Youth Ministry vs. Family

So this past week, my wonderful wife has been in and out of labor and at the same time our youth ministry has been transitioning our style and model of ministry to small groups and events only.  It has been really difficult for me to choose where I spend my energy.  My pastor was unbelievably supportive and empathetic.  There was no external pressure for me to split my time, but I found that internally I was leaning to ministry over family.

This was our third child and I felt a bit like I was on auto-pilot up until the birth day.  I had to refocus, pray and make sure I was present for my wife.  The birth was a fantastic experience as we did that out of the hospital and completely natural.  It really was amazing.

I am glad I made the choice to really focus and spend time with my wife and children.  The fact is that the two can conflict and I am really fortunate to be able to pick the right choice, family!  Which is where real ministry happens anyway.

Have you ever had THE conflict?  How did it go for you?

Are You All In?

No, I am not talking about poker.  I am a horrible card player.  I am, however, a great team player.  I completely get my pastor's vision for ministry.  As the youth ministry director, it would be so easy to blaze the trail with whatever vision I feel like going after.  I do have a vision for our ministry!  But my vision, doesn't trump my pastor's vision.  I am and will be his biggest cheerleader (not by weight, but by enthusiasm).

So, are you all in?  Do you even know what the vision for your church is?  Lack of  corporate vision means people in your church have no momentum or unity (referring to Proverbs 29:18).  How do you convey your pastor's vision to your youth ministry?  

Our church's vision is: Changing people's perception of God by changing their perception of church.

Our youth ministry's is: Make Friends, Know God, Find Purpose

Different but the same.  How do you verbalize yours?  I would love to pray for your ministry and vision!

From Rags to Riches!

There are so many resources that can help you in youth ministry.  What is the first thing you would do if you took over a student ministry today?  How can you go from Rags to Riches?


I don't necessarily mean this:
Small to Big Numbers
Lame to Amazing Programs
You-led to Student-led Services
Starbucks trips to Mission Trips

I do mean this:  Rags to Riches.  No Clear Vision to Clear Vision.  Achieving your goal or vision for your ministry.  That may include the list above.  It may not. Where are you headed?  How can you measure success?  Whatever your vision is, what steps are you taking to get there?  Does your team or church even know what it is?  If you were to put it into one sentence or two, what would it say?

Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. Habakkuk 2:2 ESV 

My team is better than me!

That is a great feeling when you get an awesome team of volunteers around you in youth ministry.  There is none like it.  I have the best group now, more than ever before.  The fact is they are better than me.  How great and terrifying is that?!

Tonight, the team was going over wins and challenges from tonight's service.  They brought up some great feedback that I never even thought of.  One particular volunteer, a former youth pastor, gave me some advice on my message.  I got defensive immediately, but just as quickly realized that I needed that.  How awesome is the fact that my team is comfortable enough to be honest about EVERYTHING.  I responded with a thank you and wrote it down.  Later, I approached that volunteer and thanked him genuinely.  My team is better than me and I am completely okay with that.  I thank God for the opportunity to learn and grow in this team.  I also plead with Him to help enlarge my ability to lead these great volunteers.

Don't be content with being the best youth pastor.  Try to be the best facilitator for those around you to find their purpose and passion.  Then let them do it!

My goal is to lead faithfully and learn humbly.  I have a great team and I refuse to be intimidated by that fact. God is my standard and that is far more intimidating, and from what I hear, God really likes me.

Lead fearlessly.  Be a hungry learner.  Let others lead even if that means your service takes a hit on quality.

Why teens don't come back to your church!

It is easy to say that kids aren't interested in God, you are too deep for them, or maybe they are too convicted.  But let's be brutally honest.  It's not them, it's you .... and me.  The fact is that students will go to a horrible youth ministry program if their friends go.

What can you do to attract students?  I don't mean drop your mission for seeker style church, I mean have both.  The longer you are in your ministry, the easier it is too overlook things that will deter returning visitors. Here are just a few:

1. Presentation - yep, you need to hear this.  People, even teens, care how something looks.  Are you presenting excellence or are you saying "This is how it always looks".  Ask a friend from a different church or even a non-church goer to come and write down what they notice when they first walk in.  This can have an immediate effect on returners.
2. Lessons/Series/Sermon - whatever you call it, what is your main purpose in speaking it.  Is it relevant and do they understand it?  Can they apply it and do they know how to apply it?  What will be the result of the student if they apply your main idea?  If you can't answer these questions, you might just be passing on information or even worse, just talking without really communicating.
3. Environment - Is it a safe place for students to be themselves?  Is it a fun place to hang out?  Do they feel like it is their place?  Can non-Christians come and feel welcome?
4. You/Your team - Are you relate-able?   Does your team value teens over tasks?  Can anyone join your team or is it tough to crack your circle of trust?

What are some things you figured out along the way?  What advice would you give to me?  I am all ears (not literally, because that is weird).