Why Your Ministry Exists/Core Values... A Response

Youth Ministry Basics – those areas that are core to your student ministry.  This week we’ve talked about core vision and core values of ministry.

But I wonder – do you know what YOUR personal core values of ministry are?  Knowing who YOU are in ministry enables vision statements and core values to take flight.  We each have a ministry DNA that encompasses our spiritual giftedness, what our passions are and how we express them, lessons we’ve learned along the way….

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Introducing the TEAM Tool
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Those DNA strands help navigate things like values, vision, and method.

Knowing yourself helps you communicate the ‘whys’ of your passion and practice in a more authentic, realistic manner…..and people connect to that.

I have some CORE values for myself in ministry – and they guide how I DO ministry…and in some cases, even drive vision for the student ministry:

To name a few:

1)    Take risks.  I’m not much for hanging off the side of a mountain or jumping off bridges with a rubber band around my ankles – but when it comes to ministry, I don’t want to ever be immobilized by fear of moving forward or failing big.  This value helps me jump into ministry opportunities that seem impossible.

2)    Embrace failure.  This has been a recent addition to my DNA.  I like ministry in a pretty, bow-embellished package.  It rarely looks like that, though.  And I want to model for my students falling flat on my face, getting up, saying ‘I meant to do that’, and trying it again! This one releases me from the urge to say ‘no’ because I might not be able to do it – and I’ve come to love it in recent months.

3)    Live transparently.  I rarely hide my struggles.  I may ‘manage’ how they’re exposed, but I don’t withdraw from the honest, ugly life….it helps me show the Jesus life, even when I’m not getting it exactly right.

4)    Everyone’s called.  I believe everyone’s called to youth ministry, they just don’t know it yet.  I live like it’s my mission to help them embrace their places in student ministry – wherever that may be.  This core insight helps me see the value in every single person in my church.

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Introducing the TEAM Tool
SYM Tools | Helping You Work Smarter
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There are more – but I won’t bore you with MY DNA.  I’d like to know about yours.  I’d like YOU to know about yours.  Have you ever taken some Sabbath time to really pray through what makes you tick in ministry….like a finely crafted watch rather than a time bomb?  Take some time this week to establish what your LIFE/MINISTRY value and passions are – it’ll help you define where God is directing your ministry in the future.