Big Room Session One
Albert Tate @alberttate
“Remix” is when you take something old and make it new again, that’s what I feel like this gathering at YS is all about. I need a remix in my soul. I need Him to do something new with what is old in my life. Ministry, you can learn how to do it and make it happen but what used to be a passionate pursuit becomes something you just show up and do.
Luke 7:11-17 – Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son
We dismiss the pain of our realities too many times in our Christian circles.
Don’t cry as if there is no hope.
You may be here on the verge of giving up…don’t give up, don’t quit, now is not the time to throw in the towel. If you still have breath in your body you have purpose in your chest.
If you tie your identity the success of the ministry, when the ministry stops being successful you stop being successful. God has tied us together so we can carry each other through the burdens. God sees you, we come together so we can see each other.
God jumps in the ditch with you. He says, ‘I’m here and I know the way out. The devil is a liar. Not only does God see you, but we see you and you’re not alone. When you have a ditch in your life, God jumps in with you. He knows the way out.
Jesus wants to breath new life in places that have been dead in your soul. He has been doing great things in your ministry and what He wants to do through you He first has to do through you and in you. And as He does it, you’ve got to thank Him. Thank God with the fullness of expression.
Every great gift demands a great response. If you got that excited about a tiger (woods), let me tell you about a Lamb!
Social Media Madness: What Kids’ Social Media Posts Reveal About Who They Are and What They Need
Speaker: Walt Mueller
In today’s world, kids live out their lives on social media. To get to know our kids along with their deepest longings and needs is a task made easier when we take time to deconstruct how they are fabricating, curating, and promoting themselves online. In this seminar, Walt will walk you through how a student’s use of social media can open your eyes to their most pressing unmet spiritual needs, along with practical ministry responses that will answer those needs with Gospel-centered hope. The seminar will end with some suggested social media practices that can re-form students in ways that bring honor and glory to God.
How to take a social media “purposeful pause –
https://digitalkidsinitiative.com/resources/handouts/
In a world of tremendous noise, what matters is relationships. Devices are undoing our humanity, but relationships screen louder than this (device).
95% of teens have access to a smartphone
53% of 11-year-olds own their own smartphones. (4 years ago it was 13)
45% of teens say that are online almost constantly.
Common sense media census
Technology is not a bad thing. The question is, “In what direction are we going to use it?” Do we advance the Kingdom of God or advance the kingdom of world, flesh, devil with technology?
Discipleship is about all of life. 1 For 10:31, all for the glory of God.
Think about integration. Our faith is not about just coming to Jesus but seeing our faith woven in every area of our lives. The Gospel speaks to all of these areas of our lives.
“Social media is a primary playground for creative self-expression.”
Out of the overflow of the heart the fingers text.
This is not just a student thing…this is a human thing.
Two main tasks of childhood and adolescence are:
- Identity Formation – Who am I?
- Worldview Formation – What do I believe?
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/Media-use-by-tweens-and-teens-2019-infographic
Signals – to deeper needs
For many of our kids, their use of social media is an effort to fulfill unmet human needs.
An identity “fitting room” where I can create and curate myself in order to be liked. Watch the movie “8th Grade”
Fabrication – on who fabricates or manufactures something; a counterfeiter or falsifier.
Curator – one who has the care and superintendence of something.
Promoter – a person or organization that helps something to happen, develop, or increase.
Students believe this about identity: “I am defended by my appearance…and what it looks like to others.”
“Selfie Harm” 2019 Project from British fashion photographer Rankin “Make your photo social media ready.”
”The screen becomes not a vein of truth, but a mirror of desire.” Mark Bauerlein
An identity “fitting room: where I can create and curate myself in order to be liked. Help them to find their identity in Christ. When you find your identity in places other than Christ you are engaging in idolatry.
Resources: Face Time: Your Identity in a Selfie World by Kristen Hatton
Resource: What do you think of me? Why do I Care? Edward T. Welch
Connections in a world of broken relationships.
“I wanted a hug, and I got pregnant.”
Significance and validation in a world where I’m forgotten and feeling worthless. We feel less than. <
James 4:2
If we’re honest, way too many of our posts scream, “Hey, look at me!”, “Hey, look at my kids”, “Hey look what I did.” It’s about showing off our kingdom. Humble Brag.
Seek the spotlight….and it will blind you.
Don’t compare your insides to every else’s outsides.
Comparison is the thief of joy.
Fear of Man
Idolatry
Significance and validation in a world where I’m forgotten and feeling worthless. Remember and value!
Additional Ministry Strategies…
Teach Biblical humility. (Col 3:12) God’s goal for us is to not make us impressive but to make us holy.
Don’t bite with a “like” when someone is fishing for that “like.” If they are seeking significance and validation in things outside of Christ, don’t encourage this through liking their post.
Let your work and reputation speak for itself. Teach by your example. You don’t have to post your own report card.
Answers to the questions I have about life that nobody in my life is answering. How much are you doing in your ministry to give them answers?
Convenience because my life is hurried and harried. #1 problem with college students. Also causing sleep issues. Offer knowledge and experience of Sabbath rest. It is reflexing and relaxing to rest from social media.
Escape because I need to forget my hurt and pain. Diversions from time to time are not bad. Offer help, hope, and healing. How much are you doing in your ministry to offer hope and healing?
Redemption because I am empty, incomplete, and need to be made whole. Ec 3:11. Longing for heaven. God-shaped vacuum. Look for the spiritual hunger points, the unknown gods of this next generation. Point them to the redeemer. How do you point them to the redeemer?
Don’t forget the relationship. They are watching you. In the context of a relationship, your words and your example speak loudly!
How to Jump-start Your Youth Ministry
Speaker: Justin Knowles @justinknowles3
Whether you are literally starting a new position or you have been in your position for year and just need a reboot, there are some practical ways in which to get the blood flowing in your personal leadership, your volunteer leadership and ministry programming to get the ball rolling again. Sometimes we just need to restart, ask some hard questions, take a go hard look at our ministry and make some tough decisions to breath life again. This workshop is a very practical way on how to essentially…. Re-start.
What does jump-start mean?
Not immediate, 6 months, full of prayer.
I don’t want to go anywhere God is not leading me.
01 Meetings, Meetings, Meetings. Gathering info on the people you serve.
Do we really need more meetings? Most of the time why things get stagnant is because we stopped paying attention, got complacent (into a rhythm) and stopped listening. You only get answers to the questions you ask. Jesus was the master at asking questions. Be the best question-askers.
Spend 1st month in meetings with:
God; we don’t want to go where God’s not leading. Spend at least one day alone without a phone and without distractions.
Leaders; They are your boots on the ground and your best insight or worst obstacle.
Core Students; Who do you want to listen to? If you’re there to serve them you should hear what they have to say. Would they invite a friend?
Meeting with God. Think through these questions:
How is my heart?
What do I need to work on to be a better follower of you?
Are you loving what you are doing? Am I still called to this?
Am I using the gifts you have given me to really further Your Kingdom?
Are my values aligned with Your Values?
Where do you want us to go?
What is missing that we need to be focused on?
Meeting with Leaders.
What is the best thing in our ministry right now?
If you had the power to change something what would it be?
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate our service?
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate us at outreach/reaching new students?
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate our teaching/small group curriculum right now?
How do you follow up with new students?
What is one thing you can bring to the table to benefit our ministry?
What is the biggest thing you need from me as the leader of this ministry?
Meeting with Core Students.
What do you think about…
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate our student service?
In the service, we put on worth being invited too? Why or why not?
On a scale of 1-10, how comfortable are you inviting a friend? Why?
Are the events we are throwing worth being invited to? Why or why not?
On a scale of 1-10, how are the leaders we have leading our group? Explain.
02 Vision and Strategy. Do you have one?
Andy Stanley on vision…
A mental picture of what could be, fueled by a passion that it should be.
We don’t drift in good directions, we disciple and prioritize ourselves there.
Keep it simple stupid. Michael Scott.
Sandals Church:
Youth Attendance – Last year ____, This year ___.
# of small groups – Last year ____, This year ___.
Summer Camp attendance – Last year ____, This year ___.
# of students serving – Last year ____, This year ___.
Attendance is “a thing” not “the thing”
If I can get a kid to summer camp, I’ll have them the rest of the year.
Strategy – the playbook
Midweek. Target audience is 11th grade boy. Element of fun (can we uncross the arms and help them lean in?). Biblical message. Nod to new students (assume they are there).
1st Wednesday
Monthly invite night. 20-30 minutes after service to hang out with students. Cereal Bar. Movie night.
Groups
A place where students can dive deeper. 15 students max. In house curriculum and front line to parents. Minister to the families of the kids and not just the kids.
Weekends
Main connection point between services. Care for them and make sure they are there. Attend one and serve on. Attending services outside of just youth services. Connected and serving beside other adults so they feel like part of the church.
Schools
Pick one school and all in. Want teams and leaders to go all in. Not every kid will come but every kid can know we care.
Local Outreach and Missions
We want our students to go with the church on a missions trip not on a youth only trip. We can also get adults serving through this
Summer Camp / Winter Conference
2 strategic events we want every student to attend.
Online, Omni-Channel.
Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, podcast (student morning show as they are getting ready for school.)
Why calendar placement matters…
Lots of calendar exists but don’t serve a strategic purpose
Build momentum.
How does the calendar work with event registration?
There is a wave that happens when you stack events and teaching strategically.
What if you had a worship night before summer camp so you jumpstart the worship experience at camp.
03 Leader Culture and Training.
Do you have glorified babysitter or ministry leaders?
Do they wonder why leaders are there?
Are they viewed as glorified security guards?
Do they know the students names?
Do the leaders know why they are there?
Train leaders to know what the win is before they step into the position.
If you don’t know why leaders are there then you have a babysitter.
Do your leaders know what it means to win? Everyone wants to win.
Conversations about Jesus – Do you talk about Jesus?
Follow up – Did you go beyond the initial contact?
Wednesday plus – Did you interact in some way outside of Wednesday Night?
When leaders know the target, they can hit it easier.
Simple, clear, concise goals.
1-4 most important goals.
Communicate them every single week.
Follow up in one-on-ones if leaders are not meeting them.
This is how you upkeep your leader culture.
You are the keeper of your culture.
You are the CRO! Chief Reminding Officer of your ministry.
By the time you are tired of saying it, they are just starting to get it.
A solid leader process equals solid leaders.
Potential leader applies online.
Lead will send them general info of their campus.
1st meeting sit down
2 week of showing other leaders (hands-on training)
3rd week and 2nd sit down (go through expectations)
Add them to CCB groups and co-leader, celebrate them next week as a new leader.
Leader Expectations
Eyes and Ears
See the needs
Look for students
Self care
Develop relationships
Facilitate over teaching
There is safety or boundaries
Empower parents
Walk the walk
Be consistent
Get training
Celebrate loud, hard, and often. Drive leaders miss this often.
If we don’t celebrate, our leaders will feel used.
Every week highlight a leader who did something great.
Our job as leaders is to make sure our leaders know:
What our wins are.
Know how to get those wins.
Celebrate those wins.
04 Intentional Outreach
Take a hard look at your service.
Things to think about…
Changing your culture requires change in the organization.
Don’t just do things to do things.
Develop any type of culture takes time.
This should not be done alone. Invite your team into it.
Tough Questions to ask about your service/events:
Is your service/gathering worth being invited to?
Is the language that you use, new-person friendly?
Is your service/gathering have the new person in mind when they do show up?
After Service Events
No more stand-alone events but attached to Wednesday nights. Because it has a higher ROI.
Exposed to a hope and community when they come.
Events are shorter. Leave wanting more.
Once a month is a great goal.
It doesn’t have to be extravagant.
Unleash the leaders to do what they do.
Summer camp is a linchpin.
It’s an outreach.
Challenging to the believer and engaging to the non-believer.
A week of camp hourly equals a year-long of Wednesday nights hourly.
Fall is based on the summer camp experience. Make this the main thing.
Can a non-church kid go?
05 Social Media the place where students will look.
Don’t do it all.
Know what your students use most and go all in there.
Make it stand out.
Think about how many good looking advertisements there are.
If social media is the main form of communication and connection for students and friends, why wouldn’t we go join them in that setting?
Helpful Apps
Word Swag
Over
Unfold
To schedule:
Hootsuite
Later
Buffer
Spend an hour now to plan the week later.
Message recap
Monday Devo – written by students and leaders
Schedule it out and follow the plan.
Big Room 2
Lucas Ramirez @TheLucasRamirez
It is time for the generation of leaders today to disrupt division and move us into completion.
John 17:20-23 Prayer for Unity
It is time for the church to rise up as the example of unity.
A murmuration of starlings – moving together and avoiding a collision.
The why and how behind the formation. Birds first taught us how to fly and now they will teach us to unify.
Our movement is density-dependent. Critical mass. You can’t murmur ate with 3 birds.
—
Reggie Joiner @reggiejoiner
How you work together can change how a generation sees God.
The enemy gets nervous when we decide to do things together.
Nehemiah 8:3
I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down, why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?
Nehemiah was actually working on the wall. He couldn’t stop the daily work he was doing because it was too important.
Keep working together, regardless.
Keep doing something personally, that reminds you why you do what you do. Who is the person and what is the ministry in your life that is remind you of what’s important? Experience first hand the impact of how important the work you are doing is to the kingdom.
All the volunteers Nehemiah needed were already in the town. They just needed a strategy and a plan.
What would it look like if you decided to surround yourself with the right kind of people?
Who are the people in your circle who make you feel inspired?
Take it a step further and make a list of the people who do NOT inspire you. You have VIP in your life. Inspiring, and you have very Draining people.
Leaders who are negative, who think they are the smartest people, who want to pick political fights…do not inspire me.
Keep reminding everybody everywhere what matters most.
By showing up week after week, you are making a statement week after week that THIS matters.
This work matters; it is so critical. You are surrounded by people who collectively make the enemy nervous. Keep working together regardless.
Those on the outside the wall changed their mind about who God was. Wouldn’t that be great if we did something so amazing that people changed their view of God? Those inside the walls trusted God in a way they never did before. Worship broke out in a way it had never happened. It changed how an entire generation listened to God. It wasn’t because of a bible story they listened to God. It wasn’t because of a communicator. It was because of what they experienced together. The miracle of this story is what God did with what they did together. How you work together can change how a generation sees God.
—
Danielle Strickland @djstrickland
Lie number one is it’s none of your business.
Lie number two is it’s too hard and too late.
Maybe the ministry of reconciliation was a hope for a better future?
Start to rediscover who Jesus was.
Start to preach this.
The heart of the gospel is reconciliation.
If you want to combat the lies there’s one posture that will help. Be in Christ. When it looks too hard and too late, be in Christ.
The clearer your vision of Jesus, the truer the Gospel you preach.
It’s not too late, it’s not too hard, and it is part of your business. Preach a Gospel of transformation to the too hard and too late. Pray for Sauls to be transformed into Paul’s. If you’re believing the lie, get a clearer vision of the one you serve. It’s not too late, it’s not too hard.
Samer Massad @SMassad7
Death by distraction – being pulled in so many different ways that we can’t keep it all together.
Distraction is anything urgent that takes your attention away from something important.
If we aren’t careful, distraction will drain the life right from us.
Your ministry is the ‘urgent’ that wants to distract and pull you away from the thing that’s most important… your personal relationship with Jesus.
Ministry can take up so much energy that it distracts from actually sitting and being with Jesus.
Luke 10 – Mary and Martha
Are we doing too many things for God rather than spending time with Him?
How many of us have the voice of Martha in the inner parts of our hearts? You have messages to write, small groups to plan, work to do. There’s no time to listen, sit, and learn.
The Distraction Dilemma:
Even a good thing can distract you from a better thing.
Doing for Jesus is not the same as being with Jesus.
Ministry is important, but what Jesus is saying to Martha is that it’s about order and priority.
If the devil can’t make you sin, he will make you busy…. even with ministry.
Jesus wants to restore what’s been depleted. When we get caught up doing for Jesus instead of being with Jesus, we have a depletion and fatigue of the soul that sleep cannot fix.
Your capacity alone will never be what it can be when you’re connected to Jesus.
What if we took on the posture of Mary? Time to sit and learn, unadulterated time with Jesus.
Nobody wins and nobody gets your best when you fail to come to Jesus and get rest.
Jesus doesn’t love you because you’re in ministry. He loves you because you are a son or daughter of God.
—
Faith for Exiles
Mark Matlock and David Kinnaman
The Builders 1927-1945.
Believed the exterior world could change our interior world. Focused on technology to make you happier. Dreamed of a 3 day work week. Dad would point to the roof over the families head as a way to show love.
The Boomer 1946-1964
Massive generation out of world war 2 generation. Shaped by Vietnam. Blind faith in question.
The Busters (Gen X) 1965-1979
Small generation. Surprise to parents well made plan. Contraceptives with errors created surprises. Latch key kids. Reality Bites movie.
Millennials (Gen Y) 1980-1995
Most abused and misunderstood generation. Participation trophies from their parents who felt abandoned by their own parents. Positive psychology comes into play. Technology to prepare for kids in a whole new way. Internet disruption. Corruption in so many leaders in business, sports, and politics. Technology- A wisdom to their generation they could teach the older generation.
Digitals (Gen Z) 1996-2009
Never breathed air without internet. New way of interacting with the world. Pioneers with an imagination of how to do things in a whole new way.
Generation Alpha 2010-2025
Parents have these kids later in life. More single kid families. Parents change vocations more in their lifetime than any other.
Direction setting questions
Teenagers ask the same basic questions.
Identity: Who am I?
Autonomy: What decisions are mine to make?
Belonging: Where and with whom do I fit in?
Epistemology: what is my trusted source of truth?
Being asked in adolescences and again in their 20’s.
The shift facing the church in these changing times. No longer living in Jerusalem. Trying to preserve something that feels list. Make America Great Again.
Weight of Digital Babylon v. spiritual input.
2767 hours per year on social media
153 hours typical spiritual content
291 hours for churchgoers.
Screens Disciple
Normally someone who has doubts would talk to someone. Today they do research online before taking with a person. The screen has the discipling conversation before you even get an opportunity. Same as doctor asking what we think is wrong because we research before walking in.
Resilient Disciples digest nearly double the hours of Christian content annually.
562 hours of content annually
Four kinds of exiles
(Not different religions or those who never identified as Christians)
18-29 year olds who grew up as a Christian.
Prodigals ex Christians 22% (10 years ago was 10%)
Nomads lapsed Christian’s 30%
Habitual Churchgoers 38%
Resilient Disciples 10%
Pressures facing today’s exiles
Searching for identity: who am I, really?
Fighting anxiety: how should I live in today’s world? Fear of missing out
Experiencing loneliness: am I loved?
How do I make a difference in the world?
How do we define resilient disciples?
Christ followers who…
Attends church at least Monty and engage with their church more than just attending worship services.
Trust firmly in the authority of the Bible.
Are committed to Jesus personally and affirm he was crucified and raised from the dead to conquer sin and death
Express desire to transform the broader society as an outcome of their faith.
Resilient disciples: developing Jesus followers who are resiliently faithful in the face of cultural coercion and who live a vibrate life in the Spirit.
We have a lot of people in the church who have their hand on the doorknob of the church almost ready to leave.
At what age did you consider this.
Resilience 11
Habitual 9
Nomads 8
Prodigals 8
Those who are stronger in their relationship with Christ are engaging on a deeper level at a later age.
Meaningful relationships means being devoted to fellow believers we want to be around and become.
What do you mean by discipleship?
Recognizing our identity, aligning our values, and developing skills in the way of Jesus Christ.
3 Part Triangle: Values, Identity, Skills.
Put post it notes on each of these. What are the marks of a disciple?
Pay attention to how the programs and interactions at your church are forming the identity, skills, and values, and what the content is they are conveying.
Exiles are instrumental to God’s purposes in time of change. God uses a remnant in moments of epic trust, where they are all in for the glory of God.
Vocational Discipleship
Josh Griffin Why games?
Humor and fun are disarming.
Fun shortens the distance to the heart.
Games help speed up interaction and relationships.
When students walk into your ministry they have their arms crossed and an “impress me” attitude.
Games are a tool in your toolbox to invite kids to Christ.
Potential engagement tool as a part of the message and teaching.
Demonstrate cultural relevancy. (Is Kanye Smiling game).
Always Games?
Entry level programming should always have an element of fun. Fun can take many forms and shapes…sometimes games.
Back pocket game: sit down if…
Lightsaber or slap wrestling.
First to…
Head, shoulders, knees, cup
10sie. Ten dice per person. All ones.
Train Wreck. Half kids on each side, pull out a chair.
Frozen Turkey Bowling
Wink: sit in circle. Boy girl look down. Whoever is it winks at another.
Cougar Cougar. Sardines but once found, they can tag.
Broom hockey. Line up by height. 1-20 and 20-1. Yell number and get puck in through goal.
The Grunge: one tag person and get ride of the grunge by assembling the flashlight.
DYM: Create a great game that crushes it. What if instead of it dying on the your hard drive it goes on a site that you split the costs. Instead of 20 people playing and enjoying it 2000 do and you make some money.
Name that candy bar.
Nailed it or failed it. Cat edition.
Extreme Bingo
Chris, Chris, Chris, or Chris
Peter, Peeta, pita, or p.e.t.a
Is it really in the Bible?
Picture of game on screen.
Instructions. Here’s how to play
Who can play.
What are we playing for? Prize.
Here’s how everyone else can be. If the person loses the prize is thrown into the audience.
Rock Paper Scissors to determine tie but if you tie you’re both out.
Might even come back to the game later in your talk as a callback.
The Source for Youth Ministry games database. Click group size, supplies, etc.
Use Facebook communities and groups. DYM community. Private closed group so a youth pastor can join without worrying about church.
Dude Perfect YouTube.
Minute to win it.
Crowd control games
More than dodgeball – 3 things on a cracker.
Rhett and Link.
Jimmy Fallon and Ellen.
Pinterest. Extreme Jenna with a twist.
Exhibit hall
Sit down if
Jiggapuff
Poser
Rock Paper Scissors
Head shoulders knees cup.
Screen games.
All play vs contestant.
Trivia in corners.
Dead Cat
Name it, Claim it
Lamentation or Taylor Swift Lyrics
Birds, Bees and other animals
Name that celebrity tattoo
Nailed it or failed it pool party edition.
So you want to move to Canada.
Trump or animal
Movement games
Mazecrase
Mafia2.0
Messy games
Use sparingly
Blender of doom
FAQ
Should game tie in? Yes and no. It can but doesn’t have to. Who’s my neighbor game. Father’s Day game my dad is smarter than your dad.
Where do games go in the program?
Think roller coaster. If you come late you miss it.
Is there a strategy of putting games in some certain order. Wouldn’t lead with blender of doom because win rapport with all play games.
Encore game. Take turns singing a word back and forth between two groups based on word. This is a game to play later.
What should I use for a prize?
Bob Ross Funko. Cans of Pringle’s. Dollar store.
Also big fun and extravagant prizes. Sometimes games to promote. Grand prize be scholarship to camp. Also used as marketing.
How long should the game last.
Based on content and if leaning on evangelism more is okay. If focused on discipleship, less.
Should one person host.
Missing a great opportunity to invest in the next leader with a cohost even if not needed. One person drives the game, the play by play. The second person is color commentary.
How do I shake up a game or format that feels tired. Variety is the spice of life.
DYM Gold.
Dym.today/gold
30 days free trail without credit card and with credits.
Consider:
Introduce the prize halfway through the game.
A twist in the game.
Almost always do the game before the game.
Nona Jones #nonanotnora
If we are not careful we will allow what we see in them to become their truth.
We will allow their behavior to become the ceiling for their potential to rise.
There are people who say that this generation is dead, but I know a God who can bring dead things to life.
Mark 5:21-36
Don’t be afraid, just believe. – to think to be true.
Believe has the power to make reality conform to what we believe to be true.
I thought I was being invited to hang out with my friend. What I didn’t realize was it was Jesus calling me to hang out with Him.
What he realizes was that the church was not a place you go, it’s a community you belong to.
Church is not something you do for 90 minutes on the weekend it a lifestyle of 168 hours.
Our God is a God of impossible faith.
Mark 5:37-38
This generation is not a generation that is dead, they simply need to be awakened. The people laughed at Jesus and Jesus put them out.
Mark 5:41-43
If we want to raise this generation to life, we have got to go to them. We bring the power of God to them. Where they are, is in the digital space. If we say, “I don’t do Facebook” what you are really saying is you don’t do home visits.
Check your team
There are people on your team right now who don’t really like kids and who don’t believe in the power and potential of this generation. We don’t need warm bodies we need people who believe in the power of God to bring the dead back to life. We need people who are not constrained to tradition. We need people married to the message but not the methodically. We have to give them something to eat because this society is giving them junk food. Jesus is the bread of life.
God has chosen you to the assignment to which you have been called.
Crystal Chiang @CrystalcChiang
Keeping up with student culture is pressure.
If you think about those who are leaving the ministry, it almost always comes down to the pressure. The pressure to try harder and plan better.
“Every week there are opportunities laying on the ground that we won’t get too.
Grace and Peace
We trust grace to step in with our salvation but not our exhaustion.
We think peace is the absence of pressure.
Their peace comes from knowing who calms the storm.
Peace is knowing I planned the event but God owns the results.
Peace is knowing that I present the truth but His Spirit convicts.
The faith we pass on is the one we live not the one we preach.
Lean into what might feel impossible and trust the one who saved us from our sins to save us from our schedules.
Doug Fields @DougFields
Busy is not a Christian versus a non Christian issue, it’s a heart issue.
Everyone in our youth ministry is too busy (families, kids, you).
We are called to follow a Savior. To walk with Him, not to run ahead of Him.
Are we substituting abundance for busyness?
I hear you all say, ‘My pace has never been faster and my soul has never been drier.’
Busy is an enemy of love. Discipleship cannot be rushed. You can’t hurry depth. That’s just not the Jesus way.
How would you describe Jesus in one word? Dallas Woolard used the name relaxed.
Jesus modeled a love that stops, that strolls, that meanders.
Jesus was relaxed and moved slowly – normally to the frustration of people.
Presence is more important over business.
The greatest command was not to get more done but to love Him and to love others.
Don’t focus on a more productive life but a more present life.
You have to become comfortable with “no” Anytime I’m too busy it always points back to unneeded “yeses”
Anyone can do your job. Only you can care for your family.
I’m afraid that we are being heroes to our ministries rather than being a hero at home.
Become aware of what’s beneath your “yes”
Business is the surface issue of something much deeper.
You want to feel love, value, and appreciated so you say yes. And a subset of this is a fear. A fear you won’t be loved, valued, and appreciated so you say yes.
Ask: Why did you say yes to that? This is where you find the brokenness in your life.
Busyness is a choice, and there’s a price to pay for it.
You don’t have to answer people right away. Say you will get back to them.
What’s the worse that could happen? You’ll lose your job…what about your marriage. There’s one Savior and you’re not Him. Jesus left people unhealed. Jesus didn’t minister to everyone. You won’t either. Maybe what you’re wanting to do is not on God’s agenda.
Less panic, more prayer.
Less activity, more intimacy.
Less movement, more moments.
What is one area in your ministry where you need to cut back and say no?
“Busy?” “Nope. Just trying o be like Jesus.”
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