Posts filed under ‘Church’
Implementing the Plan
by Tim McCoy
Youth Leaders Unite! I love the image of all youth leaders at the beginning of the ministry season, gathering together and doing the ”all hands in the circle” shout of “ON THREE, WE CAN DO IT!” Last week, I was away on a personal retreat and spent a portion of every day praying for these crucial days of implementing the plan and calendar that you’ve been anticipating all summer.
Wait…you did prepare for today last spring didn’t you? All of your volunteers are in place for the fall and winter ministry seasons, right? The ministry calendar is set and all that’s left to do is implement the plan that you’ve been praying over all summer. Ready, set, go!
I’ve suggested here that planning should be a crucial part of what you do with teenagers in ministry. I, with you, know and appreciate the challenges and struggles with finding enough people to share leadership within your ministry. That’s why I’ve been praying. And, that’s why you should, whether you’ve nailed down a calendar and plan or not, immediately invite a prayer team to be praying you through the fall and winter as you care for the spiritual and developmental needs of those you serve. So, step one, find some friends and unleash their prayers over you and your team of leaders as you gingerly nurture the lives of those with whom God has entrusted you.
Answered Prayers
The pastor asked if anyone in the congregation would like to express Praise for answered prayers.
A lady stood and walked to the podium.
She said, “I have a Praise. Two months ago, my husband, Tom, had a terrible bicycle wreck and his scrotum was completely crushed. The pain was excruciating and the doctors didn’t know if they could help him.”
You could hear a muffled gasp from the men in the congregation as they imagined the pain that poor Tom must have experienced.
“Tom was unable to hold me or the children,” she went on, “and every move caused him terrible pain. We prayed as the doctors performed a delicate operation, and it turned out they were able to piece together the crushed remnants of Tom’s scrotum, and wrap wire around it to hold it in place.”
Again, the men in the congregation were unnerved and squirmed uncomfortably as they imagined the horrible surgery performed on Tom.
“Now,” she announced in a quavering voice,”thank the Lord, Tom is out of the hospital and the doctors say that with time, his scrotum should recover completely.”
All the men sighed with relief. The pastor rose and tentatively asked if anyone else had something to say.
A man stood up and walked slowly to the podium.
He said, “I’m Tom.”
The entire congregation held its breath.
“I just want to tell my wife that the word is sternum.”
ht to laughs2day.com
Two Days in Kenya with ONE
Article written by Bryant Shannon for Relevant Magazine
Meet Bryant Shannon, a rising junior at the University of Florida in Gainesville and co-leader of one of the top
three schools in the ONE Campus Challenge [OCC]. He studies Biological Engineering and Public Health, and has volunteered in small communities in Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize and Nicaragua to help raise
awareness about extreme poverty, HIV/AIDS, clean water, and respiratory illnesses attributable to open-air cooking. Eventually, he hopes to become a physician. While in Kenya, he looked specifically at “Challenges in
Kenyan Healthcare.”
While in Kenya, Bryant blogged for the OCC. Two of his entries—capturing what happened on the ground…
Rest of article here Two Days in Kenya with ONE
ht to our friends at Relevant Magazine
Why Johnny College Isn’t Coming To Church
I’ve been reading many different statistics that give us reasons about why college students are leaving the church after high school. There are various reasons and excuses that are being tossed around.
Over the next few weeks we will be giving various information and opinions about why there seems to be a large exodus by graduation high school students and twenty-somethings from the church.
Is there a problem or is there not a problem? Who is to blame? Should we just move on and change or try and fix the issue?
Orginally published on Monday, July 27, 2009 at 8:38 AM
by Todd RhoadesRecently, my friend Ed Stetzer gave a presentation at the International Christian Retail Show on some of the research he’s doing at LifeWay. He shared the top reasons they’ve found that young adults are dropping out of church these days. Among the reasons:
1. They simply want a break from church (27%);
2. They felt church members are judgmental and/or hypocritical (26%);
3. They moved to college and didn’t find another church (25%);4. They have work responsibilities that keep them from attending (23%);
5. They moved too far from church (22%);
6. They just got too busy, even though they’d still like to attend (22%);
7. They didn’t feel connected to the church in the first place (20%);
8. They disagreed with the church’s political/social stance (18%);
9. They decided to spend more time with friends (17%);
10. They were just going to church to please their parents (17%).That is some interesting information. I’d love to see how this meshes with the reasons that older adults leave the church. I think there are similarities, regardless of age.
One of the biggest reasons adults give for dropping out of church is that they feel people in the church are judgmental and hypocritical. Another reason often given is work responsibilities. And then there are those who just want a break, others who have moved and haven’t reconnected with a new church, or are just too busy. And these days, many of us disagree with the church’s political and/or social views.
And just going to church to please your parents? Well that’s still a good excuse, no matter your age. Except maybe it’s your spouse, or another family member you’re aiming to please.
Why do people leave your church? No, really. Why do people leave? Think of the last 5 families that have left your church. Do you even know why they left? And did you or anyone discuss their decision with them after they left?
Young people AND adults leave churches for the silliest reasons. Sometimes a gentle prodding or talk can rescue them from their inactivity in the church. Sometimes not. But too often, we just let them go. We allow their laziness or lousy reasoning to keep them from our or any church, and stand by as they distance themselves from the One who wants, more than anything, to have a day-by-day relationship with them.
Is there someone you should call today to say, “Hey, how are you doing? I’ve been missing you?”
Thanks, and have a great week! You can email me at trhoades@mondaymorninginsight.com.
Todd
What are you hearing?
Students and parents communicate so many messages to us as youth workers that we oftentimes feel overwhelmed with the content of what we are hearing. What can we do with all of these messages that we are hearing? Who do you have that cares for you? Mentors you? Refreshes your soul?
ht to our friends at Canadian Youth Workers Convention: www.cywc.com
Canadian Youth Workers Convention
