youth ministry 101

I recently read the book youth ministry 3.o, it had some great stuff in it but the thing that really stood out to me was this. when talking about the mid week service there need to be some key elements to the service. this element is what separates it from being a youth group or a youth ministry. I wanted to share some of these...

Its about them- make your midweek service about the kids that attend and nothing else. If the leaders are getting stuff out of the service this needs to be rethinked. the leaders and youth pastor are there to be everything for those kids.

Make your midweek service an event- make it something the kids think about all week and want to come to. always be ready to take the midweek service to the next level. Give everything you have to those kids, they deserve it.

Use your Imagination- I went to a youth ministry wednesday and the youth pastor was talking baout getting the garbage out of your life. He had trash everywhere in the room. so everywhere the kids stepped they were stepping on garbage. great use of imagination

Touch their emotions- as youth pastors it is our job to know the culture and all of the things our kids deal with. We can use that to our advantage, if we can touch all of there emotions great things can and will happen.

Time for encounter with God- open the altar to the kids, have prayer leaders up front or in the back willing to pray with the kids.

Changed Lives- if the above 5 are done well the lives of the youth will be changed, it may not happen that service but it will happen. the service I went to with the garbage 2 kids got saved and 3 recieved the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Be Prepared- be prepared for anything because as all ministers know anything can happen.

updated book list...

so in 2007 I posted a blog about my book reading list (click on that link to see the old list.

heres an update after almost two years...

1. out of the question...into the mystery. getting lost in the Godlife relationship... only 100 pages in
2. buck naked faith. a brutally honest look at stunted christianity... lost it
3. Mere Christianity... only 50ish pages in
4. Your first two years in youth ministry... let friend barrow havent seen it since
5. a tale of three kings... I dont even remember this book
6. The Gospel according to starbucks... 40ish pages in
7. Every mans battle... done thats one
8. Velvet Elvis... done thats two
9. Sex God... lost interest
10. Jesus in the margins... lost it
11. the bible... still going with this one

now to add some I have recently started...

12. becoming Manny... done thats three
13. listen to me satan... 54 pages in, reading it in sections currently for my job
14. the Jesus I never knew... 150 some pages in
15. simple church... done thats four
16. jesus centered youth ministry... done thats five
17. youth ministry 3.0... about 100 pages in great read for youth pastors...

so I have completed five books in two years... pathetic I know but hey its progress.

In a time when my freinds are all getting married, engaged and starting there careers im looking at my life and wondering "has life passed me by?" I mean im 25, single, and work for free at the district resource center while trying to find a part time job, and im broke.

I hope this doesnt sound like I am complaining but im just frustrated.

frustrated at the hand life has dealt me.

I guess I am just tired of being in my freinds' weddings and being empty handed. two of my college roommates are getting married this year and im in both of them. I do think it is an honor to be in their weddings but when will I get to ask them to be in mine? ugh who knows... im just tired of fridays alone and thinking of what could have been...