yesterday, we started a new vodcast: on the voddy. it’s hot! here’s the first epsiode:
Connect09 – Youth Events
Connect 09 is getting jiggy with it! Connect 09 is about helping churches to connect with their communities, and people to connect with Jesus. Exciting stuff. It’s a good opportunity for youth ministries to think through how they can connect with teenagers in their area. Here are some ideas: bring a friend youth night; band night; combined churches event; pancake breakfast in schools; hot chip lunches in schools; skatepark evangelism; LAN party; youth camps; interactive website; facebook/myspace; study camp; free homework club; 3-on-3 basketball comp; soccer clinic. Any more ideas?
Have you got a connect09 youth event* coming up? Looking for a speaker? I might be able to help. I can either speak at your event or suggest someone else who may be suitable. Check out my speaking page for some sample talks and availability etc. Contact me if you want to hook up.
Don’t know Jesus? Go read the 2nd half of one of his biographies.
*doesn’t have to be exclusively “youth” or “connect09” – any suitable event
KYCK 2009
At KYCK 1997 (then called KYCKSTART), during Ian Powell’s talk on Luke 18:9-14, I first understood that Christianity is not about what you do, but trusting in what Jesus has done. My world was rocked! This year I’m going to KYCK for the first time since 97. Vid:
I’m going with the crew from Willoughby, and I’m really looking forward to it. Scott Petty and Ross Ciano will be speaking. I think they’re the two best youth preachers going around. Bring it! You going?
Sorry that I’m off my chops
We live on a well lit, busy street that drunken people often stagger along late at night**. Over the years, we (Rowena and I) have picked up a number of drunk, disoriented and vulnerable girls. Row is very good in these situations. Tonight we picked up Jess*. She’s only 15 years old. She was distressed.
Jess* has been kicked out of school, isn’t welcome at home and gets drunk too often. Tonight she was drunk again and walking in the wrong direction from where she wanted to go. Row comforted her, and we gave her a lift. Upon arriving at her friend’s house, she said “Sorry that I’m off my chops”. We took her inside and she said we should catch up with her for lunch. We’re going to take her up on that offer. Row will call her in the morning to see how she is doing.
Why do we want to take her up on that offer? Quite frankly, because she is hopeless… that is, without hope. We want her to know Jesus and the living hope that can only be found through his death and resurrection. And indeed for the many lost teenagers on the Central Coast and beyond.
Do you know Jesus? He is your only hope for this life and the one to come.
*Not her real name… **We actually went out to investigate a disturbance with a girl screaming on the street while I was writing this! – sxc pic
Youth Ministry Conference 08
The Youthworks Youth Ministry Conference for 2008 is fast-approaching. November 24-25, 2008. It’s always a good conference… so make sure you’re in on the action! The early bird special finishes next week. They have online rego + here’s the brochure (pdf). The conference is great in thinking through theology and practice of youth ministry.
If you are currently involved in youth ministry – or in the future may have oversight of a youth ministry – this is a great conference for you. If you have it all sorted with youth ministry, come along anyway and share some of the love over breaks + meals.
See below for full details:
The place of youth ministry – past, present and future
Stu Crawshaw has just had his paper, Moving beyond the shock absorber: The place of youth ministry—past, present and future, published on the Briefing website. I read his original and heard it presented at the 2006 Theology of Youth Ministry Conference. It’s brilliant! He has profound insights on the historical movements within youth ministry, and thoughtful ideas on its future direction. Much of the document is the theory behind the Soul Revival youth ministry.
Having hung out with Stu at Bible School this year, I look forward to reading it again after seeing + hearing lots of his thinking embodied. GO READ IT!! There’s nowhere to leave comments on the Briefing website – so feel free to chat about it in the comments here… (pic from here)
Youthsurge & Garage Hymnal team up
Youthsurge & Garage Hymnal have teamed up to change the world in 2009. Here’s a snippet from today’s media release: Youthsurge and Garage Hymnal are teaming up to shatter conceptions of what bible-based youth ministry looks and sounds like. In 2009 the two groups are planning to raise the bar for evangelical youth events, with new programs, new sounds and a new vision.
“People seem to assume that you have to choose between great worship or great bible teaching. What we have in common with Youthsurge is that we don’t like choosing, we want it all!” says Andy Judd, keyboardist in Garage Hymnal.