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Stop and Get Lost

May 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Steven: At the end of a busy season of life, like right now at the end of a semester of classes, I need to completely get my mind out of school mode. That looks different for me every time, but it consistently includes 2 things: video games and Disneyland. Those are both things that, when I’m doing them, my mind can get completely lost in them and I don’t think about school at all. When I go home at night after a busy day of school stuff, I can turn on FIFA 13, play a few games, and I don’t think about the craziness of the past semester at all in that moment.

We need the same time after a busy season of ministry. Whether it’s summer, a season of small group or a rough time with a particular student, we need to take time not not only rest, but reset our brains. We need those times to recharge and reset after a particularly busy time, that way we’re ready to go for the next crazy season. We all need to find our FIFA 13 and be willing to go there, rather than going full throttle all year long.

Matt: I saw a car commercial the other night for the Nissan Leaf. it’s not a hybrid car, it’s a total electric car. There is a scene of the car in the garage with the owner plugging it in. It made me think, sometimes to recharge your batteries you need to just stop and plug in and do nothing. Well nothing of substance that is. For me one of my escapes is to cook. I love everything about cooking. The planning of a menu, the shopping, the prep work and then the actually cooking. Although to some it might seem like work, to me it’s relaxing and a way that I de-stress. It’s a way for me to totally lose myself and forgot a busy season or a problem I’ve just been through.

Finding time to stop and do something you can get lost in and forget about what’s going on around you might look different to each of us but it should have the same result. The result being when I’ve finished my batteries are recharged, I’m mentally ready to move on and charge the next hill and my energy level has been restored. This is especially true for me in student ministry, it keeps me from burning out, it keeps me focused and it makes me ready for the next challenge.

Filed Under: Spriritual Life, Youth Ministry

Moving On to College

May 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The end of the school year means a time of transition for eight grade students to high school and a time for high school seniors to move on to college. This transition time has been a concern of mine for a couple of years now. I don’t think we do enough on the hand off, especially in high school ministry. We need to move the goal post back a few yards and realize that just because high school is over we’re not done with these students. We need to help them transition to college ministry or often times with students who move away to college, we need to help them find a new church to attend. I just read a great blog by Kurt Johnston and Josh Griffin on this subject and they bring up some great points. This is a must read article. Click here for their thoughts.

One of the problems we have is getting students to move on from a ministry they love, especially your “core” kids. The ones that are at every service and event you have. I think they have a big problem making the move for several reasons. First off they are going from a ministry where everyone knows them to one where they are unknown.  They go from being the big fish in the small pond to being the small fish in the big pond. They are stepping out of their comfort zone. If you have a student who hates change more than the Amish this is really a problem.

We need to get students plugged into college ministry programs before they get out of high school. If your student small group is composed of all seniors, get them signed up as a college small group so they can get to know the small group leaders for college ministry and the college ministry leaders can get to know them.

We need to get college ministry leaders to attend summer camps and begin building relationships with outgoing high school seniors. I almost think we need a separate summer camp just for this!

If you have students moving out of the area to go to school, help them find a church close to their college. Don’t wait for them to leave and do it on their own, chances are unless they are really strong in their walk with God they won’t follow through. Spend some time helping them research the area and the churches there so you can find one that closely follows your beliefs. If you know of previous students in that area, connect the students together so they can know someone there before they move away.

Follow up! Keep in contact, make sure they know you’re there to help and advise them and pray like crazy for them.

Filed Under: Spriritual Life, Youth Ministry Tagged With: , , , ,

Where does Conviction Come From?

May 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Last week I was sitting in Starbucks when someone from our Children’s Ministry staff came in. She was the first person I ever volunteered with at church, so we go back quite a few years. We got to talking about the idea of conviction and how it affects what we do. She had read about conviction earlier that day in a devotional, and she was taking that idea and using it to challenge some of her younger Children’s Ministry volunteers to step up into a stronger role.

Her thoughts about conviction got me thinking a lot about the role it plays in my students. If I look at the guys who seem to have the strongest relationship with God–the ones who really get it–I see a stronger sense of conviction. They’re convicted to read their Bibles more, pray more, do things that are outside their comfort zone to grow in God. So where does this sense of conviction come from in them?

As I’ve looked more into this Christian use of the word “conviction,” I’ve found that it comes partly from the Greek word for “faith.” That would lead me to believe that conviction and faith go hand in hand. You can’t have conviction without first having faith. In those students I was talking about above, they have a faith that is strong and growing. Because of this, they also seem to have a stronger sense of conviction.

I know that’s just one idea that plays into the idea of conviction, so now I turn it to you. In your experience, where does conviction come from? Is it something that can be instilled in someone, or does it have to come about organically through a basis of faith?

Filed Under: Spriritual Life, Youth Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Making The Most Of One-on-One Time With Students

May 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment

I had a chance last week for some good one-on-one time with one of the students in my High School Small Group. I had some things I wanted to talk to him about and it was also a chance to just spend some quality time with him. We went to a baseball game and it was a fun and productive evening.

The next day I thought about how I’ve learned over time how to use a night like this to the best advantage. When I was first starting out in student ministry, I would have used time on the drive to the stadium to have a conversation about some stuff going on with him. I more than likely would have forced the issue before he was ready to talk. I’ve learned to use a night like this for fun. Just some time to sit back and relax and let him see me as a human and not the guy teaching Bible lessons and telling him how he should live his life. As it turned out, he brought up the subject I wanted to talk with him about; I didn’t have to say anything.

We’ve written in the past about how valuable one-one-time can be with a student. Just remember to use that time wisely. I want students to look forward to that time instead of when I asked to spend some time with them, have them think, “Oh no, now what did I do?” During one-on-one time, be intentional. Don’t check e-mail and spend time answering and sending text messages. Don’t avoid the tough conversations but save it for the right time. If a student is not ready to talk don’t get discouraged, just wait for the time to be right. And more than anything have fun! Just be a kid for the night. Sometimes there is no better way to bond with a student than just having fun laughing and talking.

Filed Under: Spriritual Life, Youth Ministry Tagged With: , ,

Ignoring Warning Lights

April 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. -Romans 7:2

Matt: This week I heard an employee getting chewed out for basically burning up the engine in a vehicle. He had ignored the warning light on the dash that the engine temperature was too high and the oil pressure too low. Because he ignored the warning lights he had destroyed the motor in the car. It made me think about how often we do this in our lives. We see a warning light come on regarding something we are doing or a behavior we are engaging in but we we still keep going, all-the-while ignoring the warning light.

The next thing we do is wonder where did we go wrong, how did things get so out of hand? But if we’re honest with ourselves we can probably look back and see the warning light we ignored. Sometimes it’s not just a warning light: God puts a stop sign in front of us, but we drive right though the sign. Sometimes it’s because we think we know better and sometimes it’s because we just don’t care, we get caught up in the pleasure of the moment. Regardless of the reason, if you get yourself connected to God and keep the connection strong, it makes it easier to see and follow the warning lights.

Steven: If we’re honest with ourselves, we can almost always see the warning signs when we start to slide downhill. It could be something as simple as feeling a temptation toward sin. It could be someone mentioning that you’re acting a particular way. It could even be a thought that pops into your head, possibly prompted by the Holy Spirit. In any case, we often feel these warnings before something happens, and we need to be ready to act on those warning signs. In a car, we start pressing the brake pedal when a stop sign is coming (well, most of us do). We need to learn to step on the brake when we see the same stop signs in our lives.

Once we learn to see the warning signs in our lives, it will be much easier to recognize the signs in our students’ lives. They face the same challenges we do on a daily basis, but they may not know how to recognize the warning signs that lead up to those challenges. That’s where our experience in recognizing a warning sign helps us lead them toward God.

Filed Under: Spriritual Life, Youth Ministry

I Don’t Read my Bible During the Week Because I Go to Small Group

March 27, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Faith Loophole – “I don’t read my Bible during the week because I go to a small group Bible study every Tuesday night.”

More than once I’ve heard this when I’ve asked students if they read the Bible or have a quiet time every day. I think it’s also a trap that adults fall into. We go to church on the weekend, maybe go to small group during the week and think that’s all we need. I used to be that way. Wow, was I ever wrong.

First, when you read the Word and have a quiet time everyday that means that you are connecting with God each and every day. Not just once a week. When I connect with God every day it’s easier for me deal with everyday problems and situations, it’s easier for me to live my life in a manner that is pleasing to God. And just like any other relationship or friendship if we don’t connect on a regular basis that relationship will never grow. I don’t want my relationship with God to be one that is casual; I want it to be a close relationship. I want to connect with God in good times as well as running to him in times of trouble.

The Bible can be hard for students to understand sometimes, it’s hard for all of us at times. I’ll read a passage and think to myself, “Okay what in the world did that mean????” But I’ve learned when that happens now to look at a commentary or to ask someone. I don’t want to just read the Bible, I want to understand it the best that I can. We need to point students to where they can get help understanding what they read.

I also think that when we say we don’t read the Bible everyday because I we go to a Bible study each week…well that’s just a cop-out. It’s just an excuse for laziness or doing something else. When students tell me they don’t have time to read the Bible every day, my first question is, “How much time do you spend each day playing video games?” What if you gave up 15-30 minutes of that time each day and devoted that to Bible study?

Tomorrow: Part three  of Faith Loopholes

Filed Under: Spriritual Life, Youth Ministry Tagged With: , ,

Bring God Into Every Decision

March 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 2:17 -ESV

I’m always amazed when I teach a lesson to my high school small group about a topic and shortly afterwards, God will put me in a position to live out what I just taught. A few weeks ago I talked to my guys about decision-making and asked them if they are bringing God into the process, not just for big decisions but for the day-to-day ones also. and now this week I find myself in a position where I need to make a pretty big decision about my future and my career and where do I go from here with this whole student ministry thing God has given me.

This verse above from Hebrews is one that reminds me that Jesus is not just my savior, he is my high priest. He has my best interests at heart and he is there to help with all my decisions. As I’m making up my decision on where I go from here I’ve done the following things, and they are all part of the lesson I taught my high school guys:

  • Prayer. I feel like I’ve been in a constant state of prayer for the past couple of days. Now I have to admit at first my prayer was selfish I was asking God to make this change happen for ME because I think it’s something I’m going to love doing. Then yesterday morning during my quiet time I heard myself say ME and the light bulb went on; this needs to be something that will be good for others, for students, for my ministry and lastly for me.
  • I’m a list guy. I started a list with all of the pros and cons to this decisions. I have a ton of things on the pro side but I also have some substantial things on the con side that I need to figure out. Sometimes listing them out is the only way for me to make sure I consider all angles.
  • I need to remember that if this comes about, I need to make this be the best possible thing I can do to help contribute to the overall student ministry I’m involved in. But if it does not come to be, then I need to remember that God has a bigger better plan that I just can’t see yet.

 

Filed Under: Spriritual Life, Youth Ministry Tagged With: , , ,

Do I Say I Love Jesus but Deny Him with My Actions?

March 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Peter said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”  Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”” Luke 22:33-34  ESV

I was working on an Easter lesson for my high school life group today and while I was reading in Luke where Jesus tells the disciples  that one of them would betray Him and then predicts that Peter will have denied knowing him three times. Each of the disciples asking, “Could I be the one who betrays you, Lord?” I’m guessing all of them were probably wondering if it was them and questioning their own faith at that point.

I started to think to myself, “How true is my faith and my commitment to Jesus?” Do I say I love and follow Him but my actions show something else?

I think these are questions that we as Christians should ask ourselves from time to time. It’s good to have a reality check every now and then to make sure we are in step with what Jesus taught us.

I’m going to put these questions to my small group guys and ask what their actions are showing their friends and family, especially those who might not be believers. Do our actions that others see show a denial of Jesus in our lives? Are we saying one thing and doing another? What about our actions that no one sees, are those actions of a follower of Jesus?

I love these kind of questions with my group. These are usually the kind of questions that once one person starts talking it brings out a great discussion. It’s also the kind of question that might need to hang in the air in that awkward moment of silence before someone speaks up. Don’t rush that moment!

Filed Under: Small Groups, Spriritual Life Tagged With: , , ,

Lukewarm Faith

March 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment

I know your deeds,that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. –  Revelation 3:15-16 ESV

Matt: I read this verse this week and in my mind the image of lukewarm was something that was not palatable. Cold water is refreshing, it’s something good to drink on a hot day. Hot water is soothing to soak in and bathe in. But lukewarm is just plain yucky. Jesus would rather we be one way or other. When I feel I’m getting to a lukewarm place in my faith I know I have to do some things different. I need to get into the Word more, I need to make sure I’m having a quiet time everyday. I’ve found that the times when I don’t feel like praying is when I need to pray the most.

These are all things I would advise a student to do in order to recharge his spiritual batteries. Serve projects are also another good way to get our faith back to being red hot. There is something about serving others that makes us feel good and makes us feel like our faith is making a difference. God wants us to make a difference in our lives and in the lives of others. If we’re not making a difference, we’re lukewarm and it’s easier to let Satan into areas of our lives where he can find the crack in the armor.

Steven: The tricky part of this type of discussion is when you’re trying to guide a student in this process of becoming hot or cold. We can’t just MAKE a student stop being lukewarm–they have to want it more than you want it for them. If they don’t want to change from lukewarm, there’s nothing you can do to change that. What we CAN do is guide them in the process once they’ve realized they’re lukewarm.

Actually, this is good news for any leader. It takes the pressure off of us, instead of forcing us into the box of being the primary motivators of students’ faith. We can always point out some things students can work on, but ultimately they have to make the decisions to change or stay the same. The same goes for us: no one can tell us we need to change our lukewarm ways, but some people might speak into our lives to push us in the direction of change. Then we have to make the decision to be hot or cold. It’s not up to others–it’s up to us.

Filed Under: Spriritual Life, Youth Ministry Tagged With: ,

Finding a Lesson in a Boot Cast

March 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

I fractured my ankle and have been in a boot cast now for three weeks. One of the things I hate about this stupid boot cast is that it limits me on what I can do. Well, at first it did, now after three weeks I have discovered that I find new ways to get things done. It might take a little longer or take more effort but I can still do most things.

The first week I was really limited because it was awkward moving around with this thing. All I could think about was, wow this is going to be a long six weeks with my foot in this thing. After that first week I began finding ways to get stuff done without the boot cast getting in the way, I found ways to still get accomplished what I needed to without putting extra effort or strain on my ankle.

So what’s the point of this post today? Well this morning while I was out walking my dog I remembered the first day of the boot cast walking him and thinking what a hassle every simple task was. This morning it was no big deal, putting on the boot cast was just part of my routine. My God is bigger than this minor setback. He’s bigger than any major setback. This morning in my prayer time I thought of those who have way bigger physical limitations than just a temporary boot cast and once again in my prayer time I came back around to the fact that my life is blessed, even with minor setbacks I am truly blessed and thankful.

I’m not sure how yet but I’ll turn this into a lesson for students. I’ll use this to show them that there will always be roadblocks and bumps in the road, but God will get you around those and make you stronger in the process. What we see as problems, God sees as an opportunity.

Filed Under: Encouragement, Spriritual Life, Youth Ministry Tagged With: , , , ,
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