To my youth pastor friends,

So here are some videos for you, youtube is great but takes time to search and find good stuff. We took the videos and downloaded them from youtube into a mpeg4 format. I was able to take it as an mpeg4 and put into my editing software and turn it into an avi format. Avi will go into media shout 4, so this allowed us to use youtube videos and load them into a seamlessly smooth format in worship. If I can help you let me know. Working together benefits us all! One last thing, you can use other audio in these videos–we switched the audio in all of them but one.

1. Simply Youth Ministry offers all kinds of incredible games, crowdbreakers, countdowns (t-minus), message series, powerpoint backgrounds and many other items.  Send me  an email if you need some recommendations. This site is by far the BEST for practical help in preparing for your program!

2. Powerpointsermons.com, My Pastor introduced me to this website, it does require a fee however it has made our Sunday morning graphics at our church come alive. I use it for messages and announcement slides on Wednesday nights and it has made a tremendous impact. Here are a few of my favorites.

3. Media Shout–Not sure what we did before moving images during worship. This will add a whole new dynamic to your praise and worship time. Make sure your computer has the specs that Media Shout needs. I know there is other companies out there but Media Shout is what we use and I have been very happy with the results!

4. Simply Txt–When I first started out at my present church Mount Zion I sent mail to all of my parents, then I went to everything being on the website (which I still do), email….facebook….now I send out mass text messages to my entire group. I have the largest plan so for $40 a month I can inform over 100 people an important announcement in a matter of seconds. They just added a new feature that allows text forwarding back to my phone so if I need to answer a question I can. You can also create groups and teams within the software. One thing we know for sure…..teenagers ALWAYS have their phone and they love getting text messages! This software has become invaluable to me!

5. Youtube–Remember all the video books we used to have to buy and the many rentals in order to show video clips in our groups—now you just have to search hard enough on youtube and you will find good stuff. I have saved money by having wi-fi in our youth building and showing clips from the internet rather than renting. Here are some recent clips I have used from youtube.

Making friends, What is a friend, Be Still, God’s Chisel, Intro to Jesus, In the Beginning

6. Poll Everywhere–It is difficult to impress a teenager however this software will do it—have you ever wanted to see what your students were really thinking about the topic you are speaking about? Are you curious where they are in their relationship with Christ?  Poll Everywhere is completely confidential so it allows you to get a sense of your groups thoughts and beliefs. Here is a video of the software being used in my youth group MZS, watch our Wednesday night promo video here. I have the $65 a month package and Poll Everywhere allows you to pay month by month as needed. Thanks to Josh Griffin for the idea!

7. One great way to inform your students of what is coming up in your ministry is a website. One of the best decisions I have made was purchasing 2 snapshot websites for our church and my student ministry MZS. If you decide to buy a website, I would be happy to get you started and help you with your ministry site just shoot me an email. I had no experience in building a website until we bought from snapshot and it was a great decision and very simple to use! Now I am able to update both websites with no problem at all!

Here is a few more tools:

Facebook—I use the group feature for getting word out along with Simplytxt.

GLO—Absolutely amazing–requires a lot of space on your computer but if you got the space you need glo, we use it for pictures on Wednesday night and also bookmark passages that you can navigate with the click of a button!

Church Graphics—Josh is the owner and does amazing work, he designed our MZS logo and has done a ton of work for our church, his prices are great and he is easy to work with, which is a big deal. Here is one piece he just did for our recent emphasis at Mount Zion. Checkout Fit Brochure

Action Awards—I have been using these guys for t-shirts, logos, sweat shirts etc.. They do a fantastic job at a great price–talk to Spencer when you call he is a great guy and will do anything to help you get what you need.

So here are my secrets, hope you get some fresh ideas!!!

God is doing some great things @ Mount Zion!!! Wednesday Nights @ 7:00PM

mountzionstudents.com

However, sometimes it is better to let things happen on their own and allow the creativity of your group to take over. Last week we had a HUGE cookout with parents and students. The purpose was to reconnect students into our group and have a relaxing time talking and “hanging out!”  No real activities were planned other than eating hamburgers and hot dogs and drinking lots of soda. Someone decided to get a ball, and someone had some chalk and then 4 square took over. I was reminded as I watched the students play 4 square with true intensity, bigger is not always better and sometimes the simple things are what bring the most fun and fulfillment. So next time you decide to plan that BIG activity don’t forget that sometimes simple is better!

I’m thinking it has been said

Keep It Simple S________!

We don’t say that word in my house so you will have to figure it out.

For many years I have been doing Wednesday night programs and have seen some changes take place in the way youth ministry is done from year to year. However, nothing has been as significant as the way it has changed in my group now. There are so many reasons why I like what we are doing at ThExchange so I thought I would list a few!

* Round tables (there is no head of the table all are equal)

* Table leaders it is amazing watching our college students and adults interact

* Connection–to see people talk about relative issues they face everyday while meeting new people who are going through similar situations.

* Live Polling of the audience—allows us to anonymously see what is going on with the students in our group.

* Discussion, it has been awesome to see students and leaders discuss during the message and apply the biblical principles being taught!

One of our live texting polls Wednesday night asked this question:

One of my scars is_____________, and I deal with it by_______________________.

Here is a few examples of some of the comments back:

Divorce—-Prayer

Emotions—-Cutting

my dad being an alcoholic—-talking to my mom

my parent’s apathy towards church—-listening to music

being short—-being sarcastic

As you can see our group is taking the necessary steps to being real. My prayer is that we go beyond surface type relationships and  begin “sharing life with one another.” God desires for us to confess our sins to one another and seek out people who can help us conform to the image of His Son Jesus Christ. One thing is certain we all experience pain and hurt and need a Refuge in our time of trouble. God is with us every step of the way!

Here are some examples of what I do: pray, study, read, keep up with teen culture (not very easy to do), preach, teach, share, text, email, facebook, administrate, organize, make phone calls, return phone calls, conflict resolution, plan activities, hospital visits, confront, encourage, get frustrated, strategize, buy new tools for ministry, edit video, clean up, talk to parents, support my pastor, go to meetings, travel, meet new people, raise money, balance my time with my family, go to school events (concerts, games, …), develop leaders, update website, share life with others, stay up all night, drive a bus and go out to eat!

There are so many reasons that I love what I do—The primary reason is seeing teenager’s give their life to Christ.  The other night at church I was talking to a girl about her life and I realized that the conversation needed a little more attention then a 3 or 4 minute chat so I gave her my cell number and we ended up talking on the phone for about 45 minutes. This young lady gave her life to Christ on the phone that night! The fact that God can use someone like me (who deserves nothing that I have) is a realistic picture of the grace of God.

My youth group aka…MZS is amazing! There are some awesome kids that God is molding and shaping into the image of HIS SON. I love to see teenager’s get connected into the group.  I feel that God has His hand upon us and is ready to use ALL of us if we will be obedient to HIS calling!  What if each student truly became obedient to what God desires for their life? What if each of us really got passionate about inviting our friends to church? What if we truly realized that God has so much more to offer us than the world. What if we dropped our masks when we came to church and told people who we really were so we could begin the process of becoming what God really wants. What if MZS became a place synonymous with love, acceptance and grace.  This is what I desire to see happen in our group. Are you willing to become an Ambassador for Jesus Christ? This is God’s plan and purpose for you! You are God’s Masterpiece—don’t settle for the status quo.

Some principles I will share with you are: Bad things can happen to good people. Even worse bad things can happen to godly people.

Some thoughts from a recent message:

1. Pain is everywhere. All you have to do is turn on the TV and watch the news. There are people dying of starvation, innocent people are killed everyday because of war, violence, terrorism and divorce is at an all-time high.

We must come to understand that pain in life is not punishment from God–Good people suffer and experience loss and tragedy everyday. All of us at one time or another will have to deal with pain & suffering. Pain strikes us without any warning or concern for what we have planned– you simply cannot escape pain.

Someone once said you are either going into a trial, coming out of a trial or are in the midst of a trial. Pain Happens.

2. Pain builds character. Some of the toughest times in our lives are when we become the most reliant on God which in return causes us to become more Christ-like. James 1:2-4 tells us about persevering under difficult trials and as result receiving spiritual maturity.  You are who you are because of trials and tough situations you have been in throughout your life.  This is one reason why we should respect and honor the Builder Generation or the “World War 2 Generation”, this group of adults has seen some of the toughest days America has ever experienced and as a result they are people of great character and honor!

3. God helps us during our pain. One thing that is comforting is a life that is dedicated to Christ is a life that will not suffer alone. Why do we bother going to church and not just watch it on TV?  Simply put we need to share life with each other whether it is good or bad. The Christian life does not promise to be pain free but it does promise a partnership with the God of the entire Cosmos!

One day we will be in a place with no pain check out Revelation 21:4.

When a situation happens in life that causes you to question God make sure you do not go beyond questioning Him which can lead to rebellion. Trust God even when you do not know all the answers.

One problem I have seen over the years is  people who confuse God with life; if they become disappointed with life they become disappointed with God too. If life is not going good they automatically decide that God is not good. Jesus made it quite clear that each of us will experience trouble in this lifetime. Job tells us that “man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.”

So what do we do?

1. Rely on the promises of God

2. Surround yourself with family and friends who love you.

3. Allow yourself to go through the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

4. Keep your eyes on the Saviour and not the storm

5. Converse and pray to God–share with Him how you feel even if you are mad. He already knows He is Omniscient.

Are you in a relationship with God through his Son Jesus Christ?

-about a month ago Amanda started having back pain with muscle spasms down her right leg.

-during an emergency room visit they did an MRI that came back with irregularities in the bone marrow

-Last Friday, March 6th the family received a phone call that Amanda had a tumor in the pelvic area and would receive more details to set up surgery.

An hour or so later, the family received the 2nd phone call, as they were told Amanda has cancer. They were told of a large mass/tumor in the pelvic area and metastasis in her lungs and possibly her bone marrow.

Amanda will enter the hospital Monday 3/16 for an overnight stay to have a biopsy done to find out what kind of cancer she has. Later the same week she will go back into the hospital to get a port for chemo placed. Then she will start her first treatment and have a bone marrow biopsy if needed. After her initial stay she will go to the hospital every 3-4 weeks for 1-4 days to receive chemo treatments. After about 3 months, she will start radiation and possibly have surgery to remove the tumor.

I ask you to join me and pray for Amanda and her family everyday. I cannot fathom what they are experiencing at this time but one thing I do know, we need to lift them up and support them as best as we can.

There is a group on facebook called “Pray for Amanda”, this is a place where you can leave her a note and tell her you are praying for her, even if you don’t know her.  The Riley family has a caringbridge website register (amandariley) which is also on facebook.

Here are a few verses to remember:

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, Psalm 34:18, Psalm 46:1, Romans 12:10-13

Amanda, we love you and are thinking of you, we will pray for you daily.

The more and more I thought about this meeting the more I realized how important it is for parents to allow other people to be be a part of their child’s life.

I was raised in Texas and lost my Dad at the age of 9, my mom had to keep the family business going so she worked a lot,  as a result I became a latchkey kid.  I can honestly say the faithfulness of other caring adults has made me who I am today. This is one of the last pictures taken of my dad before He passed away in 1985.

Some of the coaches I had growing up,  Bob Kultgen, Steve Houchin, Coach Mann,

Coach Harbison. These men taught me to work hard as an athlete and to always give my best. They also taught me to be a team player.

Some of my friends parents became like “father figures” to me: Robert Simmons, Bob Kultgen, Doug Woodburn. I spent hours and hours at these families houses eating their food, hanging with the family, learning how to be a man.

There are several teachers I could name who made made an impact on me but the one who far outweighs all the others is my High School choir director (who has become a legend in Texas) Billy Talley. He took us on trips, we competed in all kinds of festivals. We sang at elementary schools, middle schools, nursing homes and even sang at the Astrodome, in Houston, TX. I spent 4 years singing in his choirs and loved every minute of it. Mr. Talley taught me how to love and appreciate music and strive for excellence! He was also a man of God and has tremendous Christian Character!

Lastly, those who served as youth pastor’s, leaders, and mentors. These are Larry Kopp, Meshelle Bowles, Mitch Wilson, Jeff Parsons, Shayne O’Brien, Todd O’Brien, Alan Ford and of course my big brother John.

These names represent my elementary years-high school years. If these people would not have taken the time to invest in me, I’m not sure where I would be today.

Parents I encourage you to allow your child to be influenced by other people rather than just you. It is clear that you are the #1 influence, however all of us need others who are smarter, wiser and more experienced in life to speak truth to us. I am forever grateful to those men and women who did this for me!

Thank you to all of you who invested in me.

What’s your faith look like today?

• My faith is real and central to my life—– My faith is looking pretty good today—– I don’t know what you could say happened to me.

• Well my faith is a little weaker than when you were around constantly. I certainly don’t pray everyday but I’m no atheist. Still believe just not as active I suppose—–God has been doing some work with me, and I am realizing more and more everyday how amazing he is,  I’m still gonna be a youth pastor

• My faith is getting back on track——It’s not as strong as it was in high school but still going, I can not find a church that I like—–My faith continues to grow daily.

• My faith isn’t as great as it could/should be—–I am striving now, more than ever, to learn to defend my faith and grow in God—–My faith is as strong as ever Jody, if not more so.

How is your involvement in a local body of believers?

These responses were wide spread and somewhat alarming.  It seemed clear that if the person is involved in their school’s BCM or a part of a collegiate ministry within their church their faith was growing more than those who were not involved in any age appropriate ministry.

• I still attend church even though I’m at an extremely liberal college

• I still go to church almost every Sunday.

• I have always been very involved at whatever church I am at.

• I don’t go to church. When I come home, I usually go to church. I have recently thought about going to some churches , but haven’t actually gone yet.

• I have fell off and stopped going to any church completely…(not lost faith but just lost connection).

What makes your relationship with God stronger? Also what could have made it stronger?

• When I read His word and begin to use it in my daily life.

• I have no idea

• Putting my faith into action

• Challenged more doctrinally

• Finding a good church

• Being surrounded by others who are like-minded

What role did your parents play in your Christianity?

The #1 influence in someone’s life is their parents! However I did notice while reading many different responses that just because your parents brought you up in church does not always mean that the person still goes to church. I also found that there are very good godly people who have parents that did not set a great example and influence their kid for the things of God.

Favorite youth group memory?

These answers were mission trips, Disciple Now, camps, all-nighters, ski-trips…

To parents of teenagers:

Walk in the faith with your kid. Talk to them about problems they face, help them understand what it means to be a “follower of Christ.”  Set the example in life, word and deed–they are watching your every move. The truth is your teenager is only at church a few hours a week and at home most other hours spend TIME with them. Talk about God’s Word, it’s okay if you do not understand all of it–seek out someone who can help you. Most of all love your kid for who they are–God designed them and views them as HIS masterpiece! If we want to reclaim this generation, the church and the home must partner together like never before! Let me know if I can help.

To recent Graduates:

I have realized through these questions that each of us are responsible for our own actions. Your parents were not perfect in raising you and you were not a perfect child. You make the decision to live out your faith and only YOU. God wants you to come back to Him if you have strayed away. Some of you wrote that the church has hypocrites so you choose not to go. Let me tell you all of us at one time or another have been a hypocrite, this is why we base our standards on GOD not MAN! I encourage you to get back in a Bible Believing Church and get involved! A Christian without a church is like a baseball player without a team. God loves YOU and He is real, and He is always there for you reach out to HIM and He will come running! I love all of you guys and hope you choose to stay with Jesus Christ–Let me assure you He will always stay with YOU!!!