Simply Urban Ministry

Ballin’ on a Budget – Part 1

Jeff — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 10:45:17 +0000

As a youth pastor in an urban setting, I need to be able to resource my youth group on a budget. A lot of the guys I talk too say the very same thing. I’m going to take the next week or so and talk about some resources and ways to be an Urban Youth Ministry Baller on a Budget!

My boy Scott Mills from LifeWay was feeling me when he wrote this….

As a student minister, I am sure you have to tighten your belt these days and make more youth ministry happen with fewer dollars. With the economy like it is, everyone has to make the most of what we have – at home, at work, and in our ministry

Did you know that LifeWay has many options for Bible Study? We have options for all budgets, but you will not lose anything when it comes to solid biblical teaching that is built on a strategy for developing students spiritually. All our Bible study resources line up with a solid strategy to help students KNOW God, OWN their faith, and make their faith KNOWN. (www.lifeway.com/studentstrategy)

Here is how these resources compare per week if you have 1 teacher and 20 students:

KNOWN (www.lifeway.com/known)
Leader Guide – $6.50
Student book – $4.50 (3 monthly issues at $1.50)
Total Quarterly Cost: $96.50
Per Student Cost each week: $0.40

Life Focus (www.lifeway.com/lifefocus)
Leader Guide – $5.25
Student book – $1.90
Total Quarterly Cost: $43.25
Per Student Cost each week: $0.18

Fuel2 Video Series (www.lifeway.com/fuel)
DVD/CD Leader Pack (all materials on CD and DVD) – $159.95
Per Student Cost each week: $0.67

With many of LifeWay Student resources, there are many FREE extras online to give you and your teachers even more tools to help develop your students spiritually. From Podcasts to parent meeting plans, visit the product websites to preview the curriculum products to get more specific information on each option.

Scott Mills is a LifeWay expert in student ministry. As a marketing strategist, Scott knows the practical aspects of ministry that sometimes dictate curriculum choices. Scott seeks to continue to be involved in work that produces quality products at a reasonable price for your students.

Learning Youth Ministry Online (Group job John!!!)

Jeff — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 10:36:11 +0000

John Cade at Lifeway Christian Resources wrote:

How many times have you traveled and left some important items at home? It happens to all of us from time to time. We find ourselves wasting time and resources trying to replace certain items, or we simply try to survive without them. Sometimes, however, going without them is not an option.

This happens often in youth ministry, and you may not even realize it. Youth pastors travel far and wide to reach students, yet leave some of the most basic tools behind. We’ve got to grab hold of the one tool that youth understand and use every day – the internet.

Many of you have no idea where to start. I constantly hear questions such as “Don’t I need to know HTML to build a website?” or “How much money will this take?” After reading this article, hopefully you will have some ideas about where to begin.

Here are four free tools you can use on the internet to reach your students:

Social Networks – These exist to help people connect online. Ask your students which ones they are using, and create profiles on them. This will allow you to see what your students are talking about, who they are communicating with, and keep you informed about what is relevant to their generation. Create groups on these networks for your youth group, which will help you keep your students updated and serve as a landing page for their friends to learn more.

Recommended: Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/)

Blogs – A blog is one of the easiest tools to manage to inform both students and their parents. There are several websites that offer free blog accounts. Before you start writing, make sure you are being intentional. Whether it is a post about last night’s football game or a mission trip update for parents, keep it short and to the point. People don’t enjoy reading novels on screen. Write a new post a couple of times a week.

Recommended: WordPress (http://www.wordpress.com/)

Video Sharing – If you don’t have a video camera or can’t afford one, keep it simple. Use your cell phone or a webcam. Publishing a video is entirely free on many video sharing websites. Use funny and interesting videos to connect with your youth to make announcements, convey a spiritual message, or just give them something fun to watch.

Recommended: Vimeo (http://www.vimeo.com/)

Photo Sharing – Like video, there are several free photo-sharing sites. Social networks let you create albums as well. Post pictures from recent youth events and share them with your students. Offering valuable content like pictures will keep them coming back often, allowing you to use the internet as a constant channel of communication.

Recommended: Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/)

Never forget that your content is up against literally everything else on the internet. What does this mean for you? You must update your accounts frequently. Set aside a time (or two or three) each week to upload to videos and pictures. If you’re using social networks, update your status a few times a day so people will know that you are active.

A piece of advice for those who are ready to jump in: don’t create more profiles than you can manage. Start by using one site for each type of media.

Balance Resources with Personality

Perhaps the hardest part of being involved in social media is choosing what to say and when. There is no perfect formula for this. However, one recommendation I always make is to balance resources with personal updates. Yes, of course you want your students to read a daily devotion – so post one to your profiles daily. However, don’t be a robot! If you just fell out of the chair at your desk – tell them. The more personality you show, the more receptive they will be to the resources you provide. And let’s not forget – the root of what you are trying to do is taking advantage of the internet to build relationships with students.

Tie It All Together

Each of your profiles should link back to your blog or your youth ministry website. Your blog or youth ministry website should be the portal for everything else you do online. WordPress offers a variety of widgets that you can apply to your blog’s sidebar. Take advantage of them to offer the most content in one place as possible. This will help you equip your students to KNOW their faith, OWN their faith, and make their faith KNOWN online.

John Cade

John Cade is the Internet Producer for LifeWay Student Ministry. He can be reached by phone at 615.251.2842 or by email at john.cade@lifeway.com. He loves talking shop about the internet and helping youth pastors use it more effectively, so do not hesitate to contact him

Hard Core – How to deal with students with sex addictions

Jeff — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 03:38:26 +0000

Adolescents and even preadolescents today are engaging in all kinds of sexual experiences, and they are doing it at younger ages than ever before. These students live in a world obsessed with sex, where sex is expected and sex is no big deal. With these influences, more and more teens will likely become involved in the tragedy of teenage sexual addiction.

For some teens sexually addictive behavior may be confined to constant thoughts about sex; for others, it may go a step further and result in compulsive masturbation, extensive use of Internet pornography (cyber sex), or calling toll numbers to hear explicit sex talk (phone sex). For others the addiction can lead to illegal activities such as voyeurism (observing others in nude or seminude situations from a secret vantage point, a Peeping Tom), exhibitionism (exposing ones genitals to others), inappropriately touching others, or even rape. ¹

SIGNS OF SEXUAL ADDICTION
As with any addiction or compulsive behavior, there are warning signs. These red flags should not be ignored. The following list includes many of the warning signs that are prevalent among students dealing with sexual addiction:

Frequently telling sexual jokes or making sexual comments or innuendos
Engaging in sexual activity-especially with several partners
Spending considerable time in activities that could lead to sexual activity such as cruising for potential partners or spending hours online in chat rooms trying to hook up with others
Visiting pornographic websites or looking at pornographic magazines, books, or videos
Neglecting obligations such as work, school, or family in pursuit of sexual activity
Continuing to engage in illicit sexual behavior despite the negative consequences related to such activities
Escalating the scope or frequency of sexual activity to achieve a desired effect, such as more frequent visits to Web sites or sex with more partners
Frequently isolating themselves from parents and friends and not informing others of their whereabouts
Getting angry if someone shows concern or questions them about sex or their use of pornography
Feeling irritable when unable to engage in some sort of sexual activity for a long period of time
Making telephone calls with an 800 or a 900 prefix
Becoming increasingly dishonest with other people ²

Those who work with sex addicts say that when someone meets three or more of the above criteria, that person has a problem with sexual addiction and needs intervention. Be aware of these signs, and ensure that parents of teens are familiar with them as well.

PREVENTION-THE BEST CURE
You are no doubt familiar with the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That is certainly true with issues related to sex. Discussing sex with teenagers is not something that should be avoided. In fact, avoiding the subject will not make the questions and curiosity go away; it will probably only lead to more curiosity, which could lead to experimentation, promiscuity, and possibly addiction in some students.

When you are discussing matters related to sex in a youth group setting, make sure parents know what is being discussed and keep them informed. In addition, lead them in discussions about talking with their students about sex. True Love Waits® should also be an annual emphasis calling teens, as well as their parents, to sexual purity. Sex education from a biblical perspective should be the task of parents, but it should also be reinforced in the church.

In addition, here are some strategies to use with students in your church and to encourage your parents to use as tools of prevention:

Encourage them to commit to using their eyes to look only at pure and wholesome things.
Challenge them to commit to praying daily that God would protect them from sexual temptation.
Ask them to find members of the same sex who are committed to purity to meet on a consistent basis and hold one another accountable.
Challenge youth to memorize Scripture related to temptation such as 1 Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 2:18; Psalm 119:9-11; and others. ³

AN IMPORTANT ROLE
Remember that addicts of any kind do not generally seek help on their own. More often than not, they are forced into getting help when a loved one is concerned about them, when a serious consequence is imminent, or by a court of law after an offense has been committed. While some addicts do not realize they have a problem, others do but believe they can and will stop. Unfortunately, they usually find it impossible to do so.

When dealing with any kind of addiction, it is also wise to know your limits. Since it is unlikely that you are trained in dealing with addictive behaviors, it is necessary to rely on others who are. It is always good to know Christian psychologists or others in your community who can either help you or refer you to the appropriate help a student may need.

You have a valuable role in helping students identify this problem, assisting them in finding help to deal with this crisis and supporting the individual and his or her family through the process as God directs you.

Also check out Pure Online – an online treatment program for Christian men to get help for pornography and sex-related addictions. The program is completely confidential.

1 – Michael Herkov, Mark S. Gold, and Drew W. Edwards, “What Is Sexual Addiction?” Dr. John Grohol’s Psych Central [online] 6 February 2001 [accessed 22 June 2006] Available from Internet: psychcentral.com/ library/sexaddict_intro.htm.

2 – Michael Herkov, Mark S. Gold, and Drew W. Edwards, “Symptoms of Sexual Addiction,” Dr. John Grohol’s Psych Central [online] 6 February 2001 [accessed 22 June 2005]. Available from Internet: psychcentral.com/ library/sexaddict_intro.htm.

3 – “Teen Sex Addiction,” Porn-Free.org [online] [accessed 22 June 2005]. Available from Internet: www. pornfree.org/teen_sex.htm.

Dr. Tan Flippin is an Associate Professor of Christian Education and Director of Student Services at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Germantown, TN

Students & Drugs! What’s Really Going On??

Jeff — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 03:36:49 +0000

Students’ experience at home is the largest single factor in whether or not they will have a drug or alcohol problem early in life. The stress and pain from living in an alcohol- or drug-affected family can lead to the use of other substances. Several steps need to be take place to enhance a family’s role in preventing alcohol or drug addiction. First, we must create family environments where it is not acceptable to be drunk or high on drugs. If a parent, other adult, or child has an alcohol or drug problem, someone must have the courage to address it. Students’ spot hypocrisy faster than adults can speak it. We must talk clearly to our children about our expectations that they not drink, smoke, or take drugs – but our own behavior is must more influential than our words. Adults must model what they want youth to become.

All youth are at risk of developing substance abuse problems if they are exposed to addictive substances and use them repeatedly. But a number of risk factors increase the chances that they will become drug-involved, including:

Family history

Alcoholism or addiction in the family

Family environment

Domestic violence or child abuse
Lack of adult supervision

Psychology

Childhood aggression
Lack of problem-solving
Depression
Compulsiveness

School

Rejection by peers
Lack of commitment to school

If a student has some of these risk factors, he or she is not doomed to become a substance abuser. Even kids at high risk may never develop an addiction. By taking steps now, you can help students avoid or delay any drug experimentation. And delay is key: kids who start experimenting at an early age are considerably higher risk for developing addictions. Someone who makes it to age 20 without abusing drugs or alcohol is less likely to develop a substance abuse problem. Here are just a few things you can do:

Do a family history to determine whether your family has shown signs of alcoholism or other addiction.
Evaluate your own use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.
Foster strong family bonds to help counter powerful peer influences.
Set clear expectations for behavior.
Let your kids know they can talk to you about anything, without harsh judgment or lectures.
Expose your children to activities like sports, art, music, reading, or drama, so that they develop avid interests.
Help your child feel a part of his or her school.
Teach your child to make independent decisions.
Teach your child to cope with frustration and stress.

10. Teach your child to be skeptical of sales pitches.

Students whose parents urge them not to use drugs are less likely to do so – even if they’re pressured by peers. You can help protect your family by creating a loving home and by focusing on the following:

Let family members know you love them.
Make time for fun.
Establish or renew family traditions.
Hold family meetings to problem-solve and plan activities.
Limit television.
Make time for each child.
Communicate your values.

Other Parenting Tips

Observe your students in different settings. Be aware that behaviorial problems can be risk factors for kids. Know that normal teens moodiness are not the same. If a family member is abusing substances, don’t try to handle everything alone.
Get to know your student’s friends and dates. Open communication keeps you in touch with those to whom your child is close.
Know where your children are. Require them to inform you about where they are and to get home on time. Rules and consequences, limits and freedom, teach children to be responsible.
Talk openly about drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes. Give examples of situations when children may be offered drugs or alcohol. Talk about what they can do to stay out of trouble.
Take family members’ concerns seriously. Treat them with respect, and let them know that whatever happens, you are there for them.
Many times when parents suspect something is not normal, they will wait and see what shakes out. Be proactive and do not be afraid to do the research on your student and find out what is going on. Give students the benefit of the doubt, but be diligent to check out the activities in which he or she is involved.

Information for this article was gleaned from many sources, such as: National Institutes of Health; www.jointogether.org; www.connectforkids.org; www.well.com.user/woa; Center for Drug Free America; and www.teenchallenge.com

My Favorite Things Part 5 – Sex & Temptation Talks!

Jeff — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 03:25:54 +0000

YO!!!!! On the real!! I love these resources!!! No matter what setting or culture you’re speaking too, these talks are CRAZY!!! My students LOVED them and whenever you’re talking about sex, you’re going to grow your urban ministry!! LOL!!!

My Favorite Things Part 4 – Fuel for the Leaders

Jeff — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 03:15:20 +0000

I’m always looking for books, materials, and resources to help me minister to my students as well as my leaders. When I need a fresh idea or I need to be reminded why I’m in the game, I use the following resources from Simply (www.simplyyouthministry.com)

My Favorite Things Part 3 – Dealing with DIVAS

Jeff — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:08:19 +0000

Each week, you look at the girls in your church, and you dream about the opportunity to make a bigger impact in their lives. You envision a team of women coming alongside you, investing their time and talents to help teenage girls discover how beautiful and valuable they truly are. You imagine groups of girls gathering to talk about their life experiences and offering support and encouragement to one another. You picture moms and daughters experiencing healed relationships and new beginnings.

It’s just a dream—for now. But you can turn that dream into reality with the tools, tips, and training you’ll find in Girls Ministry from Start To Finish.

This resource is divided into two parts.

Part 1: The Strategy
Who will lead your girls ministry? How will you structure it? How will it benefit your church? What impact can you have on the girls in your congregation and community? This section takes you from “big picture” thinking all the way to hitting the ground running.

Part 2: The Tools and Resources
This includes stuff that will save you tons of times: event ideas, sample Bible studies, and suggestions for curriculum. Use them as-is or customize them for your ministry. They’re all yours. We’ve also tossed in some extra training resources on the challenges facing girls in today’s culture that you can distribute to your leaders. You’re welcome.

Unlock the passion and potential of your young women by launching a girls ministry committed to spiritual health, personal growth, and biblical definitions of beauty and character. It’s a great way to serve the girls in your church—and an incredible opportunity to have an impact on the girls in your community. And nothing will help you get one started quicker than Girls Ministry from Start To Finish.

My Favorite Things Part 2 – Training Student Leaders

Jeff — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:00:55 +0000

Helping develop spiritually mature, ministry-focused student leaders is one of the most effective ways you can spend your leadership energy. There are big payoffs when a youth ministry becomes a place where student leaders are identified, empowered, and released to serve and do ministry. Few aspects of youth ministry are as exciting as seeing students develop a heart to serve and lead.

To help you strengthen student leaders, Doug Fields has put together a series of six audio training lessons to aid teenagers who have a heart for God and ministry. Take these CDs, duplicate them for your students, and use them to help your student leaders grow in their faith, their heart for ministry, and their love for the church.

Topics covered are:

1. Servant oriented leadership – meeting needs without being asked.
2. Maintaining a vibrant and growing faith…on your own.
3. Developing a ministry that “fits” you.
4. How to develop ownership within your youth ministry.
5. Being a student leader away from the church – with family and friends.
6. How to invest in and influence others.

What’s included:

6 audio CDs, one for each topic
1 CD including all 6 audio trainings in MP3 format (for your digital students), and an MP3 overview from Doug on how he uses this resource and his recommendations

My Favorite Things Part 1 – Helping Hurting Students

Jeff — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:51:58 +0000

People always ask me how do I minister to hurting kids and what resources I use for them. Well here is what I love to use:

LIFE HURTS GOD HEALS
Life Hurts God Heals is a completely comprehensive resource you can use to launch and run a ministry specifically to bring healing to these students. It includes all the curriculum you will need for leaders and participants, as well as all the behind the scenes stuff to help with everything from recognizing danger signs in teens to how to get this program up and running in your church.

Included are:

16 practical resources on starting a Life Hurts God Heals ministry
DVD with student testimonies about the Life Hurts God Heals program
Leader Guides in PDF and Word formats
Student Workbooks (13 lessons) in PDF and Word formats
Eight 30-minute sermons by Doug Fields in MP3 format
Teaching transcripts of each sermon
Student devotionals and journals
Follow-up support group study
Promotional materials, including sample parent letters, brochures, calendars, and more
Administrative materials, including welcome signs, consent forms, graduation certificates, and more

Every element of this resource with the exception of the student testimonies is completely open for you to reproduce and edit for use in your ministry. We want you to be completely empowered and as effective as possible as you reach out to your students in need.

LIFE HURTS GOD HEALS LEADER’S VIDEO TRAINING KIT
Packed inside this DVD is a comprehensive training program on how to implement Life Hurts God Heals within your ministry. With over two hours of video training from Megan Hutchinson (Life Hurts God Heals champion), you’ll learn how to start your program, support your participants, and work with leaders.

Also included is a PowerPoint presentation to help you teach this same material to leaders in your group along with a bunch of reproducible handouts and forms. From day one to long-term health–it’s all in here. Grab a copy and get started on your Life Hurts God Heals ministry today!

SCARRED SUPER-SERIES
The challenge of life isn’t avoiding pain (since that’s impossible), the real challenge is how to deal with pain when it happens. How to manage and heal from the wounds life inflicts on us. With this powerful three-week super-series by Doug Fields and Megan Hutchinson, you’ll be able to help students recognize and deal with the most painful experiences in their life. And most importantly, they’ll see how God can take their pain and use it to make beauty.

Lessons include:

Hurt Happens
Risking to Deal with Life’s Hurts
Share Your Story—Student Testimony Sharing

SECRET SURVIVORS Everyone has secrets. Some you might whisper into a friend s ear, while others may stay locked inside you for years… maybe even forever. It’s those secrets that you tuck away that eventually control you. You may think you’re okay, but really, your secrets can be tearing you apart from the inside out.

Secret Survivors tells the compelling, true stories of people who have lived through painful secrets – things that they kept to themselves until they could no longer bear the pain alone. As you read their stories, you’ll be drawn into their journeys towards healing, and you’ll understand why it’s so important to share your secret with someone else in order to start your own healing process.

I WANT TO TALK WITH MY TEEN ABOUT ADDICTIONS
From addictive behaviors including drinking and smoking to gambling, disfigurement, and hard-core drugs, I Want to Talk With My Teen About Addictions offers clear, concise information about the impact of addictive behaviors and how addiction affects teens’ faith-filled lives. Powerful pointers, checklists, charts, discussion starters, colorful diagrams, and practical, interactive suggestions help you and your teen…

EXAMINE why people become addicted and feel hopeless.
DISCOVER how alcohol and drugs poison the body, mind, and spirit.
DEVELOP healthy coping strategies for resisting unhealthy behaviors.
REALIZE that addiction is a choice teens make – but can be overcome.
EMBRACE God’s power, good friends, and love in breaking addictions.

SYM 2010 Conference – THE BEST

Jeff — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:12:33 +0000

Man, I’m so sad that the Simply Conference is over and I have to say goodbye to Chi-Town! I met soooooo many great people and I can’t wait until 2011!!!! I loved all of the stories, jokes, and experiences! To all my homies in the Urban Tracks, you guys are my HEROS!!! It was just a great time. For those of you asking about my favorite products, please check out www.simplyyouthministry.com. I ‘m going to spend the next week doing a review of my favorite products and the ones that works the most in urban settings! Thanks so much!!

One Love,