Life of a youth pastor .

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And the winner is…

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winner

In my last post I posed this question, “If you had to choose between large group or small groups, which one would you choose, and why?”

The reality is so many times we do in fact choose one over the other. We give more resources, time, thought, planning, and staff toward one rather than the other.

It is easier to staff, budget and run a weekly large group program… and there are some fantastic large group programs out there for both students and adults. The large group has become a formula that we plug people into and expect a certain outcome. During the 60 minutes they sit in that seat we hope to present and accomplish church for them. We hope to provide the opportunity of what could seem to many like a one stop shop for Jesus. I know this isn’t the heart intention of our churches or youth groups, but it’s the way it comes across to many. How did I come to that conclusion? Because they show up for the large group but won’t get involved in a small group or take next steps to serve in the church.

If I had to choose, and I do… the winner in my book is small groups. I will not deny that large group has a very important role and without it many would not attend church, hear truth, or perhaps even be challenged to get more involved by plugging into a small group or serving. I have a feeling this is backwards, we have detoured from how the church initially expanded–through smaller groups, church planting, the sending out of disciples.

There needs to be a healthier relationship between the large group and small group planning. For me and my ministry, the large group exists to support our small groups. My actual “large group time” is cut in half… half of the program time is actually given to small groups and their small group leaders to connect, have conversations, ask questions, and enjoy relationships with the students they meet with every week.

What are your thoughts on this?

 

Large Group vs. Small Group

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tug of war

Let’s play out a mock scenario. You are alone in ministry and are presented with the option to provide a dynamic large group program that dozens of students enjoy attending OR recruit and equip other leaders to provide small groups for the same group of students.

Large Group or Small Groups? And you can only choose one.

This may not be the current reality of your leadership position or church, but depending which one you choose in this mock scenario says a lot about your ministry philosophy and how you will execute that philosophy.

Perhaps you do offer both the large group program and the small group model. One of these will receive more planning this week than the other. One of these has a larger budget. One of gets more time and attention.

Why did I create a mock scenario for you? Because it’s easier to think that this is a pretend situation rather than a reality that happens every single week. Every week you will choose as the ministry leader whether large group or small group is more important. You will program for one better than the other, you will put more time and effort into one rather than the other. It may be time for you to re-evaluate your priority of large group vs. small group.

I’ve got more to say about this in my next post and announce the winner.

Give them time.

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loveovertime

My most repeated request from small group leaders over the past month has been, “Can we get more time for small group?”

I love what the ReThink groups states: Love over time matters. If that’s the case, here is what I would say to all the youth pastors out there, “QUIT TAKING ALL THE TIME.” If you have an opportunity to put another leader in the spotlight, do it. Make small groups a reality.

With our student programs being scheduled to include both large group and small group time, the large group time can easily trump the small group time–but it shouldn’t. The large group time has many moving elements–games, announcements, message and worship. Just because it has more moving parts, doesn’t give it a more dominant position. When we weigh the importance of small group time vs. large group time, the actual amount of time given is your measurement. Small group leaders need time to build trust. When trust is built then students open up and relationships happen. Relationships matter the most. Relationships are the glue of our ministry.

I have been guilty of hijacking the time of my small group leaders during our large group time. Leaving your leaders just enough time to get into a quick discussion before closing in prayer is like giving them a cake and not enough time to eat it.

Give them time.

The guest group. WIN! WIN! WIN!

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guestgroup

The picture you see here was our guest group last week.  At our program we always start as a large group and then break out into small groups.

When everyone breaks for small groups, we invite all guests and the friend that brought them to hang around for the guest group. We make it special, offering ice cream… what would you do for a Klondike bar? Go to guest group!

After the guest attends the guest group at least twice, and they want to continue showing up to the program, I transition them into a small group. This will eliminate those who just visit once or are unsure if they want to participate in your church program. It is difficult for the small group leaders to gain traction when new students are popping in all the time. Here’s the other really cool part, I encourage the student pastor to host the guest group. I get to meet every student that comes through the door this way, they hear our vision for them being here, and they don’t feel invisible or glanced over! WIN! WIN! WIN!

I host the guest group in the large group space. This eliminates transition time or having your guest adjust to another room or setting. Asking easy generic questions is the way to go. Keep things surface level, share the vision of your ministry and what you hope to offer them, perhaps ask one or two questions pertaining to the message.

What do you offer your guests?

Your blueprint for student ministry.

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blueprint

By no means do I have the perfect student ministry, nor do I believe it exists. Each and every student pastor that is honest will say, “We have strengths and weaknesses.” I do believe there is a difference between an average operation and one that is really firing on all cylinders. The reason being is because the ministry leaders are working off a blueprint that has been set before them.

Whether you are in student ministry or not, I hope you are working off some kind of blueprint or plan in the project you have ahead of you. A blueprint keeps you on task, the must have factors, measurements, desired outcomes, it’s all there. If you are ever lost, just check the blueprint.

At Gateway Church we have a fairly simple blueprint in place for our student ministry. I believe a ministry designed the way we have it can work fairly well, we just need to stay committed to it and see it come to fruition. Like many other larger student ministries, we are somewhat of a small church plant. We have 3 programs to execute every week, a student band to improve, budgets to run, camps to plan, mission trips, volunteers to recruit, families to partner with… and the list goes on. But what does all of this amount to? How can we physically see it happening year in and out? What are we building?

We are building up a generation of students who will own their faith and make it known to others wherever they go in life. I have faith, that through this blueprint, we are equipping the next generation of both the churched and unchurched in what it means to accept God’s love on a daily basis. Not only identifying that relationship but also accepting the challenge to take it into their world and share it with others.

Here’s my blueprint:

Large Group. The weekly hangout. This involves a somewhat non-threatening environment to bring a friend to play some games, hear some music, listen to some funny stories, hear from the Word of God.

Small Groups. This happens every week directly following large group. Everything we do points back to connecting our students faith to an authentic community of peers around them. Students and adults they can explore doubts, ask questions, be real.

Winter Camp. Camp is full weekend of small group time. Long retreat time into teaching, personal reflection, worship…but also tons of FUN. Camp makes memories for our students, we get to help them make positive memories of their relationship with God and the church. A weekend camp vs. a summer camp allows more student participation (it’s cheaper) and more adult leader participation (don’t have to take off work).

GO! Teams. Our mission trips can be life changing moments for our students. Both those near and far from God come back from GO! Teams with new world views and a better understanding of how God’s love permeates the most unimaginable lifestyles and deepest needs.

All of this may sound familiar, because many churches take this same blueprint or concept and add a few tweaks to make it their own. What does your blueprint look like? What works well for you?

Packin’ my bags for OC 2013!

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orangesuitcaseReady or not Atlanta, here I come for a full 7 days! It’s been 4 years since I last went to the Orange conference, it was actually my first conference as a full-time student pastor. The people over at Orange will constantly say, “it’s not just about a curriculum, it’s a strategy”…

“What if church leaders and parents synchronized their efforts to fuel wonder, discovery and passion in the next generation?” By combining the critical influences of the light of the church (yellow) and the love of the family (red) the Orange Strategy shows a generation who God is more effectively than either could alone.

I am constantly convicted that as student pastors we must aim at equipping, empowering and hold accountable our parent relationships. There is no doubt that the best disciple of the student can be mom or dad, but without encouragement, training and partnering with the local church, how effective can the family be? I know there can be a lot of tension around this conversation, but what I am seriously pumped up about is that Orange is tackling this conversation from multiple angles – small groups, age-appropriate questions, stuff for at home, equipping volunteers and lay-leaders in the church, etc.

After having met the HS pastor for Northpoint (Kevin Ragsdale) at the Orange Tour in Dallas, I am really excited about the kind of ministry he is running in Atlanta. I love large-group environments that funnel into small-groups later in the program. This is a huge win for both students and leaders alike. I’m checking out his ministry this Sunday and hope to learn some new things that could be implemented where I am currently doing ministry.

What else am I looking forward to at Orange 2013?

  • Blogger’s Lounge – apparently Kenny over at childrensministryonline.com is getting me into the box seats. Right Kenny?! 🙂
  • Meeting up with old friends and making new ones. If you are headed to Atlanta too, I’d love to get together for a meal or coffee and talk shop! Contact me and we can set up a time.
  • I’m signed up to attend and learn from the following breakout sessions:
    • Leading You: The Art of Self Leadership
    • NextGen Ministry Leadership: Leading 360 Degrees
    • Understanding the Middle School Mind
    • Orange Interactive: Student Ministry
    • 10 Things I do to Learn, Lead and Network with Others
    • Casting the Vision Daily to Keep Everyone Aligned
    • Crafting Life-Changing Messages for Teenagers
    • Evaluating a Lead Small Experience
  • I think one night I will need to go and see Oblivion, can’t wait, the movie trailers are a tease!