Last weekend I attended The Simply Youth Ministry Conference. I came across their promo video for 2013 and thought I’d share it with you? Are you coming?

(Click here to register)

Phil <><

1) Brilliant General Sessions:

This year it seems like the planning team did a brilliant job to make their general sessions a time for youth workers to truly breathe, to worship, and to take in some of the best general session speakers I have ever heard.

• The Speakers: Francis Chan, Jon Acuff, and Derwin Gray brought a level of transparency and authenticity that I had not seen in a while. Their messages were not just inspiring, they were challenging and practical too.
• The Worship: In addition to the amazing speakers, Tim Timmons and Shane & Shane, (who now refer to themselves as part of “the SYMC family), led most of the worship. They truly helped us to breathe and experience God in a refreshing way without the lights and glitz… Simple heartfelt worship…
• The Experience: During morning sessions Rick Lawrence and the team provided experiential opportunities (including Life Tree Cafe), to be refreshed and connect with God. Given that the theme for SYMC was “Breathe,” these experiences were a great way to be filled up each day.
• The Skit Guys: These guys did an amazing job crafting their skits around the theme of ‘breathe.’ They didn’t simply show up and repeat their material. They seemed to take great time crafting and adjusting their skits to help us breathe, laugh, and be refreshed. Their balance of humor and seriousness seemed perfect.

2) For Youth Workers By Youth Workers: Being a part of the IT3 (In The Trenches Team), it was great to see how this conference is truly owned by youth workers in the trenches. I am amazed at so many people and all the hard work they did to create an brilliant experience. There were so many of them working behind the scenes and not looking for any credit for what they did. They truly love SYMC and were prepared to do whatever it takes to make this conference incredible. Yet, in all this, every one of them always had time to stop, talk, and encourage new comers and reconnect with those who had been before. In September a group of about 100 these IT3 will gather again for a summit in Colorado to review and plan for SYMC 2013.

3) Air Time: ‘Air Time’ was a part of the general session experiences this year, and it had a particularly great impact of me personally. The idea behind ‘Air Time’ was birthed last September at our IT3 summit. The premise is that a youth worker from the trenches has 3-4 minutes to share their heart about ministry and life. It was an opportunity to hear from an everyday youth worker who could truly relate to the audience and encourage them in their ministries. It had particular significance for me since I was one of those youth workers who was asked to speak during ‘Air Time.’ I was honored to be asked and humbled to share my heart to encourage youth workers.

4) Conversations: This was a big highlight for me this year! Some of my greatest times of learning and encouragement came through conversations on sack chairs, or over a cup of coffee. SYMC has really worked hard to create a culture of conversation and make it easy for new and returning youth workers to truly connect. Their connect groups intentionally gathered people from similar ministry or life situations, and gave them times to talk, pray for, and encourage each other. This year I met so many new people who were coming to the conference for the first time. Everyone one of them commented on how easy it was to connect with people there…

5) Getting Kicked By Cheerleaders! (Yes, you read it correctly)! This year we shared but of the conference center with cheerleaders who were taking part in a national competition. One evening after dinner, myself and my buddy Ben saw a group of cheerleaders getting off of a bus and creating a “cheer tunnel” for each cheerleader to run through… It looked so much fun, that Ben and I could not resist the opportunity to run through and be “cheered up” ourselves… As we ran through, the cheering cheerleaders realized that we were impostors and began to kick and try to trip us up as we ran through. Fortunately, Ben and I are both soccer players and have received our fair share of kicks in our time, and we were able to keep running through the cheer tunnel. Note to Self: If you’re not a cheerleader, think twice about joining their cheer tunnel…

So there you go. There’s my top five highlights. Did you go? What were your highlights? What did you get the most out of? Are you coming to SYMC 2013? I hope to see you there!!!

Phil <><

In my previous post I talked about the importance of learning certain lessons as we leave a ministry. In particular, it’s paramount that when a ministry comes to a challenging end that we commit to finish well as well as protect the Bride of Christ from hurt and pain. Today, I want to continue to look at some of the lessons I have learned when leaving a ministry. Here’s the rest of my list:

5)    Reflect Upon Lessons You Need To Learn. This is a hard one indeed. It’s not always easy to reflect at the time, but it’s imperative that we take an honest look at what we could learn and what we need to ‘own’ as we leave. It’s hard to admit, but I have played the victim card too much in the past. How about you? Yes, there are things that have happened in your ministry that have hurt you, but what could you have done differently? Who knows you well enough to be honest with you in this area? Unfortunately, as I come to youth ministry conferences, I often only hear one side of the challenges in ministry… There is always two sides however. What side do  you need to own?

6)    Forgive and Be Forgiven If Needed. This should be a given, but I know that it is easier said than done. Who are the people who you need to say sorry to? Who do you need to forgive in order to walk away without the seeds of bitterness growing? 

7)    What are You Taking to Your Next Ministry? Again, this is a challenging question, but what ‘junk’ is going to follow you to your next place? What habits, hurts, or hang-ups need to be addressed now? What junk do you need to rid yourself of now? Have you become overly defensive? Have you lost trust with the church? Have you become too stubborn? Are you too emotionally hurt to jump straight back in? Do you need some time off before you jump back in? There are lots of things to consider, but the main thing here is to consider what things could cause issues for you in your next ministry if they are not dealt with now…

How are You Protecting Your Family? Don’t forget that your spouse and kids will be impacted directly by a transition. In order to hang in for the long-haul, your family needs to see church as a positive thing. We can’t along a blessing to become a curse and cause our families to fear being a part of the church. It is my job to ensure that my family knows the basics, but does not need to get dragged into gory details of church disfunction.

What would you add to this list? What lessons have you learned in leaving well (or poorly)?

Phil <><

I am sad to say that I know many people in the last year who had to leave or have been forced to leave their ministry. I’m sad by it, since I know the pain that these people, (and their churches), have had to walk through. Being in youth ministry means that we become deeply invested in the people we minister to, and it’s always painful when we have to leave. When we leave situations where there is a challenging ending, it only goes to amplify the hurt and pain we feel already…

I wish I could say I have left previous ministries well… But that is not the case. However, there have been some powerful and painful lessons I have learned along the way that I would like to share. I hope these lessons will help  youth workers consider how to leave well when the time comes. I am very thankful to have learned these lessons and I grateful for an incredible church family that I am blessed to be a part of today. If you are struggling today, know that there is hope for tomorrow…

1)    Dig Deeper Into Quiet Times. Whether it is a good ministry ending or a painfully forced one, it’s imperative that we look to cling to God and dig deeper for his comfort and wisdom. In the past I have made the mistake of allowing my pain and hurt to spew over onto to anyone who would listen to me. While it was good to get things off my chest, it was not helpful for the healing process for myself and those around me. It’s during these times that we cling to God to give us comfort, humility, grace, and healing.

2)    Seek Advice And Support From Outside Your Ministry.  Many times leaving a ministry can be messy and painful when things have not worked out as we hoped and dreamed. Rather than seek advice and support from people inside your current ministry, it’s always good to get impartial “no strings attached” perspective from people outside the ministry we are leaving. It’s not a bad thing to lean on people inside the current ministry, but I have often found that it can get very messy with what people start discussing in the church. Something shared “in confidence” will often get around to others. Save yourself greater hurt and lean on people who are not so close or as fully invested.

3)    Commit to Finishing Well. No matter what the circumstances, it’s always imperative to finish well even if we feel aggrieved. Being Christ-like is paramount. People will often remember more about how we left than they will remember about all we did in the ministry. What impressions are we leaving students, parents, and leaders as finish up our time?

4)    Commit to Protecting The Bride of Christ. At the end of the day, it’s not about you or me. It’s not even about personalities in the church you are leaving. It’s all about Christ and ensuring He is glorified. Often, the ‘regulars’ at church are unaware of conflicts and struggles on church staff or leaders. Unless there is a biblical reason and a biblical way for sharing your struggles with the church, it’s imperative that we protect the Bride of Christ. Many people at your church love being there and have been profoundly impacted by the ministry there. And here’s the deal: God does amazing things in His church despite broken people like you and me. He still wants to impact lives despite some of the broken people who have hurt you. Despite our struggles and hurts, we cannot throw mud at Jesus and his church.

Tomorrow, I will post part 2 of this series. For now, what would you add to this list? What lessons have you learned from leaving well, (or poorly)? 

Phil <><

1) It’s For Youth Workers, By Youth Workers: This conference is designed and implemented by in the trenches youth workers who understand youth ministry and what youth workers need. Not only do these guys and gals love this conference, they absolutely love the people that come there! Many feel like this conference is “home” to them. (For most people, calling a youth ministry conference “home” might sound weird, but at #SYMC it really does feel that way). As someone who is on the inside track to this conference, I can tell you these people are as authentic as you can get!

2) It’s A Time To Breathe: This years theme is breathe. So often youth ministry can catch up with you. What started off as blessing can sometimes feel like a curse if we don’t take care of our souls. This year I am excited to be a part of a conference where I can breathe in and recharge.

3) They Have A Shelter: My good friend Len and his SYM Soul Care Team are providing a safe place for youth workers to get free, confidential pastoral support when they need it. It’s like “urgent care” for a youth worker’s heart & soul!

4) There’s Over 200 Learning Opportunities: Here’s what they say on their site: You’ll get 2-3 times the amount of content and options to choose from than other training events—with more time for depth and discussion and more practical solutions to your ministry needs. From peer panels to workshops, from “half-tracks” to “deep learning tracks,” there are a gazillion learning options there!

5) I Get To Bring Some Of My Volunteers: I super excited to bring some incredible volunteers who I have the privilege of doing ministry with. They are an incredible group and I can’t wait to hear their stories and process all that they are going to learn. This conference is a place for the volunteer, the rookie, and the veteran who all have one purpose: To love God and love students!

If you are going to SYMC, leave me a comment or send me a tweet @PhilBell

Phil <><

• Matty Files #1: Downtown Louisville
• Matty Files #2: Why SYMC?
• Matty Files #3: Bacon! 
• Matty Files #4: CVS the Pharmacy!
• Matty Files #5: Featured Speaker. Breakdown!
• Matty Files #6: Local Music Junkies!
• Matty Files #7: Team Building 101!
• Matty Files #8: Its pronounced Luisvuhl!

In seasons like this it’s time to breathe, time to learn, and time to look forward. 

TIME TO BREATHE: The last couple of months have been very busy, but it means everything to stop and be filled up instead of running on empty. The last two weeks I have had to be very intentional to calve out time to be alone, read God’s Word, and be silent. It’s not easy, but it’s essential. It’s challenging to slow down when there are so many things to get done and so many people to keep happy. However, hanging in the long-haul and being effective in the short-term depends on our dependence on God. We must be ruthless with our schedules and intentional about taking time to breathe with our Father. 

TIME TO LEARN: As I take time to breathe, I am able to look back and learn from the last couple of months.  I realize there are a lot of things out of my control, but there were many things I have learned from my busy season:

- I have said “yes” to too many projects and people. It’s important to come back to a narrowed focus and challenge myself to “major in the majors, and minor in the minors…”

- No matter how much came up, it was important to change up my schedule to support my family. Even when stuff was piling up, I made sure my family did not get my left-overs…

- I need more sleep! Going to bed earlier in the last week has helped me become more efficient, more focused, and more excited about my day? Do you need more sleep?

- I need to exercise more! Working out helps me feel better and more energized. When life gets busy, my health takes a back seat… This needs to stop. The past week has been full of healthy eating and exercise. It is helping my energy levels and productivity and thus I am getting more done in less time…

A TIME TO LOOK FORWARD: Anytime I am in the midst of chaos and busy schedules, it’s important that I slow down, but it’s important that I look forward to ensure the coming months are different. Here’s what I have been doing:

- Getting the family schedule mapped out for the next few months and making family and date nights a priority. Last weekend my wife and I went out for a date and then went to Starbucks to put our calendars together…

- Planning and booking our 10 year wedding anniversary getaway!

- Getting excited about The Simply Youth Ministry Conference in March! Are you going? I am super excited. The theme: Breathe

- Planning time off after our winter retreat…

These are just a few things I have been convinced I need to do to hang in for the long-haul, be more effective today, and enjoy my life a little more? What have you had to do in your life and ministry to stay healthy?

Phil <><

Happy New Year to you! I hope you have made a good start to your new year so far. As we enter into the 2012, I wanted to share 3 healthy ways to begin this new year. Recently, I have been reading through Hebrews and I have found some good reminders to help me (and you) stay healthy. Although, these healthy ways might be familiar to us, it’s always good to have reminders…

Realize you’re not alone: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses… Hebrews 12:1a (NIV)

Many Have Gone Before Us: The context of this verse is referring to the martyrs who had gone before and were deemed to be heroes of the faith. Ministry is not a new thing and there are countless lives who bear witness to God’s faithfulness and His ability to work through the lives of ordinary people. There is hope that we can look forward to God using us in our good, bad, and indifferent times of ministry. The key is this: Do you want to be used to make a difference? If the answer is “yes”, we can be confident that God will do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine when His power works through us…

Many Are Making An Impact Today: Not only have countless people gone before us and survived, we have many more ahead of us who are still doing brilliant in youth ministry. With stories of moral failure and challenging situations, it’s easy to focus on the negative.  However, we often fail to celebrate the incredible victories of those who are wildly passionate for their ministries and being used by God in powerful ways. I am blessed to know many veterans in ministry who are a great encouragement to me. They help me realize how God will work through me just as He has for them. Yes, there are many challenging stories too, but it’s imperative to have a long-term view and see how God is using others to make an eternal impact in ministry. Who are the veteran youth workers in your life who encourage and challenge you to stay the course? 

“Yes, but I am not one of those guys / gals!” - We might not be just like a veteran we look up to, but have you taken time lately to get alongside a veteran youth worker and ask them honest questions about their struggles, hurts, and failings? Have you heard their stories of hitting rock bottom and then seeing God pick them up and achieve great outcomes? Have you spent time discovering their authenticity and understanding how “normal” they are. So often we play the comparison game and think that God only uses “those” kinds of people. How are you taking time to get to know the authentic stories of veteran youth workers in your life? 

Often ministry can feel like we are isolated and it feels impossible to hang in for the long-term. Realizing the countless ministry heroes who have gone before us, as well as seeking out the veterans of today, goes a long way to help us stay encouraged when we have “those days.”

Phil <><