Your sign to get a new sign.

April 29, 2014 by Chris Parker Leave a Comment

If it’s not simple.
If it’s not short.
If it’s not synchronized.

SIMPLE – If you are running a program or ministry project that requires signs, directions, or logos, you want people to read it and read it correctly, right? So keep it simple, make sure it’s legible and not too crazy with unnecessary fluff. Remember, simple is clean, clean is attractive.

SHORT – I just finished visiting a church and walked through a 12,000 sq. ft. space of a church lobby. There was only ONE word on the giant wall as people left the auditorium. “CONNECTIONS” Simply one word says it all. There is not a question in anyone’s mind about where to go to get further connected to what is going on in that church. The more words, artwork, phrases, pictures, random, useless, meaningless…well you get the idea, people stop reading or lose interest. Keep it short. Whatever you desire to have the most attention in your space dial it down to one or two words.

SYNCHRONIZED – You might have the coolest sign ever, but if it doesn’t match anything else in the church you are sticking out like a sore thumb in a bad way. Figure out your churches style and fit into it, if you don’t like the style or the style is too outdated, sketch up some proposals and get some feedback before purchasing that big sign or multiple signs for your space.

Here is what I did with our student space at our church to communicate to the general public where students hang out on Sundays and the program times we offer.

If you are coming from the visitor parking lot and don’t see the doors, at least the 8ft. tall word STUDENTS will give it away.

Good signage following these three rules does not cost your church an arm and a leg, it just takes some brainstorming, creativity, and agreeing on next steps. The paint on the building and vinyl work on the doors gets complimented every other week. People share how helpful the signage was in directing them. It only cost a few hundred bucks, 3 sit down meetings and roughly 4 email threads. Small investments of budget and time can make a huge difference and leave a big impression to those visiting for the first time.

My Breakouts for OC 2014!

April 7, 2014 by Chris Parker Leave a Comment

I’m super excited about Orange Conference this year! I always appreciate the main sessions but LOVE the breakouts. I like hearing about the niche things in ministry, but love seeing the dozens of others in ministry struggling through the same things. It’s places like this that a mere conversation can totally alter the state of your ministry or vision. I’m not completely sure what I will walk away with this year but ready to find out.

Here are the breakouts I have chosen to attend. Hope to see you there!

MEASURING WHAT’S IMPORTANT IN FAMILY MINISTRY (Next Gen)
UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON KIDS AND STUDENTS
LEADING THROUGH CRISIS, TRAGEDY AND TRAUMA (STUDENTS)
ORANGE STRATEGY TO BUILD AND ALIGN MULTI-SITE CAMPUSES
STARTING A CHURCH FOR UNCHURCHED FAMILIES
ORANGE INTERACTIVE: STUDENT MINISTRY

And the winner is…

April 1, 2014 by Chris Parker Leave a Comment

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?

Give them time.

March 29, 2014 by Chris Parker Leave a Comment

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.

Let them lead, it’ your missing puzzle piece.

March 27, 2014 by Chris Parker Leave a Comment

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.

March 27, 2014 by Chris Parker Leave a Comment

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.

#1 advice to youth pastors.

March 19, 2014 by Chris Parker 1 Comment

Last year I had the privilege of meeting Kevin Ragsdale and spending some time with him. Kevin is the director of high school ministry at NorthPoint and has been for many, many years. I toured the HS ministry and have implemented a few things learned, like providing dinner for students before the program. Kevin, full of experience, I knew I had one final question for him before ending our conversation, “What is the one piece of advice you would give to me as a youth pastor in a new church?” He quickly responded, “Don’t quit too soon.”

Those words have stuck with me over the past year, but I can’t imagine what those words will truly mean until years from now. As a youth pastor you will have too many “good” reasons to quit. Everything from budgets to a confrontation with your senior pastor. Did I mention that rally of leaders or parents that question you, or are against the way you are doing things? These are just a few reasons why we get tired in the game and giving up could be so enticing. Don’t do it.

Every hard conversation, budget dollar you spend, sermon you preach, leader you recruit, and vision casting moment… you are gaining ground and creating forward momentum. Don’t let that one thing that is currently bringing you down right now be the deciding factor in quitting your position and moving on to another church or ministry where you will face similar things. Learn to stick up for yourself, your ministry, your vision and put the time in. Keep short accounts and seek reconciliation.

What kind of student ministry would your church and families benefit from if you remained their leader for the next 5 years? 8 years? 15 years?

XP3 – Free 3 week series!

March 17, 2014 by Chris Parker Leave a Comment

One of the first questions I get when hanging out with another student pastor is, “What curriculum do you use?” I have gone a few different routes in the past, but have been using XP3 for about a year now. Here’s what I love most…they give you EVERYTHING you would ever need for a series and then some more. For every series you get small group questions, large group manuscript, access to bumper videos, logos, leader email templates, etc. The content seems to always be relevant, I take the manuscript and make it my own. XP3 gives both the young and well seasoned youth pastor a great platform to engage students with God’s word.

Take a quick look at this for your group, and try a free 3 week series!

The art of teaching yourself.

March 16, 2014 by Chris Parker Leave a Comment

I usually get the question… “Where did you learn how to do that?” Here are a few examples…

Pro Presenter
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Premier Pro
Adobe Lightroom
WordPress CSS
How to raise chickens…

You get the idea. Sure, someone led me to the stream, but I had to learn how to drink on my own. When it comes to any kind of foreign territory that would advance my knowledge or add skills to my tool belt, I am intrigued to learn. I love learning new things! Having a smorgasbord knowledge of “how to’s” is critical in so many situations, not just in ministry but life too. Here are some of my more unusual learnings in life and things that I have become a student in…

Yes, raising chickens.
Being a chimney sweep.
Juggling sticks.
Playing the tuba.
The Weber Grill.

Find something that intrigues you and take it to the next level. Read a book on the subject, watch a video online or ask an expert in that field. The rest is up to you.

What’s one area in your ministry that you need to become a student?