Youth Ministry Lite

Here I am late again, straggling behind due to the Christmas rush. I greatly apologize. Here we go........I want to start with the illustration, "Sin is like a black hole, it sucks you in." Make sure that you are open with your teens about sin and have them list out common sins that people their age struggle with, as well as the consequences that come from deciding to sin. Another very important aspect to stress to them is that the devil trips us up on little things and that's why we must study the bible to know what God expects of us and how to prepare themselves so they do not fall into a life marked by sin. This is one of those topics that makes for a great discussion. You need to get them talking as you guide the conversation.
Next I want to to discuss Christmas and how we honor God on this day. Christmas has become so commercialized and the focus is not on the birth of Christ as it should be. Read the story of Jesus' birth and give the kids ideas of how they can make sure to set aside time on Christmas day to honor Christ. One would be to serve along side their family at a shelter or maybe to simply go to their bedroom, alone and spend 15 minutes praying and reading the bible.
I am cutting it short on this one but promise to get back on schedule. I pray that you and your family have a blessed and wonderful Christmas this year.

Youth Ministry Lite #13

Welcome Back Youth Ministry Addicts! Our first resource is a great website that should be on every Youth Leaders list, www.youthspecialties.com. This website has numerous free resources such as articles, podcasts, newsletters, tips, and even resources taken from a variety of well known films. The site also offers books for your students and leaders, as well as curriculum's from different publishers. If you are interested in finding an event to take your group to, this is the place to go.
Our next resource is the must read book, "The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions That Determine Personal Success" by Andy Andrews. This book brings to light seven personal decisions everyone can implement into our lives to reach our potential.
The main character, David Ponder, is facing very tough times, just as many Americans are today. David travels through time meeting some of the most amazing people who have ever lived. Each one sharing a principle that is necessary for a successful life. I will not tell you anymore because the suspense is part of what makes this book great.
Andy has even written a youth edition, which follows the same basic storyline, just different characters and events. This is a must read for your entire team as well as a great idea to have your youth group read and discuss together. Set aside seven weeks, each week discussing the next decision. Be creative and come up with lessons that will help teens relate the decisions to their daily lives. Visit Andy's website, www.andyandrews.com, to order this and other books. I highly recommend purchasing the journal to accompany the adult version as it will help you to study each of the decisions and implement them into your life.
For our talk sparker I want to discuss Attention with Intention. It's a bit of a tongue twister but think about what both words mean for a minute. Have you ever had a student or two who were class clowns and couldn't seem to get serious when you were teaching? Or maybe you have a student that just doesn't understand how important it is for them to pay attention to what you are teaching. Maybe you haven't had a teen like this thus far, if that's the case then you will have one soon! It's just something we as Youth Leaders will deal with from time to time. So what I pose today is this lesson idea, Attention with Intention.
Your group meets for one main reason.....God. We do not meet to play games or chat with friends. While all that is absolutely fine, as we want to create a fun and loving environment, when it comes time to teach the lesson, your teens full attention should be on you and what you are saying. Not only should they be hanging on your every word, but they should have every intention of using what they are learning in their daily life. Make sure that you get the teens involved in the discussion.

Youth Ministry Lite #12

This week we have great resources for you so let's get right to it! Our 1st resource is an illustration which you can build a lesson around.
"Preparing our hearts to worship is like a Pro-football player coming to the field prepared to play in the Championship game." Discuss the quote itself, asking the teens what they think it is saying and ask them to reflect on how they currently prepare to attend services. Then go over all the things a football player might do to preparation, as well as what Christians should do.
If you don't typically have a worship portion to your youth services, start today by making it a part. You can buy a cd with popular Christian hits from today that the teens would enjoy. Print out the lyrics off the web and learn them together.
Our 2nd resource is the website, www.homeward.com , which was created by Jim Burns to build Godly families. You can print numerous articles on just about any topic you can think of and listen to podcasts of the Homeward radio program.
For our discussion, I want us to think about how we are getting our teens involved in living out their faith daily. We need to go beyond simply telling them how God wants us to act and give them the opportunities to impact their local community.
One example is to find a great book on a teen who is making a difference in the world, such as "Do Hard Things" by Alex and Brett Harris. Read it as a group, discuss it, then get out and help the community. Be creative and remember to show them how to use the tools you are giving them each week in class. Email youthministrylite@yahoo.com with comments or leave them here.

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.

Youth Ministry Lite #10

Today we celebrate our 10th Youth Ministry Lite column!! To some 10 isn't a big number, but when it comes to my column it's huge! Writing this column is such a blessing to me and and I hope that it has been a blessing to you as well. On to column 10!
Resource #1 today is a great way to help partner with the parents of your teens. You can even make it a group effort and make your youth leaders responsible for a section each, and use it to bring the team together. So what is this amazing resource? A parent newsletter. The newsletter could contain sections such as: Youth Pastors Column, Upcoming events, Topics to be covered and a brief overview along with a question or two for the parents to ask their teens. Also include articles on teens and their daily walk with Christ.
Our second resource are pocket gospels. A pocket gospel is a "tract on steroids", so to speak. They contain the basics of the faith (Jesus is Gods only Son, Died for our sins, Resurrection, He is the only way to be saved)the entire gospel of John and how to accept Christ. They have even partnered with dare2share (a previous resource) to design one just for teens. These are great to have out on a table for any visitors and to give to your teens to hand out to their unsaved friends.
Our talk sparker section is going to be a short one this week but its important. Youth Ministry can only be successful if you integrate the parents into the mix. You need to have regular meetings with them and host events where the parents and teens mix. A great "event" to have is a parent/teen conference so to speak. You need to be the catalyst that helps the two better understand the other. Be the mediator and coach them through how to communicate with one another. A big topic to bring up is compromising, coming to a middle ground. Also, try to get your teens to understand that they are on loan to their parents from God and their parents are responsible for raising them properly and that as teens they aren't always going to like what their parents want from them. I will stop here as I could go on and on. Have a great and blessed week and until next time...........

Youth Ministry Lite #6

Hello Once Again! What a week it has been. Last weekend our church hosted "The Great Youth Event" and had Jason McLeod, who starred in Facing The Giants and Fireproof, as our guest speaker. It was amazing! I realized my next column needed to be written and her I am a bit late. A couple of weekends ago I watched one of the best films I have ever seen, Defiance. Now, while it isn't a "Christian" film per say, I feel safe in recommending it. The film only had a couple of curse words in it, but you can screen the film, know when they are said, and mute or run over them. I only recommend it for high school students and older. The film tells the true story of the Bielski brothers who hid in the forests in order to hide from the Nazis. By the time the brothers were able to safely come out of the forest, they were accompanied by over 1200 fellow Jews. These brothers managed to pull of the biggest Jews saving Jews venture of the WWII. Their story is extremely powerful and relays the message to never give up. This is a great film for movie night. Make sure you let the parents know what you will be showing and how you plan on combating the few curse words. Also explain to them why you are showing this film in particular.
Our second highlight today is the game "Bible Ball". All you need to play is a small-medium sized ball and a group of teens. Have your students sit in a circle and explain how the game works: You (youth leader) will throw the ball to one of the students, upon catching the ball the student must name one thing from the category you have chosen. Let's say the category is men of the bible, the teens must name someone like Moses or Adam. Once they have said their answer they then pass the ball to whoever they want. You will have to make the rules of no hard throws and must give everyone a chance. Have several categories prechosen and when a student cant come up with an answer...they are out. The last 1-2 left are the winners. This is a great game to get the teens loosened up, as well as reinforcing basic bible knowledge.
For this weeks talk sparker, I want to talk about making mistakes and what to do. What I want to say is summed up by this little saying: Good People - Weak Moments. How true this is. As Youth Leaders, we talk a lot about what things the teens should stay away from and how they should act, but have you ever taken the time to talk with them about what they should do WHEN (not if) they mess up. None of us are expected to be perfect, we are human and as humans we are going to slip up at times. You need to make sure that your teens are aware of this often overlooked fact and then walk them through handling the aftermath of their mistake. This little illustration may help them better understand: The only difference between a sinner and a saint, is a saint picks himself back up when he falls down. He doesn't wallow in his mistakes. Give the teens solid real life guidance in what to do. They will appreciate it more than you will know.

Youth Ministry Lite #4

This weeks highlights go together like pb & j! Our first highlight is the film Faith Like Potatoes, which is based on the true story of Angus Buchan, who's faith was grown just like potatoes. Sounds goofy but it tells of how we should never give up or box God in by our circumstances. Our 2nd highlight is Movie Night itself. It is an affordable and fun event that any youth ministry can put on. The key is simply to make it a fun experience. Show a film that will get the teens to thinking (they want content). Don't forget to decorate the space. You want the teens to get the feeling that they are at the theater. You can make posters up to look like the movie posters on the side of the theater to advertise your event. Once the teens are there, pop several bags of popcorn and pour up some sodas. If your church has a projector and you have access to a laptop, tack up a sheet and show the film that way (it is sssooooo much better).
For our talk sparker this week I want us to think about insuring that we are helping our teens discover, develop, and deploy their spiritual gifts. The teenage years should be the launching pad finding their groove (or atleast starting the process) when it comes to serving God using the spiritual gifts He gave them. Pick up books like "Generation Change" by Zach Hunter or "Do Hard Things" by Alex and Brett Harris, read them and develop a master list of possible student led ministries, give to the group, and discuss it with them. Since so many teens are shy or just won't know where and how to begin serving, come up with some immediate positions for them to sign up for and begin a rotation. You can include things such as cleaning up the youth area each week, aiding the teacher, and so forth. This is a continuous process, not one lesson and they are good to go. We must stay on top of it and encourage them to delve deeper into the ministry. You get an extra this week because it goes along with keeping up with what each of your students are gifted at. Keep a file on each child and keep quick notes on their strengths, weaknesses, characteristics, problems, contact info, etc. This is an invaluable tool that you will greatly appreciate. Have a great week!

Youth Ministry Lite #3

Youth Ministry Lite
By. Ashley Engleford

Our highlighted website this week is http://www.leestrobel.com/. At this website you can investigate your faith, Christianity, Jesus, etc. through excellent video clips featuring Lee discussing the topic and the evidence. This website is a must visit for you and your teens. Send them to Strobels website with their questions and they will walk away with answers.

Parents Nite Out is our highlighted event this week and it is great for the youth and parents alike. The event gives your teens the opportunity to serve others in the church and at the same time provides the parents of little ones safe, reliable babysitting and a couple hours free time to go out on a date with their spouse, make a grocery run, or maybe some simple peace and quiet. This costs nothing unless you buy snacks and drinks (which I suggest). To advertise the event, come up with an invitation you can have the teens hand deliver after worship services 2-3 weeks prior to the event (is a great opportunity for an artistic teen to put their talent to use).

For our talk sparker this week I want to talk about inspiring our teens. Inspiration is what we youth leaders should be passing out by the handfuls. If we are constantly giving them a list of do’s and don’t do’s, they will quickly grow tired of attending and we will have lost them. Inspiration is what will take apathetic, complacent teens and turn them into driven and passionate teens. Today’s times require that we be nifty and clever, while keeping the gospel pure at all costs. Teens don’t want a place that’s all fun all the time. They are searching for somewhere that walks the walk and gives the clear message of Jesus Christ all the time. So don’t be fooled into becoming an entertainment venue. Take the time to do the research and to try a variety of curriculums until you find the best fit for your students. Ask yourself “Am I giving them real life examples of teens like Alex & Brett Harris who are changing what it means to be a Christian Teen?” It is even possible to take your group to camps/conferences that have teen speakers, which is always inspiring to fellow teens. Society has set such low standards for our teens and battling those low standards is just that….a battle. There are going to be victories and loses but when your teens graduate and move on from your youth group, they will know how to fight and to not give up and to praise God no matter what..

Youth Ministry Lite #2

Youth Ministry Lite
By. Ashley Engleford

Welcome back youth ministry addicts! I hope all is well in your little corner of the ministry. In my youth group, we youth leaders are finishing up the preparation for our 1st ever Parent/Teen Grill Out. We are praying for great weather and a great turnout. This month I am highlighting The Case For Christ by Lee Strobel.. Lee has a law degree from Yale University and used to write for The Chicago Tribune as their Legal Editor. He considered himself an atheist but God had other plans. His wife, Leslie, inspired him to investigate Jesus Christ and the resurrection because of the amazing transformations he saw taking place in her after accepting Christ as her personal Savior in 1979. In this must read book for believers and unbelievers alike, Lee leaves no stone unturned. He interviewed many of the leading experts of the bible, asking tough questions many of us have asked ourselves. Lee studied the bible throughout his journey and in the end makes the only logical decision he saw, accepting Christ as his personal Savior. Despite his Law degree from Yale, Lee writes in a very blatant manner so you don’t get “lost in the evidence”. Lee has even come out with a student edition to his books for teens.

Also highlighted this week is the website, www.igniteyourfaith.org. This is a great website to pass on to your students. You will find articles on a variety of subjects, true life stories from teens, a humor section, and much more. The site is geared towards teens and college age students.

Answer me this……….Have you ever had a student make false accusation
against you? Maybe you have a teen that is simply rebelling against your authority and they don’t want to hear any advice you give them. How did you handle the situation? How would you handle the situation? Everyone involved in Youth Ministry needs to prepare themselves for such an occasion because it will happen to all of us, possibly multiple times the longer you are in the ministry. Here are my suggestions for just such an occasion. (If accusations are more than you being mean, calling them names, etc. you need to immediately go to your Pastor.)
1. A. Attempt to resolve the situation with the teen, searching for a reason for their behavior. B. If A fails, visit their home and talk with the teen and their parent(s).
2. If 1 fails, talk with another youth leader and both of you sit down with the teen and attempt 1A.
3. If 1 & 2 fail, talk with your Pastor, letting him know what has happened and both of you have a sit down with the student to gain resolution
4. If 1-3 fail I suggest you give them the choice of coming clean and talking the issue over with you or not being aloud to attend youth group until the issue is resolved.
Teens are at a very tender stage in their lives. They need to find their niche, to know they are loved unconditionally, and need at least one godly role model. Some teens will have divorced parents, others come from a single parent home, or maybe the whole family attends church. The point is that you must truly get to know each student and form a personal relationship with them showing them you care. Don’t get discouraged and try not to take it personally. Continue to offer unconditional love and forgiveness before they ask for it (if they ask for it). Stay strong and know you aren’t alone in this fight! HH

Youth Ministry Lite #1

Youth Ministry Lite
By. Ashley Engleford


Welcome to the very 1st column of Youth Ministry Lite! I am honored to have the opportunity to share with you each week illustrations, lesson ideas, games, and personal experiences. To start here is a bit of my story: My life prior to accepting Christ was full of immoral relationships, drugs, and alcohol. My greatest accomplishment during those years of living my way was graduating from The University of Alabama ( Huntsville ) with my Bachelors in Biology and Chemistry. Since accepting Christ, my life has still been a struggle at times. I have learned that my circumstances will constantly change but my faith in Christ remains solid. The Lord has blessed me so much and done incredible transformations since the night I heard Him call my name at a revival.
My connection with the teens began the night I gave my testimony. I was a “newbie” (~ 2-3 months old). We had a packed room that night and my story captivated them, bringing some to tears (myself included). I was a sinner and I had traveled all the roads that led to destruction, the same roads they are tempted to walk down every day. I gained trust, respect, and credibility that night with them. The time I have spent with them since then has allowed me to form personal relationships which have allowed me a front row seat into their lives. I have to work to maintain that seat though. If I don’t continue to work to get to know them, if I don’t show them that I love them unconditionally, if I don’t show up for them, if they don’t see me living the life that I am teaching them to live, I lose that seat. They aren’t going to just let us in. The key is to go through the list of things I just provided consistently. No kid is a hopeless case.

Youth Ministry is a full-time job, even as a volunteer. I spend countless hours emailing the teens, giving them a ride, surfing the internet looking for illustrations, lesson ideas, games, preparing the lesson, and so on. I have a full-time job in my career field to pay the bills and put food on the table but I also am a full-time volunteer Youth Leader. My life’s purpose is Youth Ministry. It can be discouraging at times because maybe your teens aren’t stepping up like you want them too or maybe you don’t think some of them are really listening to the lesson. Know this; we can have a profound affect on their lives even under those circumstances.

I just began reading “Generation Change” by Zach Hunter. Zach is a teen who is following Gods’ Word by taking a stand against modern day slavery and challenging his peers to make some change of their own. I recommend this book to every teen and any youth leaders who want to challenge their students to be change. I want to highlight the website www.simplyyouthministry.com this week. At this site you can download free sermons, lesson notes, listen to a podcast on youth ministry, or buy resources. It has been a very helpful site for me. Well that’s it for this weeks’ column. I look forward to our next encounter and remember you have a partner in this fight.