I am horrible at directions. You know the old joke, “She couldn’t find her way out of a paper bag?” Yep, that’s me. My husband, on the other hand, can go somewhere ONCE in HIS WHOLE life and find his way back to the exact location without ever looking at a map.…
Most people would prefer to play a role on a solid, fun, relational team than be on a dysfunctional, conflict-filled, self-absorbed team. That’s a no-brainer! But, great teams are difficult to build. Healthy youth ministry teams are not only effective at reaching and discipling students, but they also have a strong sense of community among the leaders.…
A couple of weeks ago my friend and partner-in-crime Doug Fields asked me to answer a few questions about leadership for a regular weekly feature he’s doing on his new blog (at dougfields.com). So I took a hard swing at each question….…
You talk, sometimes late into the night. You teach, and sometimes you feel the wonder of serving as a “spigot” for truth. You pray, sometimes with a good understanding of why Jesus sweated blood in the Garden of Gethsemane. You plan, sometimes laying a hidden foundation for growth that no one will ever see.…
Today, we are finishing up our conversation about leadership and communicating expectations. There was one more benefit of clear expectations that we weren’t able to fit in yesterday. EXPECTATIONS SET UP DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WITH LEADERS When you need to correct a leader (notice we didn’t write “if”), your expectations will serve as an excellent starting point.…
You’ve no doubt heard about MTV’s new show Skins, based on a popular show from across the pond. Well I’ve watched an episode, and it’s everything you’ve heard—and more. This third episode is named “Chris,” after one of the teenagers the show centers around.…
From swapping gummy-bears at lunch to swapping gossip. From boy cooties to boy cuties. From Disney Channel to MTV. Elementary to Middle School. One of the most dramatic transitions in a girl’s life. And youth ministers have a beautiful privilege, yet terrifying responsibility to work with this scary specimen.…
“Sounds great! Now all we need is a ton of volunteers.” January 2008. I had just pitched my plan to reinstall small groups into our high school ministry. My supervisor loved the framework. Next step: triple our volunteer roster. Gulp. Finding mature followers of Jesus to invest in students and families is as difficult as it is necessary.…
ARE WE REALLY MAKING DISCIPLES…OR ARE WE JUST MAKING A LOT OF ROOT BEER FLOATS? An article from Jonathan McKee at TheSource4YM.com. The following article is an excerpt from Jonathan’s brand new book, Ministry by Teenagers: Developing Leaders from Within.…
