Leadership Articles

back to school basics, part 3

by Doug and Matt on 09/02/2010

For most of us, the school year has started and we're beginning to settle into the next rhythm for ministry. Closing out the summer and launching into a new school year is often a time where youth workers get lost in the details. Because of that, we want to encourage you to not take your eye off the ball and allow important priorities to slip through the cracks.

Here are a few youth ministry basics we feel are worth keeping an eye on:

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back to school basics, part 2

by Doug and Matt on 09/01/2010

Goal setting is essential for great leadership and a thriving ministry. Powerful and consistent influence doesn’t happen on accident.

We're going to take a different approach with today's article (so when you're done, please let us know what you think on www.YouthMinistry.com). Since "goal setting" is a leadership topic that gets a lot of "air time," we figured we’d link to a couple articles we’ve found helpful. We'll give you our brief take, and if you want more, you can check it out.

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The Lies We Buy About Youth Ministry

by Bradley R. E. Wright on 08/31/2010
Editor's Note: This article first appeared in the September/October 2010 issue of Group Magazine. Go to http://youthministry.com/group to subscribe.
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back to school basics, part 1

by Doug and Matt on 08/31/2010

Unfortunately, there never seems to be a down time in youth ministry.

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What to Do When You Make Your Senior Pastor Upset

by Kevin on 08/23/2010
What an incredible summer we’re been having! Two missions trips, summer camp, several service projects in our community. Yet in the midst of it all, I’ve had a tough few weeks. Trying to remain upbeat and function as a leader has been challenging.
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soulCARE: reconnect your relationships

by Doug and Matt on 08/19/2010

Ministry is tough work, as time wears on, it takes a toll. Each of us desperately needs a safe place to share personal successes, doubts, and failures. We need cheerleaders, counselors and coaches for encouragement, support, and correction.

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A Feast of Half-Truths

by Rick Lawrence on 08/18/2010

In GROUP’s upcoming September/October issue, we ask sociology professor Bradley Wright, author of Christians Are Hate-Filled Hypocrites…and Other Lies You’ve Been Told, to target and puncture lies masquerading as truths in the world of youth ministry. In “The Lies We Buy About Youth Ministry,” Professor Wright blasts away at the dire predictions about teenage church drop-outs, a supposed decline in moral standards among adolescents, and much more.

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soulCARE: recharge your creativity

by Doug and Matt on 08/18/2010

Everyone can be creative...regardless of how loud they declare, “I’m just not creative.” You can be! Creativity is part of God’s design within us and when we express our God-given creativity it can make our soul come alive.

Creativity in youth ministry happens anytime you think about a new way to serve your students. Creativity isn't limited to music, graphic arts, or preaching a message. It is also found in conversations, written letters, and when you think about how you can better help the teenagers that God has entrusted to your care.

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soulCARE: rest your spirit

by Doug and Matt on 08/17/2010

Resting well is a challenge that faces most of those who work in any type of ministry. We know know this is a big issue and as much as youth workers don’t want to admit their need for rest, they need rest.

From our perspective, there’s at least two important elements to resting:
..| disconnecting from work
..| reconnecting with God

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Powerful Prayer

by Megan Hutchinson on 08/03/2010

“Lord, do for me what I cannot do for myself” - A prayer from a laid off youth pastor
 
Have you ever prayed this? I mean really, sincerely prayed this? If so, you likely know the sting of pain which follows but also the unexpected joy, peace and freedom eventually received.
 

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Increasing Your Terminal Velocity

by Kurt Johnston on 08/23/2007
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5 Cheap and Easy Things To Do With Junior High Students This Summer

by Kurt Johnston on 08/23/2007
Capture the flag is still a junior high classic.
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Small Problem ... Big Damage

by Kurt Johnston on 08/23/2007
Numerous people have moved out of their offices so the drop ceiling could be pulled out, fans are spread throughout the building trying to dry out carpet, there's even futuristic looking device with dozens of hoses blowing air through holes cut into the wall to try to dry walls out before they become moldy.
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Monkey Management II: It’s 9:00 A.M. Do You Know Where Your Monkeys Are?

by Mark Devries on 08/23/2007
Follow the general rule of life management: 80% of our work gets accomplished in only 20% of our time. With the other 80% of our time, we accomplish only 20% of the things that really matter.
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Communication: The Key to Better Relationships

by Jim Burns on 08/23/2007
Admitting your mistakes clears the channels for real communication and removes barriers that may be building up. Admitting mistakes promotes sharing and oftentimes creates warmth and understanding.
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Using What You'’ve Got

by Anonymous on 07/24/1999
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Orienting by the North Star: Jesus Christ

by Leonard Sweet on 05/01/2004
What’s our North Star our fixing orientation? Jesus of Nazareth is our North Star. The personal coordinates of Jesus our morning star (2 Peter 1:19) are what keep us on course. Jesus’ last words to us were, “I am the morning star” (Revelation 22:16). Christianity is a relational religion. The core relationship is with Christ.
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I Have Something to Admit to You

by Doug Fields on 09/10/2007
But, here’s the deal, I learned a long time ago that I don’t have to be good at something for it to be used in my ministry. I just need to find people who have strengths who make my weaknesses seem irrelevant.
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Learnings from Germany

by Doug Fields on 09/10/2007
I was reminded that resources are just material things that won’t outlast this world. America has a bunch of ministry resources, but I observed last week that it wasn’t about the resources or the finances…it was about the faithfulness of the people. Your ministry may have two dimes for a budget, but if you have a lot of faithfulness you’ll be successful in God’s eyes.
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What Purpose Driven Is Not

by Doug Fields on 09/10/2007
Purpose Driven is about pursuing God’s biblical purposes—not your own. Biblical purposes of Evangelism, Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry and Worship are God’s design, plan and agenda for His Church.
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Thoughts on Interns

by Doug Fields on 09/10/2007
What we have given them is a team to join (either junior high, high school or college), a house to live in (they live with families from our church) a community to belong to and training. It has been a great benefit to our church, our student ministry and to the interns as well.
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HELP, I'M A FALLEN STUDENT MINISTRY GUY

by Corey Mann on 01/21/2008
Some advice from a former student ministry worker who acted like he had it all together and finally got caught.
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Pushing Through

by Len Evans on 01/29/2008

The other day I was talking to one of my youth ministry friends about the rarity of long-term youth pastors in a local church setting. In the course of that conversation, I realized that there are a decent amount of guys who have been in youth ministry for a long time (20-30 years). These guys often speak at various youth ministry conventions and other training opportunities. However, very rarely are those guys in a local church setting. They tend to be youth ministry professors, camp directors, denominational leaders, parachurch ministry professionals, or professional speakers.

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Everybody you know should know these stats

by Nathaniel Dame on 03/09/2009

88% of children raised in Christian families leave church at the age of 18, never to return. 64% of decisions for Christ are made before the age of 18, and 77% are made before the age of 21. We can’t sit back and watch this generation be stolen out of our own churches and homes. By God's grace, we must take action, and we must do it now.

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Holy Apathy: What NOT to Care About in Your Youth Ministry

by Mark Devries on 08/23/2007
It’s easy to draw the battle lines when there are so many experts proposing the model for effective youth ministry: Jesus-Centered; Purpose-Driven; Worship-Centered; Student-Driven; and even Family-Based (my personal favorite). But after working intimately with a staggering variety of churches over the past few years, we have observed one undeniable reality: God uses all kinds of models (and sometimes no explicit model at all) to help young people are growing toward maturity in Christ.
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Youth Pastor* Wanted

by Seth Simmons on 11/06/2008

On my way back from the city dump, I wondered what a job description for a youth pastor should really look like.

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when you sense the passion is fading

by Doug and Matt on 07/02/2010

Most youth workers are easily excited! And, excitement can be a great asset, but excitement will eventually fade. When this happens, many youth workers find themselves in a scary ministry season accompanied by doubt. We believe that God does great things in these moments and is more than able to change one’s heart to break for something new.

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why passionate leaders have powerful impact

by Doug and Matt on 07/02/2010

The majority of youth workers we talk to would admit that they made their way into youth ministry because they’ve been transformed by Jesus and are passionate to see teenagers experience a similar transformation.

How about you?

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Unseen Struggles in Youth Ministry

by Doug Fields on 09/10/2007
The reality is, life hurts! And teenage life seems to be dramatized and amplified and kids need an audience and an ear. Every student in your youth group is a day away or one decision removed from the pain that’s hiding around the corner ready to invade their life. That’s why youth ministry is so important!
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How do you respond when someone has offended you?

by Brian Ford on 02/06/2008
There are two types of offended people; those who have been treated unjustly or those who believe they have been treated unjustly. The second type of person believes wholeheartedly that they have been wronged, however their conclusion is based on inaccurate information and they judge by assuming or by false information. In my particular situation there was no doubt I was treated unjustly. But once we’ve been offended, unjustly or not, we hurt.
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