I’ve been in youth ministry for over five years, and one of the events I always look forward to is Disciple Now weekend. If you don’t know what Disciple Now is, it’s a weekend retreat filled with worship, bible studies, fellowships, and mission projects. Students stay at host homes, and in some sense, it’s like a wee
Over the last few years, a group of churches from our local network has started making a winter retreat to Monadnock Bible Conference in Jaffrey, N.H. an annual, joint event. It started with two of us going together in 2010. Each year since we have had another church join us. There are already conversations about a fifth joining us next year! Through this simple partnership
It was September 19th last fall when my friend and illusionist, AJ and I headed to the high school in Negaunee, Michigan in the upper peninsula of Michigan for two assembly programs and a rally presented to 730 students. AJ brought down the house with his gravity-defying performance. Hearts were softened and defenses came down.
People often ask me what I think about the future of youth ministry. My response usually surprises them. I am VERY excited about the future of youth ministry. As a matter of fact 2013 could be youth ministry’s break out year. This may be the year that…
1. A lack of budget triggers a more mature approach to youth ministry.
Is it possible to form an “international network of youth ministries?” Twenty-five international youth ministry leaders gathered in Pompano Beach, Florida December 4-7, 2012 to discuss the possibilities. These hand-picked delegates – both men and women, younger and older – represented 15 countries and five continents. They prayed, dialogued, reviewed research and shared personal insights. They shared what God is doing among youth in their countries. And, they poured themselves into and assessing what a global platform for youth ministry networking might look like.
Last night was an amazing time for students in our area.
Several churches moved away from issues that divide to focus on what it means to be ONE and have unity in Jesus. There were Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Bible Church and others who participated in a time of worship, giving attention to the Word and prayer.
As a small city minister from central VT I am often asked why I spend so much time studying urban issues. I can totally understand this question because I must admit that I do spend an inordinate amount of time reading urban ministry books, blogs, and studies. This is a practice that started for me while at Moody Graduate School in Chicago and it is a direct result of my time studying theology, practice, and principles of urban ministry with my friend and mentor Dr. John Fuder.
You know that student ministry is hard work. I know student ministry is hard work. So the idea of networking together with another youth group to do something together sounds likes making your job even harder.
On top of that, consider the concerns that come when you network; like "what if my students like the other pastor more than me?" A youth pastor friend of mine from Texas shared with me that his senior pastor and parents don't really like the idea of networking because the other churches are either to liberal or to conservative and “we don't want our kids exposed to their bad theology”.
I know the church hasn’t done everything right, and there are often differences that can divide us. But just like when we’re hurt and sinned against by someone in our family, we need to confront it, offer and ask for forgiveness, and pursue reconciliation.
Editor's Note: This blog first showed up in Brian Seidal's blog: My End of the Deal
Yesterday I met with my local NNYM network group. I have been “helping” coordinate this group of youth workers for several years. Helping is in quotations because I have not always been convinced that my influence in the group has always been helpful; it has struggled to gain any kind of traction or momentum for a long time.
Editor's Note: this blog was first published at Free Ideas for Making Disciples
This will sounds grossly arrogant, but I don't "need" a network. Now, let me clarify, I do not need a traditional network. I am in certain category, I am a 40 +, 22 year y
Billy Graham said, “The greatest need among Christians and churches today is for genuine spiritual revival. Whenever God has touched His people in special times of revival, lives have been changed, and Christians have experienced new power to do God's work.”[1]
In my community, a student prayer movement began in January of 1998 at one suburban high school – but it didn’t stop there.
Two student leaders and about twenty other students at Maize High School began praying for a spiritual awakening on their campus, for the salvation of specific students, and opportunities to share Christ with them. In February
On a busy street in one of India's congested cities, traffic grinds to a halt.
Frustrations are high as a a young man yells at a hapless policeman. A large tree has fallen across the narrow thoroughfare, and nobody knows what to do.
"Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run" (Habakkuk 2:2-3, The Message).
You’ve prayed – a lot -- on your own and with a couple of other youth leaders who want to work together to reach teenagers in your community, meeting over coffee for several months. You have a strong sense of being one in heart and mind, and the
I have been thinking about writing a post on this topic for a long time now because I believe it’s an important subject. Every time I think about this topic, Bill Withers classic song “Lean on Me” comes to mind. It’s true that as student pastors, we need other
Almost all my best friends are youth leaders in the six youth networks in our area. When I meet with these friends from Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Assembly of God, Free Methodist, Wesleyan, and charismatic churches, I see God at work in more ways than I ever could have imagined. I must agree with Bill Hybels (Willow Creek Community Church) when he said, “The local ch
As the 18 youth workers sat around indulging their brownbag lunches, clusters of four and five laughed and chided each other over the personal anecdotes they had experienced over the past few weeks. The monthly Netville Youth Worker Coalition meeting was about to begin, and this informal bantering around the room was a vital element of their gathering.
You may have be just starting out in youth ministry -- or maybe you've been around for years. Regardless, there are times when the challenge of working together seems more of a burden than a blessing. Excitement fades, life gets busy and the focus blurs your vision for effectively reaching and equipping teenagers in your community.
So, how do you mobilize your community to help your m
My first youth ministry responsibility was at a rural church without any other youth pastors around. Let me tell you, I was lonely! No one seemed to understand what it was like to reach out to students and their families. The big lesson I learned: You can never do youth ministry alone!
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On October 1, Dan Maltby, one of the Network founders, went to be with the Lord at age 65.
Dan battled early onset Alzheimer's and is survived by his wife Dee, daughters Lauren Maltby and Jessica Goulet and their son and Dan's grandson, Chasdan Goulet. The service was held October 5, 2012 in Fullerton, California.
Dan was the organizer of the first Network Forum in 1979, helped found the Network in 1981, and served for many years on the Network's Board of Directors.
This article, Ministering With Open Hands, written by Dan gives an interesting story about the vision and spirit that inspired the birth of the Network.
Editors note: this was first posted on http://www.gregstier.org
This last weekend I had a great and eye-opening experience in Kenosha, Wisconsin. My buddy, Andy McGowan, youth pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church and D2S/Lead THE Cause University alumni, invited me to come to Kenosha to experience what God has been doing in and through the local youth ministry network.
We heard it, but we could hardly believe someone would actually say it. Our area network coordinator was talking about some calls he'd made since our last meeting – calls to encourage a few sporadic attendees. In one such conversation, he'd shared the content of our meeting and the area's vision for networking. The response? “You haven't convinced me why I need to add ano
Over a million students gathered for See You at the Pole (SYATP) on Wednesday, September 26. Groups met in masses of hundreds, while many others prayed in smaller groups; some were alone as they interceded for their friends, community, and country.
In Dallas, Oregon the Network of Youth Pastors developed a concerted effort to empower students to pray on multiple campuses.
As I write this article, the church is in the midst of an explosion of prayer mobilization initiatives. I am a staunch supporter of prayer mobilization - I did it vocationally for two decades - but even I am a bit overwhelmed by the volume and the urgency of it all.
One word could change the entire world, if we only knew how to apply it.
As we are working together to disciple teenagers into disciple makers, our motivation is love for God and love for one another. Love is one of the most used - and misused - words in our language. It has been applied equally to people and things. ”I love my girlfriend,&rdquo
You need to know a little about me before you hear what I have to say
I love the local church. I was a youth pastor at 4 church
Imagine the Holy Spirit hovering like a cloud over your community. With His all-seeing eyes, He can clearly see the needs of the people who live there. At the same time, He has also placed the resources in the community to meet those needs – if those who are stewards of those resources will work together to meet the needs.
A few years back I had a conversation that really impacted me, and caused me to ask some tough questions about how I viewed my role as a youth minister from a kingdom perspective. One of our shepherds asked if I knew why one of our senior girls had not been around in a while. I explained that she had become involved with the youth ministry at her boyfriend’s church. I then went into further detail explaining that she was still regularly attending church services, there was no bad blood between us, and judging from our last conversation, she was doing really well from a spiritual standpoint. I was very clear that she was not a ‘senior dropout’, she was simply at another church.
Imagine if you could work together with the schools in your area towards mutually beneficial goals? Well, I am seeing the door opening in our area for partnership with the superintendent!
Ever feel alone in ministry? Boy, I sure have. I remember one time being so depressed that I could not even get off the floor to go to speak at my youth group. Isolation, abandonment and desperation can all combine to push us away from those who can help us most. Thankfully, I had friends in ministry who took the initiative and helped me work through my issues. But
Our society places a high value on rugged individuality. Many a hero sweeps in, saves the damsel, and defeats the enemy all on their own. Maybe there is a sidekick along for the ride. However, when it comes to transforming the lives of millions of teenagers, no one can do it alone.
What would happen if you get leaders from major youth ministry organizations to come together for a day of prayer?
Last week I was privileged to attend when NNYM gathered together 15 leaders in Costa Mesa, CA for a prayer consultation. Mike Higgs, founder of Sondance Inc. and Barry St. Clair, Director of Reach-Out co-led the event. Here is their summary of what happened.
I want to care about more than putting “butts in seats.”
As a 20-year local church youth ministry veteran, I have seen, more times than I can count, traveling ministries that care more about filling venues for their events than truly partnering with the local church. Many show complete disregard for how their ministry impacts the people who are the gatekeepers in the community.
Do you feel stuck as you try to work together with others in reaching teenagers in your community? You may have been there from the beginning of your network -- it is pretty exciting to launch an effort to unite those in a community for youth ministry. But now that the newness has worn off and some of the core team may have moved to other
You may be starting out in ministry or have been there for decades. Either way you may have realized that no one should do youth ministry alone. However, it can be a real struggle building partnerships to reach and equip teenagers in your community.
This weekend, my wonderful wife Donna and I leave for Russia to lead our seventeenth mission trip there. Those who know me understand that these two weeks in Russia are a part of my “second life.” I love the opportunity to get back to Russia and focus on reaching out to non-believing youth in a foreign culture as well as ministering to a great group of youth from the USA. We will be joined by another group from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida who will help us host a five day English camp for selected students from Moscow.
The story below explains how networking is reaching students and the community for Christ in Greater Cincinnati.
THIS CITY
Emily Richardson is my network coordinator for Harrison, Ohio. If you are not familiar with where Harrison is, it's the last town in the Greater Cincinnati area before you reach Indiana. Emily shared with me something powerful that is happening in Harrison.
Networks that flourish and thrive will typically need to overcome a couple of simple yet significant issues that go beyond geographical or denominational differences. Without fail, youth leaders are are busy people. They have duties to perform, people to see, and tasks to add to their calendar. When they show up for a network meeting, their focus and reasons for being there can vary. Every youth leader can benefit from building stronger relationships with other area youth leaders. However it is not going to be the result of Facebook interactions or sitting in the same room talking about the weather. It takes intentionally moving towards deeper discussions.
A local network can rally around many passions and causes, but one of the most obvious is the local school. It is the one thing that all networks have in common. The question is what is the (or a) strategy to connect to the local schools in your geographical area?
There’s a riveting scene in the 2000 Academy award winning movie Gladiator that has left a lasting mark that reinforces my commitment to building vibrant youth ministry networks in our communities.
The Concept of incarnation -- that the God of the universe took on flesh and blood and dwelt with us -- is profound in and of itself. Just the idea that God would come to us is incredible, but the substance of that event was the embodiment of a certain kind of presence, it was not only about "being there," it was eventually about a partnership.
"Build it, and they will come."
That may be a great movie tagline, but it doesn't necessarily work for building a healthy ministry network in your community. It’s not enough to just open your doors once a month, invite a bunch of youth workers, set up chairs around a table, and expect that will result in more ministry to youth. We have got to give youth workers a good reason to leave their offices to share their lives and ministries, and to be part of a community-wide vision.
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According to a recent USA Today/Gallup poll, Vermont is ranked as the 50th least religious state, or stated another way, we are the least churched state in the entire country. This is likely because Vermonters see themselves as ruggedly independent, capable of making it on their own, and skeptical of any need for salvation other than one of their own making.
In your networking with others, does your prayer time sometimes seem flat? it is easy to get into a rut in our prayer. Sometimes we think of prayer only as a "to-do" list for God.
However, there are ways to bring new dimensions to prayer in your network. During a break at a recent youth ministry conference, Mark Orr, our New England regional coordinator, shares simple principle
I still remember my first day in youth ministry. I was a wide-eyed idealistic 17-year-old kid who was asked by his youth pastor to become a small group leader to a bunch of junior high boys. Wow! I had big plans. These plans included being used by God to revolutionize these kids thinking about Jesus and I was going to mobilize them to do ministry and reach a community for Christ.
My three year old son is consistently drawing and coloring pictures for us to display on the fridge. Couple that with his growing ability to count and I believe he is about ready to take on the “connect the dot” exercises. C'mon, you remember those gems, don't you?
I love encouraging students in rock climbing. There are many spiritual breakthroughs that people accomplish on the side of the rock. They are stretching their mind and bodies beyond their perceived limitations. I have been privileged to be a teacher's assistant for climbing classes through Biola University for the last five years.
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Have you ever felt spritually thirsty, where your soul feels dried like a sun-baked desert? You are not alone. I am a great fan of Henri Nouwen. His depth and simplicity brings me back to what is truly important. I just reordered his book "Out of Solitude" that I loaned to a friend. In this book Nouwen shares the story of Mark 1 where Jesus spends a busy day of ministering, healing and preaching. Then He goes into the wilderness for time with His Father. Even Jesus needed time to reconnect and take care of His Soul.
The Newsboys are being intentional about evangelism on their "God's Not Dead" tour for 2012. They have asked gifted evangelist and my boss, Bob Lenz, to partner with them by giving a clear Gospel message at each city they vist. In order to keep this from being a tour that simply passes through an area entertaining folks, I will be working with friend and coleaugue Kris Wood to network in each city on the tour.
Top 10 Networking Benefits part 1 can be found here
Do you have your elevator speech ready? You know, the speech you give when someone asks what you do? Take 30 seconds to describe yourself are and what you do (the approximate length of time you have with another person in the elevator). This past weekend I gave that speech a number of times at the National Youth Workers Convention (NYWC). Don’t get me wrong, I love sharing the story of Youthmark, but, I long for the deeper conversations with trusted friends.
Student Ministry Leadership in many ways is a culture in and of itself. I love being a part of this unique and diverse tribe! I am a firm believer that we (Youth Leaders) are better together. In nearly 20 years of being “in charge” of a variety of ministries (church and parachurch) I have found great value and blessing in being connected to other youth leaders through gatherings of all sorts-- local, national and virtual.
If you are on this site, chances are you are already well aware of youth worker networking. You have probably come across NNYM, denominational networks or other grassroots efforts to rally the youth worker troops.
But one of the major questions I hear (from those that I think have not benefitted from networking yet) is, "Why bother?" "What is the point of networking? I mean Wes, don't you know that I already have too much on my plate and I have parents knocking on my door, students needing my attention and a pastor who doesn't really get why I do what I do, not to mention my family at home?"....I hear you.
If you are at National Youth Workers Convention hosted by Youth Specialties look for us in the exhibit hall. Come by and get connected! We would love to meet you and see how you are working together to reach teenagers.
In San Diego you can connect with some our staff members like Len Evans, Mike De Vito, and Aaron Babyar.
Also, take a look at the "We Love our Youth Worker" booth in the hall. At this booth you can find out the 7 promises churches need to encourage healthy youth workers.
Here is a video from Kevin Alexander from the Irvine Network who came by our booth Friday. He shares why collaborating with other youth leaders is important to him. If you have networking stories to share come by and we woud love to hear them!
The Elephant Graveyard
I recently watched a documentary about the Elephant Graveyard. Fact or fancy, the tale goes something like this (oversimplified is an understatement). Older Elephants get the sense of their impending demise and travel sometimes thousands of miles to die in the "Elephant Graveyard". The EG is rumored to be littered with thousands of tusks and elephant bones.
Often I am asked, "What do I do to stay current and relevant while I am in-between ministry jobs?" In the current economic environment, that's a question that is being asked more and more and is a worthwhile conversation. Below are a few things that I would encourage if you find yourself in that situation.
Youth workers always seem worried to me. It may be because they are in a stage of life that changes quickly or they feel like they are never settled because being a youth worker feels like you are always on the hot seat. I don’t know all the reasons but I do know that being worried doesn’t help you with confidence. If youth workers could identity and deal with some of these worries I think it would help them be more effective leaders. I have made a list of a few of the worries I see most often but I do believe there are many more. Here is what I got:
Recently, I met with Larry Chapman, a businessman from a church in the Seattle area who is also a Christian writer.
In 2004, Larry offered to translate one of his books, Extreme Living, into Spanish for use by our Youth Commission leaders from all over Latin America. He traveled with us for a training consultation, meeting with Latin American leaders to adapt the content and graphics.
Imagine teenagers, armed with hammers and paint brushes, descending upon dilapidated homes in Stark County, Ohio. Kevin Thomas, the coordinator for the Stark County network, has been steadfast in teaching his teens to serve the Lord by helping those in need of home repairs. Starting with yard projects, planting flowers and cleaning out gutters, they are now helping to paint houses.
The Stark County Youth Network (SCYN, pronounced “skin”) has existed for over 20 years in Canton, and is about linking up with other youth workers for mutual support, spiritual growth, sharing resources, and reaching young people. They have been helping teenagers serve the community through an organization called "Hammer and Nails".
Many of you have, no doubt, heard about "The Nines" - a day long, online conference featuring Christian leaders from all over sharing 9 minutes worth of insights on the church, ministry, and building the Kingdom of God coming up on September 27th.
I recently nominated Daryl Nuss, the Excutive Director of the National Network of Youth Ministries to be a speaker for The Nines. Why? Because in all of the seminars, books, workshops, conventions, and discussion about growing the Church, almost no one is talking about churches working together.
If you are going to the Creation Festival Northeast, please stop by the Youth Leaders Only area, hosted by Interlinc, and say hi!
We'll have an NNYM information table there as well as a map to help youth leaders discover others who are near them.
You know, it's one thing to ask your students to dream big for God. It's another thing when they actually start doing it. Read one youth pastor's story of what God did when he challenged his youth to dream big...and they did.
Courtesy of Mikey's Funnies...
today'sTHOT============================
It's amazing what you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit.
How can youth workers in a city come together to impact the community?
Well , here is one example of how that might look. The San Diego North County Inland Network brought churches together for worship and service at Kit Carson Park in Escondido. About 400 students and adults from 13 churches praised God through a student-led worship band. It was powerful as youth leaders from multiple ministries shared Scriptures that led through the entire gospel story.
I have become a lover of all things Walt Disney in the past few years since our family first visited Disney World on a delightful mild week in January.
What truly struck me was Uncle Walt himself. The story of how he inspired people and was able to build a team of people who, together, would make history in the field of animated film as well as amusement parks.
The more I speak with youth workers the greater the need I see for them to connect with others like themselves. Frankly, I'm surprised at how unconnected many of them are. Youth ministry is done in the context of relationships. Youth workers need one another -- Networks work! (Connect to excerpt from Doug's talk at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference, 2009)
Here are nine reasons I believe youth workers should regularly connect with other youth workers:
When you're connected with others you can share resources. Practically, this saves you valuable time and money and makes you a relational steward.
One of the reason I love meeting with other youth workers is because I feel safe. I feel understood. I feel known. This is a result from meeting with those who know what I do and what I’m usually feeling or going through.
Every time I gather with youth workers I’m amazed at how much I learn by simply listening to their stories about church, parents, teenagers, volunteers, etc. Other people’s life experiences are a classroom for those willing to learn.
I love hearing what other youth workers are doing. When we share ideas, it’s so much easier to “steal” with permission! My favorite network gatherings were when we would show up every month and share copies of all we had done during the month.
This one is HUGE! So many of the questions that I receive to answer on our Simply Youth Ministry podcast could be better answered if they were asked within the community of other youth workers. Veteran youth workers are really sharp people and can aid with personal and strategic questions.
One of the many elements that I enjoy about meeting with other youth workers is the theological melting pot that shows up. If you choose to meet with people in your own denomination, great! But when you gather with people who are theologically diverse (though unified on the essentials important to you), I find we have much to offer each other.
I love it when networks pull off events for either the local community or the faith community. It’s so great to see youth groups doing things they probably couldn’t do on their own, yet find the ability to do because of the connections within their network.
Teenagers need to see that youth groups and youth leaders are willing to work together to accomplish things for the bigger picture. The youth group down the street isn’t the enemy—the Enemy is the enemy—we need to model that reality.
Networks that meet consistently and for long periods of time become the foundation for great long-term relationships. I’ve experienced this personally and I’ve seen a depth of friendships forming across the country from those who said “yes” to a network gathering.
Bottom line: As youth workers we are “better together”! If you’re not currently connected with a group of youth workers, PLEASE click here and begin searching for one near you.
Editor's Note: This article is a reprint from Doug Fields' blog at www.dougfields.com. Used by permission.
If church youth workers still see para-church ministry as competition, you might be a yellow network.
If the para-church still think there are students who would never darken the door of a church, you might be a yellow network.
I love to see churches come together, youth pastors support one another, ministries helping other ministries, and people sharing common ground to serve a common purpose--reaching students with the fresh word of God's love. I've been blessed to be a part of a pretty healthy network in Ramona and another very healthy one (under the coordinatorship of Wes Trevor) in Escondido/San Marcos. It's not something you see all the time or in every community. From what I hear, it's actually quite rare to have a strong sense of commonality shared among youth ministries in a single community. If this sort of thing is really such a rare thing, it's just too bad. There are actually several good reasons behind having a strong network in a community...
...Networking with other churches is a theological task--a biblical task. It is the task of setting aside the differences and uniting in service to Christ and support for one another...
...I've heard more than one story of youth workers who said that their networks kept them in the game. When this happens it is a victory for churches, a victory for the Church, and the spiritual victory of koinonia....
Last week I had the chance to chat with Jeff Goins from Adventures in Missions about a new project he is working on. The project is called Kingdom Dreams, which is a new approach to helping people find their ministry calling.
Kingdom Dreams desires to inspire, equip and resource people to pursue one's God-given dreams and passions. It's the catalyst for the next generation of Christians focused on changing the world. It offers people the space, freedom, guidance, and confidence to dream and experiment, through the channel of meaningful personal connections.
Recently I had the pleasure of meeting up with a few guys from the Marshfield, Wisconsin youth ministry network. The candor and honesty in the group was refreshing! I could tell after a few minutes into the network meeting that these guys have a healthy network because of the jovial nature, honest sharing and humble leadership that I observed.
What would it look like? Honestly, probably a bit messy! Even the nicest, gentlest most godly Bulgarian turns into a monster behind the wheel of a car. But putting that to one side, I think it could be a better place....
Here's what those of us in EEA21, the European sister movement to NNYM, think we can all learn from Bulgaria:
It’s been a week since the Simply Youth Ministry Conference and I’ve been talking to some youth workers about other gatherings and trainings that are more frequent than a once-a-year, mega-conference. While I love the large gathering and enjoy seeing a bunch of fun youth workers together, I know it’s just one training option.
Here are some other training options that I’m excited about:
1. Being involved in a local network: I’m a huge believer that we’re “better together” and local youth workers should unite on a regular basis with others who are sharing trench work. While a network may not be considered official training, I always find myself learning from other workers who I dine, chat and hang with. If you’re not part of a local network, I highly encourage you to connect with the National Network of Youth Ministries and get connected… immediately! It could save your ministry and enhance your primary relationships!
I spent this past weekend with a ton of great youth workers at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference. We took some time today in the office to reflect on what we learned. Here is a small sample of our thoughts:
1. Youth workers need community
We witnessed the power of community through connections over and over again. Youth pastors don’t feel connected to their churches or their profession, so gatherings like SYMC feel like being in a spa.
The National Network of Youth Ministries is joining with the Christian players and coaches of the San Diego Padres to host Padres Fellowship Night 2011 next Friday, June 10.
After the game, several Padres players will share about their lives and personal relationships with Jesus Christ. Thousands of fans will hear the good news. Among the Padres expected to participate: Heath Bell, Chase Headley, Nick Hundley. Former Padre great Dave Dravecky will also share about his faith in Jesus.
Several Major League and Minor League teams have similar events around the country.
Please be praying for the results of this special night. You can learn more at www.padresfellowshipnight.com.
The following started as a letter to NNYM Dallas and Collin County network leaders but quickly became a diatribe on the state of YW networking as we know it, why it sucks and how we MUST work to make things better. This is a letter to ALL youth workers.
I used to think network groups were solid; set 'em up and let 'em go. After 18 months of formally working with the National Network of Youth Ministries as the Metro Dallas Coordinator, overseeing Dallas and Collin Counties, I can truly say: I couldn’t have been more wrong. Youth worker networking groups are liquid, and I’m trying to find ways to embrace that and find traction for our groups, both for today and tomorrow.
As youth pastors, we can get frustrated with traditional churches, hierarchy, and politics.
We want to see changes happen, but often are not the ones in the position to speak about them...let alone implement them. Sometimes we hold in our clenched fists these "stones"...all of the problems we think need fixing: the worship, the structure, the leadership, the youth budget (or lack thereof), the rules and regulations, the atmosphere, the senior pastor, the parents, the theology, the hymns we have to sing, etc...
Over time, these lists can pile up like a bunch of stones. Before long the only thing we know to do with them is throw them at the root of the problem...the church. And if the church has stained glass windows, you might be in for a real scene!
But rather than standing outside in the parking lot throwing stones the church, we must get inside and try to bring change from within. I credit this phrase and idea to my friend and colleague John a.k.a "Bags" and our conversation at the Zoo Bar in Pittsburgh.
“Each article is meant to help youth workers in whatever context they might find themselves working to help guide students into spiritual formation for the mission of God. Immerse is about providing youth workers with theologically robust, soul-caring and genuinely practiced tools for contextualizing the mission of
Ron Vining is not your ordinary youth pastor. And Powell, Wyoming is not your ordinary community where hunting is a way of life. Ron saw the need in his community for teenagers in single mom families to be able to connect with mentors through hunting. Listen to his story of how his ministry connects teenagers through taking the shot together.
The National Network of Youth Ministries has a new mailing address:
National Network of Youth Ministries (NNYM)
PO Box 501748
San Diego, CA 92150-1748
The phone numbers remain the same: 858-451-1111 (voice) and 858-451-6900 (fax).
What could networking look like in your city? Wes, a friend of mine who leads the network in our city, pointed me to this great video that he saw at the Youth Specialties website. It is about a town in Ohio that decided to work together to reach teenagers. As a result, they multiplied thier impact. In light of this video, Wes and I are asking the question, "What could youth ministry look like in our city as we continue to work together?"
Take a look and see the story and make your own conclusions. The original article can be found at www.youthspecialties.com.
Editors note: Diane Brask is not your ordinary youth worker. Growing up on a Wisconsin farm she knows how to handle a tractor and a gun. She has also experienced the loneliness a rural youth worker can feel. But her heart for youth ministry spans the globe. She works as the NNYM National Rural Coordinator and has a heart for international missions. Her motto is “From the Back 40 to the 10-40," and she has ministered in rural Sudan, Kenya and various parts of Asia.
"If it wasn't for partnering with youth workers in Brown County there is no way we would have been able to pull of an event that reached over 600 people."
If you've ever enjoyed being in community with other youth workers, you're going to love this video!
The major complaint received on the evaluation forms was that "the retreat wasn't long enough" --- this was music to our ears!
During our time together we asked them the question, "Why would I join a youth leader's network?"
Check out this video to get a feel for the "heart" of some
Why network with youth workers in your community?
Last weekend at the National Youth Workers Convention hosted by Youth Specialties, we heard from hundreds of youth workers. We asked them if they work together with other youth workers in their community. Many already do, but some are still trying to do it alone. Time and time again, we heard youth leaders share how important their local network was to them.
Here's Doug Franklin, a Network member for six years, who founded LeaderTreks to help equip and unite youth workers. In this video he shares why it is so important for us to network together to reach teenagers.
If you have not yet had the opportunity to connect to a local network, click here to find a network in your area.
NNYM's sister network in Europe is coordinated by the European Evangelical Alliance and is called EEA21. (www.eea21.eu). It is probably the most comprehensive overview of European youth ministry on the net, and includes literally hundreds of videos of European youth workers giving insights into the needs, challenges and opportunities in their countries and beyond.
My wife and I quite possible have the two brownest thumbs in California. Give us a drought-tolerant cactus and after a few months, we will show you a dead cactus. A few years back I was trying to do something about "The Great Campbell Desert", otherwise known as my front lawn.
I diligently went to Home Depot, bought some strong fertilizer and grass seed and even a hand cranking seed sprayer. With enthusiasm for a green lawn, I proceeded to seed and simultaneously fertilize the desert. I watered and waited for weeks - but nothing happened. My problem wasn't the wrong seed or fertilizer; it was forgetting to till the hard-packed soil.
The silly thing is that I never bothered to talk to my neighbor across the street - who is a landscape architect - or the neighbor to his right - who is a gardener. Thankfully, the gardener must have had some pity on me, because after a couple of months he walked over and gave me some basic tips on growing grass (the legal stuff). His advice worked; my grass is now about 80% in!
My failures in gardening taught me a good lesson on why unity matters and why leaders and churches often fail.
At my local youth pastor meeting I asked two of the guys why it’s important for them to attend our group each week. Check out this video to hear what they said. I shared some of why it’s important for me to get together with other local youth pastors, too.
Our youth ministry network facilitates churches working together to reach teenagers for Christ. We assume, hopefully correctly, that students are being discipled in their churches and so the emphasis of our network is on evangelism. We believe that there are two big things that church youth ministries need to do together:
What if See You at The Pole happened every day of the school year in your community?
Students do not just need an event to pray on their campuses. They need purpose and direction to keep on praying.
What if your Network made a concerted effort to have students praying for their student body every school day of the year?
Claim Your Campus is a movement of students across the US to bring student-initiated prayer to every middle school and high school campus in America by 2013, 50 years after the Supreme Court banned "state sponsored" prayer in public schools in 1963.
Check out this video and go to www.claimyourcampus.com for more information.
Youth ministry is a joyous, but at times, a very hard calling. Regular struggles can occur with parents, students, leadership, finances . . . and the list goes on.
Who pastors the youth leaders through these dangers, toils and snares?
In addition to our monthly network meetings, our ladies have Youth Pastors Wives Club meetings which they started a year or so ago. This group of ladies felt led by God to do a conference for teenage girls together – it took place back on Saturday, June 5th and it was an amazing event. The day included dramas, testimonies, a Christian version of “The View”, a q & a time with a panel made up of the ladies’ husbands, times of prayer ministry, worship, videos, and a concert by Francesca Battistelli.
What does it take to unite youth workers who all live on the same island, but act like there was no one else there?
Jon Burcombe is the youth pastor at Avalon Community Church. At Spirit West Coast a year ago he shared with me how hard it was to get youth workers on Catalina Island to BE together, let alone work together. I saw him again this year and he talked about what worked to bring youth leaders together to reach teenagers. Today thay have an active network that is reaching teenagers on the island. Listen to his story.
What do you do when a kid from another youth group shows up in your youth ministry?
I like using the word “etiquette” when talking about this issue in youth ministry because I doubt many youth workers think about “etiquette” when doing their jobs. Normally
What is your network like? There are 1200 networks registered with NNYM across the nation. And youth workers are connecting together in over 60 countries! Each network is unique even though it has the same DNA.
David Kurtz is a member of the network known as WayNet in Wilson, North Carolina. He shares about how his network is reaching teens in the Southeast. Our Mid-Atlantic Regional Coordinator, Brian Coday, connected up with him and took this video. Listen as David talks about the shared relationships, resources and strategy that comes from youth workers working together.
Convene
Because the Network is trusted and neutral, we play a unique role in bringing diverse groups and individuals to the same table. This May, at YMEC, heads of evangelical, Pentecostal and mainline youth ministry groups, plus eight different denominations, came together to work through the topic: “Networking in Turbulent Times.” Among other things, a prayer network emerged. Over 20 years of doing this, you can imagine the kinds of energy, support and initiatives that result—just by bringing together these kinds of sharp minds and passionate hearts.
Communicate
Human tendencies lead us to work separately, to build “silos,” to be independent. The first thing a network has to do is to improve communication between the different elements of the community, to begin to have a vision for reaching it together.
Getting outside of the bounds of your organization to work with other youth ministries can be a lot of hard work! Many youth leaders are overworked. David Blair knows what that it like. He has been in youth ministry over 25 years and now works in national leadership of the Church of God (Cleveland) denomination. His deep ministry passion is to develop leaders who are sensitive to the culture, relevant to a generation, and empowered by the Spirit of God.
In this video he shares why he sees youth minstry networking as a vital to his passion of leadership development in the local church.
David is a department dean for Youth Leaders University and you can see more videos empowering youth workers at YLU.
Seeing his youth pastor working in unity with other churches has given David Johnson a head start on what it takes to build a healthy youth ministry that brings hope to his community! Passing the torch to younger youth workers of "unity to reach every" is given through the example we set. As the saying goes, "More is caught than taught." I wonder if the parents and students in our youth ministries notice the difference in our overall program when we network with other churches and ministries? Do they see other church youth groups as a part of their faith community? I believe the new revolution in youth ministry is a commitment to "developing a Parish mentality." Youth ministry models abound for individual church youth ministries. Let's take those principles and apply them to our communities alongside other kingdom-minded neighboring churches. Our students are watching us.
Duffy Robbins and several other youth ministry veterans will be featured at a network-sponsored event on Saturday, May 8 in upstate NY.
Still room to register and at a very reasonable rate! Learn more AND register at www.bloomday.org.
-Syracuse Area Youth Workers
When my wife and I look at the journey of our dating years and marriage, we like to refer to the “holymess” of our relationship. Our marriage is a holy, great, awesome thing that has taught us a lot, but that is in part due to the messy times we have faced…and are still facing in some regards. The holy parts of a relationship go hand-in-hand with the messy parts. In fact, to have a truly deep and godly relationship, you can’t have one without the other.
Many major league and minor league teams have Baseball Chapel programs that organize an annual "Fellowship" or "Faith" event following a regular season game where the Christian players share about their faith in Jesus Christ.
For the past several years, the local networks in San Diego have coordinate the promotion and participation of metro-area churches and Christian organizations.
Padres All-Star Adrian Gonzalez (shown here at an outreach with his wife, Betsy) is one of the Padres team leaders who participates in the Faith Night program.
Perhaps your local network can partner with your local baseball team's chapel program. To learn more, contact Ric Tolhurst in the NNYM office at 858-451-1111 or go to www.baseballchapel.org.
The Simply Youth Ministry Conference (SYMC) is coming up in three weeks! This national conference will be in Chicago, February 25-March 1. Many of our networking staff will be there.
Our involvement includes hosting regional networking dinners and a networking workshop our field team is leading. If you are going to be in Chicago, please stop by our booth there as we partner with Group/SYM to help youth workers connect locally when they go home from the event.
For those attending SYMC, we will be offering Richard Foster’s modern classic Celebration of Discipline as a free download, as well as Andrew Farley’s The Naked Gospel to anyone who comes to our booth. Please contact us if you will be there.
At SYMC 2009, Doug Fields talked about the need for community in youth ministry. Check out his comments...
To learn more about SYMC, including the NNYM discount code, go here.
I took a road trip to Kenosha, Wisconsin to find out what God is doing in their city to reach students with the gospel...together!
Why do big churches and small churches need to work together?
Sometimes it is hard to overcome the church size mentality. Whether bigger or better we all need to work together to reach teenagers. I caught up with Lars Rood who has had the privilege to work at larger churches as a youth worker. Here is what he has to say on the matter of networking with big churches.
I believe it was John Maxwell who first coined the phrase “leadership cup.” (This is the same John Maxwell that was arrested for bringing a handgun through security at an airport. Don’t believe me? Google it. I dare you. Funny story. It’s true, and it was an accident.)
A person’s leadership cup is their capacity to lead others. Some people have a huge leadership cup. John Maxwell has sold over 13 million books and trained 2 million leaders worldwide. His leadership cup is massive (although we all make mistakes now and then). Other people have leadership cups of various sizes. How big is yours?
The great thing about your leadership cup is that you can grow and make it bigger.
Syracuse, N.Y. is home to what I have to believe is one of the best youth worker networks in the country - and not only because we meet at a Chinese buffet.
Syracuse Area Youth Workers (SAYW) gave me a place to belong and grow when I first showed up nearly 11 years ago. As a youth pastor who didn’t take one single youth ministry class while in Bible school I had MUCH to learn. Little did I know that SAYW would play such an integral life in my life as a minister. I’m very thankful.
I’ve been trying to think about what I should say about SAYW. I could list off the outreach and community minded events we’ve done or do on an annual basis. I could write about the relationships that have been created and nurtured in the network. I could go on and on about the value this strong network...
What can you learn from a youth worker who has started two networks, and been involved in four ot them? Jimmy Higgins has been networking to reach teenagers for years in Southern California. I am encouraged by his joy and heart for reaching teenagers. He just knows that we are better together and lives it out in his ministry. I caught up with him and asked him about starting youth worker networks. This is his story.
Abby Fox shares how the support and encouragement of her local network has made such a difference for her.
The high school basketball star is at the top of his game. His former friend shoots himself on campus right in front of his eyes. His world collapses from guilt and helplessness. What happens now?
That is the theme for the new movie, "To Save a Life. " It was filmed by Jim Britts, a youth pastor and network coordinator in Oceanside, California. His passion for seeing teenagers reached on campus led him to write and produce this movie coming to theaters in January. Many of the stories in the movie were modeled after issues the network experienced together.
Bob and Mary Dunn serve as the NNYM state coordinators in Arizona. They lead the way in strategic networking. After a recent coordinators summit, I had opportunity to interview them to get the inside scoop. Check out what is happening in Arizona.
Over the years the Bay Area of Northern California has experienced many conferences, campaigns and other events that have left a lasting impact on teenagers. As a generation of new leaders look to the future, their partnerships are important to see even a greater harvest.
But the Bay Area is a big place . . . over 7 million people. That feels overwhelming. So recently a group of Network coordinators came together, asked the hard questions of purposeful networking, and are beginning to think smaller.
Check out what our regional leader Keivan Tehrani had to say after their summit took place.
Recently a group of Southern California network coordinators met for their annual summit. I had an opportunity to interview Mike Brimmage of Biola University and Al Siebert, the executive director of Youth for Christ in SoCal.
Check out this video where they share about their collaborations to bring the university, churches and para-church organizations together to impact thousand of teenagers throughout Southern California.
I recently returned from a conference in India where national youth leaders are working together to reach out and disciple the massive numbers of youth in their country.
Sixty percent of India’s 1.2 billion people are under the age of 25. The numbers and diversity of India’s teenagers are almost impossible to comprehend. Nevertheless, there are quality youth workers in India who are stepping up and trusting God to take the gospel to their young people.
I was able to capture a few comments from Christopher Rajender, who is a Youth for Christ regional leader in Hyderabad, India. You will be encouraged by his vision and perspective of how BIG things are possible by working together.
I'm a Network Coordinator in Sunland, California. Being a part-time youth pastor and going to seminary takes up most of my time. However, I also do a blog at Ministryallies.com that showcases great resources for youth ministry.
Here's my introduction to how to use Youthworkers.net. Having the proper set of tools is key to networking with other youth leaders. The new YouthWorkers.net website is one great tool for you to use. But… instead of typing a long, boring tutorial, I decided to make a video of me showing you around. Take a look.
Julie is a youth worker who sees the need for networking. She shared with me at Youth Specialties' National Youth Worker Convention how important it was for her to link with other youth workers in the Denver area. Listen to her story.
Prayer is a vital part of cultivating unity in our nation, and so, “How can we be praying for Las Vegas?”
I recently met with the Las Vegas Network and took part in a discussion for a campus strategy in their city. We were overwhelmed and excited at the possibilities of connecting with campuses throughout the area. Here is how we can be praying for what God is up to in Vegas.
Editor's Note: Doug Franklin is the president of LeaderTreks, a ministry dedicated to creating tools and resources to enable youth workers to develop students into leaders. Doug's blog, www.dougfranklinonline.com, has a wealth of insights.
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I find that youth workers go through three phases of development. These phases are described below. Try and determine which phase you’re in.
Self Focused
In the first phase of youth ministry many youth workers are concerned with being liked. We want the students to see us as cool and someone who can relate to them.
Youth Worker Network Utah Road trip from Kevin Boer on Vimeo.
Youth workers in Salt Lake City are sharing their experience of community with the youth workers in St. George! After one of their own moved from Salt Lake to St. George, Jeff Stevenson (Utah’s state coordinator), myself and four other youth workers jumped into Jeff’s wife’s van (thanks, Britney!) and headed on a four + hour road trip to share our passion for youth workers coming together in their own community for relationships, resources and strategies.
Local Network gatherings serve as a “lifeline” for youth workers around the nation in over 1,000 locations. The relationships that occur in those local gatherings cut across denominational, racial and cultural boundaries.
The vast majority of Network Coordinators volunteer their time to organize and lead their local group of youth workers in cooperative efforts, prayer and accountability relationships, and so on.
WHY? Because they recognize the needs in their communities are greater than their individual ministry or church can meet.
Have you connected with a local Network in your area? Click here to get started.
The National Network of Youth Ministries was formed by a group of youth workers who desperately wanted to see the Great Commission fulfilled among young people. Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:19, commanding us to go and make disciples of all nations, were the driving force behind the birth of NNYM.
Doing youth ministry in Utah has a number a tremendous challenges (as does any location), but one thing is a guarantee here and that is that networking together with others is TREMENDOUSLY beneficial.
The Christian Youth Network of Utah has been a functioning network in the Salt Lake area for more than 20 years and we have seen some amazing things come from our ministry together.
Several years ago I had one of those life changing phone calls. I was talking with a friend who lived in Denver who was a volunteer youth leader in a small church, while I was a full time high school pastor at a large church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
We began to dream about what would happen if our students were to catch a vision of claiming responsibility to display Christ’s love through prayer and action on their campus throughout the year...
That's one of the topics discussed in the new Youth Leader University under the Training tab. See the answer here.
Networking, partnership and collaboration are all common words used among youth ministers and other ministry leaders today. It seems like virtually everyone says they value networking in some form or function. Some choose to mention it in their mission statement, others list it as a core value, and some see it as a far-off goal. No matter which way you categorize networking, often times we do not make an effort to put the rhetoric aside and actually share experiences of networking that work.
Here is our story...
Last spring, our small network of youth pastors and para-church leaders in Orange County California had been meeting on a bi-monthly basis for a few years.
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