#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?

Would you celebrate with me?

March 15, 2014 by Chris Parker Leave a Comment

Next week my blog will hit a small goal I have set for myself, 100 posts!

Rewarding both me the writer and you the reader, I will be unveiling a new layout. I’ve experimented with a few different themes, allowed my self to adventure into the world of CSS and am really excited to share it with you. I changed things up a month ago but I’m just not satisfied. This will be a lot cleaner, simpler… well I will let it speak for itself when I launch it.

I am fascinated with how many people have contacted me or started reading my blog on a regular basis during its first year. I really enjoy writing, so I appreciate the encouragement you all have given along the way. I hope you find something here you can resonate with or put into practice in your own life and ministry.

Do you have anything you want me to write more about? Or ideas/philosophy of ministry you’d like me to explore? Let me know!

The guest group. WIN! WIN! WIN!

March 14, 2014 by Chris Parker 6 Comments

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?

Orange Conference 2014

March 12, 2014 by Chris Parker 1 Comment

April 30 – May 2

I will be in Atlanta for the Orange Conference! I’d love to meet up, talk student ministry and keep building my network of other youth pastors out there. Feel free to comment or just send me an email chris_parker@gatewaychurch.com

Marketing, have you lost the touch?

March 8, 2014 by Chris Parker Leave a Comment

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?

Empower them!

March 3, 2014 by Chris Parker Leave a Comment

A good leader demonstrates great abilities. A great leader empowers the abilities within others.

If you do not learn this and act upon it you will be consumed by details and will be stuck right where you are at. Once you have reached capacity of what you are able to handle and I’d argue well before that, you need to learn how to extend your ministry to others. Learn how to give it away.

I am fully capable of calling and talking with all the parents represented in my ministry, and perhaps once a year I may attempt to do that. With 17 small groups, and around 175 students representing 350 parents I cannot simply pick up the phone and make a personal phone call. This past weekend I passed out our current rosters and made the ask. I asked each small group leader to call down the list of names represented in their small group and help spread the word about our summer mission trip opportunities.

Instead of calling 350 parents this week I intend to send one email and let those closest to the students call the parents, the small group leaders. Yes, I am leveraging the leadership I have… so that my entire team can carry the weight of responsibility we have been given.

When you empower those around you, there is more buy-in to your mission, more attention given to where its currently needed and you are less likely to burn out! Work smarter not harder.

Your blueprint for student ministry.

March 2, 2014 by Chris Parker Leave a Comment

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?