youth ministry | basics

Over the last year or so, I have been chewing on the name Youth Ministry Basics for this blog.  These words sum up everything that I want this blog to be…a place to share the basics of youth ministry from volunteer training, resouces and lesson ideas to devotions, spiritual formation and theological tools.  So here is the big announcement: Youth Ministry Experience is now Youth Ministry Basics (wow, and I didn’t even get to hold a press conference).

Next week, I will have more information about the goals of this blog.  But I want to reassure you that the focus of building community and supporting youth ministry is still the primary focus.  You should be aware that if you were subscribing through the RSS feed of Youth Ministry Experience, you may need to make some modifications (or you may not, depending on how it was set up when you subscribed).

I hope you continue to enjoy the blog.  Have a great weekend!

My Weekend Recap: This weekend was crazy and eventful…but was the culmination of an even crazier week!  Let’s start with the good: Saturday night, we had Micah Watson Band and The Oswald Brothers play a concert at Simpsonwood.  The concert was  a benefit concert to raise funds for the Haiti Relief Effort.  Our church’s goal is to raise at least $10,000.  We had over 300 people join us on Saturday night for what turned out to be an amazing evening of rock and roll and worship.  Both bands were incredible and we raised almost $2000 for the Haiti Relief Effort.  Unfortunately, as awesome as the concert was…it was overshadowed this week by the death of a lot of good people.  The week started with the death of my grandmother and ended with the death of the mother of our administrator.  We also lost an influential teacher in our community, a good friend’s dad and another friend’s aunt.  It was a wide range of emotions for a lot of people this week.  On a lighter note, this was the first time in 10 years that I did not have a Super Bowl party to go to and I watched the game in the comfort of my own home and relaxed.  It was nice to be able to do that, especially after the last week.

This upcoming week: Compared to last week, this week looks extremely mild!  I’ll start my new classes today and regroup and get ready for upcoming programs and events.  We have already begun our summer planning at the church and now it is time to start taking registrations for mission trips and retreats.  Now that we have the last five weeks in the rear view mirror, I would love to be able to do some intentional strategic planning for our youth ministry for the next 3-5 years.

Not looking forward to: Classes start today and I wish I had another week to recoup after last week.  Fortunately, I know that the hardest part of the next few months is nothing compared to the last five weeks.  I’m debating a decision on whether I should go to Honduras with our mission team this year.  I really want to go, but I think that it may be too much of a burden on my wife with our daughter.  I’m going to have to make a decision on that soon and I’m really not looking forward to that!

Book I’m currently reading: I’m still not currently reading anything, but that will change tonight when I start reading John Wesley by Albert Outler for my class this semester.  It’s so intriguing and I know that everyone will run out to buy that book, so I will spare you the synopsis (and a link)!

Recent Music Addiction: Obviously, I really enjoy the music of Micah Watson Band and The Oswald Brothers Band.  They were awesome in concert.  I’ve had the song “Rubberband Man” from The Spinners (made popular by the Office Max commercials with a character by the same name in 2004) stuck in my head for the last couple of days.  What can I say…I love music from the 70’s!  It’s pretty catchy.

Attitude Right Now: Drained and Grieving!  Last week was such an emotional week.  I’m hoping for a calm week this week.

Have a great week!

This week, I had planned to post more about our upcoming concert this weekend at Simpsonwood and how much you would enjoy the concert.  But on Tuesday morning, I received a phone call that I had been dreading for quite some time (although I knew it was inevitable).  My dad was on the other end telling me that my grandmother had died during the night.  My grandmother was 96 years old and had lived a wonderful life.  For the last 3 years, she had been living in a nursing home outside of Macon, GA, not aware of much that was going on around her.  To be honest, I was partially relieved that she was no longer in pain (she had battled shingles for the last 25 years) and that she was no longer confused.  But I was still hurting because it also meant that I had lost a loved one.

Many people speak about the influences in our lives.  My grandmother was a huge influence in my life.  Even though we had always lived away from each other and I never spent much time alone with her, she was someone who lived her faith.  She was the kindest person I’ve ever met and it was a kindness that extended beyond family to complete strangers.  At the funeral, my wife commented on the number of people who showed up to express their gratitude at what she had meant to them or done for them.  My grandmother was always reading the Bible and praying and she was the type of person that when she said “I’m praying for you”, you knew you were being prayed for.  When I told my grandmother my calling to enter ministry, she gave me a book of old church bulletins and notes that she had taken throughout the years.  She showed me the things that had helped her in her faith and shared about the old preachers who use to deliver the powerful messages.  She was a godly woman.

The other influence to me was her marriage.  Before my grandfather’s death in 2006, the two of them had shared 70 years of marriage.  They were lifelong partners and shared in everything.  They worked together, they played together, they were a great team.  As I think of examples for my marriage, the two that I think of will always be my grandparents and my parents.  It is because of this example that I am able to share joy with my grief by knowing that she is once again beside my grandfather.

During times of death, many people will comfort you by saying things like, “They’re in a better place” and “We’ll see them again.”  For many, these are words of comfort because they are not sure if their loved ones believed in Christ.  Yesterday, as I heard these words spoken to my family and me, it was more than comfort…it was truth.  I knew that I would see her again.  I don’t know when, but I know it will happen.  And when we get together on the other side of the pearly gates, we will have some of her fried chicken, sweet tea and coconut ice box pie.

Who are some of the people that have influenced you in your life?  Who has had an influence on your spiritual journey and/or ministry?

My Weekend Recap: This weekend was a nice combination of relaxation and stress.  I finished my Systematic Theology earlier in the week and have been able to take a few nights off of reading and studying.  However, we putting on a big concert for Haiti Relief on Saturday night and I have been overly consumed the last week and a half with publicity and ticket sales.  I did enjoy a fun day at Monkey Joes with Kayla and Michele and got a chance to relax and watch a movie with Michele on Saturday (a rarity these days!). 

This upcoming week: This weekend, we are having our 3rd annual Winter Concert at Simpsonwood.  We will have the Micah Watson Band and The Oswald Brothers playing this year.  It’s going to be an awesome event and I can’t wait.  As of now, we have almost 200 people coming and all I can say is that this concert will not fail from lack of publicity.  We decided a couple of weeks ago that all of the money raised would go to support the Haiti Relief effort as a part of our church’s goal to raise $10,000.  If you want information on how you can come to the concert, you can e-mail me (I plan to have a full post announcing the benefits for youth workers later this week).  Also, LOST premieres with their final season on Tuesday night.  I can’t wait to start the final season.  I’m addicted to that show.  Besides the concert and LOST, I’m looking forward to watching the Super Bowl with my family this year (this will be the first Super Bowl since 2001 that I have not been at the church or church function, my wife and I don’t even know who to call to watch the game…we are kind of lame like that!)

Not looking forward to: My next set of classes start on February 8.  I’m really enjoying school and enjoy the material, but I have been going non-stop for a full year and look forward to graduation and being finished with this chapter in my life.  I don’t want to rush the process, but I look forward to the day when I can read for fun again and have time to dedicate to other areas of my life.

Book I’m currently reading: I’m currently not reading anything.  Since I have a few days off before the next class starts, I am giving my brain a rest and focusing on the concert this week.  Although by the end of the week, I will probably have started reading for my next two classes.

Recent Music Addiction: I have been enjoying the new releases from Micah Watson Band’s new CD due out later this month entitled Daughters & Sons. They have some really good stuff (Check it out here).  Our praise band also played a song last week entitled “Lead Me To The Cross” and I have not stopped singing it all week.  It’s a very good song and I love to hear the band play it (Side note: our praise band is opening for the two bands this weekend and their set list is a lot of songs they rock on!  I might be as excited about seeing them as I am about seeing the other two bands).

Attitude Right Now: Anxious!  I can’t wait for Saturday night.  It’s going to be awesome and I am really looking forward to it.  (P.S. LOST premieres this Tuesday night…pretty anxious about that premiere also!)

Have a great week!

My Weekend Recap: This past weekend, I was down in Saint Simons, Georgia, for our annual Confirmation Retreat.  It was a great trip and we all had a lot of fun.  St. Simons is a beautiful place to be and the weather was awesome (except for the rain; still much better than 2-3 inches of snow and cold temps for a week).  We had over 40 people with us and it was a lot of fun getting to know the new 6th graders.  Our high school students who led did a wonderful job and it made me so proud to see them sharing their faith and teaching about the fundamentals of faith to the younger kids.

This upcoming week: This week will be packed full of reading.  I’m still working through  my books for my Theology class.  It takes forever to read theology books because they are so packed full of knowledge and insight.  On Saturday, our youth are doing a talent show fundraiser at the church to raise money for missions.  This will be our second year doing this.  Last year, it was a lot of fun.

Not looking forward to: Reading!  There once was a time when I enjoyed reading.  Then I went back to school and they took that joy from me and replaced with 1,000 pages of theology and philosophy.

Book I’m currently reading: Still reading Theology As History and Hermeneutics.  I did not complete my goal from last week.  I hope to finish that book by tonight and have started the next book, The Wesleyan Quadrilateral: A Model of Evangelical Theology.  This should be a fun week!

Recent Music Addiction: I’ve been promoting a concert at our church that will be on February 6 with Micah Watson Band and The Oswald Brothers.  It is going to be an awesome concert (tickets are $5 and can be purchased online at www.simpsonwoodyouth.com or by calling our church office at 770-441-2181).  The music is awesome and last week I got an e-mail from Micah Watson Band with a link for a song off their new album Daughters & Sons.  It sounded great and I am really excited about this concert.  You can more from Micah Watson Band by clicking here and The Oswald Brothers by clicking here.

Attitude Right Now: Stressed!  Too much to do in too little time.  I will be able to relax and unwind some after the concert on February 6 (just in time for spring classes to start).  Good news on the horizon…LOST premieres with the final season on Tuesday, February 2!  I can’t wait.

Have a great week!

My Weekend Recap: It’s been a crazy two weeks!  I just returned from Asbury (Kentucky campus) on Saturday night after spending a week in class learning about systematic theology.  At the time, I didn’t think I was retaining a lot of information; but as I have been explaining the class to people, I find that I can regurgitate stuff I didn’t know was possible.  It was an interesting class taught by one of the smartest people I have ever met.  However, it is definitely one of those classes that will take some time to understand the material and appreciate the concepts.  Aside from the class time, I spent a lot of time trying to stay warm.  The temperature never reached above freezing and there was 2-3 inches of snow every day.  I had to postpone leaving a day; but that wasn’t too bad because I was able to catch up on a lot of things.

This upcoming week: Now the class in KY is behind me, I have to focus on my job at the church again.  Today was my first day back in the office for 3 weeks and I realized just how far out of the loop and behind I was.  I will spend all of this week and next catching up, cleaning up and preparing for the next 5 months of curriculum, discussion outlines, programs, etc.  It’s tiresome and tedious, but by establishing all of this up front, it allows for more ministry time with the kids during the rest of the year.  I will also be preparing for the Confirmation Retreat this weekend (as opposed to last week, the temps will be in the 60s…loving it!)

To Do List: Prepare for the Confirmation Retreat, Map out discussion outlines for SNL thru May, Continue reading for my class, and prepare Bible studies for high school students.

Not looking forward to: There is really not anything that I am not looking forward to this week.  We leave for our retreat on Friday and this is always one of my favorite.  I guess I’m not looking forward to the 5 1/2 hour drive to St. Simons, but I know the end result is worth it.  I do have a church council meeting at the end of the month that I am not looking forward to.  It seems that church politics have been heightened by the downturn in the economy.  These types of meetings weren’t too much fun to begin with, now they rank just below a double root canal being done by a blind chimpanzee (I’ve never had this one done, but I have a friend of a friend whose sister knows a guy that says this is painful).

Book I’m currently reading: Theology As History and Hermeneutics (I’m not even going to provide the link for this one because no one in their right mind would actually read this book if given the choice).  This is one of the books for my class this month.  It is only interesting to those who are seeking an MDiv degree or studying Theology or Philosophy (and I can make a really good argument about how it is not even interesting to those people).  My goal is to finish this book before leaving town on Friday.

Recent Music Addiction: Jimmy Buffett (“The Buffett Hotel”). I listened to this album about 6 times driving to and from KY last week.  After sitting in a theology class and listening to this album so much, I’m starting to develop theology based on Jimmy Buffett.  I wonder how that will change the post-modern structure of the church.

Attitude Right Now: Refreshed!  I didn’t think I’d ever say this, but it was nice to be back in the office today.  All of the problems from the past year seem to be smaller than I remembered.  I’ve made it a goal (because I hate resolutions!) to have a more positive attitude with things at the church and not let the little things get in the way of the big purpose.  This is going to be a great year!

Have a great week!

DISCLAIMER: This is not a mistake.  This is an actual post.  While many thought that Matt Parker had disappeared from the world of blogging, he simply was too lazy to update for 2/3 the amount of time a woman carries a child (that’s six months for those who did no’t pay attention in middle school Heath class).

Here it is (after a 6½ month hiatus)…Feliz Navidad!.

My Weekend Recap (extended): I have a confession to make…I have been lazy with blogging, obviously! When I first started blogging, I thought it would be fun and I could channel my inner creative energies into something productive. But I get tired from reading and work and just want to sleep. Over the last six months, I have been working, taking classes and spending much needed time with my family. All three of these were short changed by each other. However, I have been keeping a list of ideas that I wanted to blog about once I returned. My goal (or resolution as we say at this time of year) is to blog at least 2-3 times each week and do a better job of keeping up with this blog. Real quick six month recap: Church has been turmoil—too much politics and not enough love; my daughter is growing up too quick, but she is developing a wildly contagious personality and I love spending time with her and playing games; School has been tough. I have upped my workload and decided to pursue a double masters (Masters of Divinity and Masters of Arts in Youth Ministry). I’m still not sure what I will do with these degrees, but I know that God will reveal this to me when it is time.

This upcoming week: I’m off work this week (I did get an iPhone for Christmas—this leads me to question if I will ever be “off” work again). However, I leave for Kentucky next week for a week long class on Praxis and Theology. I have to read about 5 books (close to 1000 pages) this week. I don’t think it is possible, but I am going to try.

To Do List: Read, read, read! In addition to that, I have to begin (or continue) preparing for Confirmation at the church (starts January 10). I love Confirmation and this year we are going to St. Simons for the retreat.

Not looking forward to: The Method and Praxis in Theology in Kentucky. The class sounds like it will be a tough one to comprehend. Right now, my brain is still mush from the fall semester and I am not in the mindset to start “fresh” with a January class.

Book I’m currently reading: I just started reading God and History by Laurence Wood (side note: he is the professor for the class I am taking—I’m not a big fan of professors who make you read their books as part of their class. He has us reading two of them.) I have also been working on The Space Between: A Parent’s Guide to Teenage Development by Walt Mueller. So far, a good book. I’m enjoying reading about the similarities and differences of teenagers throughout different generations and the psychological development of the adolescent.

Recent Music Addiction: It’s time to put away the Christmas CDs. It’s really a shame that we only listen to that music only once a year. I have developed a nice collection of some Christian artists singing some of the classic Christmas songs. Other than Christmas music, I’m listening to Foo Fighters, DecembeRadio and David Crowder Band (I have really enjoyed their new CD entitled “Church Music”).

Attitude Right Now: Exhausted! I’m looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, every time I reach the end of the tunnel, I turn and have another one to climb out of. Oh well, no rest for the weary is a cliché I have chosen to live by for the next few years.

Have a great week!

Here it is (after a three week hiatus)… crank that inner workings of a youth minister.

My Weekend Recap: I’m done!  This morning, I turned in my final paper for my first class in seminary.  As liberating as it is to know that the class is now behind me, it just means that I have to start prepping for the next 3 classes (all this summer) that begin on June 7.  In other news, we had a great Mother’s Day celebration today and my wife also celebrated 6 years of marriage.  We went to dinner at Chops on Friday night.  We had a gift card that made it possible.  For a 20 oz. steak, green beans and mashed potatoes, it was $100.  But it was one of the best steaks I have ever had.  If anyone wants to send another gift certificate, shoot me an e-mail and I’ll give you the address.

This upcoming week: This week is going to be awesome.  For the first time in 12 weeks, I don’t have a class to worry about.  We are done with our Wednesday night Bible study classes and this Sunday is Senior Recognition Sunday.  I will be making a video and trying to get a jump on some summer stuff.  Thursday, I will be over at Roswell UMC for a youth leader training.  Looking forward to spending the morning and early afternoon with some good friends. 

Of course, Wednesday night is the season finale of LOST!  THREE HOURS OF LOST! I can’t wait!

To Do List: Over the next 4 weeks, I have 4 books to read.  I’ll also be using this time to work on some stuff around the house and get ready for my mission trip to Honduras. 

Not looking forward to: June 7.  That’s when the summer classes start.  June is a crazy month with 2 weeks in Florida (one is for vacation; the other is for a class) and one week in Honduras.  That means I have to do a lot of reading before June 7.  And it is not pleasure reading…it is on Christian Ethics!

Book I’m currently reading: Just finished reading Refuel by Doug Fields.  I’m hoping to also get in Youth Ministry 3.0 by Mark Oestreicher at some time this week.  Other than that, I will be reading The Pastor as Moral Guide.

Recent Music Addiction: I’ve been enjoying a good assortment of music recently.  Mostly the upbeat rock music!  Broke out some old Third Day, DecembeRadio, U2, Steve Miller Band and Queen.  Also been enjoying some country recently: Big and Rich, Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Toby Keith and the Zac Brown Band.

Attitude Right Now: Refreshed!  This really was a great weekend and I am looking forward to the upcoming weeks.  Should be a lot of fun.

Have a great week!

If you have been paying attention to the news recently, you have no doubt heard about “sexting”.  According to urbandictionary.com, the most popular definition of sexting is “the act of text messaging someone in the hopes of having a sexual encounter with them later; initially casual, transitioning into highly suggestive and even sexually explicit”.  The reality is that this growing trend is becoming very popular amongst teenagers today who feel they can push the limits without getting caught.

In our community, there are a lot of kids with a great deal of freedoms when it comes to their cell phones.  Many of these kids do not realize the dangers of what they are doing and that, if caught, they could be convicted as a sex offender.  Reader’s Digest recently published an article written by a mom whose 7 year old son was caught sexting.  The following are some stats shared by Jim Burns at Homeword:

• The cell phone will be the greatest distributor of pornography for kids before the year 2011.
• “Sexting” is the new craze reported CBS news last week. 1 out of 5 kids have received an unwanted text photo of someone naked on their cell phone.
• Today there are at least 25 different Sexually Transmitted Diseases people can catch. Time magazine reported: of the young people who are sexually active, they will have 7 different partners by age 25. One out of five has a sexually transmitted disease.

As parents, we encourage you to follow up with your kids and have the tough conversations.  Studies have shown that the pre-frontal cortex of the brain, the area responsible for impulse-control, judgment, decision-making, planning, and organization and involved in other functions like emotion does not reach full maturity until the age of 25.  This means that your kids, no matter how smart they are, are still figuring out how to make wise decisions.  Don’t be afraid to be their parent.  They need their parents, not another friend.

For more information on Sexting:

Sexting: A Parents Guide to Keeping Your Kids Safe (crosswalk.com)

“Sexting” Shockingly Common Among Teens (cbsnews.com)

The Latest Cellphone Use: Sexting (Center for Parent/Youth Understanding)

Here it is (after a two week hiatus)…the inner workings of a youth minister.

My Weekend Recap: How about the two week recap (I’ll keep it brief)!  Two weeks ago, I got the opportunity to go to the Master’s Practice Round at Augusta National Golf Club.  It was amazing!  I had never been before and the TV does not do justice.  I have never seen anything so green before in my life.  Holy Week went well; I have the message at two services at our church that week and we had a couple of kids who participated in our Spring Break/Holy Week activities.  The best part of the week was when we took 19 downtown for Church on the Street.  After fasting for just over 2 days leading up to Easter, I was very excited on Easter morning.  This year was one of my best years spiritually leading up to Easter.  I was really able to put a lot of things in perspective.  This past week, I had jury duty and no power for two days.  There is part of me that would have liked to have been picked for the jury, but I found out that the courts will never take someone who works at a church (according to a lady in the jury box with me).  This thought really upsets me.  Other than that, I spent the rest of the week reading.  This was an excruciatingly long week for class.

This upcoming week: This Wednesday, we are getting into the meat of our Revelation study with our high school students.  Thursday brings a youth worker lunch to Simpsonwood and Church on the Street.  Sunday is our Honduras team meeting.  Other than that, this is kind of a mellow week.  No meetings…No new LOST…Light week for class (so far!).

To Do List: I need to find some time to do work in our yard, but the weather is beginning to drive me nuts.  While I’m excited to finally be getting the rain, it makes it very difficult to do much in the yard.  At church this week, I will be putting some of the finishing touches on our youth center in the FLC (finally, after a year and a half).  I’m also hoping to get a jump on my reading for next week in school.

Not looking forward to: The end of the semester.  While it will be rewarding to have completed the class.  There is a lot to do between now and then.  I have to do a research project on homelessness and write a paper for my final.  We are also in that time of the year where we are closing out this school year, planning for summer, and looking ahead to the fall.  All of that equals stress and I usually end up feeling inept and beat down.

Book I’m currently reading: Finished The Next Christendom by Philip Jenkins.  It was a good book, but a lot of information and difficult to read at times.  I also read Tribes by Seth Godin and thought it was a good book.  I’m in the middle of unChristian, but probably won’t be able to finish that for a couple of weeks.  So far, it is a great book that really makes you think about what Christianity is and what it should be.

Recent Music Addiction: I tabled the Tenth Avenue North CD when they told me they were not going to be doing our concert.  I have recently been listening to Purrington, a band that one of my colleagues plays in.  They have some good music and will be releasing their first EP soon (hopefully).  My favorite is “Come to Thee”.

Attitude Right Now: Tired.  I was up half of the night watching the weather and waiting to see if I was going to have to move the family to the laundry room.  Lots of lightning and thunder, but fortunately, no tornadoes for us.

Have a great week!