The Cure For The Common Youth Ministry

This lens focuses primarily on Youth Pastors who work within the local church but there is room for other perspectives in the discussion of reaching youth. I have worked in local church ministry for 17 years, worked as a substitute teacher in the public and private school system, as a day camp director for over 400 kids and as a volunteer for the Boys and Girls Club. Each of these harvest fields has challenges and I have discovered we have more in common than divides us.

I dare you to cross the picket lines of ideology and jump over the walls that separate ideas from needs and join the conversation. Let's share our heartbreaks, our stories, our victories and our experience for the greater good. Think of it like taking a brick of gold and a common, red brick and rubbing them together. Flecks of one find their way into the other and visa versa. Let's rub our intellects, hearts, and passions together to come up with solutions to reach more youth together.

Paul Turner
Disciple Project Ministries
thediscipleproject@gmail.com

Think of the last conversation you had with a young man about girls, dating or sex? How's that go? Don't you wish you had a book that addresses the top eight misconceptions guys have about girls you could walk your young men through? Your search is over.
For Young Men Only spells it out and does a better job than most teen books on dating. Through the results of a survey of four hundred girls the authors use the stats, humor and even cartoons (I like cartoons) to make plain that being "all that" is not what girls are looking for.

Check out more at
at:http://www.foryoungmenonly.com/BooksStudies/ForYoungMenOnly/tabid/141/Default.aspx

Every youth worker will find a piece of his life in Luke Langs's story. Luke's honest and sometimes heart tugging stories will resonate with anyone who's felt different growing up, which includes all of us. If quirky best describes your Jr. High group this book will be a perfect match,, Scattered throughout the book are random cartoons, Dr. Suess like poems, which gives this book an eclectic feel, and a closing lesson at the end of each chapter called Something To Stand On. All in all, Luke's honesty and quirkiness gives us a raw look into the life of a one-time loser now a hero for all students who think they are one.

Big book. No pictures. A recipe for boredom for most youth worker books, am I right? It was the honest stories Shaun and Marcus told of growing up themselves that made the ten lessons breeze by quickly. Each lesson is divided into "man sized" sections that could be easily be used to program a meeting or retreat. Each chapter closes with a final thought and a place for the reader to continue developing their "code". Chiseled takes the core vales every male adolescent should have and sets them just beyond reach, like the t.v. remote, that will have young men stretching to grasp them.

Biblical Literacy Made Easy makes a surprising claim in its title but but makes good on it's promise. Author Towns gives us a quick ABC strategy to jump start our planning process and includes at the end of each chapter plenty of tips and ideas for implementation.
Each chapter calls us to the simple and the deep importance of relaying spiritual truth to the next generation. Each chapter gives us the core Biblical beliefs that could alleviate our fear of the question, "What am I going to teach next week?" All of our students need to know the Bible better and this book gives youth leaders and teachers the tools to do just that.

I don't know where I found this but it's good advice.

Coach Tim's 15 Ways To Check If I'm Over-scheduled

Everyone needs some kind of indicator that tells them to slow down.
Here is my 'Life Speedometer' that helps me avoid 'speeding tickets'.

You know you are too busy when...

1. You don't seem to have time to do the things that used to put a smile on your face.
2. You can't remember the last time you heard your spouse laugh (and not at you!)
3. You can't remember where you were the last time you saw your child laugh?
4. You don't have time to read books you love.
5. You haven't had a leisurely conversation with a close friend in months.
6. You can't recall the last time you wrestled with your son on the carpet? Or played make-believe with your daughter?
7. You haven't had a meal together as a family (with no interruptions) for over a week.
8. You are out more than 3 nights a week.
9. You and your spouse haven't had a romantic getaway out of town (without the kids) for over nine months.
10. You don't have a date night at least twice a month. (No kids)
11. Your "yes's" outnumber your "no's."
12. You don't know your wife's favorite perfume, or store or home decorator TV show;
or your husband's favorite sports team, store or favorite TV show.
13. You spend too much money; don't have a budget and face rising credit card debt.
14. You haven't identified key values you want to develop in your family and character qualities in your children.
15. You don't have time for accountability and openness with close friends who have earned the right to ask the hard questions.

Let me recommend a resource that goes beyond the church. If you are looking for a magazine that deals with teen issues, trends, stats, and insights then Youth Worker Journal is for you. Check them out at youthworker.com.

I grew in Brooklyn, NY under great, moral parents. That being said, my life was anything but normal or average. Both my parents were alcoholics. They had good days and bad day. Both were hard working and took care of the needs of the house. We were poor but not in poverty. One night while my mother was three sheets to the wind she some how thought this was a good time to tell me, at nine year old, I was adopted. I didn't believer until she confirmed it whole she was sober. My identity crisis started early.

A few years later my father passed away from cancer. My mother and I were devastated. I needed him. I was 11 years old and on the cusp of transition. I had to go it alone. By a form of providence my mom and I moved to Florida to take care of my ailing grandfather. I met some kids who lived around the block. They were involved in a nearby camp. I wound up going for a weekend retreat and continuing (I grew Catholic) my spiritual journey with Jesus Christ on a deeper level.

From that point I many adult men, camp counselors, and youth pastors who became my heroes. They taught me about life and God. The picture I have included is from 79-80. It is the picture of a hurting and broken middle schooler. The combination of my own struggle with drugs, self worth/identity, and peer pressure made for fine cocktail of discouragement and hopelessness. Men of faith would always step into my life and challenge me and the commitment i made. If it were not for them I would be lost and would never have committed the past 20 years to reaching teenagers like myself. It's totally worth it.

If you'd like to share your story about how caring adults have impacted your life send me an e-mail at thediscipleproject@gmail.com