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.…
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.…
It’s a new year, so we’re looking at some ways to stay on top of our game and continue to impact the students God has entrusted to our care. We’re looking at specific actions that seem to appear within catalytic leaders.…
“A good leader knows where he/she isn’t good.” That’s my quote—I’m sure someone else has said it, but I use it a lot. We know we need to use our strengths in teaching, discipleship, training, recruiting, and so on, to allow our ministries to continue to be a place of health for students to encounter Jesus in a real way.…
Moments I will always remember from youth group: •All-girl slumber parties. •Conversations with the cool college girls that were youth interns during the summer. •My first all-girl conference with a speaker that talked about real issues and some singer I had never heard of, named Natalie Grant.…
If you’ve been in ministry a while, you’ve had to go through the legendary pastors search. If you haven’t ever experienced it, it’s coming. Here are the things that I try to keep in mind while I’m searching for the person to join our team.…
Uh-oh. You’re supposed to give a Christmas message at a community party or youth event or at your Toastmasters meeting…and you forgot? No problem–here’s a quick message you can share in any setting. Merry Christmas! A Christmas Gift Christmas traditions abound.…
I had my favorite staff meeting this week. My pastor took us to a 10 AM showing of “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” followed by lunch. The catch? There was none—he just wanted us to have fun and enjoy being together.…
