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WHEN LOVE AND SKILL WORK TOGETHER
Mother Teresa tells of a man who asked her to give food to a family with eight children, who hadn’t eaten in days. She took rice to the children’s mother, who in turn divided the rice in two, sharing half with her hungry neighbors. Mother Teresa said, “I was not surprised that she gave, because […]
Read MoreWant Youth To Leave The Church? Confirm Them!
I recently visited Prince of Peace in La Crescent, MN. This is a church that successfully keeps their youth active and involved after confirmation. They have figured out how to avoid the confirmation graduation, the exodus, moving on and beyond the church. Please read that again! “They keep their youth active and involved after confirmation!” […]
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BEYOND ZOOM
Let’s stop asking youth to join in on Zoom. Instead let’s invite them into specific, meaningful, purpose-filled ministry. Youth show up when needs are vital, meaningful, and urgent. If that Is not a clear goal, there is no reason to turn on or attend. Asks need to be specific: “I need you to meet and talk with […]
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Peer Ministry Leadership is Good Samaritan Leadership
by Lyle Griner I asked, “How have you been using the skills we are working on?” I had been working with this group of high school youth for several weeks. Silence. I pushed the question further and waited. Finally, one girl said, “I don’t think this really counts, but Friday night I went out […]
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WHEAT AHA Story
The Prelude I was working with a group of college students at an event. We taught the WHEAT acronym. During a break, in the hall near the snack table, a young man pointed toward an older man down the hall, “See that guy over there? I just Wheated him! Standing by the table, getting my […]
Read More Has the Church Missed Making the Main Thing The Main Thing?
Lyle Griner – National PML director What if we went to a yoga class with no mats or space to do exercises? What if we found only rows of chairs, listened to talks, sang songs about downward dog and cobra poses? What if people only gave readings and sermons about yoga? What if we never […]
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Inside / Outside Circle Experiences
© 2017 written by Lyle Griner free for local church groups only Seated in a circle of chairs, sitting on the floor, or even standing, while one circle of people faces outward towards a partner in a second circle of people facing inward. It’s a great face-to-face, heart-to-heart, and person-to-person experience with multiple uses. […]
Read More YOUTH ARE EITHER LEADING OR THEY ARE LEAVING
They are needed or they are gone. Youth have plenty of other groups who are anxious to use their talents. Every group from sports teams, garage bands, 4-H clubs, to the local street gangs are saying, “We have a place for you. We need you!” And here is the clincher. These groups actually do need […]
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Peer Ministry Leadership’s DNA
A few things I love talking about! YOUTH MINISTRY from PEER MINISTRY LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE
Read More An Essential Model!
I had the privilege to meet the St. Luke’s Peer Ministry team in Middleton, WI. I get very excited when I discover a church that understands the importance of equipping and then takes the next step of allowing youth to lead. Some of the things I heard! I love helping on 7th and 8th grade […]
Read More Spirit Nudges
Here is the question! “What Spirit nudges did you sense this week?” What did you see, hear, or sense that caused you to be concerned for another? How did you celebrate another? Or affirm? For whom did you say, “Yay!” for? How So what? Now what? How do you respond, or want to respond to […]
Read More PRACTICALITY IN PEER MINISTRY LEADERSHIP by Nikki Rud
Nikki Rud, Zion Lutheran, Grand Rapids, MN From the very beginning, we saw the benefits of training senior high youth in the skills of PML. Invaluable assets such as how to listen with their hearts, noticing non-verbal language, deepening their relationship with Christ by loving their fellow peers – all of these things and […]
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