Sunday, January 30, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Text & Chat Acronyms
Today while leading a workshop for youth leaders on social media, questions about the new language of the media age were raised. Below is a list of text and chat acronyms put out by the CPYU (Center for Parent & Youth Understanding) (click the picture to enlarge). You can also consult websites like Netlingo.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Giovanni Stepping Down
As I have already shared with most of you, we are saddened to announce that at the end of this month Giovanni is stepping down from his position as the youth ministry assistant in order to work on some personal and relational things in his life. He has worked tirelessly for the last year-and-a-half and we appreciate all of the effort he has put in to making Planet Impact a better youth ministry. Please pray for him as he engages God in the work He is doing in his life.
Sincerely,
Pastor Kevin
Monday, January 24, 2011
Leader Session with Doug Fields - Winter Retreat 2011
- See leadership potential in kids
- Give them responsibilities
- Doug's heartbeat: To look kids in the eye and tell them they're leaders
- I have made a lot of mistakes. Most of what I have learned in ministry is from mistakes. I take my mistakes, flip them around and I have a principle.
Word I've been thinking lately: STORY
- Kids remember stories
- Matthew 13
- We need to be revealing our own stories (and not just the "How great thou art" stories - when we tell those stories, kids can't relate).
- Exercise discernment and wisdom - not only in content shared, but the context in which it's shared.
- Current struggles are really important. We must be careful how much we play the "used to do it" card. Can backfire.
- Become experts at drawing out their stories.
- You're not just a chaperone; you're a minister! Your job is to draw out stories.
- Challenge students to articulate their own stories.
- Always have them write it out. It forces them to think it through.
- Not everyone can be a speaker, but almost everyone can be a reader.
- Their stories give you illustrations. Ask them for permission to keep a copy and to use it (or have them read it) during your talks. Just categorize and file them.
- Make your ministry a place where you expose stories.
- Create a culture in which story-sharing becomes the norm.
- Everybody has a story. Not all glamorous, but everybody has a story.
- Affirm them like crazy when they share their stories. Make them feel loved. If they take a risk and expose themselves, you'd better affirm them!
- After they share, make eye contact with them and say, "Thank you for sharing your story. That was risky, but I am so proud of you!"
- Connect them to God's BIGGER story.
- Help them realize how their story fits within God's story.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Important Small Group Reminders
Thank you all for your hard work with small groups. As we are kicking off the new semester, here are a few important, friendly reminders.
- Be Prepared. Get your lesson printed out and review it BEFORE you arrive on Wednesdays.
- Stick to the Script. There's a reason we have selected this curriculum. It is designed according to grade and is strategic and progressive in addressing age-appropriate topics and Bible content. It's easy to just sit around and shoot the breeze, or to feel like you need to deal with a situation, but small group time in our format is not the time to do that. Do that after small group, take your kids out to Starbucks, etc. (In other small group structures (which we have used in the past), there is space built in to be flexible and to deal with things as they come up, but we are currently using a curriculum and have just the right amount of weeks to get through the material.)
- No Switching. Some students will want to switch groups for any number of reasons. To be with their friends, they like you better than their small group leader, they like what you're talking about better than what their group is talking about, etc. We just can't do it! Kids need to be in the right group. Don't let them puppy-dog-eye you. Be a leader and tell them that although you appreciate their desire to be with you (a good thing!) they need to be with their group, and that you'll hang out with them after small group.
- Confidentiality. It's important that you pick up your group's journals and put them away after small group. We want to be respectful of kids' privacy and what they are writing as they learn.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
RISE 2011 - January 29th
RISE 2011
Cost: Only $15 (includes lunch!)
Sign Up TODAY!
(Click the pic to enlarge)
Friday, January 14, 2011
20 Winter Retreats!
"THANK YOU!" To all of you who helped us pull off another incredible Winter Retreat, thank you! Each and every one of you played a key role. We couldn't have done it without you. I appreciate the total team effort!
I want to especially honor Bob Zuber who was serving at his 20th Winter Retreat! What an exemplary leader whose faithfulness should inspire us all. Please join me in expressing gratitude to Bob, his wife Maryann, and his son Justin for their selfless and sacrificial service.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Famous & SIGNIFICANT Last Words!
An hour ago I learned that my friend Heather died tragically. We had the chance to work together on a few occasions reaching students for Jesus, and until moving back to her home in Chicago a few months ago, I always enjoyed seeing her familiar face and hearing her booming-with-life voice almost every time I entered my real office, Starbucks, where she worked as a barista. She was one of the most optimistic, positive, funny, passionate people I have ever met. In visiting her Facebook page I was amazed to find that her last wall post had these simple but profound words:
"Don't just pretend to love others...really love them."
Heather had no idea that these would be her final words to the [Facebook] world, but I can think of no better message to leave! More than just famous last words, her message is filled with true meaning and significance. May we all hear and live out these words which are directly from the heart of God.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Henri J.M. Nouwen on Success vs. Fruitfulness
"There is a great difference between successfulness and fruitfulness. Success comes from strength, control, and respectability. A successful person has the energy to create something, to keep control over its development, and to make it available in large quantities. Success brings many rewards and often fame. Fruits, however, come from weakness and vulnerability. And fruits are unique. A child is the fruit conceived in vulnerability, community is the fruit born through shared brokenness, and intimacy is the fruit that grows through touching one another's wounds. Let's remind one another that what brings us true joy is not successfulness but fruitfulness." (Nouwen, Henri J.M. Bread for the Journey)
Monday, January 3, 2011
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