Comments on: Ministry Mutiny Principle 6 – Build on values not fads

By: Carl Browning

Carl Browning — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:56:20 +0000

I have been in youth ministry for 3 months now and the pressure to please the teens with entertainment is great. My leaders have given me the priveledge to follow the heart of God but it’s easy to want to cater to what will make young folks and parents happy and excited about youth ministry. I have settled in my heart that God has created me with my own gifting; to be myself and to follow his plan for the ministry I serve. I believe the youth should recieve the pure word through different forums of teaching but through the inspiration and guiding of the Holy Spirit. Most teenagers are social creatures and need to embrace fellowship in the church, this has been heavy on my heart.

By: kealnt

kealnt — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:12:23 +0000

Building. Whew. I am starting a Student Ministry from the beginning. No team, a few kids and a big dream. Now I may be the only one, but I am at times amazed and a bit overwhelmed about all the resources, ideas, strategies, philosophies and the rest to consider, evaluate and implement. It would not be a problem if many of them were uh, “poop”, but most are great. There is just not time to do it all. Youth Ministry is never done. I am not trying to be everything and have everything, but there is always one more game, talk, meeting, event, outreach, camp, conversation, heartbreak, problem, book, joy, study,..whew…you guys know. I want to be the best God can make me so the kids I have the privelege of investing in are not cheated. I dont want to fail them. We cant all be Greg, Doug, Johnathan, and so on, and I get so much from all of them, but they are like awesome, yeah with years on most of us, but still. I guess I am looking for direction and focus from God. I cant give what I dont have in ministry and in life. I want to build on authenticity.I dont want to be a clone ya know, but why re-invent the wheel? Well this is rambling so I will close, if you guys can relate let me know. I pray that you guys also find focus and direction in your ministry however big or small.

By: John

John — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 17:48:43 +0000

Build on values not fads. Good principle. We also need to build on our own personal faith, not just create faith in others. My one struggle with "fadish" youth ministry is that it seems more like we’re trying to make something for ourselves (i.e. successful ministries, bigger church, impressive resumes). So many times I have been mislead to push students to do things, or be things that I wasn’t doing or being myself. I have recently gone through my own personal revival and return to what it means to love Jesus in simplicity, yet extreme sacrificial difficulty. What I mean is, live for him myself, choose to lose, choose to be crucified, give up trying to make other people what I want them to be, and simply be what God wants me to be. Leaders lead by example. I don’t mean do all this stuff just so I can say, "I do it, so you need to". I mean really do it because I believe it’s what God wants. Live for Him (an audience of one). He already knows my heart. He knows my motives. He knows when I share my faith on a plane just so I have a story to tell the youth about how I shared my faith. I want to make choices because I want to please God, not the senior pastor, or parents, or the youth. I have complete peace about the youth ministry I lead because it’s NOT MINE! It’s God’s. It’s not MY ministry. It’s not MY success. They’re not MY youth group. Christians seem to have the same ladder of success as the world, except we compare ourselves to other Christians. We all wanna rise to be doug fields and work at Saddleback. That’s my flesh. God called me to serve where I am, not where I’m not. I want my life to be about principles, not fads. My prayer is that everyday I come to Jesus and surrender all of MY dreams and desires and ask Him to give me His. I love you Jesus! Thank you for using a wretch like me.

By: Becky

Becky — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 00:29:05 +0000

God’s word teaches me and helps me grow.You can add twists like doing a bible study with guides.That sometimes helps me.Also have the teens get into the bible and encourage them to read it daily.

By: BESS MCCALL

BESS MCCALL — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 18:41:17 +0000

As a youth volunteer for the last 9 months, I was amazed at how little of God’s Word our teens were getting. They were getting shows and entertainment. I believe they get enough of that in the world. There is too much pressure on youth workers to bring in numbers or follow what they have done in the past. I loved your book, "Outbreak"! It really has inspired me personally but I found it difficult to get the youth minister to even look at it. I know in my heart that it is the Word that will transform our teens so I agree, God’s Word does contain all we need to transform this culture.