By Doug and Matt 09/02/2010
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For most of us, the school year has started and we're beginning to settle into the next rhythm for ministry. Closing out the summer and launching into a new school year is often a time where youth workers get lost in the details. Because of that, we want to encourage you to not take your eye off the ball and allow important priorities to slip through the cracks.
Here are a few youth ministry basics we feel are worth keeping an eye on:
By Doug and Matt 09/01/2010
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Goal setting is essential for great leadership and a thriving ministry. Powerful and consistent influence doesn’t happen on accident.
We're going to take a different approach with today's article (so when you're done, please let us know what you think on www.YouthMinistry.com). Since "goal setting" is a leadership topic that gets a lot of "air time," we figured we’d link to a couple articles we’ve found helpful. We'll give you our brief take, and if you want more, you can check it out.
By Doug and Matt 08/31/2010
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Unfortunately, there never seems to be a down time in youth ministry.
By Rick Lawrence 08/27/2010
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A month or so ago a friend of mine casually mentioned that he’d been at a national conference where a well-known and respected pastor/author/speaker announced that he was leaving his large suburban church so that he could start a new ministry to unchurched people living in an urban setting.
By Doug and Matt 08/26/2010
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For some teenagers, the weight of the world keeps them focused on their overwhelming problems, resulting in varying degrees of sadness and discouragement. The destructive power of depression results in loneliness and isolation.
Much of what we wrote about this week will also apply when ministering to a student struggling with depression: engage and be present, listen well, and connect/refer them to professional help if the problem is serious.
By Doug and Matt 08/25/2010
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Pick a poison: there are so many crazy things in our world which can ensnare human desire. The destructive power of addiction is a dominating force of control. For most people, addiction a hopeless place filled with patterns that feel unbreakable.
By Doug and Matt 08/24/2010
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Mo
st youth workers learn quickly that they don’t have to look very far beneath the surface of a teenager’s life before they discover pain. Lurking below the surface is often an emotional pain that is debilitating and numbing.
By Doug and Matt 08/19/2010
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Ministry is tough work, as time wears on, it takes a toll. Each of us desperately needs a safe place to share personal successes, doubts, and failures. We need cheerleaders, counselors and coaches for encouragement, support, and correction.
By Rick Lawrence 08/18/2010
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In GROUP’s upcoming September/October issue, we ask sociology professor Bradley Wright, author of Christians Are Hate-Filled Hypocrites…and Other Lies You’ve Been Told, to target and puncture lies masquerading as truths in the world of youth ministry. In “The Lies We Buy About Youth Ministry,” Professor Wright blasts away at the dire predictions about teenage church drop-outs, a supposed decline in moral standards among adolescents, and much more.
By Doug and Matt 08/18/2010
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Everyone can be creative...regardless of how loud they declare, “I’m just not creative.” You can be! Creativity is part of God’s design within us and when we express our God-given creativity it can make our soul come alive.
Creativity in youth ministry happens anytime you think about a new way to serve your students. Creativity isn't limited to music, graphic arts, or preaching a message. It is also found in conversations, written letters, and when you think about how you can better help the teenagers that God has entrusted to your care.
