As I have said before, later this month I will be spending two weeks in India. I will be a part of a 4 man team to travel from the US to India and train 40 pastors in the state of Chhattisgarh. These pastors are preparing to plant churches in their hometowns. They are high on ambition and passion for evangelism, but lack theological training. That’s where we come in! In just 5 days we will try to cram in as much Biblical training as we possibly can. (more…)
Archive for the ‘Ministry’ Category
India Update
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009Building Altars to God
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009
This morning I was rocked by Mark Batterson’s post called Altars to God or Monuments to Self. Here is a quote from the post:
In I Samuel 14:35 it says: “Saul built an altar to the Lord, the first one he had ever built.” But just one chapter later, I Samuel 15:12, says: “Saul went to Carmel to set up a monument to himself.”
Are you building altars to God or monuments to yourself?
Preparing for the Busy Season
Monday, May 11th, 2009
Ministry is filled with busy and calm seasons. For youth ministries, busy seasons are found at the start of the school year, spring time, and the summer, with missions trips and retreats. At my ministry, our busy season is in the summer (Memorial Day to mid-September). How you handle the busy season is vital to longevity in ministry.
Here is some advice to help you prepare for the busy season, before it comes:
- Plan Ahead. The busy time is no time for advanced planning and preparation. Develop your schedule and plans beforehand.
- Rest Up. Finding breaks is difficult during the busy season. Make sure you fully rested and prepared prior to the busy season. Take your wife out for a weekend getaway. Spend quality time with your children. Relax and enjoy the calm before the storm.
- Clarify Your Goals. Don’t enter the busy season without clarifying your goals. Otherwise, you are just being busy for no reason. Figure out what you want accomplished during this season. Write it down. Make sure your entire team is behind it. That way, everyone knows what to expect.
(image by splorp)
Youth Workers are Facility Managers
Thursday, May 7th, 2009
Most churches have part-time or full-time help to deal with all aspects of the facility: setting up, making repairs, and cleaning up. These men and women are the hardworking staff members that, while mostly behind the scenes, serve a very important role in the church. However, given the nature of scheduling events in youth ministry (including late night events and all-nighters), the facility staff may not always be available. That is when Youth Workers must take over and become the Facilities Staff. (more…)
Praying for Your Ministry
Monday, April 27th, 2009
Prayer is the most important part of ministry. But all too often prayer is an afterthought, tacked on to the end of a meeting or right before we get up to speak. What if we made prayer the focus of our ministry? I have a feeling that our ministries (and ourselves) would become much more dependent and focused on Him.
I have been evaluating my prayer life and found it lacking, especially in relation to my ministry. So, for the rest of the year, I am becoming more intentional about praying for my ministry. Here is a schedule my professor suggested for praying for your ministry:
- 1 hour per week
- 1 day per month
- 1 weekend per year
How do you pray for your ministry? How do you encourage your leaders to pray for your ministry?
Feeling at Home
Friday, April 3rd, 2009
I walked into Starbucks this morning, intending to do some work and reading for a presentation on Small Groups for a seminary class. When I reached the counter, the baristas already had my Grande Chai ready and waiting for me. I was planning on reading about community, but here I saw community firsthand.
In our ministries, are we showing our students that type of community? Are we giving them a sense of belonging?
Advertise Your Next Event: Local Pastors
Monday, March 30th, 2009
Rallying your local group of pastors can be an effective advertising tool for your next event. Not only can they help you get info to more people, but they can provide support and encouragement for you as you plan the event. For an event that would appeal to other churches (like a concert or famous speaker), the pastors can inform their congregations, allowing all Christians from your community to come. If the event is more evangelistic in nature, then the pastors can help by giving suggestions and prayers for your event.
In our community, there are two gatherings for local Senior and Youth pastors. The local pastors in our town meet monthly to plan outreach events and to plan the ecumenical Easter Sunrise service on the Boardwalk. Youth pastors from around the region (2 counties) have a monthly breakfast meeting at the local Friendly’s. At both gatherings, pastors celebrate in ministry successes, pray through difficult situations, and encourage each other in order to build up His Kingdom.
So next time you are planning a major event, be sure to reach out to the local pastors. Their prayers and encouragement can be highly effective.
(photo by LexnGer)
This is post #2 of a 23 part series How to Advertise Your Next Event
