Success Series: Question # 7

I typed church into google images and this was one of them on the first page - what a picute and setting that is ( in my opinion ).

So, this is the last question in this series and then I will move on to my " dream series ". The final question is the following: Are you devoted to the church or Jesus ?

I earnestly want to believe that my devotion is always to the church and not to the church. However, if I look hard into the mirror, that will probably not be the case. I think at times when the church pays you a check - the waters can get a little murky at times.

For me, where the "church" gets a trump over Jesus at times is in my "studying". I find myself reading / praying / contemplating / relaxing / studying and when I do this, there is a small nag in the back of my brain - what could this do to benefit the students or the church.

So, I do need to redifine my attitude and state, this is for Jesus and me. It is me making sure that He is first and not the church and it is about Him and me not Him and Me so I can help the church.

Also, I think where this can hurt a few individuals is when they get the church calendars full and busy that the church trumps Jesus.

Hopefully, I can constantly keep my eyes on Jesus and not be constantly worried about the church.

Success Series: Question # 6

Am I playing with toys or am I worshipping Jesus ?

Before I answer that question, I just have to comment on the picture. Maybe, this is the connections - toys that represent God. If you are wanting to know what those are ... a group made them for a Marines Toy for Tots program. They initially declined them but then accepted them .. but that is not the point of the post.

I think that everywhere that I have been ( in ministry ) that I make sure that worshipping Jesus is the point and not playing with toys. Students can't play with toys anywhere and the toys that they can play with our usually greater than the toys that we have.

Also, the reason that I think that it is vital to worship Jesus over playing with toys is well ... ummm ... I think that is what God has called us to do. Besides that fact, when someone who is "outside" of the church and they wonder into our doors, they are expecting and wanting to find something different - that is why they are here.

Now, I will admit that sometimes where "toys" get in my way is when I am trying to use "toys" for a teaching moment and they completely fall apart ... toys=technology.

Media Shout is not working, our screen is down, the tv is blurry, our video card can not handle the media application and it is lost .. the point ... then ....

S M A C K

It is not about that. It is about our relationships with one another and us trying to Love God and Love Others.

The students alot of times are screaming for toys and more toys. More time for us to play with toys and less time about God .. because if we do this .. it will be more fun and more people will come. Then we go into a circle and we really try to decide what is success and ahhhhhh .... we come back to this series.

What is success and how are we defining it. I hope that part of our success is determind that we have a group of students who love God and are continually worshipping him in all they do and say.

Sucees Series: YM Question # 5

Question # 5: Am I speeding up or slowing down ?

The answer: I Have No Clue. At times, I feel like that I am slowing down but at times, I feel like I am speeding up and going fast forward at some unbelievable speeds. Thankfully, there are numerous times where I am able to let off of the accelerator and slow down.

There are numerous things that are on the burners and numerous things that are occurring in our ministry but yet, I am still able to take the time to slow down and be with the family and create "down time".

Also, I think that in the ministry, there is a good balance. The students have many avenues that they can participate in yet they are not burdened or pressured to be involved in most or all the activites.

This is a tough question and an issue that I am still trying to figure out. This is also a topic that I want to spend more time on later "flushing-out".

Success in YM: Question # 4

I had to use this photo of a "big mouth". The reason for the mouth is to symbolize question number 4 which is the following:

Am I Talking my F or am I Living My Faith ?

I think that I am going to regretfully say that I am currently talking more than living. With that I mean from what my students see. At this stage in my ministry, I am doing quite a bit of teaching - but the teaching is verbal - classroom instruction - not hands on - out in the world doing.

One of the areas we have not tapped into yet is being with the students in regular teaching moments outside of our normal ministry. We need to take steps where we as a group is living more and talking less.

I, myself, will need to step up and lead the charge and begin to be involved in more hands on ministry opportunities.

More Thoughts On That Later.

Success in YM: Question # 3

Question # 3: Am I Focused On The Size Of My Group ?

This is a very difficult question for me to look at and for me to examine. I think that the main reason is because there is often a false impression that huge numbers = huge success and that is just not true.

However, I am tempted at times to want to reach for the stars and grab the numbers so I can point and say, " see, we are successful ". Thankfully, I am involved in a church that does not place the focus there. Yes, we are a church that averages over 600 on Sunday's ( see pointing to a number ) but we put the emphasis on are we doing ministry that emphasizes our core values.

I also have a SP that stands up for me in the following ways: He looks at a person and says, " no, we may not have more than X church on Sunday night. However, the reason for that is simple: we are doing a bible study and they are playing basketball and open gym night - focuses are completely different.

I can also say at times that I do not focus " on numbers " because I came from a YM that had "bigger #'s". In my heart of heart, it is not on the numbers but it is still in me when I am going home on Sunday night and the following scenario creeps in before I can "stomp" it out ...

We had 42 tonight, so .... STOP IT !!!!

It is about the students and adults that are there. Are we creating a safe enviorment for them. Are we striving to be a place where they can be relational and be authentic. Are the things that we are doing .. are they relevant and exciting .. are we fulfilling our vision and mission.

So, I will admit, at times I struggle with numbers but I am trying to make sure that is not where my focus is ... it is about who is there and who we are.

Success in YM: Question # 2

Am I Managing or Encouraging ? This is question number 2 in the self-evaluation process that I am going through. I am in the process of switching to encouraging. Now granted, there are elements that need to be "managed" but I am placing my focus in on the encouragement aspect.

I will give a little example of how I see this occurring in my ministry and how the shift is starting to play out. I first want to share a little with you about my own personal change and how my style is "evolving".

In Kentucky, I was the "lone-ranger". Now, do not get me wrong, there were volunteers that helped out but that is what I regulated them to - helping out and I put them in the place where there was a "void".

In Alabama, I took my ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT degree principles and maxed them out with wonderful organizational charts, place individuals in ministries where they were gifted and passionate, detailed job descriptions and managed them so our ministry would grow and " be successful ". Yes, we are co-ordinators and leaders in the positions and they did a great job BUT I failed them. They may / may not agree that I failed with them but in my deep reflection - I did because the "encouragement" factor was not always there. I did the pats on the back, and the great job .. but ...

In Indiana, I am begining to lay the foundation for a ministry where I am going to be an ecourager and that my managing will take the "back seat". Yes, the organization and management will be there, but that will not be the highlight. The highlight will be the encouraging the volunteers to carry out ministry. I am going to begin the process of doing this with meeting with them regularly. In January, I have 17 meetings set where I will be listening to their hearts and enouraging them to do ministry.

The goals that I am shooting for is to always give them an encouraging word, have everyone involved in ministry and for me to become "invisible". The invisible part at times is scary - especially at times for youth ministers. I think that when we are working together as a team ..... that when someone is "observing" that they will not know who the ym is .... because of the team factor.

So, as I press forward this year, I will be "managing" to make sure how all the areas are covered but I will not "manage" their moves. I will try to be the constant voice of encouragemnt for them.

The tough part .... when the dynamic leaders take a detour and go down the path that you are unsure about. Do you step in and "manage" or do you encourage. It happened this weekend. I encouraged but I wanted to manage BUT my management "intent" may have been seen behind the encouraging words ... I will work on that.

Success in YM: Question # 1

Question number 1 from the article that I am expounding on and reflecting on was the following: Am I programming or incubating ?

I think that I am currently in the the incubating stage but I am not far removed from the programming stage. There are "programs" that are going on but these are our regular Sunday night program and Confirmation. We are not doing any extra big programs so we can try to reach 'just one more'.

How am I going to do this or how am I do this .... For me, it is about one-on-one time with my adults. I am investing more into their lives, so they can be fed, encouraged and ready to serve our students. I am also developing student ministry teams. This ministry is in the infancy stages and already "shifting" where I am investing my time into these students lives ( incubating them ) so they can reach out to their friends and develop ministries.

I am hoping in 2007 that I will move far away from the programming aspect and trul;y spending time with individuals. It comes down to this one sentence: More effort into changing lives personally rather than affecting a few impersonally.

It is a natural tendency though I think to add more programs to make it look like we are doing a lot and reaching alot. When you draw back from that, you can open yourself up to "failure" and people questioning our motives. A lot of times, people want to be "comfortable".

In my life stage, I am not happy with comfortable. The tough question for me to answer may be the following: What ministries may I need to "kill" in order to make more room for incubation ?

What about you and your ministry ? Where are you at ? Where are you headed ?

What would happen if we as a whole ( ym community ) would spend more time with our current kids instead of pouring our tired selves and our tired volunteers into new programs to try to reach - just one more ....

Help me think ...

Success in YM

Recently, I have been re-evaluating the way that I am doing ministry and what I ( we ) as a ministry needs to be doing. In that reflection process, I came across an old article from 2000 regarding Success. It was a ministry self evaluation study.

In it, came a few important questions. The questions were the following:

1. Am I programming or incubating ?

2. Am I managing or encouraging ?

3. Am I focused on the size of the youth group ?

4. Am I talking the faith or living the faith ?

5. Am I speeding up or slowing down ?

6. Am I playing with toys or worshipping God ?

7. Am I devoted to my church or to Jesus ?

Thanks to Tim Baker for writing those questions out and putting them in front of me numerous years ago. Throughout the next week or so, I am going to reflect and blog on these questions as it regards to my current ministry context.

The one thing that I am doing different is "investing". I am committed to investing in the lives of my volunteers this year. I am meeting with them and hearing their stories.

May we take the time and slow down ( oxy-moron ? ) and evaluate how we are doing ministry and ask the tough questions.