The Key To Building Family Fun
While services are obviously a huge part of a successful youth ministry, I think it's invaluable for you to take your youth gang outside of the four walls of the church. The truth is that the youth group or life group that PRAYS together and PLAYS together, STAYS together! That's why I request my leadership team to host at least one "outside activity" a month beyond our usual youth services and small groups. You can choose whether those are fun or serious.
Here are just 4 quick thoughts to host a successful event to create some family fun:
Hosting a small group "fun event" isn't always as EASY as you might think. Fun is often directly proportional to the amount of WORK you put into your "get together" before the actual event.
Without repeated TELEPHONE REMINDERS, you are usually wasting your time to host an event. Star and underline this one my friends. This is the big one! Though you may not sense it, those telephone calls will be huge in making students feel deeply cared for. This increases the potential for attendance from that kid immensely. Don't skate on this one. This point can make or break your outings and your relationships with your students.
Remember the THERMOSTAT/ THERMOMETER principle. A thermometer will tell you the temperature, but a thermostat will control the temperature. This is never truer than when you are hosting an event. You have to be a thermostat. You set the tenor of the group by reaching out and connecting with students and making everything you do a party. Remember, fun is an ATTITUDE, not an ACTIVITY. You, as a leader have the privilege of CREATING the attitude...even if only one student shows up!
Always give the why behind the what. You don't need to make everything super-spiritual. An event is a great way to promote friendship evangelism. Students want to invite their friends, because it's an easy ASK.
While services are obviously a huge part of a successful youth ministry, I think it's invaluable for you to take your youth gang outside of the four walls of the church. The truth is that the youth group or life group that PRAYS together and PLAYS together, STAYS together! That's why I request my leadership team to host at least one "outside activity" a month beyond our usual youth services and small groups. You can choose whether those are fun or serious.
Here are just 4 quick thoughts to host a successful event to create some family fun:
Hosting a small group "fun event" isn't always as EASY as you might think. Fun is often directly proportional to the amount of WORK you put into your "get together" before the actual event.
Without repeated TELEPHONE REMINDERS, you are usually wasting your time to host an event. Star and underline this one my friends. This is the big one! Though you may not sense it, those telephone calls will be huge in making students feel deeply cared for. This increases the potential for attendance from that kid immensely. Don't skate on this one. This point can make or break your outings and your relationships with your students.
Remember the THERMOSTAT/ THERMOMETER principle. A thermometer will tell you the temperature, but a thermostat will control the temperature. This is never truer than when you are hosting an event. You have to be a thermostat. You set the tenor of the group by reaching out and connecting with students and making everything you do a party. Remember, fun is an ATTITUDE, not an ACTIVITY. You, as a leader have the privilege of CREATING the attitude...even if only one student shows up!
Always give the why behind the what. You don't need to make everything super-spiritual. An event is a great way to promote friendship evangelism. Students want to invite their friends, because it's an easy ASK.
Related Items
It's been said that "The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire." How true. And in youth ministry, we need to help ignite that process almost every day. Have you ever wondered how certain leaders seem to pull the best out in those around them? They seem to know how to generate the extra effort from those they lead whether it's the students in the youth group itself or the volunteer leaders.
That topic is what this valuable Youth Leader's Coach is all about. I've entitled it, "Bringing Out The Best In People." And because it is such a crucial topic, I have made this a two-part coaching communication. John Gardner once said that "The best-kept secret in America today is that people would rather work hard for something they believe in than enjoy a pampered idleness." I think that quote is especially true when it comes to youth ministry. So grab a cup of coffee and let's have some fun talking about this really vital aspect of ministry.
Lovingly,
If your calendar could speak, what would it say? If you look at a typical youth pastor's weekly schedule, often times you'll find a great deal of time being spent creating a "fast-paced, high-tech, entertaining youth service." However, according to Group Publishing's "Cool Church Survey" of 10,000 students, it ranked dead last in the importance of 10 factors that influence a student's commitment to church.
What was #1? "A welcoming atmosphere where you can be yourself." So, in this Youth Leader's Coach, listen in on seven strategic elements in building a Christ-honoring, welcoming environment. Refuse to fail at this youth ministry success test, choose instead to up the ante when it comes to the friendship/family tenor of your ministry.
All in,
In our youth ministry, Oxygen, "family" is a big deal. In fact, we intentionally "do" things each week to make our environment feel less like a "church auditorium" and more like a "family room." And, every once in awhile, we'll even take an extended amount of time to "verbally" remind our students why "family" is such an integral part of our DNA. This Source, "The Family Room," was one of those nights designed to refresh our students' memories on what it looks like to take care of each other well.
Using the visual of a "friendship sandwich" to make the message stick, we look to John 15:12-17 where Jesus lays out what it means to "love one another, just as He has loved us." Drawing upon an opening skit that will make you laugh, a TV family montage that will bring back fond memories, a heart-wrenching story that will fill your eyes with tears, and a fun closing that will not too easily be forgotten, I pray this stirs up or rekindles a desire in your students to live and love in such a way that the world rises up and takes notice.
Lovingly,
Sam Shoemaker had it right when he encouraged us not to get so far "in the door" that we forget what it's like to live "outside the door"...to live without Christ. Given that Jesus died for those living outside the door, our hearts should beat strongly for them despite the fears and insecurities that accompany the word "evangelism."
Even though statistics tell us that over 90% of our students don't have a functioning gift of evangelism, the strategic growth plan covered in this Youth Leader's Coach will make it easy for both you and them to become great "doorkeepers." This will not only get new students to "come around," but "stick around" as well.
Lovingly,
Youth Ministry Basics is eight pragmatic teachings with informative "how-tos" that have consistently made significant differences in my youth ministries over the years.
Small groups have always been the greatest pragmatic tool I've used in all of my ministires for creating family, discipleship, and growth. In fact, they have never been youth ministries WITH small groups. Instead, my ministries have always been a youth ministry OF small groups. But though many of you may agree on the importance of small groups, launching and maintaing them isn't always easy.
This Youth Ministry Basics Resource will be a valuable tool if you already have small groups in place and want to re-boot them, or if you are looking to start small groups in your ministry. It will walk you step by step through putting systems in place for getting your groups started strong, how to run a small group, and answers many of the most common questions I get asked. It really is true that, "life change happens in circles, not rows."
Lovingly,
