Ministry

Live With It

Yesterday we celebrated our Graduation Sunday. We honored our four graduating seniors with a breakfast, DVD slideshow, and a new Bible.

Rather than buying thinline, no-frill Bibles for these students I took them to a Bible bookstore and walked them through a few translations and editions.

I told them to choose a Bible that they could live with. By that I meant a translation that they can read, one that has tools that can help them understand or navigate through, and one that they can fall in love with.

2 (maybe 3) of these students will be attending Christian universities so I encouraged them to get a study Bible. I know that mine was indispensable during my freshman Bible classes and I wanted to get them something that would be helpful to them. The fourth student chose the new TNIV College Devotional Bible.

Again, I could have just picked up a catalogue or walked into a store and purchased any four Bibles that I saw. Instead, I spent the afternoon with the students presenting options and answering questions so that the students could choose something that they wanted and that they could see themselves using.

Tomorrow, I’ll post about the message I presented.

General, Youth Ministry

Back in the Big D

I’m back home after spending Monday and Tuesday in Searcy at an Uplift meeting. I grew up going to Uplift every summer and while interning and in college I was able to be a counselor for the camp. Last year, I was excited about coming full circle by getting the opportunity to teach one of the encounter classes.

This year the Uplift team invited all of the teachers from each of the three sessions for a brainstorming meeting. Uplift got to explain to all of the ministers about the theme and their vision for what they hope to accomplish over the summer. I am teaching a leadership class during third session. Both the first and second session teachers were there and we spent a good 3 hours tweaking, dreaming, and exploring our topic and curriculum. I was really great. I left the meeting excited and challenged. I am a certian that was the case for everyone there.

I had a blast catching up with friends and swapping stories from my time at Harding. I also got to catch up with a few former students who are experiencing “dead week” in preparation for their exams. I walked around Hasting’s and drank a Mr. Blonde from Midnight Oil while I was there. It was a good trip.

It is good to be back home though.

Discipleship, Hope, Leadership, Ministry, Religion, Resources, Youth Ministry

Robert Webber

Becoming a disciple, just like becoming a fully mature being, takes time, takes the involvement of committed people, and takes a process of growth and development that is intentional and well worked out. The problem that we are dealing with is not only the problem of individual Christians who don’t grow but the problem of local churches that don’t have a process for nurturing and growing new Christians into mature disciples.

I never got the chance to meet Dr. Robert Webber but he had a profound impact on my life and my ministry. His writing took my theological box where I stored my ministry paradigms, ideas, things I thought I knew, my church upbringing, and what I thought was my safe, little god and dumped it out on the floor for me to examine. When all was said and done I decided to do away with a box altogether and just make Christ my pursuit and my all consuming passion. When I first read the words quoted above I immediately knew that I had found my calling. I wasn’t just a minister. I am a disciple who makes disciples. As simple and profound and challenging as that. I promptly devoured everything by him I could get my hands on. I have even spent the year walking with him through the Christian calendar, something I would have never been able to experience without his prodding and help, by using his book Ancient-Future Time. I will be forever grateful.

Dr. Webber’s battle with cancer ended on Friday.

I also echo the prayer that was posted on the press release:

“Depart, O Christian soul, out of this world; in the name of God the Father Almighty who created you; in the name of Jesus Christ who redeemed you; in the name of the Holy Spirit who sanctifies you. May your rest be this day in peace, and your dwelling place in the Paradise of God. Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Bob. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.”

Thank you Dr. Webber for your work and your life. I am indebted to you for insight and your relentless pursuit of Christ Jesus, our Lord. He is the Victor. May you rest in His arms tonight.

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Discipleship, Ethos, Leadership, Ministry, Popular Culture, Youth Ministry

I Am Insert Your Ministry Here

Ultimately, Starbucks can’t flourish and win customers’ hearts without the passionate devotion of our employees. In business, that passion comes from ownership, trust, and loyalty. If you undermine any of those, employees will veiw their work as just another job. Their passion and devotion is our number-one competitive advantage. Lose it, and we’ve lost the game.

Today we continue thinking about the latest Starbucks corporate initiative focusing on the unique talents that each partner brings to the coffee-table and what that could do for your ministry.

The I Am Starbucks campaign is truly inspired. Giving your employees stock options can make them feel like they share in the ownership of the company but highlight who they are as individuals and celebrate their strengths and you’ve got wildfire of loyalty, passion, and excitement that has the potential to sweep the entire organization.

When I read the words I Am Starbucks I immediately began thinking about my ministry. One of my non-negotiables is that I want and desire that every student that comes in contact with our ministry to feel that they are an important part of what’s going on. The ministry rises or falls on who they are as individuals and what they bring to the collective.

To clarify, I’m not talking about an individual’s worth being tied to what they contribute.

No, I simply mean that who they are is the contribution- their presence, involvement, ideas, passions, gifts. Who they are at their core means a great deal to our ministry.

For many teens this idea could be revolutionary. Teens have been conditioned feel as though adults only care about what they can do. They have a hard time believing that they could loved because of who they are.

I hear things like:

“My coach only cares if we win state.”
“My parents expect me to be perfect.”
“Every teacher thinks that their class is the most important and deserves the most of my time.”

I understand that this feeling is somewhat oversimplified but perception is the truest reality. Students need to be told that they are loved because of who the are and that our love isn’t a condition of what they can or cannot do.

So, starting an I Am insert your ministry here campaign begins with loving your people as individuals. If you jump into highlighting talents in an open forum your effort will reek of trying to profit off of their efforts. Students can see right through that and if we’re honest with ourselves so can most adults.

Long before Starbucks began this new campaign they built trust and loyalty with their partners by creating health plans, 401k, and Bean Stock in essence telling their people that they care about them personally above and beyond the corporate bottom line. The result is that this ad campaign has an air of authenticity behind it. That’s something many ministries struggle with.

You want to reach people outside your church walls? Start loving the people that are there now.

You want to highlight people’s gifts and talents in front of the entire body? Start highlighting people’s gifts and talents quietly on your own.

You want people to feel like they are responsible for the direction and success of your ministry? Make people more important than the specific ministry.

Start doing these things and pretty soon your people will begin proudly saying,

I AM Insert Ministry Here & YOU CAN BE TOO.

Coffee, Ethos, Leadership, Ministry, Popular Culture, Questions, Youth Ministry

Tapping the Talent

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skinny.tiffSometimes I like it when things don’t go according to plan.

I had wanted to get into the office a little earlier than usual this morning but as I was trying to leave the house I couldn’t find my keys. I looked in the places where I usually leave my keys but after a few minutes I knew exactly where they were.

In my wife’s purse. At her job. 40 minutes away.

After calling her to confirm that they were indeed inside her purse I knew that my plans for the morning would have to change. While I do have a spare car key I do not have a spare to the building or to my office. I could leave my house but I had no where to go. Thankfully, I do have a spare Starbucks card for this very occasion.

When I got to Starbucks I ordered a tall mocha and I also purchased a copy of Off the Clock: Vol 1.

Off the Clock is collection of new music from “up and coming Starbucks artists.” Translation: The music is from actual Starbucks partners. You could have been served a drink made by someone featured on this album! How cool is that?

According to the liner notes:

For years Starbucks Entertainment has been asked by just about everyone who works here how to get their music heard. So we decided in 2006 to see what the partners had to offer by launching our first-ever Partner Music Contest. (Partners) were invited to submit solo or band recordings of original songs.

We ended up receiving more than 800 submissions.

Yes, these artists work at Starbucks, and they are also amazing musicians with great songs that deserve to be heard. We back their music wholeheartedly. While we strive to support our partners, ultimately it is our goal here to introduce you to astonishing music from exceptional artists.

Starbucks has always been known for standing behind their employees. The company consistantly ranks at or near the top of the world’s most respected companies and that is due largerly to the way that it treats its employees.

I think that highlighting the talents of the baristas around the country is a win-win for everyone. In a country that is focused on some guy named Sanjya with zero talent this album showcases 15 very talented singer/song writers or bands that sling joe in the morning and rock out at night.

The stores are also putting the spotlight on some baristas who are artists allowing them to create artwork for ceramic mugs, journals, and prints that are sold in store as well.

All of this falls under a new campaign titled, “I Am Starbucks.”

So, I’ve got a few questions that I want to discuss the rest of the week.

1) What could this kind of campaign do in our churches? How can we highlight what our people do “off the clock” (Monday-Saturday)?

2) What would this look like?

Leadership, Ministry, Youth Ministry

A New Day

Today, I am a youth minister again.

For the last few months I have had to pull double duty while we hired a pulpit minister. it has been really great but I am so glad that I can now focus on my students more fully.

I have learned a whole lot over the course of the year. I have felt more confident in my speaking and I have really enjoyed studying and preparing for my weekend messages.

I won’t speak to the entire congregation again until Graduation Sunday on May 20th. I’m thinking about going through 1 Samuel 1-3.

I love this passage and I think it is perfect for a day where we honor our Seniors and the sacrifices that their parents have made.

What did your church do for you when you graduated? Drop me an email or a comments and let me know.

Have a great week everyone!

Ministry, Music, Pope Bono, Shameless Self Promotion, U2, Youth Ministry

Catch Up

To say that the last few days were eventful would be a huge understaement. In the last 5 days I have traveled over 1500 miles and spent over 23 hours in my car. The bond between me and my iPod has, if can be believed, grown even more strong since Sunday. I haven’t posted since Friday so here is a bit of an update.

1) Press: Yours truly has gotten a little bit of press lately from the blog on some music sites. First, I was quoted by Spin magazine in an online editorial about the XM-Sirius merger. According to Spin I am “tuned in” to the issue. They even spelled my name right! Pretty cool. My original post can be seen here and the article from Spin can be found here.

Secondly, my story in my own voice was featured on the March 2nd edition of the @U2 podcast. The POPcast was celebrating the 10th anniversary of the release of U2’s POP album and the @U2 staff asked listeners to submit their favorite stories about the POP album or the tour, POPmart. I never thought in a million years that they would use my story but they did. You can listen to the podcast online or you can subscribe on iTunes. My part begins at around 54:20. Enjoy.

2) PlanetWisdom: I took my students to a great youth conference called PlanetWisdom last friday and saturday. The event was awesome. We had seats on the very front row and my students had a blast. The featured band was group named Addison Road and they totally rocked. The teaching times were solid and the whole event seemed to go flawlessly and smoothly especially from a youth leader’s perspective. It went so great that my students are already asking to go back next year.

On a related note, instead of driving back and forth from here to the conference, we stayed at my parent’s house.

Note to youth ministers out there: Burn all of your stuff from high school if you are going to let your youth group stay over at your parent’s house! They will find something that they think is hilarious. They will make fun of it. They will take pictures and post them on their Myspace pages. I’m just saying.

3) Bono-Fatigue I wouldn’t go so far as to diagnose what happened this weekend as Bono-fatigue but it was at least a case of over consumption. As I set out on my road trip I thought that it would be a great idea to listen to all of U2’s studio albums in a row without skipping any songs. Between Texas and Mississippi I listened to Boy, October, War, Under a Blood Red Sky, The Unforgettable Fire, The Joshua Tree, and Rattle and Hum. After All I Want is You finished playing I was about spent. “On the U2 timeline,” I thought, “this would be a natural break so I should probably quit this experiment right now before I just lose it.” On my return trip yesterday I picked up where I left off: Actung Baby, Zooropa, Pop, All That You Can’t Leave Behind, and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. Again maybe not fatigue but my tummy does hurt.

4) Saturday: I am completely stoked about heading out to Colorado to hit the slopes. We will be shooooshing down the mountain at Monarch starting this weekend. Can’t wait.

Youth Ministry

Prayers (Updated)

Ealier today, a tornado ripped through Enterprise, AL hitting the high school.

I just received word that one of my former students was killed.

Katie was bright student who always had a smile on her face. She was loved by her friends and prized by her family. She lived for her Savior.

Please keep her family in your prayers as well as the other familes who are missing someone tonight.

(Contrary to what had been reported in the Christian Chronicle, I was not Katie’s youth minister. I was the Campus Minister at the high school that she attended until last year. I contacted the Chronicle and they have made the correction.)

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Ministry, Unchained from my Desk, Youth Ministry

Come On Ride that Train

I had a good day today. I find that I can get a whole lot more studying and planning done when I get away from my desk and break up my normal routine.

Today was anything but normal.

I met up with a couple of area ministers for an extended lunch date. We left about mid-morning and boarded the east bound train (TRE) into downtown Dallas. We spent the 45 min. trip studying and listening to our iPods while high above the railroad tracks in a double decker train. I used that initial part of our journey to read through the first big section in Job. (BTW, Job… now there’s a whole group of posts right there) When we arrived downtown we walked to the West End and although we had a not-so-great lunch we did have some great conversations.

After eating, we hopped back on the train and road it into Ft. Worth then back to Dallas and then back to our starting point (Richland Hills). All in all, we were on the tracks from about 1:30 until 5:30. We studied, bounced ideas off one another, got to know each other better, laughed together, and had a wonderful time. And it only cost $4.50.

I was a little concerned that I wouldn’t get a lot done but I was wrong. Most of the day the trains were pretty empty. The other passengers were friendly and the passenger cars were clean. I found that reading on the train came naturally and, at times, I forgot that we were moving. There is just something about unchaining from my desk that breathes new life into me. My creativity was flowing today.

Scripture tells us that “As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.” Those words were etched into my heart today. Yes, today was a good day.