“And he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” Mt 6:33 (NLT)
My pastor called all of the men of our church together for an early-morning meeting today. He shared a lot of vision for where we’re going over the next ten years. One thought that has stayed with me and I’ve been reflecting on is that all of the things we want in life can be ours as we seek God first.
Of course, our wants may change as we seek God first. That’s kind of the danger in fulfilling our part of this bargain. However, if we’re drifting through life unfulfilled, there’s a good chance we’re not abiding by the Matthew 6:33 promise.
Is your ministry where you want it to be?
Are your students responding to your challenges the way you hope they will?
Are you living a life with a deep connection to your creator?
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Mt. 6:33 (NIV)
This was a word of wisdom I needed for today. I hope it’s helpful for you, too!
I got this note on my Facebook page today from a student who is joining my small group this year. I met him a few months ago and we’ve hit it off. It’s fun to see him open up to allow God to revolutionize his life. Super stoked he’s getting baptized and that he ordered me to be there. Super cool! – A heart-warming and rewarding moment in ministry.
My 3 is a monthly post for paid professionals to speak 3 bits of wisdom or encouragement into this otherwise “by volunteers for volunteers” community. Thank you Tony Roos for giving sharing words of wisdom for September!.
Here’s what Tony shared:
1. Be yourself.
You see God has created you to be you. And a real, honest person is what students need in their life. Yes of course they need Jesus and I guess I made the assumption that everything starts from there; but, after Jesus, students need people and you are people. You are not the coolest, best looking, youngest, or the fastest (I know I have the gift of encouragement), but you are the person that God made. Let that shine through. The real you is the best thing you can offer students. Students are surrounded by false relationships, you don’t have to be someone you are not. The best leaders are the same in front of students or sitting at home.
2. follow THE leader.
It is so easy to get caught up in what person X is doing in their ministry. We think, “if X is doing well then that should be what I do.” However the example I see in scripture is not people following X but people following Christ and the Spirit. I love the story of Phillip in Acts chapter 8. Talk about having a great ministry Philip was seeing evil spirits tucking tail and running. He was seeing cripples walk. Yet the Spirit called him to leave all that and take his way on the south desert road. Here he ministered to one person. Leaving hundred and a thriving ministry we see him minister to one. Go where THE leader leads, not where you think you should be. You really don’t want to be person X anyways they are not who God made you to be (see point 1).
3. Take the time.
To listen, to care, to heal, to hurt, to sit, to breathe. That list could go on. In the fast instant world in which we live time is a commodity that we think we never have enough of, but in honesty we have the time we need but instead of taking time we fill it. Instead of taking the time to listen, we fill it with talking. Instead of taking the time to care, we fill it with smiles and handshakes. Instead of taking the time to heal, we fill it with pretending. Instead of taking the time to hurt, we fill it with false comfort. Instead of taking the time to sit, we fill it with running from one appointment to the next. Instead of taking the time to breathe, we fill it with hurriedness and all the things we think are what make up life. But let’s try it take a moment to breathe. In and out. Go ahead we will still be here. Did you notice that? Did you see that? The world still turns, nothing fell apart while you breathed. Take the time to minister to yourself before you minister and as you minister to other. John Ortberg tells of the advice from a friend that said, “ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.” (Leadership Journal) I like it.
I am off to sip my coffee before I get started ministering.
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Tony Roos is a husband, father, freshman football coach and all around good guy. He has served in ministry full time since 1998. He leads the student ministry at Plymouth Alliance Church in Plymouth WI. He has the feeling you have stopped reading about him so is just typing another sentence to make it look like and actual bio.
Are you a youth pastor or an influential person in the world of youth ministry who would like to contribute a My 3 entry? Please send it here
Our students came up with this a few years ago. It’s become the most consistent game they play.
Caution: It’s very abusive to pool tables. Don’t play it on a pool table you value very much.
How to play:
1. Place the 8 ball on the dot at one end of the table
2. The first player rolls the cue ball and hits the 8 ball. The player has only 3 tries before losing his/her turn and “gaining a letter”.
3. The 2nd player must hit the 8 ball with the cue ball before it stops. That player must roll the ball from either end of the table. Rolling it from the side causes the player’s turn to end and that player gains a letter
4. Each player continues hitting the 8 ball with the cue ball until 1 of 3 things happen:
- If the 8 ball stops, the player gains a letter and the turn is over
- If the cue ball goes off the table, that player’s turn is over and that player gains a letter
- if the 8 ball is hit into a pocket, the next player loses his/her turn and gains a letter
- There is no consequence for the cue ball going in a pocket. The player can retrieve it and continue playing as long as the 8 ball is in motion
— The letters:
The letters spell SCUM. When a player has received all four letters (SCUM), that player is eliminated from the game.
The Landing launches at Saddleback Church in January 2011. Click here to check out their blog. You can also fill out their form to let them know about your interest in the program.
Click here for more information about the program and to order the program for your church
Click this link for a sample lesson from the curriculum
I’m always scattering seed in the lives of students with comments like:
- When you’re in college…
- When you’re a small group leader…
- When you lead a cabin at camp…
- …
These comments assume they are going to take a certain action that they may have not either believed in themselves to be able to do or might not have thought about otherwise.
A few weeks ago I planted a seed that I completely forgot about. It’s been germinating in the mind of that guy for a few weeks. Last weekend at church, he approached me and said he would like to take me up on being my co-leader for my small group. Josh, former student I suggested this to, is now going to lighten my load considerably while having his life enhanced radically through serving student.
1. Get some water balloon launchers and some cheap burritos
2. Break students into teams of 5.
Blindfold the guys/girls who serve as the operators (1 shooter and 2 holders for the launcher per team)
3. Have the other two team members without blindfolds on work together to aim the shooters just right to launch the burritos at a target
4. The first three teams to land some burrito anywhere on the target move on to the next round
(Variation: You may want to have them do a practice round without blindfolds. After the practice round, say, “Oh! I forgot one little detail.” Then bring out the blindfolds.)
There are several applications you can use to tie this into a lesson or just use it for a way to have fun and make a lasting memory with students.
Heading into the new school year, here are some blog posts youth pastors may want to pass on to volunteers:
1. Handout for Parents of Students in my Small Group – This is a quick list of expectations they can have of me and I will have of their students. It also includes a tip about my favorite type of cookies in case they ever wanted to send treats. One of the mom’s was very faithful to oblige. Score!
2. What Parents Need to Know – This is a MUST READ for volunteers. The items on this list could make the difference between having supportive/happy parents or complaining/thorn-in-the-side-of-the-youth-pastor parents
3. Helping Families Through Conflict – While small group leaders primarily work with students, we will occasionally have the blessing of dealing with greater family conflicts students are navigating. This post gives some useful tips on how to help.
The Landing is an all-new, year-long program that helps teenagers travel the path to freedom, healing, and wholeness. This dynamic resource mirrors the content presented in the successful Celebrate Recovery program.
The lessons deliver hope-filled truths and real-life strategies for giving young people the tools for making wise choices and developing healthy patterns for living. Use The Landing as a way to minister to teenagers in your church and community who are struggling with life-controlling hurts, hang-ups, and habits. Or simply implement the curriculum in your small groups, Sunday school classes, or midweek program to give all of your students insights on following the path to freedom.
This resource will complement your efforts if you church is using the Celebrate Recovery ministry for adults and the Celebration Station content for kids, but it also flourishes as a stand alone option!
Designed for junior high and high school students, The Landing give you everything you need to lead young people in making Jesus the foundation of their lives, avoiding or breaking cycles of dysfunction, and experiencing God’s incredible forgiveness and healing.
Follow @TheLandingCR on Twitter to get updates about The Landing
Back in the day I was a paid youth pastor fresh out of college, I wasn’t seen as the go-to guy when families sought counseling for or about their teenage kids. I remember feeling bitter as I watched one of my students being counseled by another adult in the foyer of the church for over an hour one night. I was never asked to be part of the discussion. This morning I woke up thinking back to those days of feeling overlooked and unappreciated. Today, however, is a much different story.
16 years of youth ministry later, things are much different. Even though I’m a volunteer instead of the paid professional, I seem to get called on quite a bit to counsel parents and students about their family issues. Just this week I’ve counseled 3 students and set an appointment for next week to talk to a mother and son.
I write this for the rookie out there in the frustrating place I was in when I started out in youth ministry Here are some truths from the trenches:
- Longevity in ministry is gold. Stick it out and you’ll be the go-to person eventually. Even if you don’t have your own teenagers, there’s a great amount of relational wisdom to be gained by spending a few years working with students. Your beliefs will be solidified or revolutionized by what you encounter. When you go to counsel a student, you’ll come from the perspective of observational or hands-on experience rather than tentative theory.
- Sharing your story lends credibility. When I talk to students about their issues, I relate something from my own life that shows I understand what they’re going through. I’m careful not to dominate the conversation with my stories, I just share enough to relate and build trust. The key is to not only share a couple of facts, but the emotions that I felt when I went through what I share. Doing this during a regular conversation builds the trust needed to become their go-to person for counseling when they’re ready to open up on a deeper level.
- Helping students feel safe breaks down barriers Students know they can be themselves around me because I am myself around them. I mess up, make jokes, give hugs, have quirks, etc. They respond by being lowering their guard to be real with me in good times and bad. The opposite was true when I started. I was overly concerned, largely because of my age and inexperience, that they see me as the have-it-all-together leader. Ditch that and they’ll open up.
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