Month: February 2012

As we head into the final weekend of our “Going All Out” spiritual growth campaign at Southwest Community Church, here are 3 great opportunities to give and help our community.

2. Fill the Bottle. We also have an oversized baby bottle we need to have filled up by this Sunday. Bring your change, cash, and/or checks and help us fill the bottle. Once again, we will combine our bottle with the bottles of the larger church family. Our goal is to raise $100,000 for the Crisis Pregnancy Center which is literally saving the lives of unborn babies.

3. Fill the Truck. Finally, this Sunday a semi will be parked on our church property to receive donations of furniture, household items, and clothing to stock up our community thrift stores. Look around your house and find things you are not putting to use and bring them so that we can get them into the homes of people in our community who are in need.

It’s HERE!!!!! Check out this GREAT new youth ministry book by my buddy Darren Sutton that I contributed to with several other awesome youth workers from around the country.

Imagine a world where everything in youth ministry is black-or-white, where simple solutions are always evident, and where one size truly fits all.

Would you like a unicorn with that?

Here’s the reality of youth ministry: Gray often is the dominant color, differing opinions abound, and the way forward isn’t always clear or certain. But just like a wise sage, Two Sides: Finding What Fits Your Ministry will help you through the journey of discovering the right, best answers for your ministry.

You’ll gain insights from veteran youth workers who have wrestled with these debatable gray areas. For example, should we write our own curriculum, or used pre-written material? Should small groups be separated by gender, or combined into co-ed groups? Should I be accountable for regular office hours, or follow an adaptable schedule because of youth ministry’s crazy hours?

In these and other areas, no answer is right or wrong—the “correct” answer is the one that best fits your specific setting. This book will engage you in considering both sides of the matter, thinking through some important questions, and then determining your own side of the issue.

Click HERE to Order Hard Copy or Download (download includes: PDF file, .epub file for iPad, .mobi file for Kindle) Today!

I recently ready The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons. The book takes a fresh look at the emergence of a church which is not seeking to separate from the world or blend in with the world, but seeking to restore the world to what it ought to be according to God’s original design. It offers tremendous hope that the gospel is being reclaimed by people planting themselves deeply into culture rather than parachuting out of it – proclaiming the good news as they use their gifts and talents to show God’s restorative power in all aspects of life – not just in what is traditionally thought of as “vocational ministry.” I highly recommend this book!

I’m NOT Going to Camp as a Chaperone.

Even if you don’t personally go to camp, you can play a significant role in helping students when they return. Here are 3 simple things you can do:

A – Ask them to share their stories. Here are some good questions to ask:

• What was the most fun thing about camp?
• Who did you get to know for the first time?
• Who did you get to know better?
• Who was your leader?
• What was one tough thing that you had to deal with?
• What’s made you laugh the hardest?
• What was the theme?
• What’s something you discovered about God for the first time?
• What was the most significant thing learned?
• What big decision(s) did you make at camp?

B – Be affirming.

• Laugh with them.
• Cry with them.
• Thank them for sharing their experiences with you.
• If they have something that they complain about, refocus them on the positives.
• Say things like …
• I’m proud of you!
• It sounds like God was doing some good things in you.
• I’m glad you were able to make some friends/deepen your relationships.

C – Challenge them to keep growing.

• Camp is a great experience. It’s fun to get away from our parents, our every-day lives, and be together with our friends to experience God in a unique way.
• But, remember, camp is meant to move us forward in our relationship with God. How are you going to live out the decisions you made at camp now that you’re home?
• Say things like …
• Make sure you tell your parents about what God did in your life at camp.
• Who are some of your friends that can ask you questions and help keep you accountable for living out your decisions?
• When will you tell them and invite them to hold you accountable?
• I’ll be praying for you and checking up on you to see how you’re doing.

I AM Going to Camp as Chaperone.

3 Weeks = 3 Personal Touches

We believe Camp is a tremendous time for students to encounter God in a special way. We also know that it’s easy to go home and for the passion to dwindle and to forget what we learned. During the first 3 weeks after camp, here are 3 simple things we would ask you to do to follow-up with the kids in your group:

1. A Note of Affirmation – Write each of your kids a note highlighting something you saw/enjoyed/learned about them at camp.
2. A Conversation – This can be a phone call or a chat with them after service. Ask them how they’re doing, how they’re living out decisions/things they learned at camp, and how you can pray for them. (Oh yeah, and maybe even go ahead and pray for them right there!)
3. A text or Facebook Message – Drop them a line letting them know you’re thinking about them and praying for them, and encouraging them to continue living out what they learned at camp.