Adventures – Page 11 – youthworkers

Called to God

February 22, 2010
Adventures
General Posts

“God doesn’t call us to a place. He calls us to Himself.” – Gary Witherall What does that mean for your missions trip? First of all, it’s not just about what great things your group is going to do. You are going to be used by the Lord to bring hope and truth to others. But if God is calling you, and if God will do it, then the other question is what you’re going to gain. What you’re going to learn. What you’re going to see of the Lord; new things you just wouldn’t have gotten back home. I’ve led enough projects to know that kids...

Logistics: Parent Involvement

February 17, 2010
Adventures
Logistics

I know some parents scare you. I’ve been in ministry for a while and I know some parents just can’t be pleased, can’t be satisfied, can’t be accommodated. Then, there are the parents you’d like to clone! Those who not only understand your ministry and heart, but cheer you on in your efforts. So, some of my suggestions below might frighten you. Think them through and see if these would be some items the LORD would have you do. Remember, you’re not made in my image, you’re made in the LORD’s image! One of the things I’ve done over the...

How Do You Define Success in Missions?

February 16, 2010
Adventures
Discipleship

Unfortunately, we live in a culture that is driven by results. And while goals are great and they keep us motivated, we, as a society, have become so driven by goals that sometimes it works to our detriment. So to the person who wants to lose some weight, losing ten to fifteen is not a success until they’ve reached their thirty pound goal. To the parents who want their student to bring her grades up, the goal may not be fully met until that C becomes an A, all the while it took tremendous effort on the daughter’s part to get it up to a B. Goals are great and we...

Changing Missions: Rocking the Boat

February 15, 2010
Adventures
Preparation

When I was serving as a full time youth pastor, I did the thing we all do – plan our summer mission trip. As many of my colleagues had, I inherited a summer mission program when I got to the church. It was the program that they did every year for I-don’t-know-how-many years and the last thing that I was to do was to rock the boat and change what we did. Long story short, after two years of that program, I noticed a need to rock the boat, to change what we did. You see, I’m of the opinion that missions isn’t just about serving outwardly – to the least of these, but also...

Another Counselor

February 10, 2010
Adventures
Discipleship

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-the Spirit of truth.” John 14:16 Consider this: Jesus didn’t send His disciples into the world to make disciples with just their minds stuffed full of His amazing teachings from the past three years. That wouldn’t have been enough. He didn’t send them into the world to make disciples with just an armload of incredible experiences and miracles witnessed. That wouldn’t have been enough. He didn’t even send them out into the world to make disciples with just a dramatic...

Before and After

February 8, 2010
Adventures
Preparation

How can mission trips leave a long-term imprint in the lives of our students? How can we prevent the trip becoming just another spiritual high. Making the most of the experience begins before the trip starts and goes long after after the trip concludes. This is what we try to do in my youth ministry Before: Prior to each trip we try to focus on the culture of the place that we are going. So for example, in our youth group, when we are doing a trip to Kenya we spend a lot of time before the trip focusing on the culture. We also try to invite someone from Kenya come and speak to...

Author: Adventures