1. Be a real friend. – Friends are fun, but life happens. It’s a given. Difficult life situations are a part of life. Most people don’t know what to say or how to help. Often people avoid the person, pretend nothing is wrong, or worse yet, talk to everyone but the person. PML gives you the skills for being the friend who walks in, even when others are walking out.
2. We see you as a leader. – PML is about leadership. There is leadership where people stand in front at microphones and leadership where people plan and organize. These are good, but really only appeal to a few. However, the front lines of leadership, the most important kind, is what we call relational leadership. It is the Good Samaritan kind of leadership, where someone cares, welcomes, and affirms others face to face, one on one, friend to friend. We need you as a leader, helping us change the world, one person at a time.
3. We want you to consider being on the Youth Ministry Leadership Team – This team helps leads all our trips, retreats, outings, service projects, and youth ministry nights. PML training is the prerequisite for being on the Youth Ministry Leadership Team. This is were you begin.
4. You are the most important teacher we have! – Here at church, we are good at preaching sermons, teaching lessons, leading devotions… Maybe we use too many words. Here is the truth – people may hear the words, but people only respond when they know people like you. Frankly, our younger kids look up to you. They see you modeling and mentoring faith. PML will strengthen the skills you already have and give you some new ones.
5. Be a really good listener. People are drawn to those who listen. Listeners are people who have gotten rid of the need to draw attention to themselves, and who have learned to genuinely enjoy others. Really good listeners are rare. We would like you to be one of them.
6. Know how to help. – You hear it every day! It ranges from a bad relationship, to misuse of alcohol, to another family breaking up, to an eating disorder, even to thoughts of suicide. You feel badly for people; you wish you could help. PML give you the skills to help. You will have the skills not only to listen, but to help guide people in their choices, changes, and challenges. You will also know when to lead others to trusted, knowledgeable people who can help.
7. Be the one who welcomes. – All of us know what is like not to be welcomed, to be left out, or to be ignored. You do not have to be that person. You have integrity. PML will work on specific skills to welcome and include others, even those who often are excluded.
8. Our church needs you out there! We need you on the basketball team, in the choir, in scouts, working a job, hanging out with friends, spending time with your family, doing all the great things you do! In every one of those situations, you have relationships. Relationships require people who care, welcome, and affirm them, loving because Christ first loved us. We believe that is you. PML gives you the skills to be a caring, welcoming, and affirming person every day, everywhere and in every relationship.
9. You will discover a new kind of friendship. – Deep friendships come from knowing and being known, understanding, not judging, and from experiencing trust. You will experience friendships on a new level. In PML, people often discover new levels of friendship, even with people they thought they already knew.
10. Learn how to share faith without manipulating others. – Faith conversations can turn into debates, arguments, even fights. That is not sharing anything! Sharing faith starts with an eagerness to listen to others, understanding their stories of belief, doubts, and even unbelief. You will not argue people into changing. Leave change to the Holy Spirit. PML will help you learn ways to share faith that are mutually respectful and never adversarial.