youthwork TALKTalk about youth ministry and life…

This video has been making the rounds on facebook. Here’s what it made me consider…

There’s often been a lot of debate between youth ministry guru’s wondering if we spend too much time entertaining students and not enough energy goes into teaching Biblical truth.

In this video, the experiment was to see how much more people would walk up the stairs (and ultimately exercise more), if they created a fun way to do it. Normally people would likely take the escalator and take the ‘lazy route’ instead. Isn’t that human nature for so many of us?

Well, I think that it is not that different when it comes to spiritual exercise. So many of us (and especially busy students), will often will try take the easy route in discipleship. As we know, there are no short cuts to discipleship… However, what happens when you and I take time to research great lessons and incorporate fun and creative ways to communicate Biblical truths? Do we see students take good steps in their faith?

If you are like me, I want students to be excited about Jesus and excited about growing in a deeper relationship. It’s important that I find ways to help students take the best steps in their faithwalk. Sometimes I need to pray and think harder about how to make those steps fun while also partnering with the Holy Spirit to see lives transformed…

To simply say that any fun element is shallow in youth ministry neglects the need to engage and excite students with the truth of the gospel. I believe that creativity and fun should be core values in every youth ministry to help students take ‘healthy steps’…

Final Thought:

If you are like me, it is easy to spend a lot of time on content or an idea. There have also been times when I have spent too much time on a fun element and my message / study has been lacking. It’s important that we strike a good balance between creating solid material that will be engaging with fun elements too.

Phil <><

A good friend once told me that discipleship for tomorrow begins today. In other words, nothing happens unless it is intentional and planned. We can say we want to start the new year by growing deeper in our faith. If you are like me, my ‘plans’ are often just empty hopes of what I want to see happen, instead of being something that is concrete.

Here’s how I am trying to help my hopes become a plan and action for this new year. Here’s a snapshot of what I am planning and some is what I already do on a weekly basis:

Morning Quiet Times: For me a morning quiet works best when I am the first up in the house… that is hard sometimes when you have a toddler who likes to wake early. However, when I do get up before the craziness begins, this is what my quiet time looks like: A cup of coffee in my lazy boy and I sit and talk with God for a few minutes thanking Him for all I can think of at that time. (It’s amazing how this gets my focus on track). Then, for the next 15 minutes or so, (that’s it) I relax and try to be quiet with God and my coffee, just listening and trying not to think about my day too much. It’s amazing how pausing like this helps me to hear God better… So simple, but so powerful!

Study: In the last half of last year I discovered ‘The Wiersbe Bible Study Series’ – This is something I read through and study for the first 30 minutes of my ministry day before I get bogged down in ministry. I usually skip a couple of times a week, (on Sundays and on a few days where I try to read a ministry related book before my day starts). These studies by Wiersbe are great and practical. I am currently working through a study on Philippians that I didn’t finish yet…

Big Chunk Reading (sounds really spiritual doesn’t it)? : A couple of times a week I try to read a large chunk of the Bible to get an overview and sometimes for inspiration. This week my plan is to start reading through the book of Luke as I follow the Christmas story and the life of Jesus…

Start Simple: The most important thing I have discovered is this: It all takes time and simple steps forward. I have found that starting with one simple thing is the best way for me. I am not one of those ’spiritual giants’ who can have a huge plan and put it into action straight away. For me it starts with getting those morning quiet times in place first…