Over the last few years, a group of churches from our local network has started making a winter retreat to Monadnock Bible Conference in Jaffrey, N.H. an annual, joint event. It started with two of us going together in 2010. Each year since we have had another church join us. There are already conversations about a fifth joining us next year! Through this simple partnership
Editor's note: Mark Orr, the New England Regional Coordinator for NNYM, lives only a few miles from Newtown, Connecticut, the site of the horrific shooting that took place on December 14. Here is his update and appeal from a visit to Newtown on Tuesday, Dec. 18. Please consider how you can pray and get involved in YOUR own community to make a difference as we reach out to this generation!
I sent this report from Newtown yesterday via an email to our New England youth workers. The Lord really stirred in my heart to write...it's a bit long, but I needed to share my heart with our region (and NNYM youth workers nationwide)...I know that it applies to all of us no matter where we serve.
I know the church hasn’t done everything right, and there are often differences that can divide us. But just like when we’re hurt and sinned against by someone in our family, we need to confront it, offer and ask for forgiveness, and pursue reconciliation.
Editor's Note: This blog first showed up in Brian Seidal's blog: My End of the Deal
Yesterday I met with my local NNYM network group. I have been “helping” coordinate this group of youth workers for several years. Helping is in quotations because I have not always been convinced that my influence in the group has always been helpful; it has struggled to gain any kind of traction or momentum for a long time.
Editor's Note: this blog was first published at Free Ideas for Making Disciples
This will sounds grossly arrogant, but I don't "need" a network. Now, let me clarify, I do not need a traditional network. I am in certain category, I am a 40 +, 22 year y
On a busy street in one of India's congested cities, traffic grinds to a halt.
Frustrations are high as a a young man yells at a hapless policeman. A large tree has fallen across the narrow thoroughfare, and nobody knows what to do.
In the past, a youth worker has been defined as an individual who is hired to oversee youth ministry through building Christ-centered relationships and programming which targets the teenage culture in their local ministry context. But does this give us the manpower we need to reach and equip the millions of students
I have been thinking about writing a post on this topic for a long time now because I believe it’s an important subject. Every time I think about this topic, Bill Withers classic song “Lean on Me” comes to mind. It’s true that as student pastors, we need other
Almost all my best friends are youth leaders in the six youth networks in our area. When I meet with these friends from Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Assembly of God, Free Methodist, Wesleyan, and charismatic churches, I see God at work in more ways than I ever could have imagined. I must agree with Bill Hybels (Willow Creek Community Church) when he said, “The local ch
As the 18 youth workers sat around indulging their brownbag lunches, clusters of four and five laughed and chided each other over the personal anecdotes they had experienced over the past few weeks. The monthly Netville Youth Worker Coalition meeting was about to begin, and this informal bantering around the room was a vital element of their gathering.
You may have be just starting out in youth ministry -- or maybe you've been around for years. Regardless, there are times when the challenge of working together seems more of a burden than a blessing. Excitement fades, life gets busy and the focus blurs your vision for effectively reaching and equipping teenagers in your community.
So, how do you mobilize your community to help your m
You have probably heard the story of Charlie Frank and his elephant Neeta. Frank raised her from birth, training her to be a circus performer. When he retired he gave her to the San Diego Zoo. After 15 years of being separated, Frank visited Neeta. He was 100 yards away from her and he called to her and immediately she came to him and performed her old routines on his command!
Does your ministry network reflect a biblical, global picture of youth ministry—and the mission of the church?
Most of us understand the “marching orders” Jesus gave us in Matthew 28:18-20 – the passage called the “Great Commission.” If we heed those orders, everything we do needs to ultimately aim at fulfilling the Great Commission while living out
My first youth ministry responsibility was at a rural church without any other youth pastors around. Let me tell you, I was lonely! No one seemed to understand what it was like to reach out to students and their families. The big lesson I learned: You can never do youth ministry alone!
Editors note: this was first posted on http://www.gregstier.org
This last weekend I had a great and eye-opening experience in Kenosha, Wisconsin. My buddy, Andy McGowan, youth pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church and D2S/Lead THE Cause University alumni, invited me to come to Kenosha to experience what God has been doing in and through the local youth ministry network.
We heard it, but we could hardly believe someone would actually say it. Our area network coordinator was talking about some calls he'd made since our last meeting – calls to encourage a few sporadic attendees. In one such conversation, he'd shared the content of our meeting and the area's vision for networking. The response? “You haven't convinced me why I need to add ano
Is your youth ministry network trusting God to do something special together that will bring hope to the youth in your community?
If so, I'm excited for you! Let me share with you a simple three-step process that a youth ministry network (our ministry partner, One Hope ) in South Florida has found helpful in moving from hopeful dreams to reality. The three steps are "Discover, Des
Imagine the Holy Spirit hovering like a cloud over your community. With His all-seeing eyes, He can clearly see the needs of the people who live there. At the same time, He has also placed the resources in the community to meet those needs – if those who are stewards of those resources will work together to meet the needs.
A few years back I had a conversation that really impacted me, and caused me to ask some tough questions about how I viewed my role as a youth minister from a kingdom perspective. One of our shepherds asked if I knew why one of our senior girls had not been around in a while. I explained that she had become involved with the youth ministry at her boyfriend’s church. I then went into further detail explaining that she was still regularly attending church services, there was no bad blood between us, and judging from our last conversation, she was doing really well from a spiritual standpoint. I was very clear that she was not a ‘senior dropout’, she was simply at another church.
Imagine if you could work together with the schools in your area towards mutually beneficial goals? Well, I am seeing the door opening in our area for partnership with the superintendent!
Ever feel alone in ministry? Boy, I sure have. I remember one time being so depressed that I could not even get off the floor to go to speak at my youth group. Isolation, abandonment and desperation can all combine to push us away from those who can help us most. Thankfully, I had friends in ministry who took the initiative and helped me work through my issues. But
Our society places a high value on rugged individuality. Many a hero sweeps in, saves the damsel, and defeats the enemy all on their own. Maybe there is a sidekick along for the ride. However, when it comes to transforming the lives of millions of teenagers, no one can do it alone.
Do you feel stuck as you try to work together with others in reaching teenagers in your community? You may have been there from the beginning of your network -- it is pretty exciting to launch an effort to unite those in a community for youth ministry. But now that the newness has worn off and some of the core team may have moved to other
You may be starting out in ministry or have been there for decades. Either way you may have realized that no one should do youth ministry alone. However, it can be a real struggle building partnerships to reach and equip teenagers in your community.
The story below explains how networking is reaching students and the community for Christ in Greater Cincinnati.
THIS CITY
Emily Richardson is my network coordinator for Harrison, Ohio. If you are not familiar with where Harrison is, it's the last town in the Greater Cincinnati area before you reach Indiana. Emily shared with me something powerful that is happening in Harrison.
"Build it, and they will come."
That may be a great movie tagline, but it doesn't necessarily work for building a healthy ministry network in your community. It’s not enough to just open your doors once a month, invite a bunch of youth workers, set up chairs around a table, and expect that will result in more ministry to youth. We have got to give youth workers a good reason to leave their offices to share their lives and ministries, and to be part of a community-wide vision.
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According to a recent USA Today/Gallup poll, Vermont is ranked as the 50th least religious state, or stated another way, we are the least churched state in the entire country. This is likely because Vermonters see themselves as ruggedly independent, capable of making it on their own, and skeptical of any need for salvation other than one of their own making.
In your networking with others, does your prayer time sometimes seem flat? it is easy to get into a rut in our prayer. Sometimes we think of prayer only as a "to-do" list for God.
However, there are ways to bring new dimensions to prayer in your network. During a break at a recent youth ministry conference, Mark Orr, our New England regional coordinator, shares simple principle
I still remember my first day in youth ministry. I was a wide-eyed idealistic 17-year-old kid who was asked by his youth pastor to become a small group leader to a bunch of junior high boys. Wow! I had big plans. These plans included being used by God to revolutionize these kids thinking about Jesus and I was going to mobilize them to do ministry and reach a community for Christ.
My three year old son is consistently drawing and coloring pictures for us to display on the fridge. Couple that with his growing ability to count and I believe he is about ready to take on the “connect the dot” exercises. C'mon, you remember those gems, don't you?
The Newsboys are being intentional about evangelism on their "God's Not Dead" tour for 2012. They have asked gifted evangelist and my boss, Bob Lenz, to partner with them by giving a clear Gospel message at each city they vist. In order to keep this from being a tour that simply passes through an area entertaining folks, I will be working with friend and coleaugue Kris Wood to network in each city on the tour.
Top 10 Networking Benefits part 1 can be found here
Do you have your elevator speech ready? You know, the speech you give when someone asks what you do? Take 30 seconds to describe yourself are and what you do (the approximate length of time you have with another person in the elevator). This past weekend I gave that speech a number of times at the National Youth Workers Convention (NYWC). Don’t get me wrong, I love sharing the story of Youthmark, but, I long for the deeper conversations with trusted friends.
Student Ministry Leadership in many ways is a culture in and of itself. I love being a part of this unique and diverse tribe! I am a firm believer that we (Youth Leaders) are better together. In nearly 20 years of being “in charge” of a variety of ministries (church and parachurch) I have found great value and blessing in being connected to other youth leaders through gatherings of all sorts-- local, national and virtual.
The National Network of Youth Ministries has tallied the results, and learned some things about youth workers' networking habits and desires. In addition, five respondents will walk away with iTunes gift cards for their efforts!
Almost 500 responded to the NNYM survey. Of those who submitted information at the conclusion of the survey, five were randomly drawn to line their iPhones with some new music:
Youth workers always seem worried to me. It may be because they are in a stage of life that changes quickly or they feel like they are never settled because being a youth worker feels like you are always on the hot seat. I don’t know all the reasons but I do know that being worried doesn’t help you with confidence. If youth workers could identity and deal with some of these worries I think it would help them be more effective leaders. I have made a list of a few of the worries I see most often but I do believe there are many more. Here is what I got:
How do you start your school year off in your ministry with students? Here in
Recently I’ve been looking at a new Barna Group study that says, “Most Americans remain relatively upbeat about the role that local churches play in their communities.” It continued to say “that three-quarters of U.S. adults believe the presence of a church is a “very” (53%) or “somewhat” (25%) positive influence for their communities.
In contrast, only 1 out of every 20 Americans believes that the influence of a church is negative—either very (2%) or somewhat so (3%). That leaves about one out of six adults (17%) who are indifferent toward the role of churches.” People who tend to view churches in a more favorable view are the elderly, married adults, women, churchgoers, Protestants, African-Americans and political conservatives.
Imagine teenagers, armed with hammers and paint brushes, descending upon dilapidated homes in Stark County, Ohio. Kevin Thomas, the coordinator for the Stark County network, has been steadfast in teaching his teens to serve the Lord by helping those in need of home repairs. Starting with yard projects, planting flowers and cleaning out gutters, they are now helping to paint houses.
The Stark County Youth Network (SCYN, pronounced “skin”) has existed for over 20 years in Canton, and is about linking up with other youth workers for mutual support, spiritual growth, sharing resources, and reaching young people. They have been helping teenagers serve the community through an organization called "Hammer and Nails".
Many of you have, no doubt, heard about "The Nines" - a day long, online conference featuring Christian leaders from all over sharing 9 minutes worth of insights on the church, ministry, and building the Kingdom of God coming up on September 27th.
I recently nominated Daryl Nuss, the Excutive Director of the National Network of Youth Ministries to be a speaker for The Nines. Why? Because in all of the seminars, books, workshops, conventions, and discussion about growing the Church, almost no one is talking about churches working together.
You know, it's one thing to ask your students to dream big for God. It's another thing when they actually start doing it. Read one youth pastor's story of what God did when he challenged his youth to dream big...and they did.
How can youth workers in a city come together to impact the community?
Well , here is one example of how that might look. The San Diego North County Inland Network brought churches together for worship and service at Kit Carson Park in Escondido. About 400 students and adults from 13 churches praised God through a student-led worship band. It was powerful as youth leaders from multiple ministries shared Scriptures that led through the entire gospel story.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States. I was thinking about this last night as I was giving my three year old a bath. Ok, I should probably disclose right up front that I have ADHD and am usually thinking of multiple things at any given time. I was also thinking about the four teen suicides that have taken place in my community since September. The youth pastor in me aches for the families and friends dealing with these losses. The daddy in me weeps at the thought of one of my three boys ever feeling that suicide is the only answer to their problems. I was further saddened by the statistics I had read that according to the Center for Disease Control, suicide is the third leading cause of death in 15-24 year olds, and fourth leading in 10-14 year olds.
I have become a lover of all things Walt Disney in the past few years since our family first visited Disney World on a delightful mild week in January.
What truly struck me was Uncle Walt himself. The story of how he inspired people and was able to build a team of people who, together, would make history in the field of animated film as well as amusement parks.
The more I speak with youth workers the greater the need I see for them to connect with others like themselves. Frankly, I'm surprised at how unconnected many of them are. Youth ministry is done in the context of relationships. Youth workers need one another -- Networks work! (Connect to excerpt from Doug's talk at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference, 2009)
Here are nine reasons I believe youth workers should regularly connect with other youth workers:
When you're connected with others you can share resources. Practically, this saves you valuable time and money and makes you a relational steward.
One of the reason I love meeting with other youth workers is because I feel safe. I feel understood. I feel known. This is a result from meeting with those who know what I do and what I’m usually feeling or going through.
Every time I gather with youth workers I’m amazed at how much I learn by simply listening to their stories about church, parents, teenagers, volunteers, etc. Other people’s life experiences are a classroom for those willing to learn.
I love hearing what other youth workers are doing. When we share ideas, it’s so much easier to “steal” with permission! My favorite network gatherings were when we would show up every month and share copies of all we had done during the month.
This one is HUGE! So many of the questions that I receive to answer on our Simply Youth Ministry podcast could be better answered if they were asked within the community of other youth workers. Veteran youth workers are really sharp people and can aid with personal and strategic questions.
One of the many elements that I enjoy about meeting with other youth workers is the theological melting pot that shows up. If you choose to meet with people in your own denomination, great! But when you gather with people who are theologically diverse (though unified on the essentials important to you), I find we have much to offer each other.
I love it when networks pull off events for either the local community or the faith community. It’s so great to see youth groups doing things they probably couldn’t do on their own, yet find the ability to do because of the connections within their network.
Teenagers need to see that youth groups and youth leaders are willing to work together to accomplish things for the bigger picture. The youth group down the street isn’t the enemy—the Enemy is the enemy—we need to model that reality.
Networks that meet consistently and for long periods of time become the foundation for great long-term relationships. I’ve experienced this personally and I’ve seen a depth of friendships forming across the country from those who said “yes” to a network gathering.
Bottom line: As youth workers we are “better together”! If you’re not currently connected with a group of youth workers, PLEASE click here and begin searching for one near you.
Editor's Note: This article is a reprint from Doug Fields' blog at www.dougfields.com. Used by permission.
Understanding Cutting and Other Self Injury Behavior
In March, the Chattanooga (Tenn.) Youth Network hosted a new event with youth leaders focused on the issues related to "self injury behavior" (SIB). The leaders live in a community where several suicides had recently taken place. Our hope when we present on topics like these is that we would be helping youth leaders, parents, teachers and students to “Notice and Navigate the Evidence to Teens in Crisis.”
If church youth workers still see para-church ministry as competition, you might be a yellow network.
If the para-church still think there are students who would never darken the door of a church, you might be a yellow network.
Recently I had the pleasure of meeting up with a few guys from the Marshfield, Wisconsin youth ministry network. The candor and honesty in the group was refreshing! I could tell after a few minutes into the network meeting that these guys have a healthy network because of the jovial nature, honest sharing and humble leadership that I observed.
The National Network of Youth Ministries is joining with the Christian players and coaches of the San Diego Padres to host Padres Fellowship Night 2011 next Friday, June 10.
After the game, several Padres players will share about their lives and personal relationships with Jesus Christ. Thousands of fans will hear the good news. Among the Padres expected to participate: Heath Bell, Chase Headley, Nick Hundley. Former Padre great Dave Dravecky will also share about his faith in Jesus.
Several Major League and Minor League teams have similar events around the country.
Please be praying for the results of this special night. You can learn more at www.padresfellowshipnight.com.
Ministry to families is a task that should almost be indistinguishable from youth ministry. While a youth pastor or Sunday school teacher can have a pivotal relationship with a teen, the parent/child relationship is by far the most influential relationship in most kids' lives. If things aren't right at home, you'll have a hard time trying to disciple a kid in your youth group.
The following started as a letter to NNYM Dallas and Collin County network leaders but quickly became a diatribe on the state of YW networking as we know it, why it sucks and how we MUST work to make things better. This is a letter to ALL youth workers.
I used to think network groups were solid; set 'em up and let 'em go. After 18 months of formally working with the National Network of Youth Ministries as the Metro Dallas Coordinator, overseeing Dallas and Collin Counties, I can truly say: I couldn’t have been more wrong. Youth worker networking groups are liquid, and I’m trying to find ways to embrace that and find traction for our groups, both for today and tomorrow.
There was a short time when Rodgers started to drift away; but he had two mentors to help steer him back in the right direction. Pastor Andrew Burchett was the youth pastor when Rodgers was a teen and Matt Hock was leader of their church youth group called “Young Life.”
One of the networks I work alongside of in my role as the national coordinator for Native American youth ministry was recently featured in the Navajo Times.
Northern youth organize to improve their communities
Ron Vining is not your ordinary youth pastor. And Powell, Wyoming is not your ordinary community where hunting is a way of life. Ron saw the need in his community for teenagers in single mom families to be able to connect with mentors through hunting. Listen to his story of how his ministry connects teenagers through taking the shot together.
What could networking look like in your city? Wes, a friend of mine who leads the network in our city, pointed me to this great video that he saw at the Youth Specialties website. It is about a town in Ohio that decided to work together to reach teenagers. As a result, they multiplied thier impact. In light of this video, Wes and I are asking the question, "What could youth ministry look like in our city as we continue to work together?"
Take a look and see the story and make your own conclusions. The original article can be found at www.youthspecialties.com.
Help me write 99 Thoughts on Network Ministry! (Its okay I got permission from Simply Youth Ministry)
"If it wasn't for partnering with youth workers in Brown County there is no way we would have been able to pull of an event that reached over 600 people."
What in the world is a community network?
It happens when we start working outside the walls of our church and assess how we can help teenagers in their neighborhoods and schools.
In San Diego, the Poway Unified School District Youth Workers Network is starting to push the envelope in reaching the "Ours": the students and caring adults who are not connected through the local youth leaders in the area.
Listen to Steven Woods, who leads the youth ministry at Christ Church San Diego and is a part of the PUSD network, and then start the conversation with youth workers in your area!
YW.net Editor's Note: Listen as Geoff Horn talks about the need to involve other adults into reaching youth, beginning with small steps to raise awareness in adults' lives to the youth that they naturally interact with all the time.
Have you ever wondered how to better reach students at the seconday school campuses in your area? How about thinking of your relationship with parachurch or church-assisting ministries as a partnership, not a competition?
Ryan Sharp is the associate pastor of Lambs Fellowship in Murrieta, CA and has had years of experience in partnering with parachurch organizations to effectively reach students on campus. He was literally raised with campus ministry for his father, Monty Sharp, has directed Student Venture Temecula since 1983. The Ministry impacts over 3000 teenagers working in partnership with local churches.
We caught up with Ryan Sharp at the Summit on Schools in San Diego as he shared with youth leaders his perspective on student ministry last August.
Take a look at this video to see how you can more effectively reach students on their campuses through partnerships with church-assisting ministries.
If you've ever enjoyed being in community with other youth workers, you're going to love this video!
The major complaint received on the evaluation forms was that "the retreat wasn't long enough" --- this was music to our ears!
During our time together we asked them the question, "Why would I join a youth leader's network?"
Check out this video to get a feel for the "heart" of some
My wife and I quite possible have the two brownest thumbs in California. Give us a drought-tolerant cactus and after a few months, we will show you a dead cactus. A few years back I was trying to do something about "The Great Campbell Desert", otherwise known as my front lawn.
I diligently went to Home Depot, bought some strong fertilizer and grass seed and even a hand cranking seed sprayer. With enthusiasm for a green lawn, I proceeded to seed and simultaneously fertilize the desert. I watered and waited for weeks - but nothing happened. My problem wasn't the wrong seed or fertilizer; it was forgetting to till the hard-packed soil.
The silly thing is that I never bothered to talk to my neighbor across the street - who is a landscape architect - or the neighbor to his right - who is a gardener. Thankfully, the gardener must have had some pity on me, because after a couple of months he walked over and gave me some basic tips on growing grass (the legal stuff). His advice worked; my grass is now about 80% in!
My failures in gardening taught me a good lesson on why unity matters and why leaders and churches often fail.
Thirty campuses, 2,000 volunteers, thousands of hours of labor… all on one day! As part of our involvement with local networking here in San Diego, NNYM partnered with the Luis Palau CityFest to put on the first annual "School Beautification Day." The purpose was to connect volunteers to schools through service projects to show God's love and build relationships with school administrators. On the day, I went around with Nate Landis who headed up the efforts for the countywide day of service.
Our youth ministry network facilitates churches working together to reach teenagers for Christ. We assume, hopefully correctly, that students are being discipled in their churches and so the emphasis of our network is on evangelism. We believe that there are two big things that church youth ministries need to do together:
Austin Kendrick is not just your ordinary high school student. He is a fighter. He goes to High Tech High in one of the poorest areas of inner-city San Diego. And he is fighting for the eternal lives of his friends by leading a Bible Study on his campus.
No youth pastors are allowed to run a Christian Club at his school. Nate Landis of Urban Youth Collaborative has come alongside and empowered Austin to be the Student Minister on his campus. According to Nate, "Austin has been the one leading his friends and leading the Bible Study...He is much more effective and dangerous for the Kingdom than any youth pastor would be."
Check out this video and listen to Austin's story. If you are looking for other resources to empower students to be leaders on their campus this school year, check out our Youth Leader's University Training site on Campus Ministry at YLU Campus Ministry.
Have you ever wondered how to get your entire church involved in reaching your community's secondary school campuses?
Right now in San Diego there is a coalition of churches who are answering the call. For example, Mike Gilson is the associate pastor at Pathways Community Church in Santee, California. The congregation has partnered with the Luis Palau CityFest to serve San Diego schools through their "Season of Service" in the days leading up to the evangelism festival in September. Take a look at the video to see what they are doing.
Work projects were scheduled on August 21 on 28 school campuses across San Diego County! Adults, youth and even children, as well as a team from the U.S. Navy, are serving the schools together. Hundreds of churches will be volunteering thier time and materials to clean up, landscape and build projects. It is a win-win situation for the church and the school districts, as the projects were ones that the local school administration asked to have completed. If you are local to San Diego, you or your church can sign up for a school campus near you. Or, learn more about the effort by going to www.adoptschoolssd.org.
In addition to our monthly network meetings, our ladies have Youth Pastors Wives Club meetings which they started a year or so ago. This group of ladies felt led by God to do a conference for teenage girls together – it took place back on Saturday, June 5th and it was an amazing event. The day included dramas, testimonies, a Christian version of “The View”, a q & a time with a panel made up of the ladies’ husbands, times of prayer ministry, worship, videos, and a concert by Francesca Battistelli.
What does it take to unite youth workers who all live on the same island, but act like there was no one else there?
Jon Burcombe is the youth pastor at Avalon Community Church. At Spirit West Coast a year ago he shared with me how hard it was to get youth workers on Catalina Island to BE together, let alone work together. I saw him again this year and he talked about what worked to bring youth leaders together to reach teenagers. Today thay have an active network that is reaching teenagers on the island. Listen to his story.
What do you do when a kid from another youth group shows up in your youth ministry?
I like using the word “etiquette” when talking about this issue in youth ministry because I doubt many youth workers think about “etiquette” when doing their jobs. Normally
What is your network like? There are 1200 networks registered with NNYM across the nation. And youth workers are connecting together in over 60 countries! Each network is unique even though it has the same DNA.
David Kurtz is a member of the network known as WayNet in Wilson, North Carolina. He shares about how his network is reaching teens in the Southeast. Our Mid-Atlantic Regional Coordinator, Brian Coday, connected up with him and took this video. Listen as David talks about the shared relationships, resources and strategy that comes from youth workers working together.
Convene
Because the Network is trusted and neutral, we play a unique role in bringing diverse groups and individuals to the same table. This May, at YMEC, heads of evangelical, Pentecostal and mainline youth ministry groups, plus eight different denominations, came together to work through the topic: “Networking in Turbulent Times.” Among other things, a prayer network emerged. Over 20 years of doing this, you can imagine the kinds of energy, support and initiatives that result—just by bringing together these kinds of sharp minds and passionate hearts.
Communicate
Human tendencies lead us to work separately, to build “silos,” to be independent. The first thing a network has to do is to improve communication between the different elements of the community, to begin to have a vision for reaching it together.
How can a youth group make positive change in their community? Rudy Tapote shares some ways that his youth group has demonstrated Christ to the community through their actions.
Empowering teenagers to make a difference on their school campus. Listen to Rudy Tapote talk about his ministry with Vista Assembly of God in California where he equips teenagers to serve outside the Christian club box.
Seeing his youth pastor working in unity with other churches has given David Johnson a head start on what it takes to build a healthy youth ministry that brings hope to his community! Passing the torch to younger youth workers of "unity to reach every" is given through the example we set. As the saying goes, "More is caught than taught." I wonder if the parents and students in our youth ministries notice the difference in our overall program when we network with other churches and ministries? Do they see other church youth groups as a part of their faith community? I believe the new revolution in youth ministry is a commitment to "developing a Parish mentality." Youth ministry models abound for individual church youth ministries. Let's take those principles and apply them to our communities alongside other kingdom-minded neighboring churches. Our students are watching us.
Duffy Robbins and several other youth ministry veterans will be featured at a network-sponsored event on Saturday, May 8 in upstate NY.
Still room to register and at a very reasonable rate! Learn more AND register at www.bloomday.org.
-Syracuse Area Youth Workers
For 25 years Doug Rank has been the youth pastor at Santa Barbara Free Methodist Church. He has led the way as the Network Coordinator in Santa Barbara, CA. since the late 1980s. Listen to what has kept him at his church all these years and what keeps him inviting and challenging youth workers to be "better together."
Do you really know how the youth in your community or ministry feel about God, church, ethics and sexuality? How would it affect your strategies for ministry if you had a “snapshot” of their REAL beliefs, values, and behaviors? What would you do differently if you knew exactly how the felt about your church?
These areas are explored in a new national survey, and NNYM members and their friends have been invited to participate.
Many major league and minor league teams have Baseball Chapel programs that organize an annual "Fellowship" or "Faith" event following a regular season game where the Christian players share about their faith in Jesus Christ.
For the past several years, the local networks in San Diego have coordinate the promotion and participation of metro-area churches and Christian organizations.
Padres All-Star Adrian Gonzalez (shown here at an outreach with his wife, Betsy) is one of the Padres team leaders who participates in the Faith Night program.
Perhaps your local network can partner with your local baseball team's chapel program. To learn more, contact Ric Tolhurst in the NNYM office at 858-451-1111 or go to www.baseballchapel.org.
The Simply Youth Ministry Conference (SYMC) is coming up in three weeks! This national conference will be in Chicago, February 25-March 1. Many of our networking staff will be there.
Our involvement includes hosting regional networking dinners and a networking workshop our field team is leading. If you are going to be in Chicago, please stop by our booth there as we partner with Group/SYM to help youth workers connect locally when they go home from the event.
For those attending SYMC, we will be offering Richard Foster’s modern classic Celebration of Discipline as a free download, as well as Andrew Farley’s The Naked Gospel to anyone who comes to our booth. Please contact us if you will be there.
At SYMC 2009, Doug Fields talked about the need for community in youth ministry. Check out his comments...
To learn more about SYMC, including the NNYM discount code, go here.
To Save A Life opened last weekend nationwide. The writer/producer/Network coordinator who authored the film reported to us that "a student shared about how he attempted suicide on Friday. He was unsuccessful and then went to the film that night and became a Christian and is excited about helping others."
Read on to find out about the film and how to get involved in using it in your ministry.
Noemi Cavalieri has a heart for Hispanic teenagers and working together to reach them. She is a missionary from Argentina to California where she works with a Hispanic youth ministry. She shares how the Hispanic churches need to reach out to other organizations that have the resources they need to reach teenagers.
Why do big churches and small churches need to work together?
Sometimes it is hard to overcome the church size mentality. Whether bigger or better we all need to work together to reach teenagers. I caught up with Lars Rood who has had the privilege to work at larger churches as a youth worker. Here is what he has to say on the matter of networking with big churches.
Syracuse, N.Y. is home to what I have to believe is one of the best youth worker networks in the country - and not only because we meet at a Chinese buffet.
Syracuse Area Youth Workers (SAYW) gave me a place to belong and grow when I first showed up nearly 11 years ago. As a youth pastor who didn’t take one single youth ministry class while in Bible school I had MUCH to learn. Little did I know that SAYW would play such an integral life in my life as a minister. I’m very thankful.
I’ve been trying to think about what I should say about SAYW. I could list off the outreach and community minded events we’ve done or do on an annual basis. I could write about the relationships that have been created and nurtured in the network. I could go on and on about the value this strong network...
What can you learn from a youth worker who has started two networks, and been involved in four ot them? Jimmy Higgins has been networking to reach teenagers for years in Southern California. I am encouraged by his joy and heart for reaching teenagers. He just knows that we are better together and lives it out in his ministry. I caught up with him and asked him about starting youth worker networks. This is his story.
Abby Fox shares how the support and encouragement of her local network has made such a difference for her.
The high school basketball star is at the top of his game. His former friend shoots himself on campus right in front of his eyes. His world collapses from guilt and helplessness. What happens now?
That is the theme for the new movie, "To Save a Life. " It was filmed by Jim Britts, a youth pastor and network coordinator in Oceanside, California. His passion for seeing teenagers reached on campus led him to write and produce this movie coming to theaters in January. Many of the stories in the movie were modeled after issues the network experienced together.
In October I met Danny Pyon at a SoCal Network Summit. After finishing a doctorate on global urban youth culture, God placed on his heart a burden for the Crips and the Bloods. So, he moved to Compton two years ago.
Bob and Mary Dunn serve as the NNYM state coordinators in Arizona. They lead the way in strategic networking. After a recent coordinators summit, I had opportunity to interview them to get the inside scoop. Check out what is happening in Arizona.
Over the years the Bay Area of Northern California has experienced many conferences, campaigns and other events that have left a lasting impact on teenagers. As a generation of new leaders look to the future, their partnerships are important to see even a greater harvest.
But the Bay Area is a big place . . . over 7 million people. That feels overwhelming. So recently a group of Network coordinators came together, asked the hard questions of purposeful networking, and are beginning to think smaller.
Check out what our regional leader Keivan Tehrani had to say after their summit took place.
I recently returned from a conference in India where national youth leaders are working together to reach out and disciple the massive numbers of youth in their country.
Sixty percent of India’s 1.2 billion people are under the age of 25. The numbers and diversity of India’s teenagers are almost impossible to comprehend. Nevertheless, there are quality youth workers in India who are stepping up and trusting God to take the gospel to their young people.
I was able to capture a few comments from Christopher Rajender, who is a Youth for Christ regional leader in Hyderabad, India. You will be encouraged by his vision and perspective of how BIG things are possible by working together.
I'm a Network Coordinator in Sunland, California. Being a part-time youth pastor and going to seminary takes up most of my time. However, I also do a blog at Ministryallies.com that showcases great resources for youth ministry.
Here's my introduction to how to use Youthworkers.net. Having the proper set of tools is key to networking with other youth leaders. The new YouthWorkers.net website is one great tool for you to use. But… instead of typing a long, boring tutorial, I decided to make a video of me showing you around. Take a look.
Julie is a youth worker who sees the need for networking. She shared with me at Youth Specialties' National Youth Worker Convention how important it was for her to link with other youth workers in the Denver area. Listen to her story.
Nick Arnold, a youth worker in the Los Angeles area, recently began a blog called ministryallies.com as a resource to help churches network more effectively. Check out what Nick has to say in this clip, and take a look at his blog.
The following letter was in our local paper, written by 10 freshmen from the Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah School District in Wisconsin:
We wanted to share an experience we had recently while celebrating during our homecoming week. On the night of our dance, ten of us went to dinner at an area restaurant, The Lake Street Café. As the SCCA regional races were in our area, the restaurant was very full. We were sure some tables initially were not thrilled when ten teenagers walked in the room as they were planning to have a nice, quiet dinner ay a very nice restaurant.
When the ball dropped on the US economy, our county was one of the hardest hit, because everyone worked down in Manhattan. I estimate that close to 50% of my friend's church lost their jobs, not to mention everyone losing big in their savings and retirements. People who usually give thousands extra from their stock options couldn't give. People had little to no money to tithe. You get the picture.
Youth Worker Network Utah Road trip from Kevin Boer on Vimeo.
Youth workers in Salt Lake City are sharing their experience of community with the youth workers in St. George! After one of their own moved from Salt Lake to St. George, Jeff Stevenson (Utah’s state coordinator), myself and four other youth workers jumped into Jeff’s wife’s van (thanks, Britney!) and headed on a four + hour road trip to share our passion for youth workers coming together in their own community for relationships, resources and strategies.
Local Network gatherings serve as a “lifeline” for youth workers around the nation in over 1,000 locations. The relationships that occur in those local gatherings cut across denominational, racial and cultural boundaries.
The vast majority of Network Coordinators volunteer their time to organize and lead their local group of youth workers in cooperative efforts, prayer and accountability relationships, and so on.
WHY? Because they recognize the needs in their communities are greater than their individual ministry or church can meet.
Have you connected with a local Network in your area? Click here to get started.
Doing youth ministry in Utah has a number a tremendous challenges (as does any location), but one thing is a guarantee here and that is that networking together with others is TREMENDOUSLY beneficial.
The Christian Youth Network of Utah has been a functioning network in the Salt Lake area for more than 20 years and we have seen some amazing things come from our ministry together.
Baseball is a great game of competition. However at the last game I went to, I saw how powerful it can be when athletes cooperate to share Jesus...
That's one of the topics discussed in the new Youth Leader University under the Training tab. See the answer here.
You might consider sending this information on to any mothers that you know...praying moms might be one of your best allies to reach the schools in your community.
Moms In Touch International is hosting a historic prayer event, “Arise! Cry Out!” on November 14, 2009, inviting Christian mothers from around the world to “Arise! Cry Out!” for the generations. Click here to watch a 90 second video about Arising and Crying Out!
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