From time to time we’re going to take a pause from the normal format and answer a few questions from you: the youth ministry nation. Here are two we received recently:
What are the differences between a typical Jr. High program and a High School program?
The two biggest differences are content and context. Content simply means that messages are different; high schoolers can typically handle deeper or more intense messages and concentrate longer than a junior high school student. Humor may be a little different, mainly because it is incredibly difficult to get high school students to laugh. High school students are also harder to please if you have a bad drama on stage or an average video.
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the 2012 SYMC Brochure
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Junior highers are much more open, laugh more easily and sometime even need to break up into groups and move around. By context, we mean that obviously the junior high and high school worlds are different, and how we contextualize things needs to reflect those differences.
These are two reasons we believe your junior high and high school ministries should look for opportunities to separate from time to time if possible.
What happens if the church schedules meetings on my day off? Should I grin and bear it, or should I say something?
Both. But, let us say this loud and clear: Your day off is critical to your long term health and success in youth ministry. Don’t expect to find physical and spiritual heath if you aren’t resting one day in seven. Lots of folks have the mentality that says, “You can’t take a day off because the devil doesn’t take a day off.” They are dead wrong! Too many pastors have driven themselves into the ground hoping to defeat the devil and that is exactly what let the devil defeat them. Take a day off.
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Click Here to View
the 2012 SYMC Brochure
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Having said all of that – There are exceptions to this rule. You can’t expect the whole church to accommodate your schedule. Emergencies happen and you are on call 24/7, even when you’re off. But do your best to make your day off a well-known part of your life. Be out of town, be hard to reach, turn off the lights and hide when someone knocks on your during your down-time.
A couple more thoughts: 1) If you do sacrifice a day off, reschedule it immediately for later in the week, and 2) If a meeting pattern emerges upsetting your time off – then change the day you choose to take off.