Peer Ministry Leadership

Leadership Training

YOUTH MINISTRY

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Candle Group Tip #1

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Invite your group to gather in close. Dim the lights and light a candle.

Maybe you have experienced the magic of the campfire; the smells, the glow of the embers, and especially the freedom to talk about anything and everything? As people stare into the flames inhibitions melt away and the warmth of trust prevails.

The goal of a candle group is to bring the atmosphere of the campfire to the small group. It sounds overly simple, but the intimacy created in a darkened space, sitting close, face to face, heart to heart, person to person, with the glow of a candle is amazingly effective.

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Somewhere in my work with churches I discovered that seven grade guys laying on their bellies, dimming the lights and lighting a candle created the atmosphere where the masks came off and they too could talk about anything and everything.

If you come to one the churches I am working with you would see the Peer Ministry Leadership youth, leading candle groups. We begin with wonderfully quirky, sometimes overly silly rambunctious kids, equip and empower them to lead. If you want to develop a youth ministry that grows in numbers and in depth… start letting your kids lead. 

Contact Lyle

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ADULTS SAYING, “YAY!”

REPRINT THIS! 
Make it from you. 
A Letter to All  Our Adults!
 

     YAY!

We recruited you! What? You did not know? But, you said, “Yes!”
You are now on our youth ministry team. Thanks for agreeing! Are you excited?
Fear not, you do not need to sleep on floors or play laser tag!
We need you to say, “YAY!”
“YAY!” by knowing young people’s names!
    “I know I am loved by the sound of my name in your voice.”
“YAY!” by finding and affirming all that is good.
    “Everyone else is telling me what I do wrong.”
“YAY!” by telling young people’s parents all you see that is good.
    “You see things my parent’s don’t.”
“YAY!” by showing up for me.
    “Thanks for coming.  It tells me I count!” 
“YAY!” by telling me you lit a candle and prayed for me.
    “I am lucky to know people who actually practice faith.”
“YAY!”” by sharing your faith stories.
    “You became real when you shared your stories with me.”
“YAY!” by listening to a young person’s stories.
    “You make me real when you take time to listen to me.” 
“YAY!” by asking for a young person’s help.
    “I need to be needed.”

“YAY!” in as many ways as you can!

Why is this essential? Because as good as our congregation’s programs are, youth learn faith through people who live it. Relationships with our adults of all ages and stages of life are essential. You provide the sticking power for faith! “Kids don’t care what you know until they know you care.” Young people need a church full of people who all are saying, “YAY!”
We need your help. It is simple, but it must be intentional. Youth ministry is much more than program ministry; it is about connecting young people to people of faith. Thank you for joining the youth ministry team. Thanks for your intentional face-to-face, heart-to-heart, person-to-person, “YAY!” for our youth.

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STEAL THIS QUESTION



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 the needs you saw?
  • What might God be calling you to do? Options? Ideas? Responses?
  • What and how can we pray? 

To Our Youth! (Make this from you!)
Did I tell you that you are our front line vital ministers?
I would love to think that, as your pastor and church staff, we have effectively touched the lives of a boatload of kids. I think we have, but I have no idea how big that boat is. Here is what I do know: you, our youth, touch the lives of more people than we will ever have the chance to meet.  More youth ministry is done through you than through any of us who are paid! You are our front lines of ministry. Your ministry boat is much bigger than ours.
I believe you are already doing ministry, but we may have forgotten to tell you. Your relationships – the people you care for, welcome and affirm every day, everywhere and in every relationship – are about God. Ministry is about loving because Christ first loved us. Ministry is about “doing likewise.”
You have friends. You know their great joys. You also know their great sorrows. You are the first to know when life needs to be celebrated or when there is pain that needs comforting.  You hear, see and sense things in others people you don’t even personally know. Your heart tells you when something doesn’t quite feel right. We call these Spirit nudges.
In our groups, we often ask about the highs and the lows of your week. We are also going to start asking …
“What Spirit nudges did you sense this week?”
You can share the concerns you felt for others. You may have been able to act on them by listening, welcoming or affirming someone. You may have just seen or heard about a situation and wished something better for this person.
We can pray about these Spirit nudges, and we can also help each other with ideas and support for being present when others need us. We will celebrate our ministry together when you do get to care.
This will be one of the ways we can support the ministry you live every day. It is one of the ways our church can be your ministry partner.
Be attentive to those around you. You are God’s hands and feet. Let’s help each other to help others.
Ready for more ways to help your youth be
caring, welcoming, affirming leaders?     
Shoot me a note! I’ll share some great outcomes that we help you implement!