The Global Leadership Summit
Because of the ongoing relationship that Reach Youth New England has developed with Willow Creek Association, we have once again secured a discount code for the LOWEST possible price, $79, to attend the Summit, not only for New England Youth Workers but for EVERY youth worker in America!! Pretty great, huh? Click here to find out more information or to see the list of locations click here.
PLEASE NOTE: To honor our commitment to Willow Creek, we must ask that this code be used ONLY by youth workers, youth ministry volunteers, college, and high school students. This code is not to be used by general church staff or others.
Just use the code 13TGLSYTH when you register to get the discount!
English
This month,
On a busy street in one of India's congested cities, traffic grinds to a halt.
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..jpg)
On October 1, Dan Maltby, one of the Network founders, went to be with the Lord at age 65.
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 
My wife and I are preparing to go on a weekend backpacking trip with Biola University students who have varying levels of 
The local youth pastor or local youth worker is constantly faced with the reality of multiplying harvest workers to reach teenagers. In our local ministry we have a monthly In-service meeting that either meets before our High School ministry begins, and after our middle school ministry has concluded. We do it on the first Wednesday night of the month, so our volunteers can get that locked into their minds and hearts.
"Build it, and they will come."
Do you have days when you question the call of God on your life to do youth ministry? Perhaps you are wondering about your purpose and the worth of what you are doing.
We are multidimensional beings. Now I am not going to launch into a Star Trek episode to boldly go where no one has gone before. What I mean is we are created with different facets of our being. Even Jesus refers to this when He says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength." In leadership literature the same concept is shared by Stephen Covey in his "7 Habits for Highly Effective People." He speaks of the "4 Dimensions of Renewal" being Physical, Spiritual, Mental and Social.
Over the past couple of months I have written several short blog posts and have been honored to speak in several venues in New England urging my fellow youth workers to join the growing movement toward handing ownership of Student Ministry back the rightful ministers: the students.
About a hundred years ago, the area in Idaho to which we are moving was the second-largest sheep producer in the world; over a million of the wooly beasts used to graze the Pioneer Mountain foothills. To celebrate their rich heritage, area residents celebrate the 
As a Pastor of Student Ministries I firmly believe that we must stop making youth ministry about us and come to a place where we are brave enough to hand this vital ministry back to its rightful owners: the students. We must empower them to become the kingdom warriors Christ has called them to be. We need to realize that this ministry is not about us in any way. Nor should it be a ministry where we hand feed those we minister to; because quite simply it isn't working and it is wrong thinking..jpg)
I had an interesting day today.... not really that different than others, but a day that brought to mind the reality of the work I have given my life to. A day that reminded me of the frailty of human life. A day that reminded me of my need for total dependence on my Savior, Jesus Christ! While working out at the gym this morning, I had no idea that this reminder would come. And, while not expecting it, I certainly wasn't thinking that I would be given such a vivid picture of the truths of God's Word.
The Elephant Graveyard
Often I am asked, "What do I do to stay current and relevant while I am in-between ministry jobs?" In the current economic environment, that's a question that is being asked more and more and is a worthwhile conversation. Below are a few things that I would encourage if you find yourself in that situation.
Over the years I have found myself increasingly convicted that my main role as Pastor of Student and Family ministries is to empower our students to recognize and seize their God ordained position as a part of the “current generation” of the church. It drives me crazy to hear well meaning people state that the youth are the future of the church.
In our ministry, we love when God uses our strength and/or giftedness because it is easy for us. Life is smooth and there are not very many bumps in the road. But!!! God also uses our weaknesses and the areas that we consider our failures. We beg God to please take this away. There are times when he says “no”, but also says “I will use it”. This is something we do not like. We’d rather have everything in control, and make sure our weaknesses are hidden. When God uses our weakness, it can be frightening to us.
This post was inspired by a question asked to me by one of my long term friends and fellow youth workers, Joel Lusz - Youth Pastor, Sun Tree UMC. "In your opinion, what must youth ministers do in order to create deeper youth ministries?" Here is how I responded:
No, I don't have gas. I wish it were that simple.
Ever come to the point where you don’t know how to do anymore than you’re already doing? The frustration of ministry gets the best of you. So you stop. Sit down. Pray. Even plead with God.
I am a follower of Christ. I am a committed follower of Christ. I try as best I can to be like Christ. I know others that follow Christ with all they have and all they can give. I know many, many today that live their lives as though they are literally following the Christ and that is a great way to live one's life. But, is that it?
I was thinking about what it was like in my first internship as the only youth pastor of the church back in 1986-87. I knew a little bit from the youth pastors in my life. I knew a little bit from my youth degree, I knew a little bit from the ministry I grew up going to, participating in and there were some great things from my experience that stayed with me. I knew enough about God's Word to believe He gifted me, called me, and made me who I was and so... I just went and did it and to this day continue on with the same little ole steps that keep me moving forward, enjoying leadership, enjoying ministry, enjoying life. Hopefully you will be encouraged a little bit by reading this today and will ultimately look behind you and see a ministry following you!
I have had this problem for a long time now. I think BIG! I dream of a Student Ministry that is BIG. That is huge. That says to every student in every High School that this ministry is for you. That our students, that our leaders, that our team, that our philosophy, that our direction, that our message, is for every Middle Schooler, every High Schooler, every College/Young Adult student in our surrounding area.
1 Thessalonians 1.2-3 2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
As youth pastors, we can get frustrated with traditional churches, hierarchy, and politics.
“Each article is meant to help youth workers in whatever context they might find themselves working to help guide students into spiritual formation for the mission of God. Immerse is about providing youth workers with theologically robust, soul-caring and genuinely practiced tools for contextualizing the mission of 
In my nine years of youth ministry, I have read and heard over and over again about the limitations of students, specifically Middle Schoolers, when it comes to issues of attention spans and what they can understand. It's been explained to me how Middle Schoolers can only handle a maximum of 10-15 minute talks or else we will lose them and bore them. I've been told by a parent that their 8th grade daughter wasn't intellectually capable to handle a talk in the 30-minute range. Yes...her own parent said that.
I made a good decision this weekend, but it took me a bit too long to make it. I decided to stop watching a show I used to love.
For the past few months, I have been making presentations to adult volunteers who will be going on summer mission trips with LeaderTreks. I do this every year, but this year I wanted to focus on helping adult volunteers really understand the purpose for student missions. So I created this presentation called 10 Keys to Leading a Great Mission Trip. Ten things may seem like a lot, but all of these things are important.
“And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.” --Acts 19:8-10
When my wife and I look at the journey of our dating years and marriage, we like to refer to the “holymess” of our relationship. Our marriage is a holy, great, awesome thing that has taught us a lot, but that is in part due to the messy times we have faced…and are still facing in some regards. The holy parts of a relationship go hand-in-hand with the messy parts. In fact, to have a truly deep and godly relationship, you can’t have one without the other. 
In two weeks I turn 42 years old. It is not a huge deal, but it has caused me to reflect a little. I am not in some mid-life crisis where I am going to sell all I have and get a new sports car or move to Tahiti. I would like a nice fishing boat, but that is more of a wish. No, I have been reflecting on what I have been doing with my life. I started in youth ministry when I was 19 years old at a little store front church in South Florida. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I have felt called and driven to continue in ministry ever since.
I believe it was John Maxwell who first coined the phrase “leadership cup.” (This is the same John Maxwell that was arrested for bringing a handgun through security at an airport. Don’t believe me? Google it. I dare you. Funny story. It’s true, and it was an accident.)
Austin Duncan, the high school pastor of Grace Church in Sun Valley, California, offers his personal apology for being in ministry to teenagers:
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.
Editor's Note: Doug Franklin is the president of LeaderTreks, a ministry dedicated to creating tools and resources to enable youth workers to develop students into leaders. Doug's blog, 
