An Important Training Opportunity

Do you know how to respond to suicide thoughts, threats, attempts or deaths? The Youth Team of the North Central District is providing an opportunity for you to receive training in Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention at no cost to you.

The Connect Project is a grant funded, non-profit organization that provides free training and we want you to be able to take advantage of this one day training opportunity.

Here are the details:

• Date: Saturday, January 29, 2011
• Location: Zion Missionary Church, Elkhart, IN
• Time: 9:00a - 4:00p

This training will be divided into two sessions. The morning session will focus on Prevention & Intervention. The afternoon session will focus on Postvention. There will be a lunch break from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. (lunch is on your own).

Pre-registration is required by January 24 for this training. To register, call the District Office or send an email to Connect Registration. IMPORTANT NOTE: You must be 18 or older to attend.

From Brad Thornton: Bremen Missionary Church Youth Pastor & District Youth Director

Youth Ministry CAN Support the Church

I know at times when looking at church ministry as a whole, student ministries can sometimes feel like they have to take a backseat to all others. But for the most part, we might be the ones to blame for that thinking amongst the rest of the church. Do you think of yourself as part of the bigger picture of your church's ministry, or are you trying to set yourselves apart from them every chance you get? Do you plan events and activities that correlate with the rest of the church and its calendar? Are you conveying your vision and direction for your student ministry to the rest of the leadership within the church? Student ministry is a part of the greater whole. Once we see ourselves in that way, as a part of what God is doing through our congregations, we will be able to serve the church so much more effectively.

Here are a few ideas I have gleaned from others over time and have tried putting them into practice. They have helped me along the way in seeing our student ministry become a vital part of the church as a whole.

1. Host an event that supports the church. Look to see if there is another ministry in the church that you can get your students involved with. Quit looking inwardly and send some of them out for awhile. Maybe they can minister in the nursery during your services. Not the same students all the time either ...spread them around so it gives everyone a chance to serve. How about planning a carnival or something similar for the children's ministry. Have your students plan and then work the whole thing simply to give the children's ministry workers a break for a week. They would love to sit back and enjoy a night off. And, don't forget to do something for the adults or senior citizens as well. Take an evening and send students out to simply go visit with some of the older adults in their homes. For the most part, they absolutely love to sit and just talk with young people. What a blessing you can be by simply giving time and a listening ear. Who knows, those old folks just might be able to teach us young ones a thing or two!
2. Clean up when you make a mess. Who us? NO! We never make a mess! Right?? You know as well as I do that we are not always to blame, but we do cause a few stains here and there that show up after the students parade through the church. When that is the case, please be sure to clean up. For that matter, even if you know you didn't make the mess, clean it anyway. Save yourself the hassle of having to defend your students when they get blamed for it. My wife and I have always had the philosophy, "leave it better than how you found it." In life and ministry, that one can make a huge impression on those that come after you. When you are done with the church van, be sure it gets swept out and the gas tank is filled up. Heck, you can even wash the thing! It might be the only time it happens all year long.
3. Try to implement this idea into your philosophy as well: Be flexible. When someone wants to borrow something from your student ministry program, let them. If you get stingy with your stuff, do not expect anyone to come running to your aide when the time comes. If they need to use your room, find a way to make it work for all involved. If something gets planned on the same date you had something going on, try to find an alternate date for your event, if possible. Some things are worth fighting for. Just know which ones they are and go to bat for those, but also know when to just smile and nod.

I know it might sound and feel like I'm asking you to just lay down and let everyone walk all over your ministry, but believe me, I am not. I am simply asking you to become part of the whole church ministry. 

Sometimes we can minister much more powerfully by being part of a great team. Your student ministry will become stronger and will be looked upon more favorably if the rest of the church feels like you want to be on the same team and not the "Lone Ranger." That kind of thinking will get you and your ministry stranded on the figurative island real quickly. And, once you are floating out there on your own ...it can be a long paddle back to the mainland.

From Brad Thornton: Bremen Missionary Church Youth Pastor & District Youth Director

Leaders Beware! 
You are a LEADER!

Through my years of ministering to students and also being a father of two wonderful sons, I have found that there are very important lessons to be learned that cross over into both worlds. I think I have always known this, but now that my sons are both in my youth ministry, it seems all the more relevant to my daily life.

Hearing you teach a lesson is good. Some students might be able to grasp what you are saying and figure out how to implement that into their lives. Others might just be hearing words, or possibly the sound of Charlie Brown's teacher's voice rattling around in their heads. But, if they see you living the lesson out in your own life, it will help solidify in their minds exactly what you are trying to say. If they hear your challenging words and then see your life not reflecting the things you just taught, there is little hope that they will do anything but reflect what they have SEEN you live out.

Here are a couple of examples:

1. Never pick up that cell phone while you are driving anywhere with your students in a vehicle. If you want to put your own life in danger, that's one thing ...but putting the lives of a bunch of kids in a church van in danger just so you can check the latest tweet is pretty sad. I have been guilty of this and God has used a student to personally convict me. OUCH!!
2. If you want your students to go out and share the Gospel with family, friends, and strangers, then get your butt off the chair and take them out and show them how to do it yourself. Whether you are on a missions trip or simply at lunch in their school, if they see you sharing the love of Christ with others outside the walls of the church, they will understand how to do it. Show them exactly what it is you expect them to do, and more than likely they will do it and probably even exceed your expectations.

I should also be sure to point out one of the more difficult lessons that we all must learn. As the person leading and working with these students, understand that WE ARE NOT PERFECT! I know that might shock some of you, but it is still the truth. I know I screw up at times, and sometimes people catch it and sometimes they don't. I have found one of the most powerful lessons I have ever taught is about honesty in failing and seeking forgiveness. It is a very humbling thing to come clean to your students when you make a mistake. Sometimes you may have to seek forgiveness on a personal level and sometimes you may need to do it publicly to the whole group. But it is in those times that God will shine through and use you once again to model His love and grace for each of them.

From Brad Thornton: Bremen Missionary Church Youth Pastor & District Youth Director

How to CHANGE a Life: 101

As I sat thinking of what I would share for my first ever attempt in "blog world" as it pertains to youth and youth workers, I kept coming back to a simple phrase that I have always used as a mantra in my ministry. No matter what area of church ministry you are involved in; whether it be working with youth, children, young adults or even the dreaded dark side of adult ministries, it's still the same. It is a phrase I have shared with every intern that has come and gone from our fold and I will continue to share with each one in the future. That saying is this: "It's all about a relationship."

I truly believe that if we ever wish to see a life changed, we need to invest into a relationship with those individuals. It is much more than an hour each week of being the talking head on stage. Don't get me wrong; that is still part of the job and it is one that can be effective. But, I am talking about making some long-term, lasting, life altering impact on a student's life. And I think it all stems from us building that relationship over time with those students. You may be thinking, "Isn't this called being a mentor or making disciples?" My answer to that is yes. You can call it what you want. I tend to think sometimes that the word "mentor" itself can make people feel intimidated. If I were to ask you all to go out and mentor or disciple a few more kids, you may begin to feel overwhelmed. But if I were to ask you to simply go out and spend time with those kids and build a relationship with them, suddenly it seems more doable.

I see evidence of this concept in the fact that Jesus had a huge impact on the lives of those He spent time with and touched personally. The people He spent time with found their lives drastically changed. Many times they never even knew it was happening, but simply by being around Him and living life alongside Him, their lives were forever changed.

I know the life of today's youth worker is as busy as ever, but at the same time I know deep in your heart that their is nothing that you wouldn't give to see that life transformation take root in your students' lives. My challenge is simple: No matter if you are a full-time youth worker, a part-time youth worker, a volunteer, a youth sponsor, or a Sunday school teacher, I urge you to find that one or two or three students to fully invest in and begin the process of altering their lives forever. Bring them alongside and let them be a part of you as you "do" ministry. Just the simple everyday things we do and take for granted many times are the things that might make that lasting impression on a student's heart. Go about your lives as usual, but bring a student along when possible. Let God use your life in a different way to change lives.

A few years back I read a good book by Bo Boshers titled, "the be-with factor" which completely reinforced my thinking on this idea. In the book he says something that I think we should all embrace. He says, "Jesus was a success despite his dismal numbers, because the measurement that mattered wasn't just a short-term body count. We believe the standard by which Jesus measured His own success was deep, lasting change in a few." I urge you to think the same way. Deep transformation of a few who continue to influence others is how we need to be measuring our personal ministries.