Life of a youth pastor .

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All is NOT lost.

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allislostWith me growing up around sailboats and loving survival skills, I think Robert Redford did an excellent job with All is Lost. Composed of just a few sentences and hardly any soundtrack, this very real, jaw dropping thriller will make you feel isolated and hopeless through it all.

There are too many times in student ministry we (youth pastors) feel this way about our ministry — isolated — hopeless.  If it weren’t already hard enough to sail a boat across the Indian Ocean, the guy just happens to hit a shipping container in the middle of nowhere! With what seems the already impossible task of running a stellar weekend program, having every leader/volunteer slot filled and ensuring every visiting student returns, the ominous adversary that is determined to sink your ministry comes unfairly unexpected.

Isolation and hopelessness come in all shapes and sizes, whether it be an ignorant staff member stirring up rumors about you, an irate parent disagreeing with your philosophy of ministry or perhaps budget cuts so bad you can’t spend a penny.  You need to hold fast and weather the storm to develop perseverance in yourself and for the sake of your ministry. There’s no denying it, you will hit one storm after another, especially in student ministry. With each storm weathered comes a victory and even victories can be disguised as hard lessons learned, all is not lost. Through it all you will become a stronger leader and a better youth pastor for your ministry and your church.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – James

If you want to watch the movie “All is Lost”. Get it here.

 

 

Stop doing it all!

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A student ministry is not a student ministry until students start doing the ministry.

It was this philosophy of ministry that my youth pastor had. When he gave away leadership to me, I inherited numerous tasks and responsibilities. Through developmental leadership over the years I now find myself in the place of needing to give my leadership away to others.

What is holding back your ministry from growing deeper spiritually, growing bigger in numbers and overall richer in leadership? It’s probably your lack of empowering others, giving away responsibilities and allowing students to do the ministry that they are capable of doing. When a student has that “Aha!” moment and realizes that they are just as capable to minister to others like the youth pastor, they begin to look at their student ministry through a different lens. The student begins to own the ministry and operate not merely as an attender but as a contributor.

How do you empower your students?

Look over your weekly responsibilities, find tasks you can give to your students so that they have the opportunity to step up and do the ministry they are capable of doing.

“Did I win?”

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basketballhoop600x375

Believe it or not, your small group leaders ask this very question every single week. Often a small group will end with your leader feeling frustrated or defeated because they couldn’t get through all their questions or even end with a prayer because someone was laughing, the juicy gossip was flowing, or simply no one wanted to talk. The small group leader walks away feeling like they lost. The feeling of defeat is the last thing we want our leaders to experience.

It’s playoff season in the NBA and everyone wants to win. My favorite basketball games are the ones that are point for point back and forth across the court with only seconds to spare. Almost every team has the same end game in mind when mere seconds are left…do whatever it takes to get the ball in the hands of the best player to take the shot before the buzzer. There is not a doubt in that player’s mind – this shot will win or lose the game.

As a leader of leaders, it’s my job to set my small group leaders up for the game winning shot. As time dwindles on the clock in small group, our leaders need to know how to take the game winning shot. The win for a small group leader needs to be clearly defined each week.

If we want our small group leaders to walk away feeling as if they won, we need to set them up for the win. Tomorrow I will share some wins with you that I have implemented for my ministry. #winning!

 

Challenge: Don’t pick up the microphone.

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mixboard

Last night for our high school programming was a first for me and my volunteer team. It was a regularly scheduled program for our HS students: dinner together, large group game, announcements, teaching, worship, small groups. For many it was just another night… but not for me.

On top of two middle school programs and a mission trips training, I was pretty spent. Here’s the cool part, I never picked up a microphone, clicked a button, or flipped a light switch for last night’s program. How? I empowered my leaders, volunteers and students. And it went much better than if I would have tried to pull it off on my own.

Our food coordinators had a new batch of volunteers they were training, my only part-time staff took care of the speaking part, I had a senior high school guy that’s been itching for leadership take care of announcements and the game (he did a fantastic job!), and all our small group leaders were connecting with students. What did that leave me with? The guest group! Simply sitting down and enjoying some cookie cake with two new students. It allowed me to give all my attention and energy to them. They said that they loved our hangout and were excited to get involved, taking the next step of attending a small group after Easter.

To build a team you must give away your leadership to others. You would be surprised at what could happen if you accept this challenge at one of your next programs: don’t pick up the microphone.

Try it out and let me know how it goes!

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?

 

Let them lead, it’ your missing puzzle piece.

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puzzle piece

I strongly believe that I lead where I do today because someone let me lead way back when. If you don’t have students leading in your ministry or another ministry in your church–it’s the missing puzzle piece.

One of my first leading experiences was to help lead a team of 3 other students as we did backyard bible clubs for kids in neighborhoods around our church. This leading experience had its ups and downs, but I was learning and someone entrusted that leadership to me. I was a freshman in high school.

I know that one of the best ways to get our students involved, engaged and keep them connected to the church is through serving and leading opportunities. These students are the future leaders, volunteers, and staff of our church. How will you empower them? What kind of opportunities will you give them? What kind of risks are you willing to take?

Let them lead.

Leading your leaders.

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 multiply

Perhaps the best thing you can do for your students is understand that you simply cannot lead them all. Whether your youth group size is 30 or 300, you need to inherit this mindset if you don’t already have it. An authentic relationship is hardly possible with 30, let alone 300.

Do you want to offer the very best to the students and make sure they are connected to great leadership? The answer isn’t you, at least not for all of them. Offer the best through your leaders. Recruit them. Develop them. Get them connected to students. Focus your leadership on the leaders, in turn you will multiply your leadership beyond what you could have ever offered students on your own.

If it weren’t for the 35-40 leaders that were investing into our students, the students would not be truly connected to the church body… they would be connected to just a building, just a program, just another student function.

My goal is to get a Christ-following adult into the life of every student that walks through that door, and I have to be okay with it not being me… but only because I recruited, developed and am in touch with those that are leading the students.

Pi in the sky, the sky is the limit!

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photo (55)

I saw something today that literally stopped me in my tracks. It was not normal nor did it make any sense at all. There were numbers in the sky. Perfectly spaced. Perhaps you have seen sky writing before but this was on a whole new level!

After doing some research I have these facts:

  • 5 planes.
  • Flying at 10,000 feet with dot-matrix sequencing.
  • Emitting 1/4 mile tall letters.
  • The company that helped make it happen, airsign.com
  • The artist behind this wonder, ISHKY out of California.
  • Showing off for SXSW here in Austin I’m sure.
  • You could do something similar.

So, was there just pure genius present here? Yes, there were engineers and an artist to make “pi in the sky” a reality. But I believe we all have been given the ability to wow the world around us. We need to think differently and perhaps look at situations from a different angle. When is the last time you really surprised someone? Did something out of the ordinary? Something they never would have imagined. Apparently, in this situation the sky is the limit! Students are always looking for that newest thing, or hottest item. Find something new for your crew to talk about this week, do something radically different, or you be the “Pi in the sky”… dress up like a leprechaun, they might see that one coming, but it could be totally worth it!

Here’s a little something in honor of national Pi day.

visualizing-pi

Marketing, have you lost the touch?

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Marketing

When it comes to marketing, know your audience. The same rule applies in ministry. If you are trying to get gobs of students or kids to sign up for a camp, don’t let them know about it just a few weeks before. If you want to specifically target students you shouldn’t write them an email and expect them to read it. It’s 2014 people, reach people where they are already at, or go the extra mile and make an effort to reach them personally.

I’ve mailed out postcards, created a Facebook page, post regularly on Instagram, email mom and dad, and the list goes on and on. Which one works the best for marketing a program, event, or just getting information out? I don’t know. I do know that the more you balance personally reaching out with social media, emails, newsletters, etc. the more responsive an individual will be to that piece of information.

Unfortunately, I believe we are relying far too much on the computer and the multiple platforms of social media. No longer do we meet the parents face to face, tell them about the awesome camp we would love Johnny or Suzie to sign up for, we expect a fun graphic and a few words hitting their inbox to do the trick. This can lend to a very corporate feeling ministry along with all the other competition you face in getting their attention. This week I’ve asked all my small group leaders to call the phone numbers of the parents on their roster and cast vision for our mission trip sign ups. I know it can only help, I believe in the personal touch…and yes, I’m calling students too!

Before you write another email to parents, leaders, or even reach out to a student via social media for marketing reasons, try one of these things:

  • Snail mail a handwritten letter.
  • Make a phone call.
  • Invite that student/parent/leader to have coffee.

What would you say is the most effective way to market your audience?

Your best small group leader.

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time-and-calendar

One of the best things that happened to me as a young teenager growing up in the church was getting a small group leader. One of the most unfortunate things that happened to me growing up in the church was losing that small group leader and getting a new one the next year, and then another new one the following year.

Not intentionally I’m sure, but we were a tough group of guys. We goofed off, wanted to have fun, couldn’t sit still and it was a miracle if we actually read through a Bible passage together in small group. Whether it was the leaders schedule, or we were just a tough group of guys, we didn’t have a continued connection with the same leader throughout our high school years.

If there is one thing you can always help cast vision for in your ministry, it’s COMMITMENT.

Not because the leaders have to be there every Sunday, but they understand it’s a privilege and they want to be there! Trust is built over time, leaders wonder why small group stays surface level or they don’t see fruit from their labor. Commitment is made over time, week after week, year after year.

I currently have every leader that wants to volunteer in our ministry sign a one-year commitment. I know of some churches that ask for 3 year commitments! It’s just part of their culture, I’m so grateful for this kind of mentality. The best small group leader is a committed one, they show up and keep showing up for their group.

What kind of commitment do you get from your leaders?