Books. Conferences. Curriculum. Videos. Church Marketing Campaigns. Sermon Series. Etc.

Now, don’t think for one second that I’m saying this trend is bad or wrong. That’s NOT what I’m saying, not by any stretch of the imagination. But what I think I’m saying is that it does seem to be a trend. Or at least it feels like one. And maybe this is where I’m somewhat cautious. Or uncomfortable. Let me explain . . .

We have a basic understanding of what a trend is. Trends seem to fall in two major categories: let’s call them innovations and reclamations. Innovative trends are just that: a new technology, a new application in fashion or music, etc. On the other hand, something like Retro fashion, or vintage design would be an example of reclamation. It’s the revival of something that once was, except with a more modern twist. (Something like Instagram is an interesting blend of both innovation and reclamation.)

So, if we’re following this logic, this trend of renewed emphasis on the Gospel seems to fall in the reclamation category. A return to the essentials, of you will. I say all this to arrive at this simple point: the increased emphasis on the Gospel has a lot of the same trappings of so many other secular trends I watch. And I guess on some level, I’m curious about the motivation behind what we’re seeing.

How much of what we see is trend? And how much of it is a movement? An awakening?

I think maybe the simplest answer boils down to one of motivation. For many, this increased emphasis on the Gospel is born out of an accurate assessment of Christianity and Christians. For these individuals–these writers, pastors, and influential leaders/ministries–this is a remedying of what they perceive to be an unhealthy or unholy path the Church has been on. For these men and women, the heightened emphasis on the Gospel is movement, not trend.

But for some, any Gospel focus they embrace is done as the embrace of a trend. It’s an answer for waning interest or passion on the part of church-goers or consumers. It’s a move to be seen as relevant. It’s hitching the “cart” of lagging attendance and/or sales (book sales, conference sales, curriculum sales, etc.) to the “horse” of the message of the day.

Does this resonate with you? Do you see these two camps?

A Gospel-focus is never a bad thing regardless of motive. This is what Paul was saying in Philippians when he addressed the sinister motives of some who preached the Gospel. Paul says, Hey, what do I care why they preach it? . . . “The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice” (Phil. 1:18). And so, maybe we shouldn’t care about the motives. Maybe we should simply rejoice that the Gospel is being preached. Period.

But I do find myself wanting to humbly offer a word of advice to those who see the Gospel focus as a trend, a growth strategy, or a way to appear relevant. Here’s what I’d like to say to those institutions and individuals who talk about focusing on the Gospel but don’t make any attempt to adapt their ministry methodology or philosophy: Don’t expect a ton of results.

It’s not that the Gospel isn’t powerful. We know that it is. God moves, oftentimes in spite of us. The Gospel brings results. But, if we’re not couching the timeless truth of God in practices and language relevant to our immediate cultural context, a renewed Gospel focus is just another coat of paint on a crumbling house. If we’re chasing a trend, even if that trend is God-centered, I believe a lot will be left on the table.

But embracing a movement? Being part of an awakening? Now that’s something different.

I don’t want to be chasing the newest way to talk about God and the Church. I want my church and our youth ministry to be on board with what God is doing today. And I know you want this too.

So, the questions that come to mind are something like these:

• What do you think? Trend? Or Movement? Newest marketing Church marketing campaign? Or an Awakening?
• Does your senior leadership appear to be aware of this trend/movement? How about you?
• What if you were being shown a need for a return to Christ-centeredness in your ministry or church. What would a renewed Gospel focus look in your context? How does your programming or philosophy need to change to embrace it?
• What would your motivation be for wanting to embrace an increased Gospel focus?
• When you think about the Gospel as it pertains to your students, what do you see? A deficit? A passion? What would they say?

So, what are your thoughts? Am I off base? Am I making too much of this? I’d love to hear from you . . .


Andy Blanks is the co-founder of youthministry360. Andy has worked in youth ministry for 13 years, leading small groups and developing Bible study resources for several organizations. Andy is a volunteer youth leader with his church’s youth group, leading small groups, and speaking and teaching whenever he gets the chance. Andy blogs about discipleship and spiritual formation daily at andyblanks.com.

That’s why we’re happy to offer Youth Worker Boost, one of the many valuable resources on the ym360 Blog. Boost is a short, weekly piece of encouragement designed to, well, “boost” your spirits and encourage you as you minister to students.

We consider it yet another great opportunity to serve you and your ministry.

CLICK HERE to have the Youth Worker Boost delivered right to your inbox whenever we publish a new one! We call these the E-BOOST!

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”–Psalm 1:1-2

We know the Book of Psalms is made up of songs about humankind’s fears, struggles, and praises offered to God. Some scholars believe that the first Psalm is a perfect introduction to many of the themes covered throughout the book. Psalm 1 opens with the statement, “blessed is the man . . .”

So how does a person live a blessed or happy life?

The Psalmist says the blessed person does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. This is less about our interactions with actual people, and more about our interactions with sin itself. Notice all three actions are in a progression. First we associate with sin, then we accept it, and finally we act on it. This is a dangerous cycle.

If you want to model for our students a blessed life that pleases God, we need to recognize and address this progressive sin-cycle in our lives.

Our prayer for you:
Our prayer for you today is that you would partner with the Spirit in striving to live a holy and blessed life, not out of a sense of legalism, but out of a sense of joy and love for Christ.

Richard Parker has been a student minister for 33 years, serving at First Baptist Church in Russellville, AL for the past 23. He’s written a three volume set of Character Education curriculum for schools, has written “Character,” a year long devotional book for students, and writes Youth Worker BOOST, a weekly devotion for youthministry360.com. Richard speaks in schools as well as at various church and civic conferences.

Encouraged by today’s Youth Worker Boost? Don’t keep it a secret! Pass it along to a fellow youth worker or your adult volunteers. Share the love!

<--- Sharing with your friends is as easy as the click of a mouse . . . Share by email or through Facebook messaging (be sure to log in to Facebook to do either)! Go ahead, share!

Look for a new Youth Worker Boost each Wednesday on the ym360 Blog.

Last Week’s BOOST: I Didn’t Know That

Next Week’s BOOST: Delightful Things

Get more BOOST articles HERE!

The message comes both from our heart for discipleship, and for our desire to serve youth workers.

For years we’ve had youth workers approach us and ask us for good follow-up resources for new Christ-followers. And for years we had to say, “Sorry. We don’t have that . . . yet.” But we don’t have to say that anymore. NEW is an amazing resource for those students who have just come to faith in Christ, or for those students who are still young in their faith.

Here’s what you’ll find inside NEW

• 4 weeks of biblically solid, interactive, and creative daily devotions
• Important articles dealing with key issues of students’ NEW faith
• A collection of charts, verses, lists, and graphics to help them understand the Bible
• Guides to help them go deeper in their faith when they’re ready

PLUS!!! We’ve also developed a FREE downloadable Leader’s Guide that allows you to use “NEW” as the “out-of-class” piece for a 4-session small group Bible study!

As you can see, this little book packs a big punch!

1. CLICK HERE to download an extended sample.
2. Watch the video below to hear yours truly talk a little more in-depth about the vision and the structure of NEW.

“Is Ministry Hurting My Marriage?”

Before we can answer this question, we need to know the areas where the tension grows. I’ve noticed the following significant areas:

Schedule

We all know this, but it bears saying: a youth workers schedule is nuts. Take our days off, for instance. Some of us work one day over the weekend, while others work both. Sometimes we get one day off during the week, other times it’s two. Maybe we get our off days in a row, and maybe not. And our actual work days are more sporadic than our work weeks. Often we’ll work a 12-hour day, closing shop around 9pm (which of course means not being able to put our kids to bed). Sound familiar? You probably don’t need to be reminded of the toll your schedule takes on you and your family.

Finances

No one gets into ministry for the money. However, if it weren’t important we wouldn’t see so many youth workers feel the pressure to seek higher pay in another field or position. If we’re transparent, there are times it feels especially frustrating serving people who make twice or three times the money we bring home. Add to the fact that many people’s spouses have to work outside of the home to provide additional income that will help the family just barely get by and it’s easy to see how finances can be a major point of tension.

Availability

For the married youth worker, his or her family should be top priority. However, while most people would agree with this, not everyone recognizes the idea of boundaries. To the people in your church, you’re a public figure. So when you’re seen in public, it’s easy for someone to approach you and often engage you in significant conversation. This isn’t a bad thing, in itself. We want to be available to those we serve. However, when it comes to family time, there are times when it’s nice to be “off the clock.”


So how do we make this tension go away? I’m not sure that we can. However, we should never run from it. The better plan is to learn to meet it head on. To do so takes the following:

• Prayer⎯If you don’t pray about the situation then you aren’t willing to listen to God. You need Him to guide you through each moment of hardship and joy that you experience with your family.
• Accountability⎯God will also bless you with men and women who will speak truth into your life. You need a voice telling you when you are wrong, when you are right, and what to do about it. Trust who God is surrounding you with in your life.
• Open Communication⎯You need to talk with your spouse and with your pastor about the obstacles that are causing friction. Not every conversation will end in resolution and warm fuzzy feelings. However, if you aren’t talking, the feelings of resentment, anxiety, and frustration will grow.
• Personal Vision⎯If you aren’t crafting a vision for your life, tweaking it and praying over it, you’ll always feel like you’re stuck. Vision gives you a destination. And while you might see yourself as a youth minister for life, you won’t embrace it unless you write it down.

Marriage and ministry can work hand in hand, or mix like oil and water.

It’s not easy. But you probably already know this. The question isn’t whether or not it can work (it can). The question is what steps you take to make it work.

What do you do to address the tension that occurs in marriage and ministry?


Chris Wesley is the Director of Student Ministry at Church of the Nativity in Timonium, MD. With over 6 years of youth ministry experience you can read more about his journey on his blog Marathon Youth Ministry.

This week’s posts from the ym360 Blog

• Bringing College-Age Students Under Our Youth Ministry Umbrella by Danny Bowers
• 5 Thoughts On Walking With Teenagers Through Their Grief by Richard Parker
• An Amazing FREEBIE From Our Friends At “Stuff You Can Use” by Kenny Campbell
• Youth Worker BOOST: I Didn’t Know That by Richard Parker

Posts From Other Awesome People

We search the Internet to bring you relevant information to help you be a better youth worker. Here are some links from posts we thought were pretty great.

Fav Read Of The Week:

“Why Bible Study Doesn’t Transform Us” by Jen Wilkin

• This isn’t a youth ministry post, but man, I thought it was dead on. It’s completely relevant to what youth workers are up against when teaching the Bible to students. Definitely worth a read.

The Rest Of The Best:

• Ben Read—“What do you expect out of students in your Youth Ministry”
• Chris Wesley—“How To Analyze The Year”
• Doug Franklin—“Boring Christians”
• Gavin Richardson—“What to do with Graduating Seniors?”
• Jim Burns (via Josh Griffin)—“The Parent/Youth Ministry Partnership”
• Jonathan McKee—“Four Foundational Summer Priorities”
• Kara Powell—“How to Be More Creative. Good News: You Already Are”
• Matt Reynolds—“Prayer request is a good sign!”

That’s all the links for this week. As always, have an awesome weekend . . . And THANK YOU for the chance to serve you as part of the ym360 community.

Andy Blanks is the co-founder of youthministry360. Andy has worked in youth ministry for 13 years, leading small groups and developing Bible study resources for several organizations. Andy is a volunteer youth leader with his church’s youth group, leading small groups, and speaking and teaching whenever he gets the chance. Andy blogs daily about discipleship and disciple making at andyblanks.com

Whatever the situation, you will be called on to help the student through the grieving process.

Here are a few things to keep in mind that might help you as you guide a teenager through this very difficult time in life.

1, There’s No One Size Fits All

All teenagers handle grief differently. Many people will tell a student to expect to “feel this” and “experience that” but I’ve found the best thing is to tell the student to move at their pace. Encourage them to cry if they want to, but not to feel bad if they don’t. Help them feel good about being silent, or about seeking out laughter. However they choose to process, it’s important they feel the freedom to grieve in their way and in their time.

2. It’s Always Personal

Keep the “why” and the “who” in mind at all times. The more tragic the death, such as suicide or some other unexpected situation, and the closer the student was to the person who died, the deeper the hurt.

3. A Little Knowledge Never Hurt Anyone

Read up on the Kubler-Ross five stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. While they aren’t set in stone (see point 2 above), they are valuable in helping you help your student.

4. Do You Really Understand?

Students seem not to like it when people tell them they know what they’re feeling. Unless you’ve lost someone close to you in a similar situation, simply tell the student you love them and will pray for them, and that you hurt with them.

5. Teenagers Are Resilient

Don’t be surprised if the student moves ahead quickly. My experience has been that teenagers are pretty resilient after losing someone close to them.


There are many opportunities available for you to be professionally trained in helping people deal with grief. Check online or with your local mental health professionals for seminars or workshops in your area. Whether professionally trained or not, your presence and availability as their youth pastor or youth worker will be valuable in helping the student sort through all the emotions and feelings that come when dealing with loss.

What has been your experience in this area? What would you add to the list?


Richard Parker has been a student minister for 33 years, serving at First Baptist Church in Russellville, AL for the past 23. He’s written a three volume set of Character Education curriculum for schools, has written “Character,” a year long devotional book for students, and writes Youth Worker BOOST, a weekly devotion for youthministry360.com. Richard speaks in schools as well as at various church and civic conferences.

That’s why we’re happy to offer Youth Worker Boost, one of the many valuable resources on the ym360 Blog. Boost is a short, weekly piece of encouragement designed to, well, “boost” your spirits and encourage you as you minister to students.

We consider it yet another great opportunity to serve you and your ministry.

CLICK HERE to have the Youth Worker Boost delivered right to your inbox whenever we publish a new one! We call these the E-BOOST!

Then Job replied to the LORD: “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.”–Job 40:1-5

For thirty years Johnny Carson was the king of late night television. He hosted The Tonight Show on NBC from 1962 to 1992 and won six Emmy’s for his work. Those of you reading this who are Baby Boomers like me will remember that one of Carson’s favorite things to do during his opening monologue was to read something and say, “I did not know that.” Delivered in that unmistakable dead-pan delivery, it was trademark Johnny Carson.

Those of us who work with teenagers are constantly being asked questions about life, faith, and the Bible.

And these days the questions have expanded to world religion, philosophy, and biology! There aren’t many people who are authorities on all of these disciplines. And yet we want to be people who help students with the issues they are dealing with. The pressure we feel to know all the answers is born out of such good motivations. But we’ll never know all the answers. And that really is OK, even if at times it doesn’t feel like it.

In today’s passage we see Job readily admitting that he spoke about things to which he was “clueless.” Now, we don’t want to embrace this philosophy! But, it’s okay to be honest and tell students you don’t have all the answers. You may have heard before to tell students “I don’t know but I’ll get back to you.” But when you do this you miss a huge opportunity to encourage them to find the answers themselves. You could even help if the situation permits. In my experience, when you start trying to help a student find answers, you end up discovering some nugget about God and His character that will expand your perception of God.

Not having all the answers is OK. Acting like we do is not. The sweet spot seems to be getting to a place where you help students become “self feeders” through your support and encouragement.

Our prayer for you:
Our prayer for you today is that you would see yourself not as the go-to authority on all things, but as a wise encourager who challenges students to seek God alongside you.

Richard Parker has been a student minister for 33 years, serving at First Baptist Church in Russellville, AL for the past 23. He’s written a three volume set of Character Education curriculum for schools, has written “Character,” a year long devotional book for students, and writes Youth Worker BOOST, a weekly devotion for youthministry360.com. Richard speaks in schools as well as at various church and civic conferences.

Encouraged by today’s Youth Worker Boost? Don’t keep it a secret! Pass it along to a fellow youth worker or your adult volunteers. Share the love!

<--- Sharing with your friends is as easy as the click of a mouse . . . Share by email or through facebook messaging (be sure to log in to facebook to do either)! Go ahead, share!

Look for a new Youth Worker Boost each Wednesday on the ym360 Blog.

Last Week’s BOOST: Brokenness

Next Week’s BOOST: Progression

Get more BOOST articles HERE!

• Bible Study Resources
• Training
• Community, and
• Networking

When we say “networking,” what we mean is shining a spotlight on other ministers or ministries doing awesome stuff. We don’t believe in competitors. We believe in ministry partners. We love sharing great resources, whether ours or not!

And today we are sharing some freebies that are so good, I’m still surprised they are free! (I’m serious. This stuff is amazing.)

This freebie is from the fine folks at “Stuff You Can Use” who specialize in providing free (and editable!) resources for Volunteer Training, Partnering with Parents, Small Groups, and Games & Events. Every post includes one free downloadable resource and an interview with the creator of that resource. Stuff You Can Use exists to help the Body of Christ share the very best of their ideas, tools, and resources, for free (which is pretty cool).

Here’s how the folks at “Stuff You Can Use” describe what’s available in this FREEBIE:

• A complete 1-YEAR SCHEDULE and STRATEGY for training and equipping Small Group Leaders.
• An editable version of their VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK (includes vision, philosophy, strategy, expectations, code of conduct, safety/boundaries with students, a 1-year commitment, and more).
• A sample of their most recent VOLUNTEER E-MAIL NEWSLETTER.
• An EVENT GUIDE for a Small Group Leader Meeting or Retreat (includes a how-to, schedule, detailed notes, the editable handouts they created and utilized, and a recap of actual conversations they had with their Small Group Leaders).
• An EVENT GUIDE for a Small Group Leader Coffee Talk (includes a how-to, schedule, editable flyer, and a recap of the actual conversations from one of their recent Coffee Talks).

(SEE! I told you this was an awesome Freebie!)

What is our church’s answer to meeting the spiritual the needs of college-age students? What will ministry to this group look like?

My first response was that we didn’t want to create a ministry that would merely be another great college ministry. In fact, I put it this way: I want the ability to ministry to college students, but not have a “college ministry,” per se. For me this is a HUGE philosophical difference.

I want to see this ministry to college-age students as an extension of our student ministry philosophy. I don’t want to look at the high school seniors who have been through my ministry and simply say “good luck!” I love the conversations surrounding the “sticky faith” initiative being advanced by Kara Powell, Chap Clark and the Fuller Youth Institute team. I’m on board with the mindset of seeing faith grow in young adults instead of wither, even as I know our church as a whole is a ways away from this being part of the DNA.

But we’re moving in that direction. And part of this movement is some realizations I thought I’d share with you. Maybe you’ve seen some similar things?

More Potential For Significant Relationship

I’ve watched many college-age students enjoy their college journey while watching others feel lost. A MAJOR variable seems to be how solid of a “friend base” they have. The rhythms of college life seem to give more time for developing meaningful relationships. And friends don’t just influence their thinking, but may dictate their life trajectory. I love the thought of seeing the relationships we have with our high school students deepen as they begin college.

Partnering To Teach Life Skills

I see so many college-age students get overwhelmed when everything they have to juggle hits them at once. I’ve had way too many college freshmen ask me how to teach them to balance a check boo, or help them manage their weekly calendar. I’m planning to create a stronger voice to parents of younger teens around these observations, including a well-aimed and well-intentioned kick in the pants so they can quit helicopter parenting their kids. But being in the position to help the transition from high school to college is important in this area.

Opportunity To Journey Together Through Questions And Doubts

As we know, the faith conversation broadens as students engage in college classes & social settings. And as we know, truth is positioned as negotiable based on what they learn in philosophy 101 or rooming with someone from a different faith background. Students cling to statements like “I still believe Jesus is God” in the midst of an atmosphere designed to pick apart such statements. I love the opportunity this new structure will provide us to help students learn how to think and not simply what to think. I look forward to continuing the deeper dialogue we start with our students in high school.

The Need For A Consistent, Trusted Voice

Pretty regularly, I’ll I get a message from a college age student who’s grown up in our ministry that looks something like this: “Hey life’s kinda weird, can we talk?” I love the fact that students seek me out to talk. I love being the pastoral voice in their lives. I love speaking truth, grace, and love into their lives. Part of this new ministry role is the opportunity to do more of this.


I have yet to become a college ministry guru.:) But I’ve learned some great insights and been reminded of others. And I believe, at least in our context, creating space for our students to transition into college while keeping many of the same relationships intact is a great new development.

What about you?

Does your ministry context provide an opportunity for you to consider extending your ministry’s reach to students transitioning into college? Have you ever considered it? What are some potential positives and negatives be?


Danny Bowers oversees the student ministries at Mission Hills Church in Mission Viejo, California. He is married to his high school sweetheart & they have two sons. You can follow Danny on his blog here.

This week’s posts from the ym360 Blog

• An Open Letter To Youth Workers by Andy Blanks
• Youth Worker BOOST: Brokenness by Richard Parker
• Youth Ministry Essentials: 5 Ways To Ensure Parents Don’t Like Your Ministry by Ben Denen
• 50 Freebies From Our Friends At LeaderTreks! by Doug Franklin

Posts From Other Awesome People

We search the Internet to bring you relevant information to help you be a better youth worker. Here are some links from posts we thought were pretty great.

Fav Read Of The Week:

“Katie’s Story” by Greg Stier

• This is a very moving, very powerful letter Greg received from a teenager. It really touched me. It’s articulate and revealing. I would strongly encourage you to read this as a reminder of why we do what we do.

The Rest Of The Best:

• Adam Reed—“I’m Sorry”
• Chris Wesley—“The Art Of The Brainstorming Session”
• Doug Franklin—“10 Keys to Leading a Great Mission Trip”
• Jordan Easley—“Ending The Comparison Game”
• Josh Evans—“7 Tips for following up with visitors“
• Josh Griffin—“Should We Wear Nametags at Youth Group?”
• Kolby Milton—“Reaching Teens in a Digital World: Freedom”
• Mark Oestreicher—“4 mindsets for staying put in youth ministry”
• Paul Martin (via Joel Mayward)—“Following Jesus”

That’s all the links for this week. As always, have an awesome weekend . . . And THANK YOU for the chance to serve you as part of the ym360 community.

Andy Blanks is the co-founder of youthministry360. Andy has worked in youth ministry for 13 years, leading small groups and developing Bible study resources for several organizations. Andy is a volunteer youth leader with his church’s youth group, leading small groups, and speaking and teaching whenever he gets the chance. Andy blogs daily about discipleship and disciple making at andyblanks.com