Recap weekend!!

We are back in the full swing of things after taking a week off for easter. This week we just simply talked about camp. Since we are making some changes with camp by doing our own programing! We are excited about it!
Attendance was below average!
Message was average!
Volunteers was average!
Fun Factor was below average!

Next week, we are staring a series "open mic" and we are going to talk about friends, gossip, peer pressure and AIDS Awareness. I know its random but theses are the topics that were picked by our students. I am looking forward to this!!

Currently reading!!

I was in Border's bookstore and I saw the title to this book and I picked it up. The book is written by an attorney and a market consultant. They together have written over 60 books that talk about faith conversations. I know sometimes you think God and I are tight but I can't stand Christians. So far it's a great read and funny! check it out

email is going out!

This is some great information that I found on Jeremy blog
The best way to talk with teenagers is text form. It's
short and to the point.

Tim Elmore and Growing Leaders recently conducted a focus group of 16-24 year olds and asked them how they wanted to receive information from us. Here are the top 8 answers:

1. Text messaging
2. Internet (i.e. MySpace or Facebook)
3. iPods and Podcasts
4. Instant messaging
5. Cell phone
6. DVD / CD
7. Books
8. Email

I want you to notice a few things about this list. First, note that email is last on the list. One student described email as “a way to communicate with older people.” Second, with one exception, this list moves from more personal to less personal in nature. They want something customized not generic if they’re going to pay attention. Third, and most importantly, these students prefer a “screen” for six out of their top eight favorite methods of communication.

The fact that text messaging landed at number one on the list tells us a lot about students today. Bear with me as I venture some observations about why text messages are the preferred method of communication:

1. Text messages represent very current communication.
More so than voicemails, a text means I need to interact now about something relevant to you.

2. Text messages are generally sent from someone you know.
Unlike phones, you generally don’t get a “wrong number” or generic call on a text message.

3. Text messages are brief and to the point.
The person texting doesn’t waste words; in fact, they usually abbreviate the message.

4. Text messaging is in your control. The receiver can stop when they want to.
This kind of control is attractive to students today. They want communication on their terms.

Students today are inundated with messages, from every side. I believe they’re most likely to respond to a text message because it allows them fast, current, relevant communication with friends–but at a safe distance. They like intimacy without a lot of vulnerability.

more pics from mexico!!

updated pics from mexico

pics from Mexico!!!

Mission Trip!!!

We took a number of students and to Piedras Negras, Mexico for spring break. I am looking forward to this trip. I think that it will challenge our students. We will be building 5 houses 12 by 12 for families and also loving on kids. I know that God is going to be doing some great work on the hearts here. Tonight we saw some of the families. It was eye opening to say the least! I look forward to writing more in the days to come.

Recap weekend

We had a one hit wonder this week and talk about Easter. We just spent some time talking what is means and why we celebrate it. It was the weekend before spring break.

Attendance was below average!
Volunteers was above average!
Fun Factor was below average!
Message was average!

We will take next week off and let our kids go to church with there family. We will come back at the end of the month and talk about Camp for a week.

Private school teens binge drink more

I think this interesting.

1 in 4 teen girls has an STD

I just was reading this article and its unbelievable, the number of teen girls that are sexually active.
You have to read the article.

READ THIS

Youth Ministry MythBusters

Youth ministry probably has more myths than any other ministry in the church. Here are five myths that are now busted!
1. Youth pastors don’t work all day.
Yeah, you got me. I just sit in my office playing Xbox, checking Facebook and chucking paper airplanes around the room. lol Whatever. Forget preparing Bible lessons, interviewing and screening new volunteers, planning events, further education and training, dreaming the vision, connecting with kids after school, preparing reports, church meetings and all the miscellaneous stuff.

2. Youth pastors are supposed to fix kids for parents.
Shoot, I missed that in my job description. Dear parent, lemme check your job description in scripture… Yup, that’s your responsibility. Now, how can I help you?

3. Youth ministry isn’t a real career.
It’s good for those who still aren’t sure what they really want to do when they grow up, which is why I don’t ever plan to “grow up” to what the world expects. Sure, it doesn’t pay the salary that a normal job would, but a short 50 year career on earth is nothing compared to an eternity of treasures in heaven.

4. A strong healthy ministry WILL produce numbers!
Healthy ministry never guarantees spiritual growth let alone numerical growth. Spiritual growth is solely a work of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life. Numerical growth happens in both unhealthy ministries and healthy ones a like. I know many healthy ministries that aren’t growing numerically. Why? I guess because God’s plan for them right now is be diligent in focusing on the few students who are already there. Numerical growth can be an indication of health, but never a decisive one.

5. Students have no desire for God’s Word!
“Studies show that, out of the 66 books of the Bible, teenagers can only say something about the contents of Genesis, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Revelation. They have no desire for God’s Word!” I agree that Biblical literacy is an issue, but you’re making a pretty bold assumption to equate illiteracy to no desire for the Word. Biblical literacy and desire for the Word are two different things. Can not a new believer have a desire for the Word and still be Biblically illiterate? Can not a teenager have a desire to apply Biblical principles to his/her life without knowing the synopsis of every book of the Bible? The opposite is also true. A person can be thoroughly familiar with every book in the Bible and have not desire for growth or personal application. (Hint: Pharisees.)

Recap!!

It seems like no matter what you do people don't catch on to daylight saving time. Well, we finished up our series called "POser". This week we talked about the why people pose.

Volunteers was average!
Attendance was below average!
Message was average!
Fun factor was below average!

We finished this 2 week series and now we will do a one hit wonder about Easter!

Padded lampposts to avoid Texting Injuries

This is a funny article!!


Have a great weekend!!!

helpful website

here are a few websites that you should check out!!
www.37signals.com
www.planningcenteronline.com

I think the 2 websites I just talked about can be helpful for you!!

Relational Ministry (part 3)

I am sorry I never got a chance to finish my whole relational ministry post. So far we have talked about contact work and follow up work. I would like to talk a little bit about just simply hanging out with students with no agenda.

• I think that its cool to take a group of kids and hang out with other leaders.
• Go eat or a movie
• Attend sporting events and there sporting events
  

I think that its extremely important to hang out with kids and be apart of there life. Relational Ministry is so important and I hope this helps you out!! Its all about loving students!

drug use by teens

I came across an article that shared 1 in 33 teenagers have tried meth. That is crazy!!

Check out this

Recap!!

We had a great weekend! Its good to be back home in Houston from Oklahoma. We started a series called "Poser". I think that it identify with our kids in a real way! We basically talk about the hows of posing.

Attendance was average!
Volunteers was average!
Fun Factor was above average!
Message was average but funny!

I think that is a great subject to follow up after the sex series. I am excited about next week.