Turn on a light.

Turn on a light: (continued from last week)
Or "Oh, now I get it."
I love it when I get an e-mail, or I talk to a student and they share with me that because of something I have said, or some discussion they had in small group they now "get it." (which is their way of saing to me..they understand and embrace the point I made from God's instruction...or something like that)

This brings me to the second half of our calling as youth leaders/youth workers. After we build a "bridge of friendship strong enough to hold the weight of truth", I think the only other thing we really have to do is "turn on a light (spiritually)". That's it. Build a bridge and turn on a light. As a ministry, we have chosen to make this as simple as we can. (hopefully) Not because we think you are stuoid, but because we want you to be able to “specialize in relationships.” We don't expect you to know the intricate details of Paul’s missionary journeys, or to be an expert in the teachings of the Old Testament. As a matter of fact, we want to handle the teaching part for you. (Notice I said the TEACHING part...we still expect you to grow in “the Word” yourself through your own private times of study) Primarily, we want you looking for opportunities to leverage your bridge of "friendship" with students to help them "get it" or put simply..."turn on lights" (share truth). Why else would you build build these relationships. These students already have plenty of friends. What they need from us, is friendship that is seasoned with truth so that the light come on at the right time when they need it the most.

They won’t say it to you…but these students need you. They need you sharing truth and turning on the lights. You have the relationships...we'll try our hardest with the teaching and worship...you get the responsibility, challenge and pleasure of turning on the lights. What a joy it will be in heaven to bump into the people who are there because we helped these students to "get it." Let's keep looking for the next, "Oh, now I get it" moment.

Small group questions for "One" are here.
Small group questions for Club 56 are here.

Mission: Build a bridge.

One of my memories growing up is a story about my grandpa, partnering with a bunch of volunteers in his hometown…working to build a bridge over the river near the city park. It was a big bridge that we drove over every time we went to his house the back way. I can’t remember the entire story…but knowing my grandpa was a bridge builder (even for just a short time) has always been intriguing to me.

Whether you know it or not…you are a bridge builder. I’m going to let you in on a secret. Student ministry isn’t that complex. It is very difficult at times…but it really isn’t that complex. Half of our calling (job) is simply this: Build a bridge of relationship strong enough to bear the weight of truth. I don’t know exactly how long it took my grandpa and all his buddies to build that bridge, but I do know that building strong bridges with students takes time! I have spent an entire high school career with some students, and still not built a strong bridge. Others have taken merely weeks or simply a kind “hello” followed by their name…that I actually remembered. Bridge building isn’t easy. It takes effort. It takes many people working together…and it takes time. I want to encourage you to not give up. You are doing something very significant! You see, the bridge you are building with these students is vitally important. It may be the very thing that enables you to share the plan of salvation with a student. It may hold the weight of their 1:30 am phone call when they are lonely from a sudden break up. It may be the pathway to healing. It may be what they need to get their relationship with God back on track. It may be a lifeline. It will be the very thing you use to deliver the second half of our calling (job) in student ministry…which I will reveal to you next week.

"One" small group questions are HERE

Influence Counts!

The most influential Christians in my life have always been the people who seemed to be close, personal friends of God.
(Ben Ortlip, Extreme Makeover-Church edition.)
read the entire article here. (approx 3 minutes on dial-up, under a minute on anything faster)

Hey small group leaders…I wanted to write something this week to take the pressure off of you. Too many times in youth ministry I have found myself worried about the wrong things. What I wear, what I say, growing a goatee (which I couldn’t do to save my life). Pursuing those things is like chasing after the wind. (Experts are saying now that student culture re-invents itself every 2 years) When I read the quote above, I thought about this thing called “student ministry” that we are in together. Isn’t it really about influencing these students? Trying to provide some “Christ Centered” guidance and insight at a critical time in their life. I agree with Ben’s quote from this article (I talk about him like I know him). The people who have been the greatest influence on me were people who loved God deeply. Period. That lasts. The other stuff is fine. I think it’s great if you can grow a goatee (except the ladies…that’s weird). Heck a goatee may even help you connect on some weird shaving/non-shaving level with a student…but these kids want to see that there are adults who actually love Jesus and are acting on it…not just talking about it. Please don’t feel like there is pressure from us to become something you are not. We simply desire for you to influence students by falling in love with Jesus. The rest (combined with some time and shared experiences) will take care of itself.

Have a great day.
Scott

Question for you: How are you doing with YOUR “connection” with God? Check out the “self evaluation” link over there on the right. It’s always there. A handy self assesment tool for you to "take the temperature" of your relationship with God.

Small group questions for Summit and Impact HERE.
Small group questions for Club 56 HERE.

The Eyes are Telling

Hey small group leaders. Just want you to know that you are doing a great job. I am proud of all of you. I hope you are seeing that this is getting easier as the weeks go along. There will still be rough weeks...but it will get easier.

Here's something to look for this week. As your students show up on Sundays...try to look them in the eyes. The eyes are telling. (That sounds like a movie title.) But seriously...I have had the chance to pray with several students (before One) because I looked them in the eyes and I could tell something was wrong. I pushed it with them because when asked, they of coarse said nothing was wrong. Upon further eye starring...they caved and we ended up talking and praying together. I don't share that to say look at me...I share that to remind you not to forget to look at them. They want you too, even if they don't say it. It's quite possible also, that many of them just want smoothies.

Have a great day. Keep up the great work!

Summit Small Group questions here
Club 56 Small Group questions here

Scott

Dude...we're back this week.

Hey small group leaders,

I hope that you had a good Sunday off…please know that you were missed. We had a fun time playing a group trivia game and laughing a little…but I don’t think there was a radical dent in eternity made quite like the one that you make by building into your students, sharing with them, loving on them and caring for their souls. Thank you for making that investment. We are back at it this week…continuing our Healthy Friendship (Dude, where’s my friend?) series. This is going to be a hot topic and one that students wrestle with for a long time.

We will again be focusing on the thought…
”where your friends end up…is probably where you will end up. So influence them instead of being influenced.”
Think back in your own mind (way back, or even more recently) about friendships and how they influenced where you have ended up. This will give you some material to share with your students.

Lastly…remember that your group is still young…but you can go deep. They are learning to trust you and they will follow your lead.

Keep us posted on how you are doing. I hope that your time with God is going well. I will be praying for that. Have a great day.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS FOR THIS WEEK HERE

Scott