"Unfortunately, more often than not there is a gap that exists between the life of a youth ministry and the life of the youth family. Familiar with that gap? Let me present you with two of the more common problems that families run into when it comes to the relationship between their church’s youth ministry program and their youth.
First, there is the classic lack of communication. Symptoms include: not knowing what’s going on, not knowing when things are happening, unaware of who’s in charge, or which adults will be working with or chaperoning your teenager, etc. This, no doubt, can be a very discouraging problem.
Second – another time-tested classic – the problem of competition. Oftentimes, families feel like their church’s youth program is competing against them for quality time with their youth. Usually, this is caused when youth don’t want to hang out with their families because they want to go and do something with the youth group...
Either way, when it comes to the youth group vs. the family, the family should win every time because the family (and not the youth group) is the God-ordained institution responsible for bringing up youth in the fear and admonition of the Lord. The youth group, on the other hand, is simply here to help."
I am in 100%, complete and total agreement with that last statement. I believe that the family (parents, that's YOU) is the God-ordained creation responsible for bringing up children in the LORD. Our student ministry simply exists to help. I hope that you'll let me know how we can help.
Read the rest of this great article here.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Fall Overnighters
Our Fall 2008 Overnighters are right around the corner...
They both run from 8pm, and end by 9am.
The Gals' Overnighter is at the home of Kathy Thomas. Kathy and her daughter Laurie (she was a youth sponsor who's now attending classes at UNI are hosting. They'll be hot-tubbing, among other things. Just click on the "Calendar" link to the left for her address.
The Guys' Overnighter is at Eastview. Me, Josh Davis and Gregg Lunde, and maybe another adult or 2 are running the show. We'll be HALO'ing, shooting one another with our softair guns, watching some movies, and from 9-1130 we'll be...well, it's a secret. But, if you show up at 9, the doors'll be locked, and you ain't coming in, so make sure your're there on time.
We need a signed permission slip for all of those going to either Overnighter, and the cost per student is a wimpy $5. They'll need to bring the normal overnighter stuff.
Need a permission slip? Email me at jmulholland@eastview.net
They both run from 8pm, and end by 9am.
The Gals' Overnighter is at the home of Kathy Thomas. Kathy and her daughter Laurie (she was a youth sponsor who's now attending classes at UNI are hosting. They'll be hot-tubbing, among other things. Just click on the "Calendar" link to the left for her address.
The Guys' Overnighter is at Eastview. Me, Josh Davis and Gregg Lunde, and maybe another adult or 2 are running the show. We'll be HALO'ing, shooting one another with our softair guns, watching some movies, and from 9-1130 we'll be...well, it's a secret. But, if you show up at 9, the doors'll be locked, and you ain't coming in, so make sure your're there on time.
We need a signed permission slip for all of those going to either Overnighter, and the cost per student is a wimpy $5. They'll need to bring the normal overnighter stuff.
Need a permission slip? Email me at jmulholland@eastview.net
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Accountability, Respect, and other things...
Over the past few weeks (months really), we've had a number of respect issues within our youth group. We've been thinking about how we should deal with these things; and we've decided that we're going to tackle them head on.
I came across the blog of a youth pastor from Canada. He has some interesting things to say about accountability.
"When are we going to stop turning our heads away from people and their irresponsibility. When are we going to look at how people are treated, talked to, disrespected and everything else and begin to confront those doing it?"
"When are we going to look at the people that try and bend the rules - and tell them to STOP!"
Our answer to those questions, and the others that he posts are "now".
Check out the rest of his post here.
I came across the blog of a youth pastor from Canada. He has some interesting things to say about accountability.
"When are we going to stop turning our heads away from people and their irresponsibility. When are we going to look at how people are treated, talked to, disrespected and everything else and begin to confront those doing it?"
"When are we going to look at the people that try and bend the rules - and tell them to STOP!"
Our answer to those questions, and the others that he posts are "now".
Check out the rest of his post here.
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