I couldn’t be more excited – my latest book with Doug Fields is here!
99 Thoughts for Small Group Leaders is now available for pre-order from Simply Youth Ministry. Super proud of this one – we took some serious time creating what we hope is an insightful, helpful and practical book for you and your volunteers. I’ve included close to 150 thoughts in the book, and some additional content from voices in our small group community. Good discounts if you order 10 – ships September 29th. Yeah!
JG
We are excited to finally roll out the new SYMC website for 2011. The new site has the speaker line-up (although there’s more to come there), the great Training options, and all the registration details you need to know. There’s so much there you’ll have to check it out what Doug and the rest of the gang have planned.
We are so excited, I hope you join us in Chicago, March 4 – 7 2011.
1 September 2010
posted by Scott Rubin
Some of your churches are like mine, and you encourage some of your volunteers to ?take a breath? during the summer months. We push the pause button on our small groups in June & July so that our faithful volunteers can vacation, rest, and be ready to jump back into investing in junior highers once the school year begins. Honestly, our ministry is less effective during those months, and I miss those volunteers like crazy, but for us it?s the best choice in the long run. (and, it probably explains why so many of our volunteers have stuck around for years & years!)
So last week, I was anticipating the ?re-arrival? of our school year volunteers. I said to our staff team, ?Who?s one person that you?re really really looking forward to serving alongside of this year?? It was fun to hear people?s answers? and look forward to this fun we?re going to have together this year, as we point middle schoolers towards Jesus.
Later that day, I decided to take 4 minutes & jot a note to one of those volunteers? and tell them how much they?re valued around here ? and why. It?s a habit I?m trying to ?re-create? ? because honestly, I?ve gotten a little sloppy with it! (Which is crazy, because when I get an encouragement note, sometimes I?ll carry it around with me for a few days!) Thoughtful words are really meaningful to me — and in about 4 minutes, I can put some fuel in someone?s tank just by jotting them a snail-mail note. In a mailbox full of credit card offers and cable-tv-advertisements, a card from you would be a welcome site!
Well, College Ministry From Scratch has finally released. Actually, it released a few days ago…I just forgot! If you’d like to read a sample (the brief introduction as well as the first chapter) click here.
Below is the table of contents. I hope it’s a help to you and your ministry!
INTRODUCTION
SECTION ONE: Chapter One: A Story of Perceived Success Chapter Two: Creating And Measuring A Sustainable Ministry Chapter Three: Developing A Job Description (that fits our goals) Chapter Four: Your First 90 Days In College Ministry Chapter Five: Understanding College-Age Issues?An Overview Chapter Six: Providing A Place To Belong
SECTION TWO: Chapter Seven: Recruiting Older Adults?Overcoming Obstacles Chapter Eight: Recruiting Older Adults?Characteristics To Look For Chapter Nine: Leading College-Age Leaders Chapter Ten: One-On-One Conversations?Questions To Ask Chapter Eleven: Starting And Sustaining Effective Small Groups Chapter Twelve: Shifts In Teaching Approaches Chapter Thirteen: Seven Critical Teaching Topics Chapter Fourteen: Mission Trips?What To Include And Why Chapter Fifteen: College-Age Retreats Chapter Sixteen: Working With Interns Chapter Seventeen: Church-Based Campus Ministry Chapter Eighteen: When Students Are Away At School
Those of us in youth ministry often get asked, “What’s it like playing with teenagers all day long?” Some times the question is said with a smile and a joke. Other times it’s said with a little bit of bite. The way it’s said it hurts a little bit.
But isn’t there just a little truth to the question. Wait, don’t delete this post… Let me finish. For so many of us our “work” with youth is a calling. It’s our life. It’s so much more than a job. We know it’s not “playing” but it’s also not like filling out paperwork or building a house or working on an assembling line. We really enjoy what we do. We smile way more than we frown. We laugh about our work way more than we complain. Working with teenagers is actually a lot of fun.
There are times, though, when it is work. There are times when it almost doesn’t feel worth it. But how often? How often does your role as youth leader feel only like a “job”?online surveys This Labor Day I pray God give you a relaxing break and you can get back to you ministry this week re-energized to serve those God has given you.
There are a lot of changes happening in our student ministries right now. In the midst of the crazy summer so many other components are moving in different directions. Many of the changes are great, and needed. And it will be exciting to see how God will unfold all that we have been praying for. But there are a few changes that I (as the wife) do not like so much and don’t understand. It is these changes that I don’t know what to say, and not say, and just what to do. My pride wants to shout at my husband, “Hey, did ya think it all through? Are ya real, REAL sure about that one?!” And my favorite, “Listen to me, listen to me, just listen to me!” BUT…..I know I shouldn’t.
I don’t know if I’m alone on this one, or what?? Anyone else fear change as much as me? I totally trust my husband and his call to this ministry. I do believe he is brilliant and gifted and a wonderful leader. Buuutttttt, what do you do when you don’t agree with it all?? Nothing? Pray? Vent, and visit this site?
I did take a big step (for me) this weekend. Our Pastor asked us to choose one area in which we would come to God daily for the summer and ask his guidance. I was certain that I was going to ask for wisdom concerning all these changes happening for us [...]
Ur YM has kicked off for the fall or is about to. How’s ur voluntold team looking?
Mark DeVries in his epic book, Sustainable Youth Ministry, says u should have 1 adult volunteer (engaged and relational I would add) for every 5 of ur youth. How’s that going for you?
Some of u are doing great. Skip the rest of this blog then and go back to chatting on FB.
For the rest of you: having trouble getting enough good volunteers?
Three reasons why: 1) Have you asked the right people?
2) Have you given them a specific job description with clear cut expectations, boundaries, plans and purpose?
3) Are you spending more time with ur teens than w ur volunteers?
Let any one of these three facts go awry and that’s a place to start figuring out why ur begging and pleading for help. Why ur pulling out hairs u can’t spare from ur head. Why uve even resorted to asking the SP if he would like to help “chaperon” the MS lock-in. Ur are one desperate YP if it comes to that!
Stephanie
PS-u can always tell when i’m posting from my phone. grammer, spelling and abbreviations don’t seem to matter to me.
I will be conducting some Youth Worker Mac user forums over the next couple month at the ys conventions and would love to hear from you what topics or issues would be most helpful for me to be ready to cover. Just leave them in the comments below. Also if you are going to be at any of the events, stop bycand say “Hi.” I would love to meet you.
Chris
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