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Avril Lavigne once sang: ‘Why’d you have to go and make things so complicated!’ I don’t think she was singing about leadership, yet I think one of the things we often do in leadership is overly complicate things. Likewise in communication.
Check out this useful blog post from Steven Furtick: Simple and Obvious. This is applicable in many contexts, but none more important than the gospel of Jesus. Keep it simple, keep it obvious, keep repeating it. Check out this simple gospel outline.
Two months ago I began researching the possible options for replacing the popular, and now out of print, NIV 1984. The HCSB is one English translation that is beginning to gain some traction around Sydney. Here’s an endorsement video:
I’ve been reading and enjoying the HSCB during that time. I had a go at preaching from it at Soulies Undeground last month. I stumbled a number of times when reading because of my familiarity with the NIV 1984!
Have you read much of the HCSB? What do you think?
Has anyone started using it within a youth ministry? How did it go?
What do you get when you combine Melbourne alleyways with tight indie folk musicians and killer video design skills? www.sideshowalley.tv It’s a tidy little project. Matty J linked to this vid from The Waifs:
I haven’t watched them all yet, but really enjoyed the ones I’ve seen. See below for a selection and/or browse the site:
Continue reading “Sideshow Alley // Indie Hipsters from Melbourne”
Row and I are currently reading through Proverbs each evening. So much wisdom! But, particularly in the big chunk in the middle, it’s difficult to discern any connected between each saying. I was excited to see that my friend Andrew Errington has just linked to a bunch of studies he’s written taking a thematic approach to the book. They look really useful. Download the PDF here.
Coincidentally (are there ever coincidences?) a different friend recently asked if I had any resources that would be useful for teaching Proverbs in a youth ministry setting. I don’t, but I do now! While these weren’t written for a youth ministry setting, if they are too difficult for your group, they’d serve as a really useful tool for a leader to use in prep.
Got a favourite Proverb? Share it in the comments…
RICE Rally is back again this coming Saturday. God has brought many young people to himself through this ministry over the last 10 years. I wasn’t able to make it last year, so I’m looking forward to joining in the action again this year.
Still deciding whether to take your crew along? Do it. It will be epic. Check out the website for some rad promo vids, tickets and any more info.
Blog readers – pray for this sucker! Pray that 100’s of peeps will put their trust in Jesus’ death for their sin and resurrection to new life. Pray that God would keep using youth ministry to change the world.
I’m noticing around Sydney lots of Youth Ministries getting together with others in their region. This is really cool. Some great momentum is being gained at the grass roots level that is helping to fuel discipleship and evangelism among teenagers. Here on the Northern Beaches we have a combined youth event coming up on August 19: UNASHAMED.
Historically combined events have happened on the beaches, but it’s been a few years. There are a bunch of youth pastors who get together every couple of months to hang out, encourage and pray. And last year a local leadership training event began that continued again this year. There seems to be some good momentum.
It felt like the time was right to try and do something together. We should get 250-300 young people this Friday. My hope is that the event will encourage Christian teenagers to be unashamed to follow Jesus on the Northern Beaches, and that those that aren’t already following Jesus will be challenged to consider following Him.
We’ve got Ross Ciano speaking and the band from St Paul’s Castle Hill leading the music. If you’re local – come along! If you’re not, we’d value your prayers.
Are you doing some grass roots combined youth events in your area? What works well? What lessons have you learnt? What value does it add to your own ministry?
Check out the Bill Hybels‘ gracious response to a speaker pulling out of the recent Willow Creek conference. The leadership lesson from his response is probably even more valuable than what the Starbucks CEO would have added to the summit. Check it:
What do you think? What do you learn about leadership? What do you learn about grace?