YouthPastor.com

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Sharonville (Cincinnati), OH (Methodist - United Methodist)

Sat, 25 May 2013 18:32:00 GMT

Director of Youth Ministries Position Sharonville United Methodist Church is a multigenerational church striving to fulfill the mission of the United Methodist Church, “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the World.” Our youth director is responsible for strengthening the faith of our youth as they become young adults. The position is a part time position. Responsibilities Include • Disciple young adults in God's Word, the teachings of Jesus, their role in the Kingdom and His church. • Provide an atmosphere where young adults find acceptance and encouragement to grow spiritually. • Responsible for the selection, detailed design and execution of activities and events to fulfill the ministry objectives • Establish individual, trusting relationships with each youth member. • Partner with parents and families to establish rapport and open lines of communication. • Develop and manage from an annual operating budget (To view the full Job Description, visit our website at Sharonville-UMC.org/yddescription)) Criteria for Consideration To qualify, a bachelor's degree is required from a four year college or university (preferably in a ministry or education related field); or a high school degree with five years of related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Compensation Sharonville United Methodist Church provides competitive compensation within the market and will provide details to qualified candidates. Contact Qualified candidates are asked to submit their resumes to: newydsumc@gmail.com Sharonville United Methodist Church is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace. Posting date: 5-15-2013 Ending date: Open until position is filled

Student Ministry Resources

Sat, 25 May 2013 13:16:38 GMT

Student Ministry Resources exists to give short and sweet help to all those ministering to Students.

"What if?" (Dare 2 Share Ministries International)

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:03:00 GMT

I posted this video awhile back. It's worth posting (and watching) again! How do you make disciples? We can help!

Young Adult or College Pastor - Broadview Hts, OH (Baptist - Southern Baptist)

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:46:00 GMT

Cuyahoga Valley Church is actively seeking a pastor for our young adult ministry and co-teaching pastor who will enthusiastically join our team in reaching Northeast Ohio with the message of new life in Christ. Our ideal candidate is an innovative leader, a dynamic biblical teacher, a visionary disciple maker and a team player that has a passion for Christ and His life transforming power. This person needs to have experience in and an understanding of the unique nature of young adult culture and ministry as well as a heart to link generations of Christ-followers together in caring community. Cuyahoga Valley Church is a twenty-six year old contemporary evangelical church with an average weekly attendance of 2,100. We are located in Broadview Heights Ohio, just south of Cleveland, in proximity to many universities, colleges and training institutes. If after prayerfully reviewing this opportunity you feel led to apply, please read the attached job description and submit your resume to: cvcsearch@yahoo.com

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Lubbock, TX (Baptist (All))

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:41:00 GMT

Second Baptist Church of Lubbock, Texas, with an active membership of more than 600 souls, is seeking a full-time Minister of Youth and Young Adults for its growing youth and college-age ministries. Second Baptist Church is a community of love in action, seeking to share Christ through… ° Life-giving Worship, ° Soul-growing Study & Fellowship, and ° World-changing Mission. This person will need to have a highly effective set of leadership talents and skills, abilities with which he or she can provide energy, creativity, understanding, and compassion for the youth of our community. The top priority of this person will be guiding and inspiring our youth to grow, with hunger, toward a more deep and informed faith. SBC's Minister of Youth and Young Adults will serve as the director of our youth ministry team, comprised both of volunteers and of pastoral staff. A primary role for this person will be to recruit and to actively support this team, through training, shared-planning, and working to provide them with a stable platform from which they can offer their gifts. In this way, this team will be empowered to share – in a tangible, meaningful way – in our youth and young adult ministry: teaching, counseling, nurturing, and mentoring youth and young adults, alike. Applicants must have a growing, personal commitment to Jesus Christ, to the body of Christ, and to God's work in the world. Strong teaching and relational skills are essential, as are the abilities to recruit, to delegate, and to organize groups toward a common goal.

Book I"m Currently Reading - Taking your church to the next level. (Deep Thoughts by Gman)

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:34:00 GMT

Next Door Savior - A Review (Deep Thoughts by Gman)

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:32:00 GMT

Just finished Reading Max Lucado's Next Door Savior. I admit I'm an avid reader of Lucado's. I like his style. Very simple to the point. The point of the book's premise is easy that our Savior wants to know us. Our great Commander In Chief wants a relationship with us. Max takes scriptures, stories and helps point us to well, Jesus. This book helps not dumb down the gospel but simplify it to let us know that Jesus - 100% God and also 100% man understands us and what we go through.

Flashback Friday (May 24): This Week's Links From The Youth Ministry Blogosphere (youthministry360)

Fri, 24 May 2013 04:12:00 GMT

One of the things we are committed to at ym360 is Networking. Our vision for networking is connecting you to people and organizations doing awesome youth ministry.Flashback Friday is a feature where we give you the run down of some of the awesome posts from the past week across youth ministry blogs. Consider it our way of keeping you connected with what is going on. This week's posts from the ym360 BlogEvaluating the Purpose of Your Discipleship Programs by Andy Blanks The Problem With Perfectionism In Your Youth Ministry by Christopher WesleyShepherding Teenagers (And Parents) Through "Let Down" Moments by Danny BowersYouth Worker BOOST: Inside Out by Richard Parker Posts From Other Awesome PeopleWe 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.Reaching super busy students turned out to be really easy… By Aaron HelmanThe importance of appropriately differentiating your faith from your student's by Benjamin Kerns5 Basic Communication Practices by Christopher WesleyGo Ahead...Spoil Her by Danny BowersBalancing Relationships and Goals by Doug FranklinBoundaries for Youth Leaders by Josh EvansHow To Effectively Change Up Your Summer Youth Ministry Schedule by Leneita FixWhy Apologetics Still Matter in Youth Ministry by Rachel Blom5 BIG Reasons why you SHOULD go on a Short-Term Mission Trip by Robbie MackenzieThe Boys are Back in Town by Steven Orel 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.

Why apologetics still matter in youth work (Youth Leaders Academy)

Fri, 24 May 2013 02:13:00 GMT

Apologetics, also known as the ability to 'defend' your faith, has gotten a bit of a bad rep over the last years. Many have argued that this generation of young people doesn't care about facts anymore, that it's not logic that will convince them of God, but experiences. At the Youth Work Summit, Ruth McGarahan [...]You just finished reading Why apologetics still matter in youth work! Have you subscribed to our free biweekly newsletter yet?

Full NYWC Schedule is Now Available (Youth Specialties)

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:18:00 GMT

We are so excited to announce that all the details for the National Youth Worker's Convention this fall are now available at NYWC.com. You can see the full schedule, speakers, artists, and intensive learning lab info for both San Diego and Nashville. We can't wait to see you there! Check out the Schedules here:

How four teenagers changed the world (Dare 2 Share Ministries International)

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:52:00 GMT

Thousands of years ago four orphaned, Jewish teenagers were forced to march to a hostile country and immersed in headfirst into paganism. They were taught the dark arts and learned the inner secrets of the magicians and soothsayers of their powerful captors. Did they protest? No! Instead they studied hard and advanced to the top of their class. In the midst of the idolatry around them, they never lost their passion for God, theological convictions or moral core. Instead their passion for God grew stronger, their theology grew deeper and their convictions became clearer. Soon they were in leadership positions in this polytheistic culture filled with violence, sex, witchcraft and idolatry. When three of them were commanded to bow before an idol they refused. But they survived the fiery wrath an an angry tyrant by the power and presence of Jesus Christ. These four teenagers were stellar examples of having burning hearts for God, bright minds for learning, calloused hands for working and strong spines filled with the molten steel of uncompromising resolve. By now you probably know who I'm talking about: Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and, the leader of the wolf pack, Daniel. What may surprise you is that they were most likely between 13-15 years old when they were taken into captivity which means that, after three years of training, they were in leadership positions by their late teens. Imagine these four teen friends being chained and marched to Babylon after the fall of Jerusalem. Imagine their conversations among themselves as they made the long, long walk. It may have been during this time they resolved among themselves, not just to refuse to compromise, but to reverse the very culture they were being immersed in. And that's exactly what they did. After seeing three of the four survive the fiery furnace (with not even a singed beard) and hearing Daniel prophesy seven years of humbling insanity for the proud king, Nebuchadnezzar had a full mental break down. For seven years he became King Crazy Hobo. He slept outside, grew his fingernails as long as talons and ate grass with his bovine buddies. After seven years of pure craziness the king came to his senses, humbled himself and turned to the true God of the universe in faith. He actually wrote Daniel 4 to share his salvation story. He ended the chapter with these words, "Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase." The mightiest King of one of the mightiest empires in human history was brought to his knees by the testimony of one prophesying young man, three uncompromising young men and seven insane years of judgment. Imagine the implications throughout Babylon at the conversion of the King. No longer would Jews have to hide or hold their heads in shame. The king served their King! And it all started because four teenagers made a pact to serve God wholeheartedly when they were whisked away to a foreign culture. In the same way, a small but determined team of uncompromising teenagers can learn to reverse the pagan culture they have been immersed in. They don't need to protest or picket the pagan culture around them. They don't need to burn their laptops or throw their smartphones in the trash. Instead they need to infiltrate this culture, accelerate in it and then reverse it through the power of prayer, uncompromising conviction and a bold-meets-loving-meets-shrewd proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Four teenagers changed the world back in the Old Testament. Four teenagers can change the world again today. If you're a teenager, get your cause crew ready to live in reverse. If you're a youth leader get your teens signed up for the brand new conference tour from Dare 2 Share called The Reverse Tour.

Evaluating the Purpose of Your Discipleship Programs (youthministry360)

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

Though it was 18 years ago, I still remember it pretty clearly. It was one of my least favorite parts of Marine Corps Boot Camp. No, it wasn't an obstacle course, a uniform inspection, or physical training. It was a little thing called "field day." Performing a "field day" was basically cleaning your room. Except the room was a squad bay. And it was the Marine Corps version of "cleaning." Instead of mops, you pushed a towel as fast as you could run on all fours. Yup, I would rather crawl through a mud-filled trench under barbed-wire than sweep the floor with a shoe shine brush. The real thing that made "field days" so frustrating to me was that there was no real defined goal. There was no set purpose. When we began, we had no idea of when it would end. The cleanliness of the squad bay had nothing to do with it. We were at the mercy of our Drill Instructors and their agenda, or lack of one.I wonder sometimes if the teenagers in our youth groups see our discipleship efforts this way.Now, I am not comparing our discipleship groups to Boot Camp. (We might need to talk about your methodology if there is too much similarity between the two.) But, I do wonder how your students would respond if you asked them to articulate the goal or purpose of your discipleship initiatives.What would they say? How would they answer? I imagine for many of us, our students would have a hard time articulating the purpose or goal of our discipleship programs, because they have not been properly informed of them. Sadly, many youth ministries just aren't that strategic. Could you answer these questions about your discipleship program?What is the stated goal? In other words, what do you want to achieve in the lives of your students? Is this goal birthed out of Scripture? Does it correspond with any one of the many biblical descriptions of a mature Christ-follower?How are you measuring your effectiveness? In other words, are you concerned with whether or not it's working?Are students held accountable for their growth towards your stated goal? If students are not growing in their faith, if they are not taking discipleship seriously (for whatever reason) do you have a process or plan to help intervene?What role do your discipleship programs play in your larger youth ministry philosophy? Field-days were horrible. But they were part of a very calculated plan to shape young men and women into Marines. How does your discipleship initiative integrate with and serve the rest of your youth ministry vision?Whenever I write or speak about discipleship in such a procedural manner, I'm tempted to cringe a little inside. I naturally resist taking something so spiritual and organic and treating it in what could seem like a rather sterile, or "assembly-line" manner. Honestly, I'm more personally drawn to the "mysterious" and beautiful parts of Spirit-fueled transformation that occur when a teenager "gets it." But, if we're not intentional about our purposes for discipleship, if we are not specific in the goals we set for our students, we run the risk of being ineffective. And in this discussion, being ineffective means potentially seeing a young man or woman fall short in the area of their spiritual growth.With stakes this high, I'd rather err on the side of making sure we have a process in mind, any day.

10 preaching tips from Tony Campolo (Youth Leaders Academy)

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:47:00 GMT

When I saw Tony Campolo was leading a preaching master class on the early day of the Youth Work Summit, I immediately booked this stream. He's a brilliant communicator and I was pretty stoked to be able to spend a whole day learning from him. And I have to say: he didn't disappoint. He was [...]You just finished reading 10 preaching tips from Tony Campolo! Have you subscribed to our free biweekly newsletter yet?

Junior 2 week of Camp - Oak Hill Christian Service Camp (Deep Thoughts by Gman)

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:53:00 GMT

I'm going ...how about you?

Hebrews Sermon Series (Deep Thoughts by Gman)

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:52:00 GMT

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Davidson, NC (Methodist - United Methodist)

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:04:00 GMT

Minister/ Director of Youth Ministries (Davidson, NC) Davidson United Methodist Church, in Davidson, NC, is seeking Minister/ Director of Youth Ministries to develop and lead our Youth Ministry program. Davidson UMC is a regional church with a membership of 4,100. We are seeking an energetic, outgoing, mature person of faith to extend our relational ministry with youth in sixth through twelfth grades and their families. The minister/ director will lead our youth ministries staff and volunteers to develop programs, retreats, events, and outings that deepen the faith lives of our youth. This is a full-time position, with pay and benefits commensurate with experience. Minimum requirements: undergraduate degree, preferably in youth ministry, Christian education, or similar course of study; 5-10 years experience leading youth ministries within a church setting; and an understanding of the mission and ministry of the United Methodist Church. A job description may be found by going to the following link: www.davidsonumc.org/jobs. To apply please submit a resume by e-mail to Reverend P. Glenn Kinken, III, Executive Pastor, at Gkinken@davidsonumc.org, no later than June 18, 2013.

Youth Worker BOOST: Inside Out (youthministry360)

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:45:00 GMT

ym360 knows youth workers. We know what an incredibly rewarding, yet incredibly challenging job youth ministry can be. There are days when your spirits are sky-high, and there are days when you could use a bit of a "pick me up" from God's Word . . . That's why we're happy to offerYouth 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! "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."--2 Timothy 3:16-17Don't you love filling out your bracket for the NCAA Basketball Tournament? If you're like most people, it doesn't take you very long before you realize that your predictions are just awful. What if next year you decided to work from the end of the tourney backwards to the beginning? In other words, pick your national champion and then pick games in reverse all the way back to round number one. Call it your "Backwards Strategy." It couldn't turn out any worse, could it?While the Backwards Strategy might work for your March Madness bracket, it's a crummy way to go about teaching the Bible.Yet, we're all at least a little guilty of it, aren't we? We decide what topic we want to cover then go find the Scripture to back up our point. I believe that Paul would suggest that we should always let our teaching start with scripture. Make sure what you prepare or the material you use has the Bible as the main focus.You may be a great teacher but it is the inspired word of God that is "useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness"Our prayer for you: We pray that you would be empowered to teach your students the Bible in a way that plainly sets forth God's truth. And we pray that you would lead them to apply these truths in a way that is transformational in their lives. Look for a new Youth Worker Boost each Wednesday on the ym360 Blog.Last Week's BOOST: Hello NeighborNext Week's BOOST: You're Not Alone Get more BOOST articles HERE!

How To Effectively Change Up Your Summer Youth Ministry Schedule (YouthWorkTalk.com)

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

One of the age-old debates in youth ministry is, "Do we take the summer off?" I have always landed on the side of NO! As a matter of fact just last week I asked some of my students if they would like to have an intentional "leadership" group over the summer. Crickets. Then came the [...]You just finished reading How To Effectively Change Up Your Summer Youth Ministry Schedule!

What young people look for in religion (YWS13 part 2) (Youth Leaders Academy)

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:27:00 GMT

Tony Campolo kicked off the early day of the Youth Work Summit with a general introduction. He quoted Pew research that has discovered three things that young people look for in religion, but usually don't find: Spirituality Authenticity Hopeful eschatology If we want to reach young people with the gospel, if we want our youth [...]You just finished reading What young people look for in religion (YWS13 part 2)! Have you subscribed to our free biweekly newsletter yet?

Let the Little Children Come Evangelism Tools

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:55:43 GMT

All the resources you need to share the gospel with children, from child evangelism presentation to kids Bible tracts.

Interview With Craig Gross (YouthMinistry.com)

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:56:00 GMT

Our longtime friend, Craig Gross, founder of XXXchurch.com has a passion for helping men and women break free from the grip of pornography. XXXchurch.com has helped thousands of people develop a deeper level of personal accountability as well as providing some safeguards for the ever-increasing amount of time they are spending online. It's with this backdrop that Craig wrote his newest book, "Open", which is dedicated to helping people develop a lifestyle of honest, real, accountability with one another. Today, we thought we'd let Craig tell us a little more about this fantastic new book. So, this book is for everyone: male and female, young and old. Why do you think the Christian community, and the world at large, needs this book today? Today we live in a world where people can sit face to face over a meal, but their heads are buried, looking down at their phones, tweeting about what they are eating or who they are with or taking Instagram photos of both. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sex sells. Sex tempts. Sex lies. Sex glorifies. Download Best Sex Ever from Author Doug Fields. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ We are connected more than ever, but the surface-ness of those connections often leave us feeling completely disconnected. We share, tweet, and like things online, but not very often do we do those things in real time with real people over real topics that are sometimes heavy. We are not meant to do life alone and the Christian community should encourage people—the rest of the world, really—to try and be open and real and honest with people. Those things are difficult and don't come naturally, so I tried to share some practical ways how to do that in Open and help people see that it not only is it worth it but that it's necessary and doable. Anyone can be open. You've built a ministry and a name around the concept of sexual purity and the dangers of pornography. Why this book, now? Why expand your message to a broader audience? We deal with people who have secrets every day, and at the end of the day secrets will kill you. Secrets will tear apart your family and your relationships. This book is not just about porn and it is not just about secrets and the bad things but rather encouraging people to see that we are better together.read more

Youth Pastor - Junior High/Middle School - Morton, IL (Methodist - United Methodist)

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:55:00 GMT

Ministry Purpose The purpose of the Minister of Youth is to cast vision and lead an expanding team to disciple students for Jesus Christ (grades 7th – 12th) and equip them for works of service in the Kingdom of God. Ministry Duties 1. Develop and maintain relationships with MUMC teenagers. 2. Develop and maintain avenues for intentional disciple-making through Sunday classes, small groups and Wednesday night activities. 3. Develop and seek out opportunities for mission and perspective, including retreats, projects and mission trips. 4. Seek-out, equip and enable adult and student leaders to also accomplish duties 1, 2, or 3. 5. Cultivating a healthy spiritual life and growing as a leader at MUMC. 6. Develop and maintain healthy working relationship with MUMC leaders and staff. 7. Network and pray with community youth leaders. Background/Experience This position requires knowledge and skills including; 1) strong faith in Jesus with a growing knowledge of Scripture 2) confidence in teaching in a variety of settings 3) heart to serve families and their teenagers 4) gifts to lead and equip a team of ministers, 5) ability to plan & organize 6) supportive of Methodist theology under the preaching of John Wesley. There is no educational requirement to apply for this position. However, completed courses in Biblical Studies, Theology and/or Youth Culture are highly recommended. Applicants preferred to have worked consistently with students for at least 2 years in either a camp or church setting. Please submit resumes via e-mail to info@mortonumc.org. Please indicate "Youth Minister Application" in the subject line.

Flipping off the Devil (Dare 2 Share Ministries International)

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:55:00 GMT

When I was in the 3rd Grade at Brown Elementary School I put my faith in Jesus. From that moment on I knew that I had a loving Savior, a Heavenly Father and a mortal enemy. Jesus became my obsession and Satan became my nemesis. I knew from early on I wanted to spend the rest of my life serving Jesus and ticking off Satan. One time while walking down the hallway of Brown Elementary on the way to class I started thinking about how much I hated Satan for having kept my mom, and much of my family, spiritually captive for so long. I started thinking how he had blinded my eyes to the light of the gospel for nine "whole" years. I reflected on the damage he had helped to bring about in my own high-crime rate neighborhood. When my mom turned on the news during dinner, I thought about the violence, crime and sin Satan was triggering and reveling in, not only in my family and neighborhood, but in the world at large. As I walked down the hallway thinking all that Satan had done to destroy the world and my family I did what any 3rd Grade Christian young man would do, I flipped off the devil. In my mind I was simply giving the devil his due...double birdies from my tiny middle fingers. And I didn't just flip off the devil once and then stop. I kept my middle fingers extended straight down toward what I thought to be his hellish home. With streams of elementary school kids walking by me in the hallway I'm sure there were a lot of scratched heads and strange looks, but I was too busy to notice. That was, until a teacher stopped me and asked me what the heck was going on. He saw my furrowed brow, my intense gaze toward the floor and two downward digits in the 6 o'clock position. "What are you doing young man?" the teacher asked. I looked up, disgusted by his interruption (of what I considered to be a holy moment), and responded matter-of-factly, "I'm flipping off the Devil." If I remember right he told me to stop and then kept on walking down the hallway. I'm sure he was wondering what kind of strange kid he had at his school. He was right. I was strange. But I did have a very real God awareness and, therefore, a real Satan awareness too. The reality of God enthralled me and the reality of Satan enraged me. I was dealing with this rage in a way that wasn't unimaginable for a kid who was raised in a verbally and physically violent family. I hadn't read Jude 1:8-10 yet, "In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings. But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!' (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses' body.) But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction." Suffice it to say that Jude would have spanked me for my insolence toward Satan if he were in the place of that teacher in the hallway that day...and rightfully so. Of course now I know that Satan is not to be toyed with, trifled with or taunted. He is to be defeated by the blood of the Lamb and a humble reliance on the Lord. Those who mock him do so to their own demise. But God had grace on a well-intentioned elementary-aged kid that day. No, we shouldn't flip off the devil with our fingers, but we certainly should upset him with our lives. We should live lives that so reflect Christ that others are drawn to Jesus. We should share the good news in such a way as to depopulate the kingdom of darkness and overcrowd the kingdom of light. Do I still think about giving the devil the bird anymore? Not really. Now I'm more consumed with advancing the gospel of Jesus through an army of teenagers who are passionate about Christ and His Cause. I'm more concerned with giving God maximum glory than blowing out Satan's flickering light. But sometimes I'm afraid that, underneath all of my ministry activities, there's still a little 3rd grader giving the devil the finger.

Trending: thoughts on parent-friendly youth ministry, YS Roundtable Episode 6 and More (Youth Specialties)

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:57:00 GMT

This week's links include thoughts on parent-friendly youth ministry, tips for parents to help their child transition into youth ministry, social relationships on Instagram, the YS Roundtable Episode 6 (with Chad Meister), and more insight into the teen brain. Links: How Friendly Is your Ministry to Parents? (Doug Fields) YS Roundtable Episode 6: Chad Meister (Youth Specialties) Tips for Parents: Helping Your Child Transition Into the Youth Ministry (CYMT) "I Met Him on Instragram..." (Jonathan McKee) "Inside the Teen Brain" (Walt Mueller)

YS Roundtable Episode 6: Chad Meister (Youth Specialties)

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:29:00 GMT

In this episode, Terry Linhart is joined by Chad Meister, professor at Bethel College, to discuss helping students during times crisis. Here are some more resources to help teens in times of crisis and help your volunteers be ready: The YS Roundtable is hosted by Terry Linhart, director of the Youth Specialties Academic Support Network (YSASN) and Professor of Youth Ministry & Adolescent Studies at Bethel College in Indiana. YS Roundtable is produced by our friends at RemedyLive.

Responding In the Wake of the Oklahoma Tornadoes (YouthMinistry.com)

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:17:00 GMT

Monday afternoon a massive tornado tore through a southern suburb of Oklahoma City, hitting homes and schools, and leaving death, destruction, and sorrow in its wake. The death toll is going up and down as rescuers and officials try to sort through conflicting reports and possible double-counts of the dead—but they do know that some of the children from that decimated school are among them. Search-and-rescue crews are still searching the rubble for survivors. These sort of natural disasters are ripe for teenagers to question why a loving God would "allow" this to happen. We've offered links here that will help you navigate this disaster with your students—news like this diminishes the distance we feel from those who are hurting, and your teenagers may appreciate the chance to talk about their experience of this tragedy. http://www.youthministry.com/articles/families/helping-students-navigate-through-tragedy http://www.youthministry.com/articles/families/responding-tragedy-redemptive-presence http://www.youthministry.com/articles/families/dealing-death http://www.youthministry.com/articles/families/how-talk-teens-about-tragedy-and-terror http://www.morethandodgeball.com/2010/03/05/guest-post-5-ways-to-help-students-deal-with-tragedy-and-pain/

Shepherding Teenagers (And Parents) Through "Let Down" Moments (youthministry360)

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:46:00 GMT

Image courtesy of shutterstock.com / (c) newphotoservice The phone rang at 1 AM. It was a mom desperate for advice after receiving a phone call that rocked her world. Her child had made a really poor decision and there was some serious fall-out from it.This student loves Jesus. This student had shared Christ with friends and served at every chance possible. This student had sought out a mentor and met with their mentor regularly. I can personally vouch for this student's faith, love for life, and desire to be used by the LORD in dynamic ways. But this one night, this student made a choice that didn't reflect any of these truths.The question for us as youth pastors is "How do we handle these moments?" How do we handle the parent who is desperate to answer the, "Why did he or she do this?" question. How do we handle it when the student, who is facing the immediate guilt of his or her actions, looks at you as their mentor and says, "I'm sorry I've disappointed you."It's in these "let down" moments, we have the opportunity to reflect truth and grace to everyone involved, even ourselves. Here's what this looks like:TruthWe are sinners. Regardless of how mature we are in our relationship with Christ, the reality is that we live in a broken world with a sin nature that gives in to temptation. Sometimes this truth is a hard reminder to parents and students. We tend to think that action = character. James 2 says that faith without action is dead, and rightfully so. We love seeing students live out their faith I ways that are visible. We can see how much they love the Lord. But when we forget what James says about temptation in chapter 1, there's the shellshock of watching students who are strong in their faith make sinful choices. TruthJesus isn't done with us yet. These reality check moments remind us of the need for Jesus. Even in our broken world, the Holy Spirit desires to transform our hearts and minds. These moments allow us to remember that the Gospel isn't just about our salvation when we die, but about our salvation while we're alive. These moments, especially with students and parents that desire to follow Jesus, allow us to teach a deep scriptural truth in a practical and tangible way. GraceOur words and actions immediately following these types of circumstances can be Jesus-breathed or guilt-driven. Paul in 2 Corinthians 7 talks about guilt that leads to repentance. When we know we've messed up, we need to head toward repentance and allow God's grace to lead us a new direction. When this student looked at me and said, "I'm sorry I've disappointed you" my reply was "No you haven't." I shared I thought the action was immature and foolish, but that more than anything I felt for them because of the guilt, pain, and regret they were already feeling. I told this student that I wasn't disappointed. The light that lit up in this student's eyes was a great moment for us. I reminded the student that when we seek forgiveness from Jesus, it was already granted. But repentance is a crucial element in this moment. It also gave me a chance to help the parents be able to see how God's grace will carry everyone through.After 12+ years of student ministry, I'm still not surprised by these moments. The truth is that we all can confess we personally still have them. Sharing from our own mistakes and how we've pursued repentance and transformation, can allow the students we pastor a visual example that it can be done. But we better not be faking it! Jesus doesn't need us blurring the picture of authentic submission to Him. (The world does that enough.) We need to be able to stand with students and continue to call them with the transformation Gospel that allows the Kingdom of Heaven to be lived out on this earth now in a real and life altering way.

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Katy, TX (Baptist (All))

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:30:00 GMT

Job Description: This position is for a Small Groups Pastor to our Students 6th-12th grade. We minister to over 400 students, and need someone to take on our growing small groups ministry. We currently have over 200 students in 20+ small groups that need some serious love. If you have a passion for teens and discipleship then this is a great opportunity for you. Please include a picture with your resume. Student Small Groups Pastor Responsibilities Small Groups Management Operate and maintain a comprehensive Follow-Up System Small Group Responsibilities Manage all fall, spring, and summer small groups Recruit Small Group Leaders for the Small Group Year Train ALL leaders Manage Leaders and “fill-in” leaders schedule Find Host Homes for Senior High Small Groups Manage and run Junior High Small Groups on-campus Organize and arrange dinner options Weekly contact with parents Weekly contact with leaders Find curriculum for all student small groups Manage all sign-ups and separate students into appropriate Small Groups Other Responsibilities Co-Teach Sunday Mornings Manage/Co-Teach youth 101 Class Manage/Teach New Believers Class for students Manage all follow-up assignments for Sunday Morning Students Call, text, facebook missing students

Instagram Will Kill Your Youth Ministry (YouthMinistry.com)

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:25:00 GMT

Social media has swept across this great nation like wildfire. Facebook is on its way out. If you still use Myspace you're most likely a stalker—or very lonely. Twitter is still rocking along quite steadily and has yet to be completely infiltrated by preteens and stay-at-home moms. Vine represents the latest trend in video social media. And Instagram has firmly captured the market on pics. All of these sites host the massive "no, no" that I would like to delve into for a brief moment, but perhaps Instagram and Twitter host the largest majority of the crimes. I am, of course, talking about the local male youth pastor taking a "selfie" with one of his female students. Some of you might not think that this is a big deal, but it carries major implications. And quite frankly, it seriously ticks me off. Every time I see this pop up on my timeline I want to throw my iPhone and kick a puppy. Seriously bro, how could you be so dumb? Here are some of the reasons why this is inappropriate. 1. A description of the crime I'm not talking about posting a group pic of several students or even a group pic of several of your female students and you along side them. I'm talking about the pic that only includes the youth minister and a female student. This crime is only intensified when the two are extremely close. To make matters worse, I often see the youth minister and the female student hugged up on each other. The youth minister further brings criticism against himself if this offense is repeated on a weekly basis. Seriously bro, stop now. 2. It's straight-up creepy Every time we see that pic pop up on our timeline we all think, "That dude is a creep." 3. Rumors spread quickly If a crazed teenager grows angry at you, it is not uncommon for them to make up horrific stories about you. You can read real-life stories of this on the Internet. Don't give anyone ammo to use against you. 4. Ministers of the gospel must be above reproach. First Timothy 3:2 tells us that "an overseer must be above reproach…" Ephesians 5:3 states, "But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints." Posting picks of just you and a female student certainly leaves room for speculation. As a minister and a Christian, we must work to remove any room for criticism in the realm of sexual immorality. Don't ride alone with a female student. Don't counsel alone with a female student. And don't post selfies with female students. Daniel is the Student Pastor at Clearview Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL. You can join the conversation at danielbeckworth.com.

Part-Time or Seasonal - Swartswood, NJ (Methodist - United Methodist)

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:45:00 GMT

Aldersgate Center, a 400 acre United Methodist camp in the Skylands of Northern NJ, is looking for counselors/program staff, lifeguards, kitchen staff, and maintenance assistants for 2013 Summer Camp. Applicants should be 18 and older, no previous camp experience required. Email: aldersgate@gnjumc.org for more info and an application or call the camp office at: 973-383-5978.

3 Ways Your Youth Ministry Can Help In The Aftermath Of The Oklahoma Tornado Tragedy (YouthWorkTalk.com)

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:30:00 GMT

We can hardly believe it when we see the images on our TV screens can we. As I watched this tragedy unfold last night, I honestly had many questions for God and spent time praying for the people impacted by the disastrous tornado in Oklahoma. While we can't understand all that has happened, we can certainly [...]You just finished reading 3 Ways Your Youth Ministry Can Help In The Aftermath Of The Oklahoma Tornado Tragedy!

Our God is greater (#YWS13 part 1) (Youth Leaders Academy)

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:53:00 GMT

I've just returned from the UK where I attended the Youth Work Summit for the third time. And it was absolutely brilliant. I'll be blogging about it this week to share some of my experiences, but today I want to start by writing a bit about the theme of the conference: Greater. Tough circumstances Youth [...]You just finished reading Our God is greater (#YWS13 part 1)! Have you subscribed to our free biweekly newsletter yet?

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Greer, SC (Methodist - United Methodist)

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:35:00 GMT

Primary responsibilities: "To develop, organize, and lead a comprehensive Christ-centered Youth Ministry (6th-12th grades)." Advanced administrative, organizational, public speaking and interpersonal communication skills a must. The candidate will also exemplify an ability to be a positive, contributing member of a unified church staff. This person must not only be able to relate to students, but also to parents and adults, casting vision to recruit and train adult leaders. College degree required and experience preferred. Salary and benefits package in the range of $50-60k, commensurate with experience of qualified candidate. Full job description available upon request. Send cover letter and resume to: Keita Himes at keitahimes@covumc.org

Youth Pastor - Junior High/Middle School - Ceres, CA (Baptist - Southern Baptist)

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:55:00 GMT

We are hiring for the position of a part-time youth director or youth pastor. The church is an established church with in the Central Valley Baptist Association the duties of this position would be to lead the youth in all youth activities.

The Dare 2 Share Story (Dare 2 Share Ministries International)

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:58:00 GMT

Have you ever wondered why we do what we do at Dare 2 Share? Did you ever want to get the skinny of why we started to begin with? Have you ever wanted a video you could share with a friend, church or small group that really shared the vision that drives this ministry that energizes teenagers to evangelize their world? This video does just that... Show it to your small group, send it on to a friend or let your missions committee see it. Use this video to spread the word about the vision that drives Dare 2 Share and how God can use you to be a part of it. The Gospel changes everything,

The Problem With Perfectionism In Your Youth Ministry (youthministry360)

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:26:00 GMT

Image courtesy of shutterstock.com / (c) Andrii Muzyka I spent a whole summer working on small group curriculum for our middle school small groups. I invested hours of research and writing, trying to build the perfect set of questions and reflections that would enable teens to go deeper in their relationship with Christ. In the end this curriculum was never used. Why? It was too complicated. I had spent too much time making sure it was perfect that I ended up losing focus and creating something mostly unusable.There is nothing wrong with wanting your ministry to perform at a high level. In fact excellence is a great value to embrace; however, it can be confused with perfection. That happens because of the pressures you face in your ministry. Maybe you are pressured by the pastor to produce high numbers. Maybe you feel like you have to compete with the ministry down the road. Or maybe you could simply be a perfectionist at heart. While you should strive for excellence, you need to be careful it does not lead to perfectionism. Why? Because that could lead to:Micromanaging LeadersWhen you doubt your team's ability it's easy to micromanage them. If you want to raise up leaders, you need to be able to sacrifice in the short term to grow long term. Delegation means often allowing things to fail or suffer in quality in the short term. A perfectionist will struggle with this. Ignoring Paradigm Shifting IdeasChange brings messiness and that can be a nightmare for a perfectionist. Being perfect means sticking with a solid plan; unfortunately, that solid plan might lead to standing still. A ministry is a movement, which means it needs growth. That might mean learning how to fail forward. Workaholic CultureIt's easy to get stuck in the details on a certain project or initiative. If you aren't careful you can end up wasting hours on tasks and responsibilities that might not matter in the end. While it's good to be passionate about your craft, it is unwise to ignore your other responsibilities like relationships with God and family. Inauthentic MinistryIf you strive for perfection you might come off inauthentic in your ministry. People might see it as entertainment, or a show to trick people into believing in their following Christ. Perfection might also set an unfair standard where teenagers might not feel worthy to come to your ministry. An authentic ministry means admitting our imperfections and humanity.How do we avoid the negative side of perfectionism? Here's a though: To avoid perfectionism, yet strive for excellence, it's important to have vision and accountability in our relationships.There needs to be people and purpose that reminds you what you are called to do and who is calling you. Review and analyze your programs, ask people for insight and allow God to take control, so that you avoid the pitfalls of perfectionism.How have you overcome struggles with perfectionism? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Salinas, CA (Assemblies Of God)

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:15:00 GMT

Are you looking for a fresh start or a place to serve the Lord in youth ministry? Are you looking for a chance to lead an awesome youth group? Northside Assembly of God in Salinas, CA is looking for a Youth Pastor. This is a part time postion with compensation. Our current Youth Pastor is transitioning out in July 2014 and I am looking for a person/couple to build on the great work she has done. Our group has 20-30 kids, an established leadership team, and worship team. The candidate must be a born again believer who is an agreement with Assembly of God doctrine and theology. It is desired that this person be credentialed in the Assemblies of God, but not necessarily required. Some worship experience is preferred as well. If you are interested and would like to look at this opportunity further please email your resume to maxpact@sbcglobal.net

How to Build a Spiritual Home – Conclusion (Building Leaders of Tomorrow)

Mon, 20 May 2013 06:56:00 GMT

If you learned anything from these blog posts on "How to Build a Spiritual Home", it would be that it is hard work, and all of us have much to learn, do better, or correct. You see a home is not built by one swing of the hammer, or one pull of the electric drill [...]

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Palm Harbor, FL (Methodist - United Methodist)

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:50:00 GMT

East Lake United Methodist Church (http://www.eastlakeumc.org/), a Christ-centered congregation, worshipping 350 weekly in Palm Harbor, Florida, is looking for an energetic and creative full-time Director of Youth Ministries. The youth ministry program of 40 active youth serves young people from sixth grade through the transition to college. The Director of Youth Ministry will be responsible for a comprehensive ministry that includes fostering discipleship, empowering laity, and partnering with parents in the spiritual development of youth. The DYM will also exercise strong, healthy communication with staff and laity, ensure that all details of the youth program and special events are take care of, and empower adults to be involved in youth's lives – establishing relationships and shepherding them and helping them develop their own relationship with Jesus Christ. Successful candidates must have a college degree and three years experience as well as a strong personal faith consistent with the United Methodist tradition. Resumes can be sent to TCharlton@aol.com.

10 of my worst sermon gaffes, goofs and illustrations (Dare 2 Share Ministries International)

Sat, 18 May 2013 07:30:00 GMT

When you preach for a living mistakes are bound to be made. Sometimes it's a sermon idea. It looks good on paper but when it passes from paper to preaching something get's twisted. Or perhaps it's an illustration that you think is going to work really well but it crashes at takeoff. Or maybe it's a gaffe you made that you wish you could retract. With this as a backdrop here is a list of sermon goofs, gaffes and illustrations that I have actually done/said/used in my preaching over the last twenty five years or so... 1. Gaffe: "We all make mistakes. We all have cracks in our armor. Pastor Rick and I have seen each other's cracks." 2. Illustration: Literally saying "he had one foot in the grave" at a funeral. 3. Goof: Preaching a sermon with a large price tag (that I had forgotten to remove) dangling from the left arm of my "new" suit (which I had gotten from Goodwill.) 4. Illustration: Eating a piece of hard, butterscotch candy in front of 5,000 teens while trying to make some spiritual point. I kept trying to preach while crunching the candy but my teeth were getting stuck together. Finally I just stopped and took the time to eat the whole thing and swallow it. It was 60 seconds of pure awkward. 5. Gaffe: "He had two huge tumors the size of grape nuts" (as opposed to grapefruits.) 6. Goof: On a preaching tour in India I was on stage facing the audience getting ready to preach my sermon. My interpreter told me at one point in the service, "As a guest speaker it would be good for the people to see you give in the offering." When the priest walked out onto the other side of the large stage with a huge bowl I figured this was my cue. Getting up, I walked across the stage and dropped in a five spot. The priest smiled and nodded nervously. I walked back across the stage with everyone watching me. After sitting down my interpreter whispered in my ear, "Pastor Stier that was very good...but that was not the offering plate." 7. Illustration: About 18 years ago I wanted to make a point to 75 teens at an event that God has given us spiritual weapons to overcome the "monsters" of fear that keep us from sharing our faith. A youth leader friend loaned me a fake gun that supposedly shot blanks. At a point in the sermon I had cued some guys dressed up in scary costumes (representing the monsters of fear) to come rushing in screaming. It was then I held up the "gospel gun" and shot in their direction. It didn't shoot blanks after all. It was some sort of riot dispersement gun that sprayed the crowd with a cloud of mace or pepper spray or something bad. Not only that, but it backfired in my face and I immediately began to cough and wheeze...along with the rest of the audience. Suffice it to say we took a break as everyone rushed outside for air. Thank the Lord nobody got hurt (or sued!) 8. Goof: While being interviewed on a live Christian television show (that leaned Pentecostal) I was looking directly in the camera telling the story of a girl who trusted in Jesus at a Dare 2 Share conference. I saw a hand go up out of the corner of my right eye. It was the left hand of the well dressed older preacher who was interviewing me. Since he was sitting right next to me on the couch I assumed he was holding up his hand for a high five, so I turned and gave a hearty slap to his uplifted hand. It was then I realized that, as I was telling the story, he was lifting his hands up in praise to God. I suddenly realized that I had high-fived his praise hand...on live television. Everyone in the room was stunned and silent, except for the cameraman who was laughing so hard the camera was shaking. 9. Illustration: Trying to eat the guts of a bad cantaloupe while making the point that "it's what on the inside that counts" or something like that. Oh yeah, it was in front of thousands of teenagers at a Dare 2 Share conference too. If I remember right I tried to clean off my tongue right after that with some kind of sanitized hand wipe which numbed my tongue and lips. 10. Gaffe: "Let everything that has breasts praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord." Actually I've had a few worse gaffes, goofs and sermon illustrations...but some things are not fit for print.

Controversial surrounding a Terrorist ... or Why we should love our enemies .... (Deep Thoughts by Gman)

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:59:00 GMT

By now you've heard that last month there was a bombing in Boston. And in central Virginia one of the terror suspects was buried a few miles from where I currently live. So why the controvery? I. No one wanted a shrine for a terrorist. II. It is always hard to bury bad people. III. We can identify with Bad people - for without God's grace so go I. IV. We need to love our enemies. The end of Romans 12 reminds us of this and to show kindness even to those who mean you harm. Ultimately God will be the Judge. V. There are 3 things that make up a person. 1. Physical makeup (Genetics) 2. Environmental Influence (Peer pressure, music, TV, internet (Afterall millions aren't spent on a 30 second commercial for nothing)) and Thirdly - The Will. You choose to sin or not ... Ultimately we all will answer to the Creator for our sins ...and if in God's Grace - covered by the blood of the Lamb. VI. We like Swift Justice ... I'd never forget in 1998 after Christmas finding out that a co-worker of mine from KB Toys was robbed, and murdered and his naked body left in his home ... I wanted justice and revenge to the two men who did that to my friend and co-worker. I was angry, hurt and later forgiveness came. I'd never forget the faces just days after 9-11 in NYC of those who asked us "Have you seen this person?" or looking at the shrines and wanted the answer to the question ..Why? I'd never forget wanting swift justice for the DC Sniper and two gas stations in Ashland, and Fredericksburg that I had just been and the scareness of those few weeks. And I could go on .... but God ultimately delivers. VII. It reminds us of our past. We have fallen. We have made mistakes. We need forgiveness. The journey is never easy. Our pride gets in the way. We can say "Not in my backyard ..." why because of the reminder of pain, past hurts, and a reminder it could of been us. In some ways we have hurt people, maybe not "Deadly bombing" but our words, our actions, our own sinfulness have hurt people (Sometimes doing even more damage) ...Aren't you glad there is a Saviour? My job isn't to point people to myself but to Jesus. Anyone with me? Let's love God and others together.

Flashback Friday (May 17): This Week's Links From The Youth Ministry Blogosphere (youthministry360)

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:11:00 GMT

One of the things we are committed to at ym360 is Networking. Our vision for networking is connecting you to people and organizations doing awesome youth ministry.Flashback Friday is a feature where we give you the run down of some of the awesome posts from the past week across youth ministry blogs. Consider it our way of keeping you connected with what is going on. This week's posts from the ym360 BlogYouth Worker Sound Off: What Do You Do For Graduating Seniors? by Andy BlanksYouth Worker BOOST: Hello Neighbor by Richard ParkerThe ym360 Trends And Culture Update (Vol. 32) by Andy BlanksDoing Away With "Numbers" As A Way Of Measuring Effectiveness by Andy Blanks Posts From Other Awesome PeopleWe 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.Social Media Parent Resources by Austin McCannWhy You Should Quit Listening to Your Pastor by Ben ReedWhat's Your Recruitment Plan For Volunteers? by Christopher WesleyBadgify Nametags Made Easy by Chris DavisStudent Art Wall by Colton HarkerLeading Yourself by Doug Franklin Every Every Every Generation Has Been the Me Me Me Generation by Elspeth Reeveoverheard at my 7th grade guys small group by Mark OestreicherPROTECT YOURSELF by YouthMinistry.comTeens and Technology 2013 | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project 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.

Discussion Starter: Teen Actor Mulls Emancipation (YouthMinistry.com)

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:31:00 GMT

Hollywood—Celebrity gossip sites buzzed with news that Jaden Smith, son of A-listers Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, wanted legal emancipation for his 15th birthday. "He really wants to have his own place," Will Smith said. Jaden later dispelled the idea, joking that he'd be staying at his parents' house for "20, 30 more years" because everything there is free. Will Smith spoke about his modern-day parenting style, saying, "We generally don't believe in punishment." Instead, his kids have to explain why what they did was the "right thing" for their life. When Jaden's sister Willow shaved her head at age 12, her parents didn't panic. "The rule in our house is you can do anything you want, and we don't pull the parent card until danger is involved," said Will Smith. In Smith's traditional upbringing, kids weren't allowed to have opinions. So he understands "if kids just want to have command of their lives." Young actors sometimes seek emancipation so they can work longer hours or escape troubled home environments. But acquiring adult responsibilities at a young age has major consequences. Melissa Francis, who emancipated at 15, said, "I didn't have a driver's license; how would I get to school? I wasn't organized enough to pay the rent, manage my schedule, go on auditions, work, and take care of my basic needs." Public-relations expert Gene Grabowski warned that Jaden Smith's emancipation would reflect poorly on his famous folks. "Most adults will consider a decision to grant emancipation to Jaden to be irresponsible and a poor example for parents and teens everywhere." Sources: thesun.co.uk, latimes.com, foxnews.com Discussion Questions: Does this story make you feel jealous of Jaden? feel sorry for him? Explain. What would you think of the Smiths as parents if they let Jaden move forward with emancipation? When, if ever, might the emancipation of minors be appropriate and beneficial? What pros and cons should young people and their families consider ahead of time? What's your reaction to Will Smith's parenting style? Do you think his kids have too much freedom? are learning to make wise decisions? Explain. How might this parenting style affect the kids' lives and choices in the future—both positively and negatively? As a minor, would you want the freedom to do anything you want? Would you like to live without the fear of punishment? Explain. How has discipline helped you? When you make a questionable choice, how do your parents usually react? Do you know right away when you mess up, or do you rely on your parents to set you straight? To what degree are you comfortable sharing your feelings and opinions with other family members? How much do you think they value your opinions? How strongly do you desire independence from your parents, and why? What are the best and worst parts of living under a parent's roof? What aspects of "real life" are you most looking forward to? What aspects do you dread or fear the most? Explain. Scripture links: Proverbs 15:31-33; Proverbs 22:15; Matthew 10:34-39; Ephesians 6:1-4; Hebrews 12:7-11; 1 Peter 2:13-17.

Get the Word out before school's out (Dare 2 Share Ministries International)

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:25:00 GMT

"School's out for summer School's out forever School's been blown to pieces No more pencils No more books No more teacher's dirty looks." School's out for the Summer, Alice Cooper. Sorry Alice. Teens still have a few more weeks of school left. And what that means for youth leaders is that you have a few weeks to help your teens get the Word out. Help them get the Word out about hope. Suicide, cutting and depression await many teens this summer. Alone in their rooms with too much time to waste, wonder and worry many self-conscious/absorbed teenagers will give into the pain that lurks deep inside them. They need to hear the hope that the gospel has for them before school gets out. Help them get the Word out about forgiveness. The bile of bitterness is what some teens marinate in during the hot summer months. Perhaps they've been hurt or abused and now, unforgiveness holds them hostage. But when they hear the good news they can break free. They can forgive because they've been forgiven. Help them get the Word out about Jesus. Jesus is "the way and the truth and the life" and he is the only way to God. When teens trust in this simple GOSPEL message they can be saved from the hell they are headed to and the one they may be going through right now. Inspire your teens to get the Word out (literally.) Equip them to share their faith. Have them download the Dare 2 Share app to get started. Then challenge them to engage gospel conversations with their friends before the final bell rings.

Youth Pastor - Senior High - Nashville, TN (Baptist - Southern Baptist)

Thu, 16 May 2013 19:48:00 GMT

Lakewood Baptist Church in Nashville, TN is seeking a youth pastor. The candidate should have a strong personal relationship with Christ, good communication skills, work well with church staff, volunteers, parents of youth, and church leaders. The position is a part-time position with compensation.

TEST Article (YouthMinistry.com)

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:43:00 GMT

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TEST Article (YouthMinistry.com)

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:41:00 GMT

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Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Paramount, CA (Reformed - Reformed Ch In America)

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:55:00 GMT

We are looking for a Jr. High Ministries intern for 25 hours per week to assist our Jr. High Director. We have about 60 kids at our outreach program each week. The job would include assisting the director in the planning and implementing of the outreach program on Thursday nights, and our discipleship program on Sunday nights. We also have 2 retreats, one in January with a 5 day trip in July. This is a great training/learning opportunity for anyone interested in Youth Ministry, specifically with a love for Jr. High Students.

Intern - Greensburg, PA (Methodist - United Methodist)

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:12:00 GMT

Student Ministry 2013 Summer Internship @ Charter Oak Church Are you looking for an opportunity to serve God this summer? Do you think God is calling you to some sort of ministry in the future? Does the idea of learning how a student ministry works and ministering to teenagers this summer excite you? If so, please read on! What we are looking for… 1. Young adults who have completed at least their freshmen year of college 2. Students who are exploring a call into ministry or would like to serve in ministry for the summer 3. Male or female; experienced or inexperienced; local or out-of-town applicants 4. Fun, energetic, dynamic person who loves Jesus 5. One Summer Intern to serve a ten to twelve week commitment Vision for Summer Interns 1. Love God - Growing in their personal spiritual development - Attend a regular Charter Oak Church worship service - Attend weekly staff prayer time 2. Love Each Other - Share Christ and build relationships with the Jr. and Sr. high students of Charter Oak Church - Attend weekly Charter Oak Church staff meetings - Attend monthly student ministry staff meetings 3. Love the World - Share the love of Christ with students who do not attend Charter Oak Church - Attend and support student activities outside of the church (ie. sporting events, dramas, concerts, etc.) - Help plan and engage in service opportunities for students this summer. Responsibilities for Summer Interns 1. Assist in the organization and planning for summer and late summer activities and trips such as Creation, Appalachia Service Project, Mission/Serve Days, etc. Help organize and track Student Ministry attendance. 2. Prepare, plan, attend and/or teach at weekly student ministry programs and activities as needed. 3. Communicate effectively orally and in writing to all those connected to the student ministry (students and parents) and to the church body as a whole 4. Meet with teenagers outside of regularly scheduled student ministry activities and events 5. Personally set an example of loving and serving others while helping provide and making the most of evangelistic outreach opportunities to youth, their friends, and their families Expectations for Summer Interns 1. 25 - 30 hours per week to accomplish the responsibilities listed above. Hours above the specified 25 - 30 hours are voluntary. 2. 10-12 week summer commitment beginning no later than June 10th and ending no later than August 24th. Compensation 1. Salary $2,500 2. Expenses $ 150 3. Housing and Board may be provided if necessary Our investment into Summer Interns 1. To help discern one's call into more permanent ministry 2. To support and strengthen one's character, gifts and talents for ministry 3. For the Pastors to Students to spend 2-3 hours per week mentoring, challenging, and encouraging the summer intern 4. Read through at least one relevant book dealing with ministry in today's culture. If you are interested in this position please send your resume and a completed Charter Oak Church Summer Intern Application to: Student Ministry Intern at Charter Oak Church 449 Frye Farm Road Greensburg, PA 15601 Or email your information or inquiries to: jricketts@charteroakumc.org All applications and resumes must be received by Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Youth Pastor - Senior High - Bastrop, TX (Nondenominational)

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:58:00 GMT

JOB SUMMARY The primary purpose of the Youth Pastor is to introduce young people to Christ; to disciple them in spiritual growth; to train them in serving Christ with their life. The Youth Pastor is responsible for carrying out the Senior Pastoral Staff and Elder Board's vision of “being Christ-like disciple makers”. Of equal importance is to assist parents or guardians in raising their teenagers to a wholesome maturity. The Youth Pastor is to oversee and support teen student ministry, and coordinate student leadership training. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED Be a born again believer with a maturing relationship with Christ. Show a faithful pursuit of leadership characteristics as listed in 1Timothy 3:1-7 and meet qualifications set forth in Titus 1:5-9. Have a strong desire to serve God. A thorough knowledge of Bible is essential. Have knowledge and skill in the philosophy, psychology and principles of Christian education. As well as experience in a successful student program. Demonstrate a genuine love and maintain a good rapport with young people by interacting and working with young adults. Be sensitive to needs and pressures of teens with a knowledge of possible solutions. Teach, train, and disciple student workers. Be able to exercise initiative and judgment as an independent worker and thinker. Possess organizational, time management, and administration abilities. Effectively study the Bible; in order preach, teach and counsel from it. Self-motivated, visionary, and goal oriented. Respond to changing needs throughout the daily and weekly schedule. ** Musical talent (singing and playing an instrument) and leading worship is a plus** Qualified Applicants, please submit Resume an Cover Letter to info@myfcm.org with Youth Pastor- (your name)in the subject line ie.. "YouthPastor- John Smith" More information on our ministry can be found at myfcm.org

Doing Away With "Numbers" As A Way Of Measuring Effectiveness (youthministry360)

Thu, 16 May 2013 07:52:00 GMT

Image courtesy of shutterstock.com / (c) marekuliasz This week I got to hang out with a group of youth workers for a day of training workshops. The group turned out to be a very experienced bunch who really knew their stuff. So, I took the opportunity to pick their brains about what they think is working in youth ministry, and about some of the challenges youth workers face. As we discussed challenges, someone brought up relationships with senior leadership. As we unpacked this some, a couple youth workers talked about disagreements that had arisen in their church over declining numbers on Sunday mornings. Of course we all know that this isn't a new issue. This tension has been around as long as there have been programs in youth ministries. The logic is of course, this: There is a baseline of X number of teenagers attending Sunday morning.If there is a number of students in attendance greater than X, the youth ministry is a success.If there is a number of students attending less than X, the youth ministry is a failure.Except this equation doesn't take into consideration any variables. Case in point: A youth worker in my workshop felt like his ministry was doing great, but that certain factors (such as children whose parents have joint custody with weekend visitation, and travel sports teams) had contributed to numbers being down on Sunday mornings. A focus on numbers as the sole means of judging the overall effectiveness of a ministry might result in the feeling that the ministry wasn't as effective as it could be.Again, this is an issue youth workers have been plagued with for a long time. And yet, I was really interested in this discussion because it parallels something I've been thinking about a lot lately. I shared my thoughts in our gathering and I'll share them here. Here's what I have been thinking . . . I think we've arrived at a place culturally where over-emphasizing attendance in our "main" programs is the wrong way to go about gauging effectiveness. In my mind it's always been a poor method of measurement. But I think we're at a point, culturally speaking, where measuring success by numbers might actually be harmful. I think it's past time that we change our metrics. What's the alternative? What set of metrics am I suggesting? I have two thoughts here: We need to judge ministry effectiveness by quantifying spiritual growth in individuals. This can only be done from a relational perspective.We need to take a "big picture" view, tracking overall ministry engagement opportunities rather than looking at attendance in one or two "main" programs (i.e., Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights, etc.)Let me unpack this a little bit . . . Spiritual Growth vs. Butts In SeatsWe count butts in seats because it's easy. But we're not ticket agents. A sold out show is the least of our concerns, or it should be. We exist to see teenagers grow in Christ-likeness. This growth is what we should be looking at to determine the effectiveness of our ministries. The challenges of this model are real. First, it takes time. Spiritual growth is hard to measure week-to-week. And it's much harder to plot on a line graph in an excel spreadsheet. Second, it's grounded in relationship. You have to know a person to establish a baseline. And you have to do life with them to track growth. To begin measuring spiritual growth as a sign of ministry effectiveness, your church's leadership has to break free from an organizational, institutional mindset, and embrace a relational, organic mindset. If we're gauging ministry effectiveness based on spiritual growth, we'll have to rely heavily on the small group leaders and the adult volunteers in your ministry. Engagement Opportunities vs. Program AttendanceFor a variety of cultural reasons, the idea that we can still measure ministry effectiveness based on Sunday morning or Wednesday night attendance is just silly. For example, how many Sunday mornings a year do your students miss because of travel sports? How many miss because of spending every other weekend at their mom or dad's house? How many miss because of family vacations? How many miss because as a culture, Sunday morning participation is simply not what it once was? And yet, there are some leaders who still measure ministry effectiveness based on Sunday morning attendance. There's a better way . . . I think our ministries need to embrace a strategy of multiple engagement opportunities, where A) multiple relational and ministry "engagement points" are a part of your weekly ministry strategy, and B) where these "engagement points" are used to measure our students' level of involvement. Here's an example of what I mean . . . I am an adult volunteer in our youth ministry. I lead a discipleship group of 9th grade guys. We went and saw Iron Man 3 last Saturday and hung out before and afterward. This is an example of an "engagement point." I know that two of the guys didn't attend Sunday mornings that week. Yet I would argue that they were engaged in the ministry efforts of our youth ministry because of the time we spent hanging out. Want some other examples of engagement points? • An adult volunteer leads a small group Bible study at a coffee shop or in someone's home.• A youth workers hangs out at a church-wide service project with three teenagers who showed up with their families. • A couple of adult volunteers play a Saturday afternoon game of touch football with a group of students.• A youth pastor attends a cheerleading competition for some of the girls in the youth ministry.When we begin to be aware of all the ways our ministry engages our students' lives outside of one or two sacred programmed events, we gain a truer measurement of our ministry's effectiveness. Is counting attendance at programmed ministry events easies than what I've put forth here? Most definitely. But numbers of attendees, especially in our current culture, is not really measuring ministry effectiveness at all. In most cases, it only serves as a point of stress between a youth pastor and his or her senior leaders.I'm interested in what you think? Is this a tension you feel? And what do you think the solution is?

Director of Christian Education - Los Angeles, CA (Presbyterian - Presby Church, USA)

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:31:00 GMT

Brentwood Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles is looking for a full-time Children's director to lead and grow our ministry to children and their families. We are a 670 member congregation in the Reformed tradition with about 100 children in our program. Position Summary: The Director of Children's Ministry is responsible for maintaining and expanding the programs and faith formation of our children (birth - 5th Grade) and families in partnership with the Children's Ministry team. This is a full-time/40 hour per week position.$40k-, based on experience. Health benefits included. Visit www.bpcusa.org Please send detailed resume with relevant experience to childrendirector@gmail.com Click link for full job description: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2t16ojl3c6ijnea/Director%20of%20Children%20Ministry%20May%202013%20%282%29

Parachurch & Other Organizations - Aberdeen, NC (Baptist - Southern Baptist)

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:04:00 GMT

Looking for a challenge? Do you want to work in the outdoors? Do you like taking adventures? Do you like talking to girls about Jesus and the difference he can make. This is a high impact ministry where you get to work with the same group of girls for a year + and live with them in the woods 24 hours a day 5 days a week. There are not many youth ministries that give you that kind of impact. This could be the mission for you. We currently have two position to fill asap. If you are interested call us and talk to us about the program. We are not so interested in your denomination (so long as you are evangelical) just that you would like to take the opportunity to share Jesus. Please go the web site and check out careers section. www.campduncannc.org We look forward to hearing from you. Camp Duncan

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Andrews, TX (Baptist - Southern Baptist)

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:47:00 GMT

Do you want to serve God in a tropical paradise? If so, this may not be the place…but if you are seeking an amazing opportunity with a growing church, read on. We are looking for a full time student pastor who is energetic, sold out for Jesus and desires to take a healthy, growing youth group and build a dynamic student ministry. The ideal man wants to develop a long-term ministry not use this as a stepping-stone for another pastor position. Calvary Baptist Church, a non-traditional Southern Baptist Church, has a diverse congregation with about 75 youth, 7th-12th grades. If you are looking to change lives of youth for Christ and impact a community, please respond by June 30, 2013. Check us out at www.calvaryandrews.com. You can submit resumes to cbcyouthsearch@gmail.com (please use only .doc, .docx, or .pdf format only). You may also send resumes to: Calvary Baptist Church P.O. Box 443 Andrews, TX 79714

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Robertsdale, AL (Methodist - United Methodist)

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:31:00 GMT

Youth Minister/ Associate Pastor: This is a full time associate pastor position with primary responsibilities in youth ministry. Responsibilities include: overseeing and leading entire youth ministry program (6th grade – 12) including Youth Bible Studies, Sunday School, mission trips, retreats, and outreach events; pastoral and administrative responsibilities. Applicants must have a mature and growing relationship with Jesus Christ, good public speaking skills, the ability to work with minimal supervision, strong organizational skills, and the ability to communicate effectively with persons of differing backgrounds. A Bachelor's Degree in Youth Ministry, Christian Education or related field is preferred but not required. Also, experience working with youth, leading worship, and a background in the United Methodist Church is preferable.

Director of Christian Education - Glen Ellyn, IL (Presbyterian - Presby Church, USA)

Wed, 15 May 2013 07:17:00 GMT

First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn, Illinois (http://firstpresge.org/), is seeking a full-time Director of Children's Ministry to join the staff of the 900 member church, located outside of Chicago. The ministry is comprised of infants to children in 5th grade, is Biblically-based and emphasizes living a Christian life. The mission of the children's ministry is to love, teach and inspire local children in order that they and their families will love God, lead like Christ and confidently live the Christian faith. FPC Glen Ellyn's children's programs are aligned with other ministries in the church with the goal of developing discipleship in all its members. Some of the Director of Children's Ministry responsibilities include ? Leading the children's ministry and directing its mission, ? Recruiting, equipping and supporting volunteers in the children's ministry, ? Preparing children for growth in their faith, ? Shepherding parents in developing their own relationship with Jesus Christ. Qualifications for a forward-thinking candidate include • A Bachelor's Degree • Three-five years of experience in children's ministry or other educational environment, • Proven leadership and management skills including the recruitment of volunteer staff, communication, and organizational skills, All resumes with cover letter can be submitted to fpresgechildrensministry@gmail.com.

Youth Worker BOOST: Hello Neighbor (youthministry360)

Wed, 15 May 2013 06:14:00 GMT

ym360 knows youth workers. We know what an incredibly rewarding, yet incredibly challenging job youth ministry can be. There are days when your spirits are sky-high, and there are days when you could use a bit of a "pick me up" from God's Word . . .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! "'Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?' The expert in the law replied, 'The one who had mercy on him.' Jesus told him, 'Go and do likewise.'"--Luke 10:36-37The parable of the Good Samaritan is one of Jesus' best known stories. A man walking the long, downhill road from Jerusalem to Jericho is attacked by bandits and left for dead. Both a priest and a Levite passed up the opportunity to help out the man.But have you ever asked why?Some Bible commentators suggest that Jesus may have wanted to point out hypocrisy in the situation. If the man had been dead and the religious leaders touched him they would be ceremonially unclean and restricted from going to the Temple to worship. Maybe Jesus was pointing out the hypocrisy of refusing to help someone in need in order to have the privilege of worshipping at the Temple. Jesus said the greatest commandment is, in short, to love God and love people. Worshipping God and ministering to the needs of people go hand in hand.Jesus wanted His followers to have a great relationship with God, but He wanted that to be played out in our day-to-day life by loving our "neighbors." And as youth workers, the most common neighbor we encounter is probably between the ages of 12 and 18!As you go about the practice of "doing ministry," don't ever forget that one of the primary means of ministering to students is dealing with their hurts and meeting their needs--emotional and spiritual.Our prayer for you: We pray that you would have the chance to meet the needs of your students, and when the chance arises, that you would have the compassion, the vision, and the strength to meet them. Look for a new Youth Worker Boost each Wednesday on the ym360 Blog.Last Week's BOOST: Rental FaithNext Week's BOOST: Inside Out Get more BOOST articles HERE!

Confession: I do ministry out of personal insecurity [video] (Life in Student Ministry)

Wed, 15 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

I'm passionate about ministry because I love the Lord and people, but something else might be rooted in my heart that loves ministry for another reason.

How To Honor Graduating Students While Keeping The Big Picture In Focus. (YouthWorkTalk.com)

Wed, 15 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I am new this school year to my church and its Youth Ministry. In the past years, Axiom (Student Ministry) has had "Grad Nights" to honor the Seniors, where all Seniors come dressed in caps and gowns, and some of the core leaders go through each student and affirm/challenge [...]You just finished reading How To Honor Graduating Students While Keeping The Big Picture In Focus. !

YS Idea Lab: Loving People Inefficiently (Bob Goff) (Youth Specialties)

Tue, 14 May 2013 23:04:00 GMT

Welcome to the YSidea Lab with Bob Goff The YS Idea Lab was filmed on location at the National Youth Workers Convention. Don't miss out on 2013, register now.

YS Idea Lab: Loving People Inefficiently (Bob Goff) (Youth Specialties)

Tue, 14 May 2013 23:03:00 GMT

What does it look like to live whimsically and love inefficiently? Seth Bartlette interviews Bob Goff about how he chooses to. Learn more about Bob and his book, "Love Does" at bobgoff.com. We are so excited that Bob will be joining us again at NYWC this fall. We hope you join us too. Learn more at NYWC.com. The YS Idea Lab was filmed on location at the National Youth Workers Convention. Don't miss out on 2013, register now.

YS Idea Lab: Loving People Inefficiently (Bob Goff) (Youth Specialties)

Tue, 14 May 2013 23:03:00 GMT

Welcome to the YSidea Lab with Bob Goff The YS Idea Lab was filmed on location at the National Youth Workers Convention. Don't miss out on 2013, register now.

Trending: Abercrombie, Adolescent Bullies and future Criminal Behavior, Decision Making and more. (Youth Specialties)

Tue, 14 May 2013 17:08:00 GMT

This week's links include the Ambercrombie comments regarding youth image, the great cell phone debate, the infographic of the hyper-connected teen, a study linking adolescent bullies to criminal behavior, decisions and how long they last, and fixing the broken cycle of youth ministry. Links: Abercrombie... Where Ethics, Brains and Beauty Are Only Skin Deep - (Walt Mueller, Learning my Lines) Study Links Adolescent Bullies to Criminal Behavior Later - (The University of Texas at Dallas News Center) Make a Decision...it probably won't last - (Doug Fields) The Hyper-Connected Teenager [infographic] - (YouthMinistryMedia.ca) Should Youth Grips Allow Students to Use Their Phones? - (YouthMin.org) Fixing the Broken Cycle of Youth Ministry - (Doug Franklins, Online Youth Ministry Leader)

Test (YouthMinistry.com)

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:35:00 GMT

This is a test. If this were a real article, it would be full of useful info. This is only a test.

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - olney, IL (Methodist - Free Methodist)

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:16:00 GMT

Description The Youth/Children's Minister's primary emphasis will be on actively ministering to youth (grades 6-12) and providing general oversight to children (pre-k through 5th grade). This will involve working with existing and recruiting new volunteer staff to ensure that all areas of ministry are healthy and vibrant. Areas of ministry will include: weekly meetings, bible studies, fellowship/outreach events, summer trips, missions activities, relationship building at school and sporting events, involving youth in worship, etc. The overarching goal will be leading youth and children to accept Christ as Savior and Lord, help them grow in their relationship with Him and in turn reach out to others. About Us We are a Free Methodist Church with an average morning worship attendance of 130. We have tremendous potential for the development of a vibrant youth and children's ministry. We are looking for the person God has in mind to help bring that about. To apply please send your resume and cover letter to: wing60@frontier.com

Water Cup Warrior Dash-ish Relay (Youth Ministry Ideas)

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:14:00 GMT

This is a great game/activity for a hot summer day. You can have lots of variations to it to fit your group or add some more fun to it. This game is scalable meaning you can make it as crazy as you want to with obstacles and water guns and hoses or whatever. Items Needed: [...]

Youth Worker Sound Off: What Do You Do For Graduating Seniors? (youthministry360)

Tue, 14 May 2013 03:30:00 GMT

[NOTE: We originally ran this last year on the blog. But the responses were so good, we wanted to re-run it. Take a second and read what people wrote last year, then add your ideas to the list in the comment section below.]Last week we asked youth workers on the ym360 Facebook Page what special plans they had for celebrating their graduating seniors. There were some really good ideas. We wanted to share them with you in the hopes that maybe you find a fun new way to celebrate your graduates.Without further ado, here are some of the responses: "We have a Youth Sunday, in which the youth are in charge of the entire service. We will recognize graduating seniors with a gift in front of the church. Then I will preach an illustrated sermon using skits we have pre-recorded. They will also sing in our worship service. It's a lot of work, but I'm pumped about it!" — Steve A"We take a Sunday night service and honor our grads. They are presented gifts from the church and we pray for a blessing over them. It is so important they know that no matter what is ahead, God is always there . . . We set up a table in the fellowship hall to showcase their accomplishments. Then we have a party after the service." — Shane J."We have a special graduate Sunday. The grads wear their cap and gown, they process into the service, we recognize them on the screen and in the service, and present them a gift. After church we have a special lunch prepared for the grads and their families." — Karen P."We have a special service for them on a Wednesday night. Our Pastor gives them a "charge," and then the whole church meets in our gym for a viewing of tables the families set up in honor of the grads (with displays of pictures, trophies, etc.). Cake and punch are served . . . This gives the church members an opportunity to give the graduates cards, gifts, and money. What a blessing it is to honor our graduates!" — John D."We do a breakfast for them and their families, including a small gift. We also do a "how you impacted my life" wall for our underclassmen. We post poster-sized photos of our seniors and ask our other students to sign it with a farewell encouragement." — Darren S."As the youth pastor, I usually preach the sermon Sunday morning and have a insert in the bulletin of all the graduates for the year. Then that night we do a dessert social where the graduates get a kind word from me about each one of them." — Jeff H."We take a senior trip to Coronado Island in San Diego!" — Erik N."The younger students in our group usually put on a funny dessert awards ceremony for the grads at our church, telling the grads the impact they've had on them and the youth group. Then the leader that is most connected with them prays for them." — Steve S."I gave a questionnaire to their parents asking them things about their child and I asked for several pictures from birth throughout their school years. We are going to put together a PowerPoint of it all and play it for them. Then, we'll throw a party after the service." — Sandra R.Now, it's your turn to share your ideas with the ym360 Community. How do you celebrate your graduating seniors?

Light Burden Backpacks

Mon, 13 May 2013 19:19:34 GMT

Backpack evangelism is likely to be the greatest training tool youth pastors have ever encountered, next to the Bible. Please see Lightburden.com for more information.

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Golden, CO (Lutheran - Evan. Luth Ch In America)

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:44:00 GMT

The leader we are looking for… • Is Incarnational: they embody the love of Jesus and the Kingdom of God in their relationships and interactions with people. • Is Missional: understands and focuses on equipping and empowering people for a mission beyond the walls of the church. • Provides Competent Leadership: reflects theological, theoretical, and practical knowledge and skill in leadership. Gifted in empowering and equipping youth and adults to do mission/ministry • Establishes Effective Relationships: establishes effective relationships with people of all ages, volunteers, and staff. • Mentors Faith Life: assists people in their faith life both one-on-one and in groups. • Develops Teams: shares the vision of FAITH and attracts gifted people into leadership. Summary Description: The Youth and Family Ministry Coach will be a primary leader within the life of faith connections and development at FAITH. Specifically, the YF Coach will lead teams responsible for developing FAITH's youth ministries and their visions for ministry done in a missional way which serves our mission of Changing live through the Power of Jesus so that they can go and serve as the hands, feet and voice of Jesus in the world. Additionally, the YF Coach will help create a missional ministry designed to equip/empower parents and other adults in kids' lives to bring faith development and connections into families and homes empowering families together to live out the mission of FAITH in their worlds. Qualifications: • Deep, growing faith in Jesus Christ fed by regular spiritual practices and community • Gifted in empowering, teaching, equipping others to do ministry • Ability to effectively communicate, both written and verbally • Is a team player • People management skills • Self-directed, innovative thinker • Can organize details and manage change well Responsibilities: Help create and empower missional ministry with families in conjunction with Children's Ministry Coach and pastoral staff • Create and empower team of people to lead this ministry • Cast vision for whole congregation on family based missional ministry • Help develop workshops, trainings, materials, etc. that equip parents and families • Creatively inspire families to become places of faith connections and development Youth Ministry • Work with existing team in coordination of youth ministry • Help leaders create/support passionate, gifted team for youth ministry o Resource, train oversee this team • Continue to help youth ministry morph into a missional ministry • Help identify and equip leaders for youth ministry Greater FAITH community • Communicate clearly with congregation and individuals about family, and youth ministries happenings • Cast vision and empower greater understanding of congregational based ministries (ie the whole congregation has responsibility with and for ministry – not just paid staff) • Active participation with FAITH staff including staff meetings Reports to Missional Pastor Salaried Part-time – Flexible hours

PROTECT YOURSELF (YouthMinistry.com)

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:27:00 GMT

This week we're excited to have an interview with Craig Gross, founder of the incredible XXXChurch Ministry and creator of the X3 accountability software. He's an author and speaker and a powerful voice to both church leaders and church members worldwide. As youth workers we are all concerned about our student's need to create safe-guards in their lives, but we need to do the same thing! Here are a few simple thoughts...just in case you haven't thought about this stuff in a while: Protect Your Eyes A strong faith isn't built on a weak foundation – and pornography chips away at the foundation of your marriage, your spiritual depth and your faith. We challenge students regularly to protect their eyes and run from evil, yet sometimes as speakers and leaders we feel exempt from this basic truth. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Pure Sex: Helping Students Pursue God-Honoring Sexuality ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ No one is above failing, and if you think you are, you've already failed. Got the computer thing figured out? What steps are you taking to protect your eyes concerning movies, television shows, magazines, etc.? Protect Your Computer Get your computer, phones and iPads protected – don't just buy a case to protect the screen – make sure you protect what comes on the screen as well. There are tons of great options for your devices, they all have different strengths and weaknesses but use one of them to make sure you're covered. If you don't know where to start, check out K9 filtering tool which is free and. The X3 accountability isn't a filter, but does send a report of your internet surfing to a partner, which is a powerful way to protect your computer, too. read more

Youth Pastor - Junior High/Middle School - Los Altos, CA (Evangelical Covenant)

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:26:00 GMT

Grace Community Covenant Church is a church community reaching out to second- and third-generation Asian Americans and their friends in Silicon Valley. We emphasize relationship as means of evangelism and spiritual formation. We have over 20 young families with over 40 children age 15 and under. The youth includes 8 high schoolers and 12 junior highers. We use the facilities of Foothill Covenant Church and partner with them to serve the surrounding neighborhood. We're in need of a Youth Pastor. S/he would be a member of the pastoral staff team, enabling us toward our vision of being an intergenerational church community in which all ages participate together in all aspects of our common life. We expect our youth to participate in our worship life by attending worship service or helping in a supporting ministry, such as the greeting team, sound team, or being an aide in a Sunday School class. Responsibilities • Lead the youth program. • Build a staff team to lead the youth program. • Support families of our youth, working with our family ministries pastor. • Support youth who are working in Sunday School and worship support ministries. • Train youth for outreach: global and local, evangelism and social justice • Pastoral duties as assigned. • Reports to the lead pastor and works in collaboration with the family ministries pastor and office manager. For more information, contact Wendy Dea-Mattson (wendy@graceconnections.com; 650.275.2370; fax 650.967.7465). Application can be downloaded at: http://graceconnections.com/Youth%20Pastor%20Application%202013.pdf. Completed application must be emailed or faxed to Wendy by May 30, 2013.

PROTECT YOURSELF (YouthMinistry.com)

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:13:00 GMT

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Alexandria, VA (Anglican)

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:27:00 GMT

Christ the King www.ctkalexandria.org Youth Pastor This position reports to the Rector of Christ the King This is a part-time position, estimated at 20 hours Position Summary The Youth Pastor will have oversight of and responsibility for the youth ministry of Christ the King. These responsibilities will include discipleship of our current youth, training our volunteer leaders, and growing the youth ministry through effective outreach to our community. Currently we have 15-20 youth in our ministry. This position has high potential to grow in hours as the ministry grows. A full position description is available upon request.

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Niverville, MB (Interdenominational)

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:27:00 GMT

Pastor of Youth Ministries Word of Life Church is seeking an experienced leader to become the Youth Pastor for a congregation of 425 in Niverville, Manitoba, Canada. Join our team and enjoy a supportive and effective ministry environment, and the opportunity to serve God in and through the church. The ideal candidate loves youth and their families, has a vibrant faith in Christ, and has a proven ability to recruit, encourage, equip and lead volunteers in both discipleship and outreach. The goal orientated person we are seeking will be firmly rooted in faith in Jesus and be welcoming to all, especially young persons and their families. The mature and organized candidate will be willing to work together with a youth ministry support team to build a thriving and sustainable family-based youth ministry program. Please send cover letter with resume to the Youth Pastor Search Team: ministries@wolchurch.ca Application deadline: June 10th, 2013

Parachurch & Other Organizations - Independence, MO (Nondenominational)

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:51:00 GMT

Shelterwood has open positions working with teenagers in our Shelterwood program. Shelterwood is a Christian therapeutic boarding school and residentual program for struggling teenagers. We have a couple of open positions for our paid yearlong internship for men and one possible summer internship for a female. For both positions you must be at least 21 years of age. We also have full-time positions of shift leader and assistant house director for both men and women. Go to our website for more info on our ministry. Apply for our yearlong program at http://shelterwood.org/discipleship-program/paid-positions-available. If interested in one of the full-time positions send resume and email to Greg Stone at gstone@shelterwood.org.

The ym360 Trends And Culture Update (Vol. 32) (youthministry360)

Mon, 13 May 2013 08:21:00 GMT

You've asked us for it, and we listened. Back by popular demand, it's the ym360 Trends & Culture Update, a twice monthly look at studies and articles designed to keep youth ministers, adult volunteers, and parents in the loop on what's happening in youth culture. (Read why we think it's important here.) We Want To Equip You And Those You ServeConsider using this article to equip your community in the following ways:Use the PRINT and/or EMAIL buttons at the top and bottom of the page to share this content with your ministry team and especially your students' parents. (For a real-life example of what this looks like, check out this post from ym360 Contributor Aaron Kirkpatrick.) Repost it on your blog or church websiteSHARE IT with your youth ministry networks. This is a great way to help your peeps!Without further ado, here are some relevant links we think you should know about. Social Media & TechnologyStudy: Texting while driving now leading cause of death for teen driversPush To End Teens' Distracted Driving Targets Parents, Peers.Pew Internet Report on Teens and Technology 2013Facebook Home Hits 'About 1 Million' Downloads, Looks to the Future Culture & EntertainmentInteresting article on millennials and they're oftentimes quirky interview habits.California law begins condom delivery service for teensThe average US family spends over $1,000 on prom. Teen Sexual Activity vs. Teen Sexual Integrity. . . .Coca-Cola Vows to Reduce Advertising to KidsEvery Every Every Generation Has Been the Me Me Me Generation (A rebuttle to TIME's recent cover story on Millennials.) The Hyperconnected Teenager: An InfographicWhat movies are your students and/or their friends watching? Click here to check out which movies won the weekend. Stay in touch with what your students and/or their friends are listening to. The Billboard Hot 100 tracks songs across all mediums. By clicking here you can listen to and watch the videos for the most popular songs in the country right now. (NOTE: Use discernment when previewing this content as, sadly, much of it is objectionable.) A Glance At Recent ResearchStudy shows 72% of U.S. gamers now play online.CIA Operative to Coffee Barista: Millennial Dream CareersStudy: Violent Video Games Numb Teens To BrutalitySeventy-three percent of parents report mostly positive relationships with children ages 18 to 29.Most Suicidal Teens Sought Medical Advice Within A Year Of Death, Study Shows That's it for this edition of the ym360 Trends & Culture report. Look for another one the week of May 27. [**Note: By nature, some of the articles and subject matter we deal with in Trends & Culture often conflicts with our beliefs and ethics as Christ-followers. Our purpose in linking to this type of material is to simply give you the option of knowing the culture your students are surrounded by. Use discretion to determine which links to click on.] Want more ym360 Trends & Culture? Sign up for a ym360 User Account and receive Trends & Culture Updates in our bi-weekly ym30 Newsletter.

Everybody's Urban: An Interview with Leneita Fix (YouthWorkTalk.com)

Mon, 13 May 2013 08:15:00 GMT

Last week I got the chance to catch up with friend, youth worker, writer, and contributor to youthworktalk.com, Leneita Fix. Her new book with Jeffrey Wallace is Everybody's Urban: Understanding The Survival Mindset of the Next Generation - Here's a quick interview that covers the content and purpose of the book. You can pick up [...]You just finished reading Everybody's Urban: An Interview with Leneita Fix!

The Evangelistic Teeter Totter (Dare 2 Share Ministries International)

Mon, 13 May 2013 07:49:00 GMT

"Lord give me the mixture of the lion and the lamb." George Whitefield Yesterday, after I preached a sermon about sharing the gospel at Grace Church in Eden Prairie, MN, a nice lady approached me and asked me how introverts like her are supposed to share their faith. I thought this was a great question. It applies, not only to adults, but also to teenagers. If you're a youth leader you most likely have plenty of introverts and extroverts in your youth group. Both sides need coaching. That's why we developed the concept of the evangelistic teeter totter at Dare 2 Share to help both kinds of teenagers. On one side of the teeter totter there are those who tend to be relational. On the other side there are those who tend to be relentless. Many extroverted teens fall on the relentless side of the teeter totter. They may bring the gospel up too quickly or abruptly in conversations. For many of them there is no "salvation segue" into the gospel. Instead, there's a hard right turn. At times these teens can be argumentative if others don't agree with them on their spiritual views. The positive side of this approach is that many people hear the gospel and those who are ready can respond quickly. I fall firmly on the relentless side of the evangelistic teeter totter. Many evangelists often do. Many introverted teenagers fall on the relational side of the evangelistic teeter totter. They slowly build relationships over weeks, months or even years. If and when they do bring the gospel up, the people they're sharing the good news with may be surprised they didn't bring it up earlier. These teenagers have a hard time pulling the trigger when the opportunity to talk about spiritual things arises. The positive side of this approach is that these teenagers make disciples, not just converts, because they tend not to practice "hit and run" evangelism. My wife firmly falls on the relational side of the evangelistic teeter tooter. So does the nice lady I talked to yesterday at Grace Church. So what was my advice to this lady? Simply this: Whatever side of the evangelistic teeter totter you sit on ask God, through His Holy Spirit, to sit on the other side. Only He can balance you out perfectly. If you're relational ask God to balance you out with a holy relentlessness that will embolden you. If you're relentless ask God to balance you out with a relational love that will help you to slow down, listen patiently and gently share the good news. Coach your teens to speak the truth in love and find the balance between relational and relentless. All the while learn how to strike the balance yourself in your own evangelistic efforts. Speaking of that, which side of the teeter totter do you fall on?

How to Build a Spiritual Home – Part 4 (Building Leaders of Tomorrow)

Mon, 13 May 2013 06:21:00 GMT

Exterior & Roof – 3 A's of parenting – Attention, Affirmation, & Affection – Matthew 3:17 God's Word does not have many verses that speak about loving your kids – much of the prescriptive truths about parenting are regarding discipline and spiritual guidance. However, here is something to consider. God, and his treatment of His [...]

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Carrollton, TX (Methodist - United Methodist)

Sun, 12 May 2013 20:22:00 GMT

The Youth Pastor will serve FUMC by developing, coordinating and administering a comprehensive ministry to the junior high and senior high youth and young adults of college age. The Youth Pastor will provide leadership and supervision of staff members and volunteers in the Youth Ministry. The Youth Pastor will promote an atmosphere that will encourage youth to grow and develop as Spirit-filled Disciples of Christ. This position requires a candidate who possesses a strong commitment to Jesus Christ and the full authority of scripture. The Youth Pastor role is a full time salaried position with benefits. PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: • Partner with Youth Commission (comprised of appointed youth and adult volunteer leaders) to provide the vision and direction to the Youth Ministry through planning of curriculum and structured activities. The Youth Commission participates in planning and assists with administration of the program so the Youth Pastor can focus on teaching and discipling the youth. • Supervise all aspects of the youth ministry program, including worship, education, spiritual development, evangelism, missions, fellowship, and affirmation of youth and support of families of youth. o Oversee Sunday morning youth classes, mid-week Bible studies and Sunday evening youth services, including responsibility for curriculum and structured activities. o Oversee the planning of youth events, such as youth retreats, youth camps, and mission trips or youth participation in special services with the whole congregation. • Periodically attend some CCA events as able and encourage CCA students to be involved in the youth program and generally act as a youth group ambassador between FUMC and CCA. • Establish a program of membership outreach to win the hearts of youth and families to Jesus Christ and encourage full membership participation whenever possible. Visit the youth and their families off-site, such as public and private school visits, sporting events, personal emergencies or illnesses, community events, and community activities which involve our youth. • Develop mentoring relationships with the youth, encouraging each one to fully develop their God-given talents. Encourage those with a calling to pursue full-time Christian service. Counsel youth and parents who need guidance. • Encourage youth in their spiritual growth by example as well as by direction. Reflect discipline and integrity in all aspects of own life. Demonstrate the priority and value of time with family. • Attend FUMC staff meetings, devotions and retreats. Attend Church Council meetings and participate in other committees as appointed. Cooperate with church staff in all areas to promote the overall vision of the church and promote the youth program as a vital part of the church and an integral part of the congregation. As part of the pastoral staff, participate in pastoral care such as hospital visits, on-call rotation for congregational needs (after hour's emergencies), assist in congregational worship weekly and preach at the request of the Senior Pastor. SUPERVISORY / ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES: • Supervise all paid and volunteer youth program adult leaders. • Lead the development of Youth Ministry curriculum • Be responsible for maintaining current updates of Youth Ministry on First Church website. • Communicate diligently with youth and parents through e-mail and all forms of social media (facebook, twitter, etc). • Be responsible for Youth Ministry correspondence and contribute to First Church Newsletter. • Serve as a mentor/resource for others in the Youth Ministry. • Partner with the Youth Commission in preparing the annual budget for the Youth Ministry, including fund-raising projects as needed to support activities. • Manage, coordinate and calendar the use of youth facilities. Oversee the care of equipment related to Youth Ministry and purchase supplies, materials and equipment as needed. JOB REQUIREMENTS: • Strongly committed to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. • Adhere to the Christian standard of moral conduct. (background check will be required). • Be a part of the whole First Church community and family. • Maintain a courteous Christ-like attitude in dealing within and outside of FUMC. QUALIFICATIONS: • Bachelor's Degree required. Prefer Youth Pastor or Theology / Seminary degree. • Prefer 2 – 5 years of experience as a Youth Pastor. • Experience in teaching / preaching / conducting Bible studies – required. • Experience as a worship leader – preferred. • Experience in leading short-term mission trips – preferred. REPORTS TO: Senior Pastor

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Jackson, AL (Methodist - United Methodist)

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:48:00 GMT

First United Methodist Church in Jackson, Alabama is accepting resumes for a full-time Director of Youth Ministries. Applicants should have experience working with youth (6th -12th grade) to encourage, inspire, and nurture young people and their families in the Christian faith and the Methodist tradition. FUMC has educational and recreational facilities available to build on the existing program and to continually develop a comprehensive youth ministry which focuses on spiritual growth, Christian fellowship, fun, and outreach.

Law Office of Matthew B. Tozer

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:34:32 GMT

Christian attorney, California office. Personal injury, bankruptcy, select church related matters, litigation.

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Beaverton, OR (Nondenominational)

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:34:00 GMT

Director of Student Ministries @ Aloha Campus Are you ready to jump into student ministry? What if I told you we had the perfect opportunity? Westside Community Church is looking for the right individual to add to our team (aka. get on the bus) as we become a multi campus church. This position would lead a team of volunteers (adults & students) at our established Aloha campus in creating powerful environments where students can meet Jesus and make life altering friendships. God is doing some cool stuff in our community. We've quickly outgrown our campus and currently meet in our local high school. I know...you're the perfect person for the job. You're a “match made in heaven”. But here's the deal breaker. You've got to love a good cup of coffee. (HR Disclaimer: We will not discriminate on the basis of coffee like or dislike.) Position: Director of Student Ministries @ Aloha Campus Status: Part Time Role includes: ? Team Leadership ? Oversight of planning, direction, and staffing for all environments and events ? Loving Sundays (plan to be there all day from start to finish including attendance of at least one adult service per week) ? Striving for excellence in the area of the 3 Irreducible minimums for Student Ministries 1. An appealing setting 2. An engaging presentation 3. Helpful content ? Keeping it Simple. If there is a simpler way to do it that can achieve the same or better results, do it! ? Maintaining high levels of communication with Campus Pastor, student staff, students and their parents ? Always having a plan to double the size of the student ministry, and working the plan

Intern - Whittier, CA (Baptist - Conservative Baptist)

Wed, 08 May 2013 14:10:00 GMT

Calvary Baptist Church High School Ministry Intern Purpose • Develop and maintain a ministry to High School students in cooperation with the Pastor to Students and Family Ministry • To gain ministry experience and develop the gifts God has given you • Commit to internship for one-year with a one-year evaluation, but have heart for more years Responsibilities • Help develop a plan transition students from Jr. High Ministry into High School Ministry and out into the College Ministry Community • Reach out to High School students within CBC family, and those coming out of WCS Jr. High • Build Christ centered relationships with students and volunteers • Recruit and encourage High School ministry volunteer staff from this church as the need arises to develop God centered relationships with students of this ministry • Regularly meet and plan with the Intern's immediate supervisor, the Pastor to Students and Family Ministry, once a week • 15 hours a week for prep, planning, meeting with pastor, bible study, and Sunday mornings • The only office-hours expectation is weekly planning meeting Guidelines/Expectations • The Intern will pursue personal holiness • The Intern will be teachable and willing to submit to the authorities in which he serves. There is one immediate supervisor, which is the Pastor to Students and Family in conjunction with the Pastor of CBC/WCS ministry • The Intern will support and promote Calvary's doctrinal statement, purpose, and vision • The Intern will attend worship service and encourage students to be in this local body • In Grace the Intern will seek personal transformation, and growth for himself and those he oversees, promoting the whole of the teaching of Scripture, including baptism, serving, giving, and participating in the life of this body Compensation: $500 per month With my signature I agree to serve in this ministry with my whole heart to the glory of God. Signature: Date:

Part-Time or Seasonal - Chesterland, OH (Presbyterian - Presby Church, USA)

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:35:00 GMT

Our church family is seeking a part-time Director of Youth Ministries (6th-12th grade) to provide leadership in the church's disciple-making process. The ideal candidate will be of solid Christian character with relevant work experience in youth ministry and a passion for youth. This person will demonstrate the ability to organize, think strategically, and produce results using creative approaches.

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - New Bedford, MA (Episcopal)

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:44:00 GMT

Grace Church is a healthy, dynamic, and intergenerational church community located in the diverse, multilingual city of New Bedford on the South Coast of Massachusetts, with a current average attendance above 230 between three weekend services and over 60 young people registered in Church School and Youth Group. We are seeking an energetic, enthusiastic and experienced Youth Minister to promote Christian Education and Formation. The ideal candidate will have excellent organizational skills, be a self starter with a love of Christ and a desire to create a fun and nurturing environment in which our youth can develop into active members of our adult faith community and continue their journey of faith through their adult lives.

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Leonardtown, MD (Nondenominational)

Tue, 07 May 2013 09:33:00 GMT

SouthPoint is a growing (850 avg attendance) 7 year old, non-denominational church in Southern Maryland. • Our vision and rallying cry is to “Connect the Disconnected to Christ, Community, and Cause.” • Our people are racially, professionally, and socially diverse. We reflect and exceed our community demographics. • Our community is on the banks of the Chesapeake Bay, about an hour south of the nation's capital. • Our kids matter. On any given Sunday there are 300 kids (>18) in our children's and student environments. YOU WILL: • Oversee the continued growth and development of SouthPoint Church's Student Ministry. • Create irresistible environments for 4th-12th grade students, including weekend, midweek services and other special events. • Recruit, train and develop a committed volunteer team to help ensure that each environment within SouthPoint Students is properly staffed. We work through teams on every level of the organization. Your job is to lead leaders, not do everything yourself. • Manage Financials with accuracy and integrity. This job isn't all “Call of Duty” and Donut Olympics. Budgets, expense reports, and event registrations are serious business. • Partner with parents by providing clear communication and helpful resources. • Communicate and represent the vision of SouthPoint Church to all volunteers who serve under the ministry and the community. WHAT IT TAKES: • You must have a personal and growing relationship with Jesus Christ. • You must love students and enjoy being around them…a lot. • You must take your job seriously, but not yourself. • You must have enough energy to keep up with that kid who had Red Bull and Skittles for breakfast. • You must love the local church and believe that it is the hope of the world (Bill Hybels). EXTRA POINTS IF YOU: + 20 Have experience leading a student ministry of 100+ students and 25+ leaders +10 Are familiar with the Orange Strategy (www.whatisorange.org) +10 Worked for/volunteered with Young Life – Four of our full-time staff have worked for or served with YL. While the church isn't necessarily modeled after Young Life, our staff culture and love for those who don't know Jesus is certainly informed by our experience with the mission. +5 Are active with social media, blogging etc +5 Are proficient with audio/video +5 Play Guitar/Lead music +5 Are a video game guru +5 Dance when no one is watching (or even if they are) +5 Can pull a message illustration from any movie or song

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Cincinnati, OH (Methodist - United Methodist)

Tue, 07 May 2013 08:31:00 GMT

Salary and Desired Start Date • Salary and benefits negotiable and commensurate with experience and proven ability in student ministry. • We desire the chosen applicant to begin ministry August 1, 2013. Application Process • Submit cover letter and resume with educational background, employment history, references, and vision for youth ministry to Rev. Greg Stover, Lead Pastor. E-mail: gstover@armstrongchapel.org U. S. Mail: Rev. Greg Stover Armstrong Chapel United Methodist Church 5125 Drake Road Cincinnati, Ohio 45243 FAX: 513-561-3062 Phone: 513-561-4220 Website: www.armstrongchapel.org • Application Desired By: June 1, 2013

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Watkinsville, GA (Presbyterian - Presby Church, USA)

Mon, 06 May 2013 07:42:00 GMT

Director of Youth Ministries Exempt, Part time (20 hours/week) Report to the Pastor, Head of Staff Summary The Director of Youth Ministries will provide dynamic leadership and oversight to the middle and high school ministries at Oconee Presbyterian Church, equipping the youth, their parents, and other adults to grow as disciples. Essential Functions 1. Exhibit exceptional team building talent to: • Motivate ministry and program participation among middle and high school students • Encourage volunteer support in youth ministry from youth, parents, and other adults • Support other staff member to achieve the overall mission for OPC 2. Plan and implement creative youth programs aligned with the church mission, calendar, and budget. 3. Build an exceptional communication network for youth and their parents. 4. Build strong relationships with students and their parents and make participation in “Church” activities a positive experience for all. 5. Participate in worship leadership occasionally, as requested by Head of Staff. 6. Be visible and active in all aspects of the life of the church – not solely focused on the members of the youth programs. Core Competencies 1. Strong leadership and organization skills 2. Well-grounded in Reformed theology consistent with the beliefs of the Presbyterian Church USA, Oconee Presbyterian, and our Head of Staff. 3. Utilize modern communication skills and available social media methods to 4. Bring fun and joy to the process of spiritual growth among its participants. Qualifications • Bachelor's Degree education preferred but not required • Experience worshipping or serving in a Reformed theological context • Able to move freely in and out of different small group settings • Able to speak in a public forum About Oconee Presbyterian Church Oconee Presbyterian Church is a loving family of faith who believes God calls us to: • Invite in all people to discover constantly the love and grace of Jesus Christ • Build up one another in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, encouraging everyone to discern and use their gifts • Send out empowered disciples to our community and the world to share God's love in word and deed to relieve suffering in Christ's Name Oconee Presbyterian began as a New Church Development in 1999. Rev. Pam Driesell and “missionary members” from area churches began worshiping in homes, a storefront, a clubhouse and a school. In 2001 with 100+ members, we purchased 15 acres and worshipped al fresco while building a multi-use 15K sq. ft. building dedicated in 2004. The church grew under Rev. Pam's leadership through 2010, when she was called away to serve as pastor of a large congregation in Atlanta. In 2012, we welcomed Rev. Joel Tolbert and his family, and are excited to continue God's mission beside him. Contact Oconee Presbyterian Church c/o Youth Director Search Team 2601 Hog Mountain Road Watkinsville, GA 30677 info@opcusa.org Subject: Youth Director

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Mon, 06 May 2013 05:56:24 GMT

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Mon, 06 May 2013 05:43:17 GMT

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Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Highland, MD (Methodist - United Methodist)

Fri, 03 May 2013 11:41:00 GMT

Mount Zion United Methodist Church is seeking a full-time Deacon as Director of Youth Ministry (DYM). We are seeking an energetic, enthusiastic, well-organized, and creative person who is dedicated to youth and the church. The DYM will oversee the youth ministries (grades 6-12.) The Youth Ministries of Mount Zion include: Christian education, Youth Fellowship, Mission trips, Worship opportunities. The DYM will be responsible for strategizing, planning, and implementing ministry programs that are in keeping with the church's overall vision. Desired Qualifications Candidates for this position must have a personal commitment to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and must demonstrate the reality of that relationship through their life and testimony. Candidates must have a minimum of 3 years relevant experience as a youth ministry leader and have knowledge of educational methods and current youth ministry resources. A minimum of a bachelor's degree is required. In addition the educational requirements for Deacon must either be completed or in process. Formal training in Youth or Student Ministries is also preferred. Other Skills and Abilities The ideal candidate will have: • superior communications skills. • strong interpersonal skills with the ability to relate to today's youth culture; • the ability to work efficiently and effectively in team situations; • a passion and heartfelt concern for teens, be high energy, creative, hard working • possess the ability to motivate others; • administrative leadership and coordination; and • experience with budgeting and coordinating finances for a youth program Principle Duties To provide personal leadership in the development of a youth program in which youth experience: • fellowship occasions, both regular meetings and special events which are fun and provide opportunity to know and be known by others; • participation in a small group which promotes sharing and accountability; • exposure to and participation in mission and ministry beyond the local church; • leadership development: disciple and mentor teens for ministry and leadership and raise up effective mentors for youth and from the youth; and • preparation for serving and leading as the youth touch lives for Jesus Christ. The director will also: • help the youth understand Biblical guidelines for appropriate behavior and to model high standards and set a good example in the areas of relationships, commitment, follow thru and responsible living; • recruit, train and equip adult leaders to help in all areas of youth ministry; • have the ability to counsel parents and students in crisis situations; • work closely with the Mount Zion staff to further the mission of the church, and; • Support ministerial duties for the larger church on an as needed basis Compensation and Housing Please note that the proposed effective salary includes housing costs. Effective Salary Range: $50,000 - $55,000. Medical, pension, and professional reimbursement also provided.

Family Ministry - Dublin, CA (Nondenominational)

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:57:00 GMT

Are you ready for a challenge in a fast paced, growing children's ministry filled with creative arts and cutting edge creations? A ministry that not only develops kids and families but truly ministers weekly to both the unsaved and saved alike. CrossWinds Church is looking for the perfect candidate to compliment our Family Ministry staff and help continue the growth we are seeing in our Children's Ministry Department as our new Children's Pastor. CrossWinds Church is located in the beautiful San Francisco bay area. We do church a little bit different as we focus on creating a welcoming environment for unchurched people with a nontraditional approach using music and creative arts. You will see new stage designs, relevant series that reach the church and unchurched alike, performance music and video segments that set up a conflict as our pastor shows through modern application how the Bible has the answers for whatever challenge you may be going through. We have seen consistent growth over the past two years nearly doubling in size in our children's ministry alone. Crosswinds is currently averaging 1500 on Sunday mornings with over 250 kids spread out over our 3 services. We are looking for someone to hit the ground running overseeing our elementary age students and help develop a stronger preteen ministry. Once this person has solidified this position discussion will begin to move them into a role overseeing the entire Children's Ministry from birth through 5th grade. Person will report to the Family Pastor who currently oversees the entire children's department. Our children's ministry follows the same series as the adults so it is vital this person have the ability to adapt adult messages to make them relevant to children. This approach helps parents to be able to partner better with the spiritual development of their children. We use a small group / large group approach. Children begin in game rooms with arcades and activities. They then split in to small groups to develop relationships with each other and their teachers as the lesson is set up. Afterwards they move in to the Kids Theatre where they experience a service with creative sets that has videos, music, and fun teaching. Our kids love going to church. We have three large events for the year: Kids Camp (full day experience with 300 kids in our facilities), the FunFair (springtime carnival with over 500 in attendance), and Easter services (giant Easter Egg hunt and largest services of the year with over 400 kids). This person's role would be vital in the success of each of these events. Half of our families are unchurched with zero Bible knowledge while another large portion are well-versed. We balance ministering to both groups to prepare the way for these kids' future. We focus on Safety, Relationships, and Quality in everything we do. First we define the “why” behind the “what” and then we explore the best “how” possible to begin implementation of the vision. The perfect candidate obviously needs to show a calling in to children's ministry. Additionally these are some of the strengths that we need in our children's pastor: communication skills (verbal and written), relational approachability, organization skills, a problem solver, ability to write curriculum, and a visionary for what God can do in these kids' lives. This position is a full time position with benefits and room for advancement. Resumes need to be two pages in length showing previous ministry experience; ministry philosophy or objective; and a personal bio explaining a little about yourself, your calling and why we should consider you for the position. Degree in a relevant field and previous experience leading in a church of 1,000 plus is preferred (even if not on staff). Please send resumes to our Family Pastor, Tony Kensinger for review to tkensinger@crosswindschurch.org.

Youth Pastor - Senior High - Findlay, OH (Baptist - Independent Baptist)

Thu, 02 May 2013 20:14:00 GMT

Student Ministries (Summary) STATEMENT OF PURPOSE As in our overall focus of ministry for the entire body of believers at Trinity Baptist Church, we believe that this threefold ministry of Worship, which is directed upward to God; Discipleship, which is directed inward to the body; and Evangelism, which is directed outward to the world, is as valid for teens as it is for the adults. OUR GOALS • To see teens come to know Christ as Savior, grow spiritually, and in maturity. • To provide teens with a spiritual foundation to draw from throughout their lives, also preparing for a life of service in Christ. • Ensure that every teen who is a part of our Student Ministry will know that they are loved and cared for at Trinity Baptist Church. QUALIFICATIONS • Must be a born again Christian who feels a call by God into ministry, who exhibits a consistent testimony (John 3:3; Col. 3:5, 17) • Must have a love and passion for teens and their families • Must have strong organizational and leadership skills • Teachable—no man has all the answers and we can draw from the wisdom and experience of others • Able to build and lead volunteer teams • Spend time in the Word of God daily (I Thessalonians 5:17) • Have a neat personal appearance • Must have associates degree or equivalent experience • Must have some experience with Microsoft Office Suite and Publishing skills JOB RESPONSIBILITIES • Develop and implement effective Student Ministry environment for the teens that support the purpose and vision of the Pastor. Develop short term and long term discipleship strategies for student ministries in collaboration with the Senior Pastor. Call and challenge all teens to live fully surrendered lives to Jesus. • Oversee all programming and ministry for teens – including Sunday mornings & evenings, Wednesday nights, summer programming, special events, etc… • Oversee all logistical aspects of the student ministries, which include; ordering curriculum, preparing curriculum for each worker, Keep complete attendance records for effective follow-up through our Roll Call system, and all other necessary administrative duties. • Create environments, activities, and programming that will facilitate learning and encourage spiritual growth. • Recruit, train, schedule, and lead teams of volunteers. Help equip and empower lay leaders (teens and adults). Provide effective communication avenues, training and mentoring processes, pastoral care and abundant appreciation to your workers. • Managing the process for volunteer background checks and Child-Abuse Prevention training. • Provide care for teens and families within the church including hospital visits and follow-up. • Create a yearly budget for the student ministry and submit to finance committee.

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Vienna, VA (Baptist - American Baptist)

Wed, 01 May 2013 21:48:00 GMT

Pastor For Youth and Children Vienna Baptist Church (VBC) of Vienna, Virginia, is seeking a full time pastor for youth and children. The pastor will work in partnership with the youth and children's ministry team (YCMT) to build upon existing ministries and introduce innovative, meaningful, and engaging activities. Responsibilities include leading regular youth meetings, participating in Sunday Bible study with youth and children, attending our weeklong children's summer camp and youth weekend at VBC's Lost River Retreat Center in West Virginia, and managing the administrative tasks of the youth and children's ministry. Candidates should be ready to build relationships with youth and children through home visits, attending school or sports events, and community activities. Required qualifications include a mature and active faith in Jesus Christ, experience with youth and children's ministry, and strong communication skills. Bachelor's degree required; seminary degree or coursework preferred. VBC offers a warm and welcoming environment that is inclusive and culturally diverse. We are affiliated with the American Baptist Churches, the Alliance of Baptists, and the Baptist World Alliance. Find out more about our church at our website at www.vbc-va.org. To apply or obtain a more detailed job description, contact our search team at VBCyouthmin2013@gmail.com.

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Milton, PA (Nondenominational)

Wed, 01 May 2013 18:38:00 GMT

Attention: we are a Mennonite church with a population that is 70% non-Mennonite. Applicants need not be Mennonite but do need to stand by the Mennonite confession of faith. Thanks for considering this important ministry, DIRECTOR OF Y0UTH AND YOUNG ADULT MINISTRIES, Community Mennonite Fellowship, Milton, PA. This person will oversee and work with a team of skilled and motivated volunteer leaders, and give direction to all junior high, senior high youth and young adult ministries in a congregation of about 350. This full-time position, serving 75+ youth and young adults, requires strong leadership experience, demonstrated ministry success and a desire to make a difference for God. Responsibilities include: serving, discipling, leading, planning, motivating and networking with students, volunteers, parents and young adults. A complete job description can be viewed on the church's website: www.cmfmilton.org. If interested, send a cover letter and resume to office@cmfmilton.org. Resumes will be accepted until June 1, 2013.

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Golden, CO (Lutheran - Evan. Luth Ch In America)

Wed, 01 May 2013 14:48:00 GMT

The leader we are looking for… • Is Incarnational: they embody the love of Jesus and the Kingdom of God in their relationships and interactions with people. • Is Missional: understands and focuses on equipping and empowering people for a mission beyond the walls of the church. • Provides Competent Leadership: reflects theological, theoretical, and practical knowledge and skill in leadership. Gifted in empowering and equipping youth and adults to do mission/ministry • Establishes Effective Relationships: establishes effective relationships with people of all ages, volunteers, and staff. • Mentors Faith Life: assists people in their faith life both one-on-one and in groups. • Develops Teams: shares the vision of FAITH and attracts gifted people into leadership. Summary Description: The Youth and Family Ministry Coach will be a primary leader within the life of faith connections and development at FAITH. Specifically, the YF Coach will lead teams responsible for developing FAITH's youth ministries and their visions for ministry done in a missional way which serves our mission of Changing live through the Power of Jesus so that they can go and serve as the hands, feet and voice of Jesus in the world. Additionally, the YF Coach will help create a missional ministry designed to equip/empower parents and other adults in kids' lives to bring faith development and connections into families and homes empowering families together to live out the mission of FAITH in their worlds. Qualifications: • Deep, growing faith in Jesus Christ fed by regular spiritual practices and community • Gifted in empowering, teaching, equipping others to do ministry • Ability to effectively communicate, both written and verbally • Is a team player • People management skills • Self-directed, innovative thinker • Can organize details and manage change well Responsibilities: Help create and empower missional ministry with families in conjunction with Children's Ministry Coach and pastoral staff • Create and empower team of people to lead this ministry • Cast vision for whole congregation on family based missional ministry • Help develop workshops, trainings, materials, etc. that equip parents and families • Creatively inspire families to become places of faith connections and development Youth Ministry • Work with existing team in coordination of youth ministry • Help leaders create/support passionate, gifted team for youth ministry - Resource, train oversee this team • Continue to help youth ministry morph into a missional ministry • Help identify and equip leaders for youth ministry Greater FAITH community • Communicate clearly with congregation and individuals about family, and youth ministries happenings • Cast vision and empower greater understanding of congregational based ministries (ie the whole congregation has responsibility with and for ministry – not just paid staff) • Active participation with FAITH staff including staff meetings Reports to Missional Pastor Salaried Part-time – Flexible hours

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - North Myrtle Beach, SC (Presbyterian - Presby Church In America)

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:28:00 GMT

We are seeking someone who loves Jesus and loves teenagers and is passionate about youth ministry and the multigenerational church. Full time job with benefits.

Youth Pastor/Director/Minister/Coordinator - Tampa, FL (Nondenominational)

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:54:00 GMT

Wanting a Youth/Sports Minister. Looking for someone who can not only grow a Youth ministry but start and run a christian sports program (soccer & flag football) for elementary age kids. We are a contemporary style church, with a whatever it takes attidute to reach the lost, without watering down Gods word. We want someone who is a team player and has a CAN DO attitude, and will do whatever it takes to help the church run more effecitively. This is an entry level position. Salary ranges from $27k-$31k DOE. Check out our church website to learn more about Openwater and email me your resume with picture if you are interested in applying.

Cursos a Distancia - Cursos Online

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 03:10:11 GMT

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