Father’s Day Sermon Ideas

ARE YOU SERIOUS?

So I had the blessing of preaching the Father’s Day Service and we gave away “Happy Father’s Day” pens. I think we made the smarter decision.

What makes a successful mission trip?

Next week our mission team departs for a mission trip to Kentucky to work in a youth camp and conduct a VBS for the local community.  As the trip gets closer, I keep thinking and praying:  What makes this trip successful?

• If we make it through the VBS without anyone electrocuting themselves or a kid walking into traffic?
• If we have at least as many students in the van coming back as we did going there
• It doesn’t rain during your work time, no one throws up more than twice, and the food is pretty good
• No hospital visits, no police calls, and we are invited back for another trip

What do you think?  What makes a trip successful?  What is missing in this list?  In case you couldn’t catch the sarcasm, here are few that I truly would put on my “successful trip” list.

• Students matured in their faith and were stretched in ways that may not have happened without this trip
• Boys and girls accept Jesus Christ as their Savior…and the students have a part in that!
• The missionaries are blessed, encouraged, and their ministry is better off because of your visit

There, I thought you would like that list a little better.  Now I’d like to hear what you think!

Youth Culture Update

Safe Driving Teenagers

TV Effect on Teens - Time Magazine also wrote about similar results

Medicine Cabinet = Drub Habit?

Teens & Religion - Great article for vision/curriculum

Random Thoughts

Here are some news stories that just make you go why?

1. I’m sure you heard about the lady that wanted to get a closer picture of the polar bears at the zoo.  Why?
2. Ever want to break the world record for most texts in a month.  Might want to check if you have unlimited texting.
3. I bet they were starburst jelly beans.  Soooo good.

What’s New in the Sports World

1. The Bulls-Celtics series has become epic.  Thank you KG for being hurt so it is fair teams.
2. I heard the NFL draft might go to 3 days now!  Are you serious?  Why don’t we make it like the 12 days of Christmas.  Wasn’t a 3 1/2 hour first round a clue not to expand?
3. Only a matter of time before we see StAROD on the field.  Thought of that myself and wanted to get it in before it was on someone’s poster on ESPN.  Always wanted to be on sportscenter, so if you are at a Yankee’s game feel free to use that and I can live vicariously through you.

What’s New in Ministry

1. Missions Training for our upcoming trip to Kentucky Mountain Mission have been superb.  Students have been working hard and can’t say I’m not getting a little nervous as the trip approaches.
2. Why does it take a financial crises to appreciate God’s giving towards us!  We are so blessed and spoiled by our Lord, and giving back to him through our time and resources is such a blessing, especially with so many in need.
3. Looking forward to one of our biggest events.  Can’t wait for the 1st ever PRIM OLYMPICS.  It will be historic.

Are You a God Salesman?

If you were selling to God to your students, would any of them want to buy?  If this was a retail business, would you be recieving any commission, or even worse, would you get fired for your lack of productivity?

Now I realize that ministry is not all about numbers…but how many new customers have you brought into your “store”?  How about your regular customers, are they willing to buy new products or upgrade what they already purchased?  Or do you have a whole bunch of browsers, who are simply “just looking”, ready to exit the “store” and move on to something more important?

I think I’ve made it pretty clear with my illustration here, although our churches should not be run like businesses, there are some similarities.  Think about what I am saying here.  How much growth has happened in your church due to conversion?  How many baptisms have you seen?  Do your regular students even care about what you are teaching?  Are they truly “just looking”?  Has anyone bought into the principles you have taught from God’s Word?  I got to be honest, if I produced a spreadsheet on how well I am doing with “selling God” to my students and the community, I would be pretty embarassed.

How about you, is your “God business” in a recession where you serve?

Should a Youth Pastor be Ordained?

Good question.  Should an assistant pastor, student pastor, youth pastor…or whatever title you have at your church….be ordained?  Depends on how serious you take that position – Do you view the youth pastor as a less important member of the staff?  Is he the junior to the senior pastor?  Or maybe your thoughts are that the youth pastor position is a stepping stone to the senior pastor position.

If you are a youth pastor or youth leader, these questions probably make you cringe, angry, or smirk.  You know the battles you face as a youth pastor…you know that there needs to be more people to battle in the trenches for the hearts and souls of these young people that are turning their back on the church at an alarming rate.

So my answer…YES.  I do think a youth pastor needs to be ordained.  I do believe a youth pastor needs to be taken seriously, utilized in church vision, and devoted to his craft.  We need more student ministers that are commited to youth ministry…what better way to show your commitment than to be ordained.  It was not an easy process, but two weeks ago I made that commitment and was ordained.  Will you be next?

Youth/Student Ministry Book Reviews

Sustainable Youth Ministry  by Mark DeVries

Imagine the game “Who Wants to Be a Youth Worker?”, where you could phone a friend or use a lifeline whenever you don’t know the answers in your ministry.  Well, ministry isn’t a game, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a lifeline.  Sustainable Youth Ministry is that lifeline.  Mark DeVries provides numerous, practical principles to implement in your ministry to produce a lasting impact on young people for Christ.  For too many years, youth ministry has been built on sand.  And when the rough waters come, churches are satisfied to let things wash away, only to have to rebuild again.  It is time for youth ministries to take the time to build a solid foundation that will have a lasting impact…Sustainable Youth Ministry will you reach that goal.

Use this book to fight the trend of youth ministers only lasting 1.5 to 3 years in the field.  Let’s bring longevity back into student ministry.  In a ministry that is failing, when you look at dropout rates of young adults, take some advice from a man that has been in the trenches for many years. 

reTHINK:  Decide For Yourself, Is Student Ministry Working?  by Steve Wright

Student ministry is facing an epidemic called “graduating from God”.  Young people are graduating from high school and simply not coming back to church.  When you look at the statistics of 60-80% of young people leaving the church, you can’t ignore that there is a major problem with student ministry today.  The problem is IT ISN’T WORKING!

So, Steve Wright does what many youth leaders and pastors are afraid to do, CHANGE THE MODEL.  Now, what is nice is that this isn’t some new, hip relevant way of doing things that dumbs down the gospel to a curriculum that utilizes American Idol examples and downloads for you iPOD.  On the contrary, Wright is able to get us back to the basics and the foundation of God’s Word.  Secondly, he is able to produce a model that supports the family and opposes a drop-off babysitting service model.  This intergenerational ministry approach is a must read for all student ministries, and those without the ministries as well.

Katie Perry & Today’s Teenager

I’m not trying to cause this pop star more heartache, as that famous sign did.  However, much can be learned from Katie Perry’s experiences and where youth culture has been headed for the last 50 years. 

We know from the studies and surveys that young people are leaving the church.  Katie Perry, who used to be a Christian artist, is just another example.  Youth ministries are comprised of young people searching for answers, searching for authenticity, and searching to be known.  In this interview with Katie Couric, two powerful statements are said that reveal a sad commentary on our present youth ministry state. 

First, the producer of her album, in order for her to sell, told her to “rebel against what you know”.  What a statement!  This is the world speaking to your teens.  In order to be sucessful in the world, you are going to have to rebel at some point to what you know, and what you’ve been taught it Sunday school, youth group, or Sunday service.  And that is what these students are doing!  Pop culture dominates their thoughts, video games dominate their time, and the entertainment world dictacts their actions.  God is waiting on the outside, and we need to help let Him into the picture.

Finally, have you heard the words “I’ll start reading the Bible when I’m older” or “I’m just having fun now, when I grow up I’ll do all that boring stuff”.  In this interview, we hear “came from this, and you can always come back to it”.  Many of those teenagers in youth ministries across the country know the truth, they just choose to live another way.  I’m not in a position to judge Katie Perry because I don’t know her personally.  But her words are heard in youth rooms everywhere…and teens need to know simply knowing about Jesus is not enough.  Giving up on Jesus can earn you a grammy, but giving your life to Him, now that deserves an award.

Child-Like Faith

Super Bowl Illustration

When a player speaks of the owner of a professional sports team, how do they address them?  Rarely do you hear Dallas Cowboys players call their owner “Jerry”, or the New England Patriots owner is not referred to as “Bob”.  On the contrary, they call their owners Mr. Jones or Mr. Craft.  There is respect there.  These owners pay their salary, provide them with a job, and organize the team around them.

Well, what about the One that paid the penalty of sin, provided eternal life to all who believe, and organized the stars in the heavens?  The Lord God created the heavens and the earth, he deserves our respect & praise.  Sure, he may not be a NFL team owner, but He holds the whole world in His hands!