Youth Ministry Lite #11

Sorry I am a little late with the latest post but here it is. I hope you enjoy the column and are finding the resources helpful in running a more effective ministry. The 1st resource is a great website to go to for your personal growth as well as to retrieve lessons for your class. Focus On The Family is Dr. James Dobson's radio program and website. Dr. Dobson is an expert on family life, raising kids, etc. On this website you will find a variety of articles which will help you to better understand your teens, as well as effectively reaching them. Visit his site at http://www.focusonthefamily.com/ .
Our second resource is a lesson idea based around the statement, "God isn't interested in your ability, but rather in your availability." Use this lesson to help your teens understand that God only asks them to come to Him with an open and willing heart. Explain to them that no one who God has used, in the bible and otherwise, has had the "experience and qualifications" to accomplish the tasks given to them by God. They have only been successfully because He instilled in them the abilities to achieve the tasks He gave them. God does that so when people see the events they will know it was by God's hand they were accomplished. Today we all lead very busy lives and need to make sure we are putting God 1st at all times and are seeking His will for our lives everyday. Let your teens know that at times this will mean us sacrificing doing things we want to do in order to follow God. The earlier we teach this to our teens the better. Help them make themselves available to God and ask them regularly what God has asked them to do ove rthe past week or two.
Thirdly, I want to discuss curriculum. The book series is written by Mark Matlock and is entitled "Wisdom On.........". The topics range from dating to family to school. This is a series to purchase a book for each student and have them read a chapter each week and then discuss as a group. I highly recommend it and if it requires you having a weekly or biweekly meeting at your home, I recommend doing so. Go through the entire series and make your meeting a discussion. Have refreshments and snacks for the teens and create a relaxed atmosphere. If you have shy kids, provide paper and pens for them to write down questions or comments anonymously and then pull them out of a basket. Thats it for this week and I promise to be on time with the next column. Have a great week.